South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-14
.ditor News Times

Editor News-Times:
II you were TO ask me on the
street about the army work Of the
Y. NJ c. A. l should reply that this
is now the darkest hour for America
since this war began and that we do
not seriously realize the magnitude
of the task that now confronts us.
The collapse OF the military arms
OF Italy and Russia has increased
our burden four fold. and will now
prolong the war. II Russia makes
peace as she proposed il will release
from her borders 40 divisions Of
about two million men Of the cen
trail powers, TO fight France, Eng
land and America on the western
front, and il will open TO Germany
the stores Of grain in the regions Of
the Black sea and elsewhere in
Russia and dispel the dream Of
coercing Germany by starvation.
Italy is put out of the offensive and
into defensive for a year. So We are
in a desperate fight. 10 either whip
or he whipped, il is 10 be one or the
other, and we must use every re-
source that we have.
The effectiveness Of an army lies
I'm its efficiency and morale. And let
me emphasize the morale, which is
defined TO be. the mental condition
Of soldiers as regards their cour-
age. zeal and hope. II an army is
discoura ged. homesick, depressed in
spirits and each soldier feels that he
is but a mere cog in the war ma
chine. and of small consequence as
man and a human being, then
the army is said 70 have lost its
morale and il is inefficient. This was
the cause OF the Russians leaving
the army for their homes and now
begging for peace. They were peas
ants mostly and had nothing but the
severest drudgery with privations
and suffering. no comforts, no sub
stantial remembrances from home to
cheer them up, no backing there.
How are we TO maintain the
morale of our soldiers in the Ameri
can army? To be sure the govern
ment furnishes the bare necessities,
rations. clothing and shelter, but
requires a daily routine Of fatiguing
military duties, severe tOilsome and
wearing on body and mind, and aft
er a time all this tends TO discour-
agement. inconsistencies, WEAKNESS
and consequently loss Of morale, un-
less prevented and checked by out
side help not provided by the gov
eminent. The American soldier is
entirely unlike the peasant soldiers
Of the old world. He is accustomed
10 many common comforts OF life
that all Americans have and If he
is deprived OF them, he suffers, and
is apt TO be disconnected. And just
here is where the Y. NJ G. A. un-
derstands the situation and ap-
proaches him, as a friend and
brother and serves TO maintain his
morale by approaching and supply
ing his needs where the govern
ment has made no provision.
II is a great aid TO the govern
ment. and supplements its work and
performs a very necessary obliEa-
ton to the soldiers that any true
loyal American must appreciate. on
the morale of our army depends sue
cess and IL seems a duty then 10
maintain the morale Of our soldiers
by making them efficient. cheerful.
hopeful, happy and contented so far
as we can and TO surround them
with some OF those common neces-
sary comforts for body mind and
spirit to which they have always
been accustomed.
Everyone who wants a better sol
dier fighting for his country than
a mere part of a machine and wants
real man to represent our country
should willingly lend help TO sus-
tain the Y. NJ c. A. in their army
work. Let the morale OF the Amer
lean army be the highest that we
can help 10 make il.
WILLIS A BUGBEE.