New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-19
Y. M. G. A
What the Name Means in the Live.
of Our Soldiers

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: May add my testimonial to IA.
very great and valuable work done By "A.
Y. NJ. C. A. in the army, and hope that N.
campaign for funds, now under way, will B.
successful! II the average citizen only nsv
how important was the work Of the Red T,l
angle in the various camps and csntonmeu,,
Of the army as they are being conducted "a.
day | feel sure he or she would give soma
thing toward this fund. ! can vouch my p.,.
sonal experience In this matter. Within "a.
last month have visited personally the e.,.
comments Mt Camp Devens, Aver, Mas,
Camp Upton. Yaphank, Long Island; Csr,
Dix, wrightstown, N. j., and Camp Mead.
Admiral, Nd. have also visited the Officer,
training camps at Plattsbdrg N. Y, and.
Fort Sheridan, Chicago. In all Of ths,.
places the Y. NJ. c. A. had buildings ana
we're hard at work. In all Of these place,
officers and men alike spoke with enthusiasm
Of the Importance of the work done BY N,
Y. NJ. C. A. in keeping up the morale Of n,
men.
When you figure that most of the canton.
ments are newly built cities OF 10000 "a
10000 inhabitants, situated at points distsu,
from the cities, practically built in a wilder.
ness, the question of rational amusemen,
and enjoyment of the men, the question Of
providing space for their leisure hour
where they may meet to read. sing and wit.
letters, the question OF providing sometime
that in measure will take the place o.
home, is very practical one, from the army
standpoint. This need the 7. u. {. A. build
ings help to supply.
Leisure Hours
The slack hour Of the soldier undergon,
training, in the cantonmcnts more especial
IL, is the time between supper at $3.50 end
taps at $3.50. The camps a; This tine ar,
fairly dark The barracks themselves where
the men slesp are necessarily crowded vitA
men and the SPACE taken up with their BIDS
and there Is rot enough space for the mes
To congregate and relax after hard days
work of eight solid hours of drill, oftentusi
in the wet and cold. This evening time i
the soldiers leisure hour. This IS the tine
when the bright lights shine from the T.
NJ. C. A. buildings, and the soldiers are 10.
vited 10 congregate there, where they have
cheerful, normal and healthful recreation.
One Y. NJ. C. A. building is provided for each
regiment composed as now of 5000 men
Every night some form of entertainment "a
provided for the men in the regiment. Thi,
varies from motion pictures TO imprompn
vaudeville entertainments, musical enter.
tainments, interesting lectures and sln
and even boxing contests. There is always
something, and every night the houses sn
crowded with men.
In addition, the Y. NJ. c. A. in each cantor.
ment has built large auditorium, with
capacity of from 1000 to 5000, where ent.
tainments are provided on a larger sea-.
This is only one form of the work done
the camps The buildings themselves an
run by trained secretaries, who are there
the time. They are men fitted for this wOn
with sympathetic, cheerful dispositions viz
talk to the men, advise them in regard 70
their little troubles, and in general set IS
sympathetic friends.
The mere fact that tables and benches /
with stationery, are at all times available, /
for the men to write home, itself is an in.
portant factor. The writer hss received
hundreds of letters from men in the differ |
ent camps written on Y. NJ c. A. paper !
is not easy for the men to write sstistst I
torily in their own quarters, which are nee i
essarily crowded and noisy, and, really thh I
little fact of providing stationery and writ l.
ing facilities alone means that a man is e..
couraged TO write home and 70 his friend i
and keep in touch with those he has left BE-
hind.
This work, along these practical lines, hn
shown this to be of enormous religou
value Without having religious services u
such, the best spirit of Christianity !. BE-
ing practised by the work done in these y
NJ c. A. buildings, and unconsciously me-
are influenced and uplifted.
The work of the Y. NJ c. A. is so prset-
cal that 1t is even carried 20 the extent d
providing Red Triangle station in drlliz
men in modern trench warfare The wrw
was surprised to find at the officers csnT l
at Fort Sheridan that in the second lin
trenches Y. NJ. c. A. dugout, with Rel
Triangle flag, was in active operation dr.
ing the time the men spent their tour in ne !
trenches. One man told the writer that tsr' |
ing his tour of duty he had a very poor
supply of food, but that the hot coffee i''r \
the Y. NJ. c.. A. cheered them all up
OF course, all this work, done on this ls1s
scale, takes a large sum OF money, and 80
sincerely to be hoped that all citizens VII j
contribute according to their means for z,
splendid cause. ARTHUR F. COSBY
Late captain L. v
New York, Nov. Is, 1917.