Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1917-11-07
Adiutant Wilson
Explains Position
Y. M. G. A. and x. of c. Do
Not Limit Activities to Par
ticular Constituency.

Dear Professor Bentley:
The Secretary of War desires me to ac-
knowledge receipt Of your letter of De-
tober 8, 1917 relative to a ruinor current
that Masonic organizations are not per-
mitted in the army, while knights of Coz
lumbus are and in response thereto to in
form you that ever since the plans for the
cantonments and training camps were
first made the War Department has been
flooded with resquests from all sorts of
organizations to erect special buildings
inside the military reservations Various
religious denominations, a large number
of lodges and fraternities and many ath-
letic and recreational clubs have petition
ed US, each seeking to minister exclusive
y to it's own membership inside the
camps. If we let down the bars TOR one,
we would have to take the same action in
regard to ALL The Young Mems Chris
tan Association and the Knights of CO.
IumDuS nave Tor many years, both in this
country and abroad, been represented in
army camps, serving the soldiers along
recreational and social lines without re-
gard TO any question of membership. In
other words, they do not limit their actiyi-
ties to particular constituency. One
organization represents the Protestant
denominations, which win constitute
roughly, 80 per cent. of our new army,
the other represents the Catholic denomi-
nation, which will constitute perhaps 80
per cent. Neither organization however
as nave pointed out, will conduct its
weIk on any exclusive basis The build
1ngs OF both well as their activities
are for the benefit of all the troops in the
camps. ~
We felt, therefore. that the wisest plan
would be to admit only these two organi-
zatlons for work inside the camps and
the action taken by the War Department
was taken after full consideration of the
problem by the Commission on Training
camp Activities, which has been appoint
ed to advise with the War Department
on matters of this kind
am sure yoH will see that no discrimi-
hatlon against any fraternal order is in
tehded; 1t would be physically impossible
from the standpoint of space TO allow fhe
many different organizations / have men
TONED TO erect buildings inside the camps.
#Cn the other hand, if you win pernlit fhA
suggestion. | think these orders are CON
sifonted with splendid opportunity in
hiiHlstefing to the recreational and social
needs OF their membership in the com.
nunltleS in the neighborhood Of which oi,,-
iihntaty camps are located These COM
i1at t are already organized along rec
that these orders have a largo na # - ,,Iax,
IN the program.
J. b. WILSON,
yE,a.A,, Adjutant General.
4 seems to me I'd like to 60
Fhere bells don't ring, nor whistles
Nor clocks don't strike nor gongs don't
sound,
And I'd have stiffness all around.
Not real still Stiffness but just the
trees
Low whisperines or the hum Of bees.
Or brooks faint babbling over stones
In strangely, softly tangled tones.
Or maybe cricket or katydid,
Or the songs of birds in the hedges hid.
OF just some such sweet sounds as
these,
TO fill a tired heart with ease.
Sometimes it seems to me L must
Just quit the city's din and dust
And get out where the sky is blue,
And say, now how does it seem to
you?