Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1917-05-14

for each brigade" is the slogan. Each
building will be equipped for the let
ter writing Of the soldiers, with read
ing tables, magazines, papers, phono-
graph, moving pictures, checkers,
chess, dominoes and billiards. Sta
tionery is furnished free and the pres
ent for army Y. M. G A. buildings IS
1000 to 5000 letters day to keep
the home ties from breaking" In a
social way games, entertainments and
musical programs are arranged.
Physical activities include baseball
basketball, field meets, tugs of war,
wrestling, boxing and volley ball.
There are gospel meetings. evangelis-
tic addresses, song services, Bible
classes and, what is probably the most
important part of the work, personal
talks with men.
To carry on the Oregon-Idaho cam
paign, 300 executive committees have
been organized in 800 communities.
In a broader way the two states have
been divided into 25 districts with &
supervisor for each district.
The appeal for contributions goes to
the patriotic. It goes to fathers and
mothers whose boys have gone to the
front and who know that the Y, M.
C. A. is providing for the wholesome
use of the leisure time Of the soldiers
time that so often is spent in sordid
resorts by boys who left home clean
but who could not withstand the pc
culiar temptations of army camps.
The appeal goes to business men who
want an army aided in efficiency
through wholesome Y. NJ. c. A influ-
ence. The appeal goes to religious
men and women who want to do their
bit in a work that involves as much
of sacred patriotism as any other
branch of service.
The mother who wept when her
hoy marched away; the father who
struggled to keep down the lump in
his throat and yet cheer the young
fellow on his courageous course
such fathers and mothers can be as
sured that their yearning wishes for
the welfare Of their boys may be sub
stant'ally delivered.
"Any father or mother who would
like to have special friendliness
shown soldier boy can write to the
Y. M. c. A., giving the name, company
and regiment, describing the situa-
ton, and we will forward 1t to the
proper Y. NJ. c. A. secretary" said
Ivan B. Rhodes, Y. M. c. A. secretary
for Oregon and Idaho.
"That is what We are organized
for. And whether we receive the re-
quest direct or not, 1t is the knowl
edge that every father and mother
want their son kept under friendly,
sensible, helpful influence that causes
us to proceed with our organization
and the reason we are now making
our appeal"
Some people suggest that calls are
frequent and burdens heavy. The
contributions made by the people Of
the United States average so far so
cents per capita for war created pur-
poses outside official appropriations.
In one Canadian city the contribu-
tions aggregate more than $14 per
capita. The people of the United
States do not yet know what war
burden is. They do no. yet know
what war suffering is. They do not
yet realize that the nation has be-
come a participant in the greatest war
in history, and that investment now
for the welfare of our boys in uni
form will mean their greater eff
cheney as a fighting force and their
greater soundness in body, mind and
character when they return home.