New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-11-10

the camps, the moral and re-
likious welfare of the soldiers will
still depend in large measure
upon the social conditions in the
adjoining communities. The at
titude and conduct of the girls
and women go far to determine
the controlling spirit of the COM
munities. The Young Women's
Christian Association as a sister
organization to our own is pre-
eminently fitted to meet this situa-
ton. We are most eager to have
the Women's Association meet
this responsibility for the protec-
ton Of girls and women, just as
we are seeking to meet 1t for the
men. The work for the girls
should be done in closest CO.
operation with that done for men,
moreover in my Judgment one of
the greatest opportunities your
movement will ever have is that
of helping us in the mems camps
along the lines followed by the
Christian women in the British
and Canadian armies where such
a remarkable service has been ac-
complished by them.
JOHN r. MOTT,
Secretary International
Committee, Y. M. G. A.
Following Mr.. Motifs letter was an
other request from the committee on
department. That too, will speak
better for itself and therefore follows
in full.
War Department.
Committee on Training Camp
Activities.
Dear Mrs. Speer:
In behalf of the committee on
Training Camp Activities ap-
pointed by the secretary of war,
want to ask the Young Women's
Christian Association to furnish,
if it will, expert women workers
with girls to act as advisers to
communities in the neighborhood
of training camps and to help
train local workers. The exact
number of such experts that will
be needed and their several To-
cations cannot be stated until
other resources have been ascer-
tanned, but we SHAH probably call
upon you for not less than thirty.
! Yours very truly,
JOSEPH LEE.
| These two requests were the result
of some work of experimentation by
| the Y. w. G. A. on the Mexican Dor
| der,-and that their work at the Dor
der was an important move and one
recognized by the government,-is
sufficient to enlist all patriotic citi-
zens in the furthering of the work Of
the War Work Council
The Y. w. G. A. concerns itsel.
| entirely with work among women
Work among soldiers has been given
! over to the Army Y. M. c. A. and
| other social agencies conducted by
men.
Three phases of work have come to
the consideration of the council. The
first has to do with conserving the
normal life of girls in sections where
| the thirty-two training camps of the
army are to be established. Most of
/ these are to be found south of the
Mason and Dixon line, since climatic
conditions favor year round training.
Another urgently pressing concern
! of the War Council is the caring for
the girls through organized clubs and
recreation in mobilization centers,
towns where men will be brought to-
gether for long or short periods be-
fore being sent to training camps Re-
ports from practically everyone OF
! these small towns hasten the work of
the committee.
In both the training camps and
! mobilization centers there will be
numbers of women visitors, relatives
Of men. who must be cared for.
A third proposition has been made
to the committee coming with great
urgency from the nations now affected
| by the war; asking that American
| trained secretaries be sent to Eng
land, Russia, France and other coun-
tries for limited time to pass on to
European women who stand almost
helpless before the responsibility for
their young women, American meth
DDS of work. This will require the
sending Of a limited number of the
best Y. w. c. A. secretaries, a small
but vital contribution to the reorgan-
izat1on of the world Of women.
Under the first and second phases
of the War Work mentioned above,
come the Hostess Houses in the Mill
tary Training camps, the Patriotic
league for girls and young women in
all cities or towns or villages,-and
third but not least the upkeep and
promotion of the work of our local
Y. w. c. A.
More will be said concerning the
hostess houses. and the patriotic
league,-and the call from Europe in
other articles to follow,-but today we
want to answer the question us the
Y. w. c. A. as important as the Red
Cross work? Most of the men are
away, are not our girls safe?" Never
| l,ofora in the history of the nation