The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-06
Y. NJ. G. A. ARMY WORK.
Executive Secretary Lee Addresses
Meeting Of Men at Which He En-
planned the Work and its Need.

Mr.. w. M. Lee, Associate Executive
Secretary of the Southeastern Mill
tary Division, Y. NJ. c. A.. and for
merly in charge of a section Of work
on the Texas border addressed a meet
ing of men in the Court House Thurs
day afternoon. The hundred Or more
men present heard a plain statement
of the conditions that surround the
army posts and the temptations and
degrading influences to which the en-
listed men are subjected. The only
decent and clevating influence that
came into their lives was that of the
Young Mems Christian Association,
and this work was carried on in a
strictly nOn-sectarian manner, so that
men Of all faiths and beliefs-Protest-
ants, Catholics, Jews and those with
out religious affiliations of any kind
were able to avail themselves of the
work done by the association. Mr.
Lee told not only of the evil that
stalked aboard around the camps, but
ho showed the brighter side Of the
picture, relating incident after Incl
dent demonstrating that the Y. M. c..
A. had made good on the border and
had furnished a place of healthy and
elevating recreation which large ma
iority of the men preferred to dives
of dcbauchey. The experiences on
the border had demonstrated more
forcibly than ever the necessity of
this work, and now that the United
States is preparing to organize an
army Of more than a million of young
men who will be concentrated in army
camps to be established in various Sec
tions of the country, the responsible
ity Of the Y. M. C. A. is greater than
before. To do this work it will DO
necessary to provide a building for
each five thousand men enlisted and
each building will require the SER
vices of five secretaries. This gives an
Idea of the magnitude of the work
that the association has undertaken.
TO carry on the work $3,O0O,OOO will
be needed at the outset, and an ap-
peal Is being made to the people Of
the country to do this service for the
young mon who have been called TO
arms to defend the nation.
Mr.. Lee stated that he did not come
10 Sumter to solicit money and would
not :akc up Il collection, nor would he
ask for pledgosa He was here simply
to tell the facts. explain the condi-
tions and the needs, so that the peo-
pie might know what the young men
in the army would be up against. Hc
had no doubt but that the money
would be provided. but every section
of the country should share in the
work as they would each have repre-
sentativcs in the camps. He said he
felt sure that the men of Sumter
would do their part at the proper
time.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Lees talk,
Mr.. A. c. Phelps. who as president
Of the Chamber of Commerce, pre-
sided. made few remarks heartily
endorsing the work Of the Y. NJ. C. A.,
especially the army work. He sug-
gcsted that the meeting take some ac-
ton to inaugurate movement to
raise fund in Sumter for this pur-
pose. He said that he understood
that Sumter would be asked to con-
tribute $500, and felt that steps
should be taken without delay to raise
the fund, as was being done in other
sections Of the country--Charleston
now being engaged in raising $50, 900
for this work.
On motion of Rev. r. s. Truesdale
it was decided to appoint commit
tee to arrange for a mass meeting at
an early day to raise the fund. The
committee named consists of the pas
tors of all the churches, and H. l..
Scarborough, l. c. Strauss, S. II. Ed
munds, III. l.. Birchard, and r. O..
Purdy. Mr.. Purdy was elected chair
man.