The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-10-26
DRIVE FOR LARGE FUND
GIVEN SPIRITED Start
Week of November II to Is
Set Apart to Canvass
TALK BY SIR JOHN BIRGO
1t Was Inspiring and Created
Large Measure of Loyal
Enthusiasm

Mankato business men have been
given real pictures of the inferno in
France; more than that, they have
come to see more clearly their duty
in this crisis and their obligation to
teach everyone else that same pat
riotic duty. Not one man who at
tended the Y NJ. G. A. rally yester
day at the Saulpaugh hotel entertains
a doubt today about his dutiful rela-
ton to the government during the
continuance of this war.
The speakers directly responsible
for this feeling are John Birgo,
Thomas Graham, and A. ]. Mason.
Birgo is the field secretary Of the
British Y M. c. A; Thomas Graham
is the chaplain of the officers re-
serve corps, and A. J. Mason is the
chairman of the Minnesota Division
of the National War Council. These
men addressed business men of the
second district yesterday in regard to
the $35,000,000 to be raised for the
Y. M. c. A, and the spirit that was
created at the banquet given in the
Saulpaugh was an indication of the
true spirit which will prevail every
where, once the true significance of
this war is realized by the Ameri-
cans, who are now so slow to act.
Decided to Raise Fund.
At this meeting it was unanimously
decided to raise 100000 toward this
fund, in the district comprised of
twelve counties. This is to be the
minimum The firm resolve of each
one present is to double that if pos
sible. John Robinson of Minneapolis,
well known as former Mankato
man, will act as district manager,
and he promises to do his bit toward
arousing this same spirit in every
nook and corner of this state. To
help him, will be the duty of every
one in this district
G. M. Palmer acted as chairman of
the rally. Because he had other ap
pointments, Thomas Graham was
allowed to speak before the dinner
was served, but the others followed
later. The dinner was not elaborate,
and entirely fitting to the occasion.
Everything possible had been done
to maintain spirit of sincerity, and
the speakers were accorded con-
centrated attention until after four
o'clock.
Addresses BY John Birgo.
The main address of the afternoon
was given by John Birgo. The speech
was of such a nature that cold type
cannot begin to do justice to it. One
would have to see Sir Birgo himself,
and witness his expressions, to get
the real import of his message. He
has seen the front; he has lived I'M
der bursting shells; he has met his
son and brother within the hell of
the battle lines; he knows what these
men need to hold them morally and
physically clean. His words about the
present efforts of the Y. M. G. A.
and the still greater need of it's inf1u
ence awoke in all present an unheard
of realization of the tremendous
scope of this organizations action.
When the war started, he stated,
$125,000 had been voted in England
to provide for the soldiers. Since the
opening of the war this has been
raised to $3O.000,000 and the British
people are still giving to the "Red
Triangle" Why? Because it keeps
the boys prepared for a worthy re-
turn or a worthy death. Everywhere,
on his recent trip, Sir Birgo has been
told that boys who never before re-
membered home, now are writing
regularly.
Boys Write to Mothers.
The words in every Y. M. G. A.
hut, "When did you write to your
mother last" are words that stir the
depths of the hardest man. Last
year 100000 worth of stationery
were given to the soldiers, and this
represented 20,000,000 pieces. Every
one was used. Mothers who thought
their boys were gone forever, were
cheered by the letters with the Red
Triangle in the corner. The thought
of home must be nursed, for the Y
NJ G. A. knows it as the fundamental
memory for the maintenance of a
clean soul.
Concerts are provided by the Y
M. c. A. at the front Many a young
man, through these concerts provid-
ed by gifts to the Young Mems as
ISOLATION, has been retracted from the
paths of sin, through songs that
placed upon him the same RESPONSE
bility for clean life as he had
placed upon the wife or sweetheart
at home. The Y. NJ C. A has instilled
in them the realization that they
must live up to their principles, and
all Is done to help them.
Front Was An Inferno.
When the war opened, no provi-
sions were made for the fighting
men. In moments of dependency
and on furloughs they were left to
themselves. Sir Birgo describes the
front as veritable inferno; enough
90 drive man to deeds for which
Continued on Page Two)