The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-11-07
ARMY Y. N. {. A.
ORGANIZED FOR WORK IN LAKE
COUNTY - BANQUET LAST
NIGHT AT HIGH SCHOOL.

Al meeting anu ndHquGt ldot |
night in the domestic science dining |
room of the high school of men called |
from every precinct of the county, in
terested in the furtherance of re-
ligion, philanthrophy or patriotism,
effected local organizations under the
county head for funds for the Army
Young Mems Christian association.
Covers were laid for 65 guests, and
the supper was served by the Junior
class in domestic SCIENCE under the
direction of their instructor. Miss
Pennington
DR.. Best, or Sioux FANS, was the
speaker of the evening. Following
the discussion of the meal Chairman
Holdridge announced the object of
K the meeting briefly. He stated that
4 the national organization was to raise
$35, 100000, the state 1925, 900, the
district $4,000 and the county 49,
600. That the money was as direct
a benefit to the men in the trenches
as is the money raised in Liberty
loans, and that the subscriptions
meant more in patriotism than the
subscription to those securities. He
said that this test would show wheth-
er the patriotism of Lake county was
of pure metal, or only an alloy with
a polish. At the conclusion of his
remarks Rev. j. f. Booth pronounced
an invocation.
Prof. S. T.SMay then gave short
talk, emphasizing the Importance of
moral surroundings for the men, and
showing the good of the facilities of
fered by this organization. He said
that not only all Christian creeds rec
ognized the good they were doing,
but what we know as heather believ-
ers also enjoyed the benefits and
recognized the good.
DR.. Best, as speaker of the even
ing, was introduced. The doctor is
rapid, energetic speaker, interpret
ing the moods of men in language
such as men use. When an every
day subject was treated, everyday
language was use to clip the senti-
ment short and drive its elean-cut
meaning home-he called a spade a
spade. He said that this was not an
occasion for oratory, and would use
only plain statement of facts and
conditions.
He called on his hearers TO come
out of their seclusion. He said that
those who did not mix with people
became engrossed in their own af-
, fairs and private interests and would
: not quicken to the call of this time
He said that this was impossible.
They must realize the necessity for
taking more than a passing interest
: i'm the tremendous events of the crisis
of the world. The speaker has been
in every fighting nation except Rus
sia. He knows something of the con-
, ditions. No one who has not been
there can know them, and even he
J who has seen may not know them all.
But they are past the comprehension
of we who never saw even the light
est touch of war.
Forty million men were directly
under arms at the time we entered
The daily cost of the war is $780,
: 100000 a day. other statistics OF
staggering proportions We're quoted
, Money is necessary for the direct
, prosecution of the fight. 1t was as
, necessary, though, to maintain the
' morale of the army as it was to place
. guns in the hands of the fighters
Morale is the direct result of the sur
n roundings of the men, and 1T was the
r endeavor of this organization TO inn
; prove the surroundings.
: The speaker quoted to the effec
o that more men in the armies of the
past were incapacitated by venerea
q disease than from bullets. He sait
that men who were clean at hom'
took advantage of their degraded op
= portunities in the armies and became
i, infected with all degrading and in
$ furious habits. He did attribute
this to the low moral standard OF tn
l. men. but to the abnormal condition
n under which they were kept. In tn
a. exacting grind of army work an
J. training the men are removed fror
Il every normal influence. Every fibe
Is of strength and intellect is used i
4 the exacting work of fighting or i
camp. and no provision made for re
% straint in free moment nor recres
il tion. The men turned to the firs
N relaxation offered-and the under
1t world saw to it that it was alway
s. offered-and the results were horr
N BILE to contemplate.
s. The doctor enlarged on the teacl
D. ings of religion in the abstract appl
ID cation of the principle for which W
are fighting. He referred to tn
as teaching and influence for wron
is that a government has in its props
ganda, and he asserted with fervc
that conditions might rise where
Is man was justified in shooting his Il
ther, and likened the present frenzie
ne German people under the militari
re teaching of their right to rule IL
at world, to that of a crazed man wit
On a gun and supply of ammunition.
an At the close of the address ID
,u Best and his friend, Mr.. lines. bot
es OF whom had driven from Sio,
e. Falls, asked to be excused in ord
e. to reach home at an earlier hour.
d, vote of thanks was tenderd, whit
en- was gracefully recognized, and thu
n left. Rev. j. E. Booth called for
he vote of thanks for the Banquet. al
II every man, full of the excellent CO
IL lation, responded.
"a Tboco procant waro asked to gat