The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-11-20
CONSERVATION OF
AMERICAN MANHOOD
Is the Purpose of the Army Y. M. c. A,
Work-The Day of the Swash-
buckler Soldier Has
Passed

The day of the swashbuekler has gone
The typical soldier is no longer swag
gering, FOSTERING, heavy drinking ant
picturesquely cursng individual. Let
the romancers take note and bewail his
passing In his place stands clean-cut
clean minded and physically morally
and socially superior person altogether
for the great economic and industrial re-
forms that have accomplished so much
in other walks of life have at last in.
vaded the army and navy, and in conse-
quence the efficiency OF the product has
been increased three fold.
Instead of regarding the fighter as q
purely physical machine these days, the
whole man is considered TO be behind the
gun. And a whole man naturally means
a physical, mental and moral composite,
whose three distinct aspects must re-
ceiye equal attention and development
in order to produce a perfectly balanced
result
| One of the most regrettable conse
quences of war in the past has been, not
so much the great loss of life as the
erasure of many OF the finer qualities
4 "a AihIIuDh w TIE GotlullINIis uHuET
which the soldiers were forced to live.
absolutely out of touch with everything
! that would tend TO keep the sparks of
clean living and thinking aglow Tn
questionably war develops some noble
virtues, among which by no means the
least are sacrifice, patriotism and brav-
cry; but there are Others equally impor-
tant which it breaks down and destroys
sympathy, liberation, charity and
personal responsibility. The first are
essentially to be cultivated, and the war
machine undoubtedly encourages their
growth; but with the last it can have
no traffic whatever, having neither the
time nor the opportunity.
1t is just here that the Y. NJ. c. A.
steps in and becomes a most effective
and potent agency; swinging its protec
tive influence of home about the soldier
and sailor, and filling their leisure hours
with cheer and wholesome recreation.
And the result of this work is not only
Immediately and permanently beneficial !
TO the fighting man himself land through |
him to all the loved ones he has left be- /
hindu but it acts directly in favor OF |
the military machine by increasing its !
force through aided morale among the |
troops.
So. instead of resorting to taprooms,
wayside inns and houses of even less
the soldier of to-day
spending his leisure hours in Red Tri-
angle huts-and. strange as it may seem,
but best of all, spending them there
quite OF his own free will and prefer
encel
DIR. Allan MaeRossie of New York
tells of being attracted to soldier boy
from the Middle West whom he found
On the fighting lines. The boys eyes
were beautiful but very sad. and DR..
MacRossie asked questions.
well. said the boy, II like it well
enough here, and of course I'm going to
10 nv duty: only / wish we either
hadn't so much spare time, or else there
we're enough Y. NJ c. As TO keep us
,usy in 1t. The Sundays are worst
Military works light then. and in spite
# all the 'Ys do the day is a long one
don't mean ! get homesick, for | don't
appen to have any home to think about,
nat | do have time to think about my
elf. and thinking about yourself-well.
is not good for you; YOU pretty soon
nv to forget"
And that's sample of the cry all
own the line. Keep us occupied. Give
s something TO do when we're off duty.
lore to do and more huts to do 1t IN,
As an illustration Of the many uses
o which V NJ C. A. hut is put by the
ovs at the front. the following quota
ion from letter written BY Ernest Gil
oux of Somerville Mass. who Is among
merican flyers now on active service in
urope. reveals the fact that cooking. as
ell as letter writing. and ten thousand
her things. must be added to a resume
+ Red Triangle resources.
Rainy again this morning. The \. NJ.
A. has a small place here which is
-est comfort When We are not flying
Q are always down here. They have
-aphaphone and reading matter. They
rye hot chocolate before We 90 out to
Y i'm the morning. and on rainy morn
rs. such a. this. we bring down canned
ans. salmon and tomatoes, which the
my has sent down to Us. and heat the
cd over pals of charcoal
1T seems 50 odd Here il Is only
-lock aud we are there eating II
ally j. a great sight Some Of the
lows are reading. some writing. some
aying checkers and others gathered
ound the pals Of fire toasting their
ins-for tho mornings are already
ite cold and nearly always very
stv.~
With the whole countryside eonspr1 INC
leat fats. sugar and other practical
cessitics. the manhood 81 the bows ~
2 front should not be forgotten. So
. the conservation Of American man