The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-13
GIVE TO TIE ~
WORD TO DAKOTA
FROM Her BOYS
AT CAMP GREENE
Great Agency Among Sol
diers Is Working
World of Good
GIVING THE BOYS
FINE RECREATION
Wonderful Spirit of Ser
Vice Drawing Men of
ALI Walks
GIVING THE BOYS
FINE RECREATION
(By Earle H Tostevin. stafr Cores

CBy Earle II. Tostevin, Stan Cores
pondent, OF The Forum With the
Sunset Division.) -
Camp Greene, Charlotte, N. o.,
Nov. 9.--What are you doing this
week and the next for the great
institution which has helped put pep,
satisfaction, and a little bit, perhaps
a small bit OF religion into the boys
of the army? The institution that
goes a great way towards filling the
place Of home for the boys who are
in khaki, either at the home training
camps or in the field-the Y M. G.
A?
This week or recently you probably
have heard the Four Minute Men"
in your home theater, the preachers
or others appeal to you to aid in the
great 7. M. G.. A. campaign for $S5, :
100000. But the speakers cannot
possibly appreciate or tell you what
the army z. M. G. A. means.
The first week was enough to con-
vince the boys that some kind souls
had delved deep into the great prob
lem OF keeping the army satisfied,
their spare time filed, but It is only
after a month that the deeper mean
ing sinks in.
Makes no difference what creed,
Protestant or Catholic, Lutheran,
Presbyterian, Christian, Scientist, or
just nothing at all, the Y. M. c. A.
seems to stretch forth welcoming
arms: a secretary who, does not wear
the CHEEKY smile all the time and act
like one Of the boys himself would
have small chance Of making good.
Religion Not Forced.
And one feature that has seemed
to have helped in establishing the
popularity of the army ''Y' Is the
fact that religion is not forced on
anyone. Your boy or the next boy is
just as welcome every day, whether
he attends the religious services or
not There is church Sunday morn
ing with services conducted by some
army chaplaini afternoon services, I'm
which readings, humorous and withal
entertaining. songs, solos and talks
are given by people OF the city or
Maybe a hymn is on the program
and there is a brief prayer but it is
the religion Of association with God
fearing people. not lectures or SER
mons that makes the careless think
more. Services Sunday evening are
much the same as those of the after
noon. Then there are Wednesday
evening religious services, spiced
with entertainment of some kind.
The Y. NJ. c. A. has found that to
reach the boys, it must mix with its
religion a tincture OF fun.
Use Great Tent.
Tonight have just come from one
Of the almost nightly entertainments
"a program by troupe Of jugglers,
and another troupe of Swiss
yodelers. At first these programs
were staged in the Y. NJ. G. A. build
ing. but this was found far too small,
now a great tent capable of seating
couple of thousand or more has
been provided. The same kind Of a
show is given that you pay 25 cents
for, or so cents If you feel flush and
want the, best seats in your local
theater. But here it costs the boys
in uniform 10 cents.
Tonight approximately 1900 SOL
diers laughed and applauded, called
for more and came away happy. An
evening of fun had been given them
and standing to one side and watch
ing them pass on their way to their
company streets one was somehow
reminded, despite the range differ
ences Of a group OF carefree children
on the way home from a birthday
party.
This is one thing the ''Y" Is doing,
furnishing the boys lyceum and high
class entertainment almost each day
in the week at prices which are a
blessing. Payday comes anytime but
when you are broke" in the army,
and right now is a long time from
pay day with dimes carefully hoard
ed by all the boys.
The Y. NJ @. "A. people say they
break even on these entertainments
because the lecturers and many
entertainers are willing to accept q
less than usual fee because 1t is for
Uncle Sammy's boys"
Dispel the Blues.
Many a at Of the blues has been
dispelled, many a case of homesick-
ness cured because the "" has taken
the mind of the boy or Installation
Of home.
There you have the entertainment
side Of it, How about the consola-
tion? Here Is conversation / over
heard. "A soldier boy was leaning
against the officer's counter. Lone
someness seemed 70 speak from his
eyes. He looked homesick, blue and
detected.
want some paper and envelopes
to write home with?" asked the
genial secretary.
He shook his head.
"Oh you've already written have
YOU n observed the " man.
Nope, he articulated Haven't
any home to write to. Folks are
dead and my brothers In the navy"
well that's too bad, said the
secretary.
1t was q Sunday morning. Other
boys were hiking IN town to church.
There were freshly shaven, smiling,
happy, each seemed to have some
thing to do.
BOY, won't you come to the y. M.
G. A. this afternoon and listen to the
program? q asked the secretary.
s'Sure, he replied. Then the food
tContinued on page So