The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1917-11-15

This call has come with convincing
force from Russia, France and Italy.
Trusted military representatives of
our own country, such as Major Gen
eral Hugh Scott, Late Chief of Staff,
and General Pershing, have strongly
endorsed these appeals. There are
no two answers to such appeals. The
response must be favorable, prompt
and generaous.
The $35.000,0 900 should be given
because of the direct and vital bear
ing which the work Of the Associa-
tion has In accomplishing the purpose
Of the war.
Napoleon has said that In war NOR
ale is to other factors as three to one.
Each day the warning countries are
spending over s130.O0O, 900 to sup
ply what might be called the material
factors and forces. This budget calls
for devoting less than one-third Of
that sum among over one-half of the
soldiers of the war, and this not In
one day, but in nine months.
America wisely and generously
subscribed over s120, 900, 900 to the
Red Cross in response to the first ap-
peal. This work of the Association
calling for less than one-third of that
amount, ministers not only. like the
Red Cross. to the physical comfort
of the enlisted men and of the mill
tary prisoners. but also to their in
tellectual and spiritual nature, in
other words, to their morale.
Senator Root the other day empha-
sized the fact that there is something
about modern trench warfare which
affects profoundly and adversely the
morale and spirit of the men. A work
like that OF the Association, there
fore. with its recreational sports, its
entertainments, its lectures and IL
brar!es, its social intercourse and SER
vice, and its spiritual appeal, meets
a most real and pressing need.
Take Russia as one illustration. II
through this practical means we can
help 20 hold the Russian army in be-
ing during the coming winter and to
promote its contentment and to
strengthen its discipline and morale,
it will have vital bearing on win
ming and shortening the war.
1t means that occupying of the
eastern front land therefore not on
the western and southern fronts) Of
over $50 divisions of German and
Autsro- Hungarian troops. Anyone
can see that this has a vital bearing
on America and the other allies
Vital is the right word to use.
The sum of s35,000,000 spent in
carrying out the Association program
in the military and prisoner-of-war
camps will accomplish untold spirit
ual results. 1t would be difficult to
overstate the extensive and the in
tensive need of such work or its
boundless possibilities for good. In
the American army the Church func-
tions laically, as 1t were, through the
Associatiin, just as through the chap
lains and through the pastors in
neighboring parishes it functions cler-
ically.
In armies like the Russian, French,
Italian and Indian, owing to the un-
derstanding with the authorities, the
Association does not conduct any re-
ligious or political propaganda, but 1t
has a marvellous opportunity to re-
lease its spirit and to illustrate ap-
piled Christianity.
In all history there has not been a
greater opportunity to serve men as
Christ served men than the one pre-
sented by these tens of millions of
men under arms and in prison camps.
Now they are concentrated In
trenches, in reserve camps; in time of
peace they will be scattered and will
be comparatively inaccessible In hun
dreds of thousands Of cities, towns,
and villages.
The experience of Canada and Aus
tralia should convince anyone who
may be at all skeptical that the $685.
900, 900 not only should be raised,
but that 1t can be raised II friends
of this work in America give on the
scale that the Canadians have given
during the last eighteen months for
the support of the Association in the
Canadian army, they will give during
the next nine months for such ser
vice in the American Army and Navy
and in the armies of our allies at
least $36,OO0, 900, or If we give on
the scale that the people Of Australia
gave during the last eighteen months
we will give for the next nine months
$57,000,000.
It should be remembered that in