The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-04-01
SECRETARY WENT
"UP WITH THE MEN"
Y. M. c. A Secretaries in France Move
When Men Move-How Connec-
ticut Secretary Is Regarded.
(By James G. Derieux.)

PARIS, March 10.
1t was after dark when the train
got into a little station near divisional
headquarters A crowd of American
soldiers. wearing iron hats, were
gathered about. The man who was GO
ing out to be acting divisional secre
tary for the Y NJ. c. A. spoke to some
of the boys while the train was wait
ing. Then he came back into our com
partment, and with smile stated that
his Job had changed. The division, he
had learned, was going forward. Many
of the troops had left, and the others
were to entrain the next day. But he
was not dismayed, for he had been in
! the work for ~manv months, and long
since had learned to expect the uneX-
Ipectcd What if the double huts but
recently completed, were to be rela-
lively vacant for a time? What if the
program for work was upset! C'est la
guerrc.
So we settled back in our seats and
resumed conversation with a young
French aviator who was telling rs why
the Bochc could never get through the
lines.
Next morning there were but few
Americans in the headquarters town-
few, relatively speaking. A military
policeman was doing traffic cop duty
at the intersection of some principal
streets. Soldiers were here and there
but the soldiers in khaki were becom-
ing scarcer as the day went on, and
the soldiers in blue becoming more nu-
merous. The French were to come in
to that place where the Americans had
{ been.
! The remaining Y. NJ. C. A. mer
were making preparation to open opera
: tions at new place where the divi
: sion would have its center. No time
for worrying over disrupted plans
!. even if there had been disposition to
I7Dr. Wilson Navlor of Lawrence col
f lege, Appleton, Wisconsin, was the act
t ing chief secretary, and he is not a
f all a successful time killer. Billy lie
we're of Northwestern university, at hi
: double hut, was as cheerful as ever.
One of the duties was to 90 out {
;, former huts and gather up the materia
Il left behind We went in a truck to
u small place and found there three so
! diers reading and writing. Their
z WASH t so much work to be done Their
h. This center was to be used Just tn
If same. as an isolated unit was nearb,
=. The secretary told us il was the be,
! lighted hut. except those with electr
If lights, to be found in France. lie q
= 50 showed us how he had made arrang
:, mcnts which enabled him to dispose
y. ~ chairs and benches quickly, and rig 1
- a boxing ring. He had an Adrian ba
e. rack for his bailiwack
a. Another village revealed a somewh;
ne similar spectacle, though more d
If serted, for practically all American
e were leaving there.
Ill Then we went to one of those typic
h. French villages which straggle alol
If the road. \ salvage Grew was
= that remained of the troops who h;
II been there. The " NJ G. \. sign Ii:
- been taken down from the old mill,
v got tae kev from the sergeant a.
- went in to get the chocolate, writing !
- per, candles, chewing gum, oil, mate
es, towels and such which had be
. left.
iss " Where 5 the sccretarv?' | ask
tt one of the soldiers who remained. n
all VINO was helping us load the eante
is- supplies on our truck.
s. He went up with the men, -
. piled the soldier. "There d been
iP- riot if that fellow had been left !
D. hind, - he added. The sergeant.
. stocky built fellow who in the sta
RS. had been an undertaken, heard the
f. mark and added "Perkins is a prin
If The boys all like him.
- ] asked about other men, but Il
rat . 10 INV = hii'o oiliio' -,
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