Evening star., 1918-11-16
SOLDIER WELFARE
NEEDS GREATER
With Leisure Of Armistice
Temptations Increase, Com
mittee Points Out.
ACTIVITIES OF BIG SEVEN


united war work campaign to raise
funds needed for the carrying on Of the
welfare work among the American SOL
diers that the average person may fail
to give the proper support to the great
drive because Of the feeling that the war
is over and there Is little or no necessity
for future largo contributions.
The committee points out that on the
contrary the functions Of the seven large
recognized agencies engaged In welfare
work arc the moro important and nee
essay because Of the greater tempta-
tions which win be brought on by more
leisure among the fighting men during
the long period Of rehabilitation.
President Asks for It.
This union Of organisations in raising
$17o, 100000 to be pooled among them
was at the request Of the President, and
tho budgets will be approved by the
War Department as being necessary and
the accounts Of each organization will
be audited by that department.
The general public is pretty wen ac-
quainted with the work Of the Y. M. c.
L. -. VI
lusbus, the Jewish Welfare Board and
the Salvation Army and with the opera
tions OF the War Camp Community
Service and the American Library Asso-
citation through the publicity they have
gained in the present war. All these
organizations have done great work and
all are thoroughly deserving of every
commendable thing said of their work.
One hundred millions of the entire
amount solicited has been assigned to
the Y. M c. A., the largest and most
extensive Of the seven united organiza-
one needing the most money. Gen.
Pershing has assigned to the Y. M. c. A.
the charge Of all the Army canteens in
France, doing an aggregate business of
moro than SIS, 5,ooo. 900 yearly.
58 Home1ike Huts Built.
Tho 7. NJ. c. A. has built 53s home
IKE huts Of various designs In American
cantonments and in France the number
is larger. At the time hostflities ceased
rate Of 100 q month. These ''Y' huts
have been the homes for moro than
1000, 900 boys, many Of whom were
lonely and homesick.
In some of the French towns where
the boys have been biIleted in barns and
place where they can be warmed and
write a letter.
Statistics show that every day $780,
600 letters were written on 'rY'' sta
tionery. The 100000 900 sheets given
away in the average month if laid side
by side would cover more than a square
mile. And If all the men, including our
allies, who visited the huts in the course
Of a week were counted they would
number more than the populations of
New York and Chicago combined.
Knights Wonderful Strides.
Tho Knights of Columbus, started
as war relief organization only two
short years ago on the Mexican bor-
the short term Of its existence. Now
the Knights Of Columbus, which bears
the sign welcome" over the doors
Of all its huts and keeps no man out
side on account Of sect or creed, goes
right up into the front line trenches
with the men and administers to their
every need.
The work Of the War Camp Com
munity Service has so far been con-
fined to the United States. Its par
of the boy when he is away from
camp. In entertaining him and max
ing him comfortable. The commits
sion on training camp activities, head
Of the War Camp Community Service
is placed at the forefront of the or
ganizations ministering to soldiers, in
the scheme of the War Department
because it is a military organization
The Y. w. c. A. both in this country
and France. is doing work along
somewhat similar lines. In France
the 7. w. c. A. has built hostess
houses like those in operation in this
country and is serving everything
from a shoe button to an Introduction
on q wholesale plan.