The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-16

Will hear a different report" May IT
be so. That would be gratifying. But
our hearts naturally beat warmest for
the wounded and we are amazed ut
their opinion of the Y M. c. A. 1t is
by no means certain that the other
men will bring different report.
| Listen to this letter from an Ameri-
can officer to his brother in Rich
mond- They both formerly lived in
Houston. Tex, and this officer was a
member and supporter OF the Y. NJ.
IC. A. before the war.
'Since the fighting is over the Y.
NJ. c. A. is bringing up lots of eats
to sell--with accent on the sell The
Red Cross has done good work over
here and SO has the Salvation Army.
In small way. but the Y. NJ c. A.
Is an absolute failure. 1t has never
done anything for the men in the
fightng. Back IN the rear 1t has done
very good work--away from danger
and in pleasant surroundings. but l
have never seen anything of those
within gun range Of the front and
neither has anyone else. They will he
shown up after the boys get home-I
mean the men who have done the
flghting--who have seen their com
rades pay the big price--who have
starved and suffered, marched. fought
and slept in the mud and flth. These
are the men who count and they are
the men who will tell you to man
that the Y. NJ. G. A. is not good. They
have club rooms In Paris. Blois Bor-
deaux, Nancy, etc, which 7 have per-
sonally seen that would be the envy
OF any club In Houston. That is where
the Y. NJ G. A. money goes. Had they
spent that money and time in erecting
large tents just back of the lines for
the men to go to when In reserve they
would have done their duty, but living
that near the lines was too dangerous
and unpleasant for them The great
majority OF Y. NJ. G.. A. secretaries will
he one disappointed bunch when the
war is over. They had better pick
ings, less work. and more pay than
ever before"
VIII Fight For Friends.
Young men are noted for their 10y
atty. They will fight for their friends.
Had the Y. NJ. c. A. regularly be-
friended the overseas soldiers. would
they not come home singing It's
praises? Can you cite ono who speaks
in other than the highest terms of
the Salvation Army and the Red
Cross Why is the Y. NJ. c. A. the one
they dislike7 1t Is gratuitous to say
that the Knights of Columbus created
this hostile sentiment. Furnish the
proof and I win not spare myself in
condemning them. How could the
Catholics prejudice the Protestants
against Protestant organization
The Catholics have enough to answer
for without imputing to them this I'M
verified charge.
Really, the Episcopalisns, Baptts.e.
et al. had as much right In the camps
as denominations az did the Catholics,
but the government at Washington
which seems to lean to the Catholics.
denied them that right and ordered all
non-Cathoiic Christians to function
through the Y NJ C. A. Bantists ac-
guessed when their urgent request TO
minister to their own men was denied
We gave our money to the support
Of the Y. NJ C. A.; we believed II was
laying itself on the altar for our boys
In France: we commended II It's work
find that the majority OF returned SOL
diers held decided dislike for the
organization.
l tried to account for this attitude
by the long absence Of the men from
home and wondered II they might not
be hard to please. Investigation
proved the contrary They complained
not at the hardships borne in action
the m I'D dy. cold. vermin- in fected
trenches. the long and strenu GU :
marches, the fierce fighting for days
without food. They smile while they
suffer. excrutiating pain and nnd
words inadequate to express their
estimation OF the splendid care taken
~ them in our base hospital at West
hampton. They even take with COM
blaisance the delay in receiving their.
salaries. and while congressman are
Justly protesting against government
inaetion these men submit With a
wonderful spirit OF loyalty They are
philosophical about all the depriva-
tinna incident ~ Ss
are sore" on the Y. NJ. C. A. Their
frame of mind Is that the 7. VI. c. A.
processes so much and did SO little
May 1t not be that the Job was too
/ big for the Y. NJ c. A. and II fell
down; that II failed to- measure up
to an Unparalleled opportunity. mean
! IN France, for ] know personally of
much splendid service by the Y NJ
c a. in the camps Of the South The
soldiers are reasonable men and are
sufficiently intelligent to take into
! consideration all the extenuating cir
cumstanees II the Y. NJ. c. A. In
France had been ninety per cent good
and ten per cent bad" would not these
men speak we'll OF the ninety per
cent? Instead of seeking to justify Il
-, by excuses. would II not be more cam
did and commendahle for the Y NJ
| G. A. frankly to confess it's failure
| The excuses do not satisfy. If some
| ''ts 10 NV o""c " hiter inc attitude
| OF the returning soldiers the Y NJ.
C. A. may find hard shedding in the
future
/ Ely way of friendly counsel 7 should
say the soldiers are the ones with
whom the Y, Nh c, A. must vindicate
itself. Civilians. like myself. will give
great weight to the Judgment OF tho
soldiers. II Its day of visitations"
has not passed. let the Y. NJ c. A.
win the confidence and good will of