The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-09


| l.gious and political life and, by so
doing compounds the service of each
to the enlisted men. 1t knows neither
race nor creed. To extend its work
| and keep its present activities going
will require :2O,O00,O0O for the next
year.
The Jewish Welfare Board.
The Jewish welfare board is a ma
tional body, organized in the spring
of 1917, to render such service as it
could to the more than 100000 Jew
ish men in the American army and
navy. 1t was formed by the joint
action of about sixteen leading Jewish
organizations. including such well
known societies as the Independent
Order of -3'nai Birth. the central con-
ferences of American rabbis, and the
Council of Jewish Women.
The Jewish welfare board does its
work by sending trained workers to
camps, cantonments, forts and naval
training stations to provide for the
recreational needs of all men in uni
form. 1t erects huts similar to those
of the Y. NJ. c. A. and knights of
Columbus and it provides, besides the
usual features, Yiddish and Hebrew
literature and newspapers. Religious
services are conducted in the huts on
Friday evenings. and Jewish fasts and
festivals are observed. Various re-
ligious supplies, Bibles, prayer books.
Il pIlllllIil, ATDd hdTIOS, etc., are QlS-
tributed to Jewish soldiers. Glasses in
English and Hebrew are conducted.
In more than one hundred and
fifty towns and cities of the United
States the Jewish Welfare Board has
established community centers for SOL
diers and sailors, with reading and rest
rooms, sleeping quarters and baths.
Local members arrange send-offs to
draftees in their towns, and provide
home hospitality to soldiers passing
thru on their way to camp. A great
variety of personal services are per-
formed by these members, such as
looking after the welfare of parents
and relatives of soldiers, correspond
ing with men in service, etc.
The Jewish Welfare Board does not
conflict with or duplicate the work of
| any other organization. 1t has a place
of its own in Scamp and community
| life. 1t steps in where others are not
/ Others, adding a Jewish contribution
to the larger welfare work of the
Army and Navy. 1t does not lead to
the segregation of the Jewish soldier.
Rather it aims to help the Jewish boys
| to adjust themselves to understand
| and be understood by their Gentle
/ Notwithstanding. The Jewish We'll
fare Board has more than 200 work.
ers in,camp. For the extension of this
work it's directors estimate that $5,-
| 100000 will be needed for 1913.
The Salvation Army.
Perhaps few realize the extent of
| the work of the Salvation Army
among our men in uniform on Amer
| lean soil. In it's modest and humble
| fashion, this practical relief organ-
ization has built up a most worthy
and admirable war service work at
| fourteen army camps and cities on
| this side and has proposals for ten ad-
fditional operations at widely sepa-
rated points. The machinery for the
administration of their service Is set
up on similar lines to their regular
work, with the country divided into
| territories governed by provincial and
chief divisional officers.
| At these fourteen United states
points the Salvation Army has erected
| its comfortable, welcoming huts, ho-
tells and rest rooms, presenting no
rivalry or competition to other organ
1izations engaged in relief work, but
| rather offering O. cooperative ana
deeply appreciated service. With every
| enlargement of the army comes an in
sistent demand for heavy material in
! creases in the equipment and service
of the Salvation Army. Many more
| relief hutments and hotels must be
built where the troops need them most
Plans are under way for the estab-
A lishment of stations at every military
1
The normal work of the Salvation
Army cannot be forgotten in the midst
of the call of the soldier, for the emer-
gency is naturally increasing the home
burdens of poverty. hunger and sick
ness. The conscientious, untiring eff
forts of this great organization has
now the respect and gratitude of the
| entire nation. Its simple, unpreteh-
tious, homelike military activities have
| touched the hearts of our men, both
here and overseas. The Salvation
Army's share in the results of the
united war work campaign is also
$5,000,000.
The Library War Service.
Perhaps there is a less general re-
war service of the American Library
association than of that of any of the
other six organizations. This associa.
ton has been charged with the ex.
elusive duty of providing reading
matter for soldiers and sailors in thi.
country and overseas. 1t has erected
and operates 43 large camp library
buildings at various cantonments an(
naval stations averaging about 10000
volumes each, and has libraries at 800
smaller camps and posts. at 14S nava
and marine stations and on $50 ships
The American Library association
supplies all the books and magazine!
for the libraries in the buildings of tn,
Red Cross, Y. NJ. c. A., Knights o.
Columbus, Young Women's Christian
association. Jewish welfare board. wa
camp community service and Saliva
ton Army. More than three million
Of the books in service have been col
lected from the public thru the public
libraries of the country and placed a
the service of the men in uniform
Nearly three-quarterS of million
technical and educational books on al
enormous variety of topics have beeI
bought by the Library association
which also distributes to soldiers an,
sailors the magazines mailed by tn,
public without address for one cen
postage. These are turned over to tn
; library war service of the American
Library association by the postoffic
department.
The American army Is q readin,
army to an extent unknown in tn
history of warfare. No similar bod,
of men ever showed such intense de
sire for knowledge or read with sucl
avidity to equip themselves for pro