New Britain herald., 1918-03-02

scattered through many villages in stead of being in centralized canton ments as it is in America. The prob lem is therefore doubled in size and importance. After having studied di- visional distribution and distribution at the front, I have come back to America to get together an organiza- ton that will be prepared to face and overcome almost insurmountable diff ficulties.
 Five Hundred Cars Needed.
 '"The Young Mems Christian Asso- citation has approximately one hun drcd cars in France at the present time. These consist of cheap Ameri- can automobiles two or three-tone trucks and Italian, French and Eng fish cars. Sending automobiles from America to France costs real money, yet the association must have from three hundred to five hundred cars there by spring or carly summer to carry on it's work.
 "One can get an idea of what we are up against by the fact that the French government is building 1,250 of the Foyers du Soldat, or " huts, for the French army and an Amer- can division of 1000 men is scat tered at many points. These French " huts will be in charge of the American Young Mems Christian As SOciatiOn.
 "Whcre the soldiers of a. division arc at from thirty to fifty different points, it means that the lines of communication between each of these and the Young Mems Christian Asso- citation division or base headquarters 1ct of supplies must be transported to each unit. The activities of a hut depend upon the transportation department.
 "The Young Mems Christian Asso- citation is rapidly organizing a thor ough and efficient repairing service system, with small emergency shops almost at the front, larger ones to the rear of these. and completely equipped machine shops and service stations at tho larger bases.
 Best Mechanicians Are Going.
 Car parts and tools, as well as the cars themselves are being shipped to France in large numbers. A great many of the drivers and repair men who will be at these new service sta- tions will also go soon. They are the very best of their kind that the As sociation can get. We have found that the best drivers and repair men are none too good to go up against the critical tests over there.
 When the " truck rolls into village, and some one yells The " is here.' the driver and truck almost need a bodyguard for time. The hut secretary has to come down and calm the men by saying:
 Boys, I'll open the canteen at three o'clock, and I'm afraid you'll have to wait till then At three o'clock the whole camp has heard of the arrival of the truck. and the poor old canteen is once more almost de- molshcd.'
 The daily and weekly movements of every Young Mems Christian As sociation car and driver are known at any given moment to the transporta- ton department of the association in Paris. Largo charts hang on the wall there, showing the approximate posi- tions of each car and driver. The needs of the individual divisions are constantly known at the headquart- CTS. The cargo of every car is checked and inspected by the stores department and thus each truck is sent on it's way in an explicit and definite order
 Not a Drop Wasted.
 Gasolcne, or essence as the French call it, is controlled in a very com plctc and efficient way, so that not a drop is lost. Each truck driver and truck master is provided with a. book issued by the government authorities which is honored throughout France at the many essence depots. The J book to the Frenchman in charge, who nOIlrS ont VeTSr iIIct co