South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-05-01

where each day the incessant rattle
of rifles and machine guns is heard.
We inspected the target pits and
dug out of the bank a half hun
dred bullets which have been fired
by Camp Grant soldiers at imagi-
nary Germans.
And all this preparation and
practice just TO teach men to kill.
We have a high salaried man on
our "Y" force whose sole business
is TO teach soldiers how 10 disarm
the other man in hand to hand con
fiict, how to break the back Of the
enemy if he has caught you in any
vise-like grip and is seeking TO take
your life.
Foreign to the Y. NJ c. A"
you say? Ordinarily. yes, but this
is an extraordinary time. We try
first TO make the men more eff
eient soldiers, then better men spir-
itually: we try to keep up their
spirits when they are far from
home and friends and try to give
them food for soul hunger at the
same time. DO we succeed? Come
into ours "Y" and see Watch that
stout, CHEEKY individual at the desk
See how many Of the men stop 10
say Hello" or TO shake hands. AL
ways CHEEKY word. always a hap
py response to any greeting That
one characteristic is going to take
him 10 France. And / know that
atmosphere" is our stock in trade:
know that visitors are sent to our
~" and instructed to just sit
around and absorb atmosphere"
What Do Parents Say?
And what do mothers and fathers
say to us about our "Y?" What do
the boys themselves say? You
men are doing a great work for
our boys"-and-"We couldn't get
along without the ~" And ours
is only one of eight So much for
patting ourselves on the back
This has been a great week be-
cause 1 saw hundreds of men listen
with rapt attention to one gospel
speaker-saw hundreds raise hands
for prayer-saw hundreds rise in
response to the appeal to live a
straight and clean life.
And I saw on a movie night Ga
night on which we had only a movie
booked) 500 men start singing
full half hour before time for the
movie TO begin-saw-heard them
start When the Roll Is Called Up
Yonder" without instrument or
leader. just a spontaneous outburst
of religious song. Finally a soldier
went to the piano. and ] turned ous
lights and threw words of songs on
the screen. 1t was a wonderful
singfest because it was spontane-
GUS
Then / saw a stand of cOlors pre-
sented 10 a regiment by citizens of
st. Louis. Two thousand men march
ed to the "Y" auditorium through
dOwnpOur of rain-trudged along
ankle deep in mud, with song and
cheer, and then stood for an hour
while their colonel received the col
ors-stood for an hour or more
through all the ceremonies-band
and speeches-then raised the roof
when they were called on ito bat
ter hell out OF Berlin and march
clear through 10 Potsdam And
they were reverently quiet and
believe sincerely thinking as Gods
blessing was invoked upon the col
ors, the cause and the regiment.
Men Sing and Pray.
And last night in our goodnight
service. gathered around the organ.
men sang and prayed and talked
prayer will always stay in my mem
ory-Just as / want it 10 stay in
yours-one prayers from a soldier
boy, a hating. brief prayer, but
from the heart. Listen:
Lord. help the line TO hold till
We get there"
This represents the thought that
is in the hearts Of our boys-the
boys who come to our Y. NJ. c. A.
daily.
Lord. help the line TO hold till
we get there"-nothing about home
or loved ones. nothing about life
nothing but the supreme sacrifice
II necessary, and the quiet assur-
ance that when I'VE" get there, all
will be well for democracy.
Lord Help the Line.
Lord. help the line 70 hold until
/ they get there. Billy Sunday was
/ in camp here last night He talked
i'm the new Liberty theater Same
Billy" A little older. a little more
/ hoarse. hut with a good supply OF
the same invective gas shells that
! the devil used TO fear in the South