Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1918-11-07
WELD SEVEN War
WORK AGENCIES
INTORELIEF ARMY
Great Organizations Which Are
Helping to Keep Up the Morale
of Fighting Millions Unite in
Campaign for s170,500,O00.

of Fighting Millions Unite in
Campaign for S170,500,000.
With millions of American men on
war fronts, in training camps and on
the seas and with thousands of Ameri-
can women on foreign soil, all engaged
in the stupendous task OF making the
world safe for democracy great duty
devoIves upon those who remain in
the United States,-the duty of send
ing Home to those who have put Home
behind them for the period of the war.
I The agencies through which this can
be accomplished are joined in the
United War Work Campaign.
From being given the cigarette or
chocolate bar with which he stays his
| hunger in the fury Of battle, to the
| theatrical entertainment or the ath-
| letic games, which relax him into nor
| NAL comfort after weeks of terrific
| combat, the American fighter is de
| pendent upon the continued efforts OF
| the Y III c. y, the Y. w. c. A, the
! National Catholic War Council and X
! of c., the War Camp Community SerV-
| ice the Jewish Welfare Board, the
| American Library Association and the
| Salvation Army. To carry on this
work the combined welfare organiZa-
! tons are seeking a fund of $17O,500,-
| 000
| The Y. NJ c. A provides 538 huts in
| American training camps and more
| than 500 in the war zone as centres
| which the fighters can use as clubs,
| schools, theatres, stores churches, IL
! br8ries and writing rooms. More than
| 1000 men and women had been sent
overseas or approved for overseas
| work by early autumn and 1892 were
| serving in American camps at home.
Y NJ. q. A huts are the canteens of
! the American EXpeditiOnary Force and
| are the theatres where the American
| entertainers, sent over by the 'Y, APP
pear. Noted American public men and
! clergymen speak in the huts. Glasses
| are conducted there Millions of letters
are written there on paper provided
| free by the "Y." Physical directors of
the ''Y" teach and spread mass ath-
| letfcs, using material furnished free
! by the organization.
The Y w G. A. does similar work
for the thousands of American women
! in war work overseas-Signal corps
| telephone operators, nurses and
French munitiOn workers. 1t provides
cafeterias, rest and recreation centres,
entertainment and reading for these
women and girls.
The Y. w. G. AS outstanding con-
| trfbution to soldier welfare work in
! training camps was the establishment
of Hostess Houses, where the soldier
| or sailor may receive his mother wife,
| sister, or sweetheart in the surround
ings and atmosphere Of the best
| homes.
The National Catholic War Council
| cO-Ordinates all Catholic welfare work
in support of the government and
| through the K of c. provides club
! houses for our fighters in all Ameri-
can training camps, as well as having
seventy-tive centres in France and
three in England. In their huts the
K of c, provides entertainingment,
| MOVIES boxing bouts, educational
| work, religious services, free station
cry, reading matter and writing rooms.
| In France their rolling canteen &C.
companies the American army, their
secretaries march with the troops, Civ
| ing away cigarettes, cookies, chocO-
lates, soap and towels.
The X. Of c. had 800 workers in
! France at the beginning of autumn,
! with 400 more passed by the govern
ment and 200 others signed up. At
the same date they had 468 secretaries
| in American training camps $50 build
ings,. fffy-stx more in the course of
| erection and contracts let for fifty
! more
War Camp Community Service
| functions exclusively in America, it's
| special mission being to surround the
camps with hospitality" In place of
! leaving the soldier or sailor to the
| promiscuOus companions and diver
siOns formerly his lot, the organiza-
! ton obtains for him the best to be had
in communities adjoining camps or
through which he passes.
W. c. C. S. obtains for him invita-
| lions to dine, battle or spend the day
| in the best homes. 1t introduces him
| to the best women and girls at social
! gatherings, church entertainments,
| theatre parties It arouses communi-
| ties to provide concerts, athletic cor
| tests and other wholesome diversions
for the soldier, and to drive out or
| discourage the vicious elements which
| have been historic camp followers.
The Jewish Welfare Board is CORE
! lating the strength and purposes of
| 100000 Jewish soldiers, sailors and
| marines with that of the Gentle sol
! diers. The board teaches the English
language, American cfyics and ideals
to thousands Of young Jewish men
who were indicted into service after
only a few years residence in this
country. While safeguarding his re- /
ligious rites, the board assists in tne
process Of welding the Jewish soldier |
into the solid American unit and in /
bridging over the differences between
him and the Others
The American Library Association is
providing reading matter for every |