Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-08-13

American front line Most important
information was given to me by
Brigadier- General Bradley in charge
OF all medical. surgical. and sanitary
matters in the American Expedition
airy Force. Mr. f. c. Carter, head OF
the Y, NJ. C. A. work in the armies
Of the Allies, made arrangements for
such trips and visits as l desired
Much time was given me by DR.. J.
H. McCurdy in charge of athletics in
the American Army, and by Dr.
George Meylan in similar relation TO
work in the French Army.
First Of ALL l want to say right
cut that the American young men, or
our boys as we like to call them,
stand a better chance of developing
a strong, clean character and OF
keeping free from disease in the
American Army in France than they
do in the average American home
and city. l make this not as gen
eral, loose statement, but as sober
conviction based upon my observa-
tons beginning at where the men
landed following them through the
training camps, through the military
centers right up to and including the
dugouts in which they live i'm
n1ediately behind the front line
trenches.
Il found that in the army camps
the men have better surroundings
and more adequate, wholesome
things to do in their free time than
they usually have in their own homes.
You who have only seen the Y. NJ. c.
A. at work in America have no idea
what it is doing over there. The
chance for clean recreation is far
greater over there than here. We
ere taking the leading American
physical directors, athletic coaches,
baseball trainers. boxing masters,
fencing masters. and leaders of all
kinds Of sports. and are developing
over there a bigger athletic admins
tration for all the men than the world
has ever seen. The Greeks in their
most vigorous days never had as
many athletes in training as there
are in the American Army in France.
just happened to hear the other
cay that in the British Army alone a
hundred thousand pairs of boxing
SIoN % IidI bttll VI htItu II Jill oIlt
dealer. Putting together all this pic
ture of which I have given you the
outlines, it shows that leisure time
j. filled with the finest things that
can be made available. Never before
were the fine things Of life organized
and developed and administered so as
to tempt men for righteousness. Not
merely a few men some of the time
as is done in the churches, settle
ments, y. NJ. c. AS and community
renters over here. but all the men all
the time, with equipment enough, ana
talent enough. and administrative
ability enough to put it across.
have seen much administration used
for the exploitation of vice. Never
before have [ seen it undertaken for
the exploitation of virtue"
What is America going to do with
these men who are accustomed to
having their Sunday afternoon and
evening recreation and enterta in
ments managed or at least participant
ed in by the same men who led the
religious services Sunday morning,
with the same spirit running through
1t all? Today in America Sunday
afternoon and evening are the great
est opportunity that is given to or
ganized vice. Over there it is the
greatest occasion that is given to or
Eanlzed virtue. Over there, there is
good, clean recreation, together with
the equipment for it. and splendid
leadership enough for all the men
Over here almost the opposite might
be said Can America clean up and
so prepare that the home coming of
these 100000 men, the victorious
army of the world, shall mean the
setting up of collective Christianity
upon new and splendid level? It
will mean that the principles and ac-
t;vities which at present belong to
the favored few shall be maintained
as the splendid right and attainment
OF the majority. No such opportu-
nifty has been presented to a Christian
nation in the history of the world.
NO other nation in the world is in a
position having the idealism, the
wealth. and the executive power to do
this thing. This question is going to
be answered very largely by You
women and by YOU girls who will be
women when they got back, for YOU
determine largely the spiritual quail
ity of daily life"