The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-22

C. p. Cowgirl enlisted in the Second
Officers Training camp at Fort Sher-
they rode nine miles to spend an
evening in the Y. M. C. A.-because
they knew somebody was on the job.
You Don't Have to Knock.
Another reason is that you don't
have to knock, show a ticket. wiggle
your first finger or roll over and play
dead to get in. You just walk in
like you were there to foreclose a first
mortgage on the place. A fellow new
to the game sort of hesitated at the
door and said to a Y. NJ. secretary,
DO come right in or what?'
1T amt my club" sand the secre-
tary, suit yourself about it,
You Smell Fried Eggs.
When you walk thru the front door
you don't run into a lecture hall, tho
there is one upstairs, and the odor
that comes to your nose isn't the odor
of sanctity. It's the smell of fried
eggs. The cafeteria is the first thing
you meet, and If you are wise you
get acquainted with 1t and stay ac-
quainted while you are in this locality,
to eat in town. know because tried
several.
Boys Feel Free.
The most impressive thing about it
Is the complete absence of an osten-
tatious welcome. It's like finding a
dollar on the sidewalk. You just
help yourself and nobody says word.
You wander in and eat and wipe your
mouth on your sleeve and hike up
stairs to mess around on a piano or
write letter or play billiards, or to
do as you doggone please. You are
free To be able to make a huge
number of men feel perfectly free and
unrestrained and at home is quite
S me little accomplishment.
haven't had time to find out how it is
done, but the next time have a party
at my house I'm going to try it on.
It's the real thing in hospitality.
No Bankers Around.
A French class was going on, but
it had no barker. It was there to use If
If you wanted to. On the stairs was
posted a notice of a religious meeting
to be held presently, but it had no
barker. There was nobody to force
the man in II he were not in the mood
for serious thought that evening.
Somehow it struck me as being like an
ice-water tank. A very fine thing to
have present in case q man was
thirsty, but not at all Ikea deluge of
ice water which poured impartially on
those who desired and those who did
not AS a matter of fact I was sur
DrlSGQ TO see now many Icl1OWo
dropped in. 1t was another exhibition
of good taste and tact.
had never been in that place be-
fore. walked in casually without
generalization. I came out with a
feeling that I had been some place,
and that is a regular feeling. Add to
that that I am fresh from the states
and haven't time for inconsistencies or
loneliness or the need of cheering
companionship, and you can get some
idea of the way it strikes the boys.
Y. M. Men the Fellows You Ask.
Another thing about the men who
are handling the association here and
the men in khaki: The Y. M. c. A.
men are the fellows you ask. Do they
stop a gendarme and enquire their
way? No indeed! The gendarme has
no English. But it is hard for a Y. M.
man in this town to pass party of
soldiers without being stopped and
asked any kind of question from the
date of discovery of the River of
the best girl will arrive. A situation
has arisen which is very pleasant.
The soldiers rely on the man with a
red triangle. This Is not hearsay, but
is the result of careful and critical and
possibly of a slightly adversely biased
study. have seen the thing as I tell
It. The ''Y" guy is the right-hand
man of the soldier.
1 saw no sign of restrictions in the
place. I saw no placard saying you
mustn't do this or that. The French
have a way of placarding things with
signs which read, Defense de fumer"
or Defense de this, that, and the other
thing. The Y. M. C. A. hasn't caught
the habit. Apparently there is no
defense" about the place. There
isn't a man standing around to tell
you to walk softly and hold your
breath. I didn't see a sign of super
vision nor of paternalism. And it
wasn't necessary. There were a cou-
pie of score of soldiers in the house
and I am obliged to set down, in face
of those dear ones who say that the
army makes a rowdy Of a man, that
there was no need for supervision or
placards. That crowd of soldiers with
a night off made noise and enjoyed
themselves. You could see them and
hear them doing 1t. But they did a
fine outstanding regular Job of it. and
I have seen crowds in the Harvard
club or the Players who were more
boisterous. The gang was right. And
where the Y. NJ. was so right was in
realizing the rightness of the men; in
knowing that fellow who is gentle
man needs no placards with the word
forbidden" printed on them
An Army to BE Proud OF.
haven't seen the whole expedi-
tionary force by several long stretches.
but the very considerable chunk Of
1t that has fallen under my notice is
the kind of an army that Americans
ought to be tickled to death to have