The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-06-02

the Germans. Religion is forget
ting its den ominational lines. Also
it is losing most Of the things that
earmarked it as religion, in the pop
ular conception, such as preaching
aversion to tobacco and theaters
and general aloofness from TINS
wicked world. Just as in some OF
the regiments, one cannot tell a
millionaire private from his chau1-
feur or his washwoman' son, so III
the big religious work that is go
ing on here il is impossible to dis
tinguish a preacher from business
man or an actor.
Recently ! was riding in big
American car behind the lines
"Gee. look at the Packard = cried
the soldiers, with all the American
Youths interest in the makes OF
machines-and with me were five
others, all except myself being IN
the y. NJ. G. A. uniform. Nobody
goes into the army area without
uniform, except the occasional JOY
riding Commission that has come
over here TO Investigate some
thing or other.
Those five men typify the man
ner in which religious work IS be
ing done in France. One was
Pittsburgh millionaire, a member OF
the war work council OF the Y. NJ.
c. A. He was heading a group
sent over TO study the efficiency
OF the service. His companion was
the head of college for women,
and a speaker of repute. who has
been addressing the soldiers. An
other man was an actor, touring TO
inspect the equipment OF the Y. M.
c. A. huts for theatrical perform
ances, as he IS bringing over COM
panv. The fourth man was To-
ledo college professor who is the
assistant director OF the education
al work that is being undertaken
in the camps by the y. M. {. A.
The fifth man was a Chicago ad-
vertising expert, who is connected
with the Paris office, and manages
the entertainment circuit of the
army work. The chauffeur also
wore Y. NJ. c. A. uniform. for
this enterprise calls for diversity
OF services.
What the Y. M. c. A. Is In the
Army.
Whatever the Young Mems
Christian Association may be at
home. it is something quite distinc-
tive in the American army Here
it is the agency named by the gov
ernment to take care of the recre-
ational interests of the soldiers.
Whatever they need, outside OF
strictly military lines, is supposed to
be supplied by the "f,' as it is
colloquially called. The canteen
also has been turned over to it by
the army; and this is run, OF course,
without profit.
This work is therefore not en-
tirely, or even largely. religious,
in the conventional significance OF
that word 1t is not at all sec
tartan This is not a Protestant en-
terprise. Up to the present, the
first service held every Sunday, in
most huts, and frequently on
week days also, is the mass for the
Catholic boys. 1t is common for
huts to hold Catholic. Jewish and
Protestant services on the forenoon
OF the same day. The workers are
OF all faiths.
Also they are of all walks Of lie
and OF both sexes. Some OF the
most difficult and dangerous work
is that done by the truck drivers
and warehouse men. They must
get supplies up TO the front, and
quite commonly they 90 as far for
ward as the ammunition camions.
The soldier wants his cigarets and :
chocolate and other extras as ar
iently as he wants cartridges. In
a non-drinking army, it Is impor
tant that the men have the sweets
that they crave, and the confection-
cry business OF the association is
on a wholesale scale. Little hutS
sell thousands OF francs worth of
tobacco and sweets in a single week.
Gifts TO the men. like the carloads
of apples sent by the American Ap-
Die Growers Association, get TO the
front through the I. NJ. {. A. or
yanization. All the soldiers get TO :
he ~" huts. the one place OF ref
ige, entertainment and diversion in :
he army. There alone do they
md facilities. and free stationery.
or correspondence.
4 Harvard Professor in the Mud. :
In the present article. however. z
want merely TO indicate the sort OF
Americans who make up this staff
ii more than 500 workers. Nat
lrally, they are OF all types. 1t has
'een found, Tor example, that the :
wealthy clubman makes a first class :
sorker, especially for advanced and :
onely posts. lie is a good mixer. :
ond Of the sporting chance which :
lie takes with the shells. and with
he yicissitudcs OF getting supplies :
One man, who barely :
queaked int the work, because he
vas only a favored son Of the idle E
ich, and had few OF the Y. NJ. {. IL
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