The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-23
RUSSIA. THE LAND
or MUCH PROMISE
Major 0rrin S. wightman. M, D., Who
Is Just Back from That Country,
Deeribes Y. M. c. A.
Work There.

Iretaries TO work with the soldiers of Rus
sia. Some of the groups have gone aeros
the Pacific, entering Russia through
Nladiyostok, or through Dalny in south
, ern Manchlria Other groups have
crossed the Atlantic and have found thei
way into Russia through Scandinavia
Altogether about ninety men have gone
, and these, with secretaries already IN
Russia who were formerly n prison camp
work but are now with the troops, max,
a total of over one hundred Americans
serving in this way.
So interrupted have been the lines OF
communication with these secretaries
that practically the only way OF get
ting reports OF this work has been
through courier. The first satisfactory
report has come from Ma or 0rrin ).
Wightman, NJ d., 4 member Of the Amer
lean Red Cross mission 10 Russia, who
has Just returned to New York City.
Major Wightman has responded TO an in
lterview with regard to the work OF the
IL. NJ c. A. in Russia rs follows:
at must be borne in mind that the
Russian people, besides going through
Ia great war are also undergoing the
most severe strain that Russia has ever
known The democracy so often herald
ed a. the savior OF states has come tn
people 90 per cent of whom can neither
read nor write, and their failure to grasp
what freedom means has turned freedom
into confusion. II the Russian problem
! is OF be solved by the human mind il
must be in language and In terms that
even poor Russian peasant soldier can
understand and honestly believe that
! the Young Mems Christian association
and its present methods come nearer TO
meeting the soldier half way than all the
political activity that is SO rife at pres.
ent throughout the Russian nation
never saw anything grow so rapidly, nor
be so much in demand, nor meet such
material success as the work that these
young men are doing in the great coun.
try of Russia.
"The American Red Cross mission TO
Russia did not include any cooperative
work with the Young Mems Christian
association, but after viewing the prob
lem, and seeing the able way they were
combating this phase of the situation, | !
fell in gladly, and did all in my power, !
both in Moscow. Odessa and Jassy, Ru- |
mania, to further its work.
Consider these young men of the as
sociation, going into strange country /
in war time, speaking but few words of /
the language which they had to learn
organizing a great body of men, rolling I
up their sleeves and doing a great part |
of the labor themselves They secured 4
quarters, furnished them, lighted them,
and then. when everything was ready. A
invited soldiers To enter without money H
and without price, to enjoy the hosp
tally OF co partnership, TO be for the
first time in the Russian soldiers ex- 4
perienee an integral part of club
When | saw the progress of this work
in Moscow. jerome Davis of lberln, o.,
and Crawford Wheeler of Eau Claire.
Wis, had started a shack in the suburbs
Of the city. They were showing moving
pictures to the soldiers at night. The 4
demand was so great in this particular i
that they had TO place the sheet on which \
The pictures were thrown in the mid lie \
Of the audience SO that the thousands OF H
men looking on conld view the picture H
from both sides of the screen!
Il entered the shack and found that |
within everything was as neat as could H
DC, and this in spite OF the fact that the II
Russian peasant knows not the meaning /
If dirt, and many of them, until they II
lad joined the Young Mems Christian / Il
association, had never attempted even O I II
wipe their feet on entering the house. H
md did not know that it was necessary H n
fhe reading room was full of men, the III
writing room likewise was crowded with III
'oung fellows who had been urged TO HI
write home to their people on paper en- III
eIopes, and ink provided iof the pur N
lose. II
In another room the soldiers were III
BILE to secure tea with sugar Ia thing IL
which is almost a luxury here now
or the sum of three kopeeks glass, p
Then, as matter of fact. the same q
1ould have cost me several roubles had ii
ordered it in my own hotel, and the in
oys told me that even at three kope ks OF
glass they were able to make money.
On another spot, to one side of the NJ
hack, was placed blackboard, while Nv
ear by were tables and rough wooden al
enches. All these sat a great throug I'll
men, anxious to learn the rudiments W
arithmetic, writing, and spelling, and pr
nglish, and even hungry to know how III
} write their own language. 1t was a
OF question of getting the men to m
,me; the great question was to pro- by
de space to accommodate even a frae- lCl
on of those who desired to enter. tn
The Y. NJ. c. A. secretaries were of
lrown entirely upon their own re. an
'urces; they had TO confer one with =
lother to decide what was the best
ling, and then go through limitless
mount of red tape on account of the
ussian government to secure it. The
ussian soldiers could not understand
w young men would come from a for
On country, establish clubs for their
nvenience and comfort, with many A.
ings given them free, without having 90
me hidden motive. Time ard again -
talked with Russians they would &c 80,
Y. We don't know vet Why they come ~
re; they must have a good reason for -,
ming, but we will find out after ~, ~,
rhile' ~
Just before leaving Moscow two Pol
onths later than my visit to the shack -,
the outskirts of the city, / learned w
at there were five branches of tn ~. ne
Jung Mems Christian association, whern .i'
rmerly there had been but one. | went ~
to building where Crawford Wheel ~ ~.
had started his central branch and en-. ~
ed a large red brick theatre. II WIS ~
ally situated for the association work. ih1
Il large auditorium seated nearly two oh'
Dusand men, and a. ] entered and WIS sh'
'orted to a box ! noticed two intelli- IeE
ut looking officers in the box next e. TN
!. Wheeler told me that they were
o men who had been sent from another tne
y by the soldiers 10 Learn more about eie'