Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-08-20
UNIFYtNG WAR WORK

r. AAAAS A0o OSSA SO1He IAOIe OT OeSulIOTy discus
sion Of the subject of unifying what may be termed tho
the various service and relief agencies with which we are
familiar. The Spokane spokesman-Review contributes
the following to the discussion:
1T would be interesting and helpful II the country
could have the unreserved Judgment of General Pershing
and other officers in Nigh command in France on the
best way for conducting the alternating and recreational
work now divided. and necessarily to some extent dupli-
Gated by the Red Cross. the Y. M. {. A., the Y. w. G. ),
the knights of Columbus and the Salvation Army.
Splendid service is rendered/ by all these agencies,
but the presence in the war zone Of so many organ,sa-
tons must impose upon the army organization there a
growing burden that could be lightened greatly if Cen
hcers in the field had to deal with only one great central
agency. The task Of adjusting the various agencies now
in the field must entail enormous expenditure +, of
thought and labor on army officers.
1T is now becoming increasingly apparent that a
mistake was made when the government failed to put
all alternating and recreational work under the direction
of the Red Cross. Then a single fund, raised in a single
campaign, would provide support for everything that is
now attained by half a dozen drives.
Nov there is lack Of close coordination, both In
France and at home. \ The Y. NJ. c. A., for illustration.
decides that it wants 500, oo0. 900 for the coming years
work and the general boards of all the other erganiza-
lions also decide for themselves what they will expend.
No power or authority seems lodged anywhere to ADJUST
these varying demands to the actual needs in the field.
1t is as though each of the five commissioners Of the city
of Spokane were permitted to, make up his own budget
and go out and collect it from the taxpayers without any
|co-ordinating budget7making restraint H
'The tendency is not only toward wasteful compe-
tition, but must be directly hampering and handicapping
to the high army command in France.
Would 1t not be wise for the government to rectify
now, as Quickly as lossible, the mistake made when It
allowed SO many agencies to attach themselves to the
army? Why not put all army service under the Red
Cross. letting that great national and International or.
SANITATION absorb the working organizations OF the =. N
e. A.. the z. W. CA, the Knights Of Columbus and the
salvation Army? The government itself is pointing the
way to that when It abolishes all distinctions in the ma
Itionals army, merging into one great hEhting force the
REGULARS. tho natSnal guard and the national army
There Is probably much that can b said js4ong the
lother side. and the operation Of these and similar socie-
tie on m Independent basis has ~ advantages. It may
Ire worth while, however, to constdef whether or not the
general adrninlstrattve work OF All these bodies might
not usefuliy be handled by the Red Cross societies them
selves, bringing q bear the force and spirit Of their or
sanisaaions q arouse interest and stimulate enthusiasm
faaS home. . Ssg