New-York tribune., 1918-12-25
u. S. Inquiry
Is Sought by
Y. MIC. A. Head
Mott Declares That Charges
Must Be Sifted by
Competent Authority
Chaplain Makes Report
''Too Much Preaching and
Profiteering Are Basis
of Troops Objections

public airing Of complaints against
the Y. NJ. c. A. made by overseas SOL
diers is presaged in statement made
yesterday by DR.. John r. Mott, chief
executive of the welfare organization.
The statement declares that as a re-
suit of report submitted by Chap
lain Percy T. Edrop, U. S. A, request
Will at once be made of Assistant
Secretary of War Frederick y. Keppel
for thorough investigation through
the Inspector Generals Department
A f. F. of all specific charges against
the "Y."
"lf we aren't delivering the goods"
said DR.. Mott in making the announce
ment, sit ought to be known and known
at once. II l, or any of the other Y'
officials ere incompetent, we should be
removed. 1t has always been the
policy of this organization to pursue
the policy of perfect frankness. and
with this in viey I feel that an inuqiry
into the present complaints is essential
as matter of justice to ourselves no
less than the public, which has sup
ported our work so generously"
Many Complaints Made
The report of Chaplain Edrop was
made at the instance of DR.. Mott. and
followedsan Investigation into the com
plants against the association. Chan
lain Edrop recommends the course
taken by DR.. Mott in the following Ian
guage:
Il cannot urge too strongly upon you
the. advisabil;ty of taking advantage Of
official channels of investigations The
temper of some of the returning men
is heated. The public is eager for IN
formation. I am confident that you are
just as eager"
The complaints which Chaplain
Edrop was able to get into concrete
form are summarized as follows:
That in certain sectors canteen
charges were excessive.
That there was lack of supplies
for free distribution in the vicinity
Of certain of the firing lines.
That there was an inadequate sup
ply. even for sale, in the immediate
vicinity of certain of the theatres of
activity.
That there was q congestion of
secretaries in the large cities, while
there was a noticeable lack Of work
ers at certain portions Of the front.
the part Of certain Of the secretaries
that the life of the soldier was nee
essarily demoralizng, and that these
workers thus alienated the sympathy
OF the soldiers.
That there was a lack of spon-
taneity on The part Of some secre-
taries that they went about their
tasks grudgingy and idlcd when
possible.
Prcfiteerng Is Alleged
In regard to all the charges, Chap
lain Edrop recommended that an in
vestigation by the Inspector Generals
Department be made. The first com
rlaint. he said, has already been made
the subject of War Department in.
ouiry and was supposed to have re
suited in the establishment of an ar
bitrary scale of prices throughout Y
NJ c. A. canteens abroad.
OF the fifth complaint-that the
workers. by assuming the soldiers 8
constant prey to demoralization. alien.
sted the sympathy Of the men-th,
Crf
hearts of the soldiers own attitude
toward organizations like the Y M
I. A. II is undeniablo that manv ner.
sons once assumed that the soldie,
h vas dltferent from the civilian anl
M that he was hopelessly tempted. Rnt
. our men abroad have belied the old as
sumption and have written q now roc
ord in the history Of soldierinr Son,.
OF the soldiers with whom | talked va
sented the manner and method of cor
tam Y. NJ. c. A. secretaries. 7 can o,i,
recommend that the Y. NJ. c. A, secro
'arles be instructed to lay emnhas;,
upon the new tradition created hv 49,
men or our A. +. t. rather than tn,
old assumptions" VIA" '''
investigation Is Needed
he report, on the whole, is friendl,
TO the ~ but seems to regard an in
''N'' 'e7"tlNt lil oluef TO clear I'm op1
question of doubt in the minds of ~
public. Especial praise is given to the tl'e
devotion ard heroism of many Of th'
Y. NJ. c. A. workers, and attention '"' ;'
called to the fact that owing to tho
complaints no facts can be prosentnt tf'(
for the defence
Complaints of the sort specified h,
Chaplain Edrop have been freouen
since the beginning of the return O.
previously been gathered into detajIe,
form
Whether the War Department viii
comply with DR. Motifs request anf
make an investigation will probabi,
together with the welfare orqaniza.
lions side of the matter has beer
forwarded to Washington.
Blast i'm Munit;nu pJ..