The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1918-07-12

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Of q county Y. M. C. A. and the
rights and prerogatives of the
county war board.
Editor of The True Northerner:
dislike very much entering any
kind of a newspaper controversy. l
feel compelled, however, to disagree
with the conclusion of your editorial
as to the organization of local Y.
NJ. c. A. in Van Buren, county.
AS to the suggestion, Every solicit
tation for County Funds should have
the official o. X. of the County War
Board to be entitled to consideration
The County War Board is organized
under the authority Of law and the
direction of the Governor of the
State. It's purpose is "to coordinate
all War activities" The War Board
has no right to approve or disapprove
of any subject. 1t seeks to help every
project that it is ordered to help.
That is its business. For the War
Board to attempt to give its sanction
or express its disapproval of a Coun-
ty Y. M. c. A. would be usurpation.
Is it expedient at this time to or
ganize County Y M. c "A? / will
not dispute a single statement of fact
contained in your editorial. Let US
agree to every one Of them, yet those
facts do not prove that the organ
ization of a County Y. M. c. A.
should be deferred. Because we are
in this war to my mind creates the
greatest need for a County Y. M. c.
A. right now.
Such organization, if now organ
lied, would seek especially to work
with the boys from fourteen or fifteen
years to twenty years of age. The
War is removing power of super
vision but little appreciated from the
lives of these boys. / do not think
we appreciate the directing and re-
straining power over these boys OF
the older brothers of the family or of
the neighborhood. The older brothers
neip more than they themselves know
To keep the Younger ooys in right
palhs. They TEA h them, they guide
them, they warn them, they restrain
them But Uncle Sam is calling these
older brothers away from home. The
v. NJ. C. A. would seek to aid in fill
iny this place. know of no other
substitute that is being offered.
The thoughts of all Of Us are on
the War. "How can | help? is on
everyone's tongue. The men organ
lie themselves into War Boards,
Patriotic Leagues, etc. The women
organize themselves into Red Cross
units, Councils of Defense, and Con-
servation Committees. Skilled teach
ers are sent to teach the men and
women how. though organization,
they can do the things that help.
What place is offered to the boys?
The advice to him seems to be "Make
War Garden. Work wherever you
can get work. Save your money and
buy War Savings Stamps" All this
lis good advice, to be sure, but 1T
LEAVES the boy to go along by him
self. The County Y. M. c. A. would
be young mans organization
through which their physical, mental
social and religious energies would
Ibe directed to a common and bene-
fetal end.
The Army Y. M. C. A. is doing a
work among our soldiers that is one
of the wonders of the world.
But the Army Y. M. G. A. would be
an impossibility were it not for the
local Y. NJ. C. AS that have turned
young men to paths of right and
trained them for this work. And
then the soldiers give us the impress
ion that the Y. M. c. A. is wonder
full help to them; why not let the
younger boys at home feel that they
are a part of the organization which
the boys in field and camp find so
valuable?
1t is probable that no agency has
been so efficient and successful in dis
covering and developing leaders
among boys and young men as the
~. NJ. C. A. The earlier in life this
talent is discovered and directed to
the systematic service of others, the
better for the boy and the better for
the community.
Conservation is the watchword of
the time. In every way we are
urged to guard, save and care for
everything that is of value. The Y.
NJ. c. A. seeks to serve and conserve
the vital energies and needs of the
boys.
| have no criticism to pass on any
person who decides not to contribute
towards the County Y. M. c. A. |
would like to ask, however, how many
boys turned from evil influence to
ways of right doing would it require /
to repay the $250O per year asked for
this work? l believe the need for
such an organization was never so
great as right now, and that to fail !
L. ~. r..,,.. InI 20, L