The Republican journal., 1918-10-24

the heavy expense involved in first send
| ing the goods to Atlantic seaports, then
| in transporting them overseas, in unload
| ing them at the other side and in moving
| them to the widely-scattered canteens,
an operation that frequently necessitated
the use of motor trucks, automobiles and
even hand transportation. The aim is
not to make a cent of profit out of the
| canteen but to bring it within sight of a
| self-supporting basis. In other WORDS
! the strictly business or mercantile divis-
ion of the Y. M. c. A. is meant to be run
on strictly business lines.
Prices Less Than at Home.
The truth is that, because of the large
quantities of goods distributed free to
men in battle and because of the abnor-
NAL TRANSPORTATION costs often involved,
the canteens are run at loss of from
three to five million dollars year. Also,
as the work grows, the capital needed to
swing this colossal enterprise mounts
rapidly. OF course the 100000, 900 now
being raised-the ''Y's" share in the
United War Work campaign to run from
Nov. II to 1880, 0O0,0 900 will be set
aside for this purpose, which is not one
whit less essential to the preservation
and upbuilding of morale than the nom
commercial activities of the organization.
Incidentally, the Y. M. c. A. now sells
its tobacco to the men at Just what it
pays for it wholesale. In other words,
since Aug. 1, 1918, the "Y' has met
army ouartermaster prices. This entails
loss of several million dollars a year,
but it gives the boys Bull Durham at IL
cents, Fatimas at Ia cents and other
brands at lower prices than are paid in
Oshkosh, San Francisco or New York.
To run the Y. M. C. A S 500 establish
ments in France, including the hundreds
! serving the French army, calls for Napo-
leonic business brains. To run Mar
shall Fields or a Woolworth's or Wanna
makers is child's play compared with
running these unique concerns stretching
from the Bay of Biscay to the constantly
moving battlefront, where the only
ssbuilding' available may be nothing
more than hole dug in the earth or a
cave in a rocky hillside. In Alexander
McFadyen, formerly general manager of
the famous chain of Kresge stores, how
ever. the Y. M C. A. has secured mer-
camille superman equal to the task.
The size of the orders placed by the Y.
M. c.. A. takes away ones breath.
Samples of the Big Orders.
One recent order was for 300, 900, 900
sheets of letter paper, equal to three
sheets for every man, woman and child
in the United States, The triangle daily
mail has a greater circulation, so to
speak, than any daily newspaper on
earth.
| Another order was for SO, $50, 900 sticks
of chewing gum, or SO pieces for every
American soldier in France.
At one clip, 112, 500, 900 bars of choco-
late were contracted for, well over half
a-hundred for every doughboy.
Think, also, of a single order for T.
500, 600 jars of jam and marmalade
As for TOBACCO, the requirements ag-
gregate something like 1850, 600 cigars
Not long ago a contract was placed for
no fewer than 1850, OOO, 900 cigarettes, a
ration of between 600 and 700 for every
fighter. Chewing tobacco is bought by
+ the half-dozen carloads
The Y. M. C. A., moreover, has BIOS
somed out as a large-scale manufacturer
i It has taken over five factories in France
| for making chocolate, and three for max
ing biscuits, cookies, crackers and vari-
GUS delicacies in the pastry line. These
factories, however, can produce only
! modest percentage of the million pounds
of chocolate and the half ambition tons
of biscuits consumed monthly.
| In addition to providing for the inner
man, the ''Y'' caters to the athletic
needs of our stalwarts overseas. Spald-
ing never placed or received orders COM
parable with those given by the Y. M. c.
A. Picture furnishing 1872, 600 baseballs
Here are few additional figures of the
athletic equipment sent over: "a, 600
baseball bats, 1900 masks, $500 catch
ers' mitts, $1,000 fielders' mitts, $1,000
indoor baseballs, 5000 Rugby footballs,
5000 soccer footballs, 600 pine-ponR
balls and 700 sets of boxing gloves.
Most of the ''Y" business is done in
specially constructed wooden huts meas
uring either IA by 80 feet or $50 by go
feet, although every imaginable style and
size of structure from tiny "abri" can
vas tent to palatial French mansion is
pressed into service.