Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-09-06
WORK OF THE Y. M. c. A.
It's Principal Business Is to Keep Sol.
diers Human.

Have you ever tried to picture for
Yourself the life of q soldier in the
field? Let me draw an outline. What
/ describe have seen during my many
visits to the Allied fronts.
While he is "in the line" as he calls
IL. which means holding the front posi-
tions. he Is fixed to one particular
spot. He has duties which occupy a
large part OF his time. His recreation
Is limited to smoking. chatting and
reading. How the men in the line hun
ger for something to read" how they
20 through the magazines. daily and
weekly newspapers. even through
scraps OF old paper. how they enjoy
anything fresh which will take them
ont of themselves" for a little while.
| could describe from personal expert
ence and illustrate by many pathetic
anecdotes. but there Is no need. you
can imagine 1t. And then you esn go
on to imagine also the gratitude
which the soldier feels to the Y. M. c.
A.. for the loans OF books which he
can put in his pack and take with him
him into the line to help while away
the weary hours of which there are
SO many in war. I have seen men
come into Y. NJ. G. 4. library and
tell the librarian that his books saved
him from going melancholy mad.
Next the soldier Is for a time in
sup,nr." that Is to say, in trenches
and dugouts a short distance behind
the front line. Here he may begin to
be indebted to the Y. M. c. A. for 9TH
er advantages. have known Y. NJ. {.
A. canteens to be established actually
under the enemy's fire for the benefit
of the men In support. Here they can
buy cigarettes, chewing gum, biscuits.
They can drink q cup Of tea or coffee.
They can feel that there Is link be-
tween them and the world behind the
lines. How much that means only
those who have been in the trenches
can appreciate.
Then comes q spell of being "in re-
serve" This is passed In some ruined
town or village or in camp OF tin
huts. The soldier now has plenty OF
leisurc-what can he do with It? You
know that one Of the pleasures OF life
is shopping. This Is supposed by many
people to be a woman's pleasure. but
my experience is that men enjoy shop
ping too. In ruined villages, in tin nut
camps, there would be no shops just
as there would be no cafes. no libra
rics. no writing rooms, II 1t were not
for the Y. NJ. c. A. Ask any soldier
how the army would get on without
the Y. II. c. A. He will tell you that
it would get on badly indeed. Go into
any Y. NJ. c. A. canteen at any hour
of the day and you will understand
why.
They are ut the same time clubs and
stores. They offer refreshment botn
for the body and mind. They are well
stocked with useful things. such as
soap. toothbrushes and other simple
toilet necessaries. They offer also
wide choice Of more attractive pur-
chases from canned fruits to picture
postcards. And when the soldier has
bought what he needs or fancies, or
merely looked around and kept money
In his pockets. he can sit down. order
something to drink, meet his friends
read the papers. write letters.
A soldier said to me once: TITS the
Y. NJ. c. A. that keeps US human. II
does what no other organization Is do
ing or could do. Amid the dreariness
| OF the war zone. In the monotonous life
of the troops in the field. the Red Tri-
angle shines with steady comforting
glow. There could. in my opinion, DC
no better way Of spending hundred
million dollars than giving the 7. M
c. A. the fullest opportunity to make
the soldier more comfortable and more
contented.-Lord Northcliffe.