The diamond drill., 1918-02-23

the job altogether too big for one OF
my mean ability. l have been asked
to give you some of my reflections re
garding boys and the boy problem,
and after due persuasion have permit
lted myself to be put upon this pro-
lsram.
have two young chaps OF my own
AT home, neither of whom is old
enough to be admitted here yet, but /
confess that during the last few weeks
and months j have done some mighty
serious thinking regarding their fu-
ture, and as lean over their beds At
night, many times do ! wonder what
there Is in store for hem and what, II
anything, | can do 10 guide their
steps Alright. / presume that this is
the avowed attitude OF every father
here regarding first, his own boy, and.
secondly his neighbor's boy II ought
TO be- And one or two OF the thoughts
that have come to me on these occas-
ions / shall leave with you tonight
but in doing so ! do not wish 10 pose
before you as as sissy, or mollycod-
die. or tin-horn reformer who hopes
to save the world at single stroke
| hope that | may be considered, al
least in part, as good fellow, and
with what | have to say. hope that
you men will agree, but II you don't
I'm not going to worry very much, for
am not especially interested in what
men think of me these days, but / am
tremendously interested in what these
boys think Of me.
When this war first came upon US
and the many demands began to be
made for various purposes, ! at first
wondered II under the stress of the
times this local Y. NJ G. A. work
might not be temporarily abandoned
or. at least. curtailed, but the thought
did not tarry for long. America has
many serious problems on her hands
lust now, chief OF which is the win
ming OF the war, Were ! to ask you
what her next great problem is, your
answers might vary.
| shall answer II in true Yankee
style by asking you another question.
what will be our greatest shortage
when the war is oyer?" This oil
world OF ours Is about to face the
greatest shortage II has ever known
OF boys young men! II the work OF
this institution has any saving power
and | believe IL has, we cannot anord
TO LET up on 1t II it takes our last dol
lar to see II through The question
is simply this, my friends, Shall We
conserve our dollars or our boys
Has the work been of any local value
YOU may ask. can point YOU to one
CRYSTAL Falls boy alone, the change IN
whose life as a result Of this work rs
worth every dollar that all the men
here have ever given to the y M G..
A. Nor do / think that the work has
reached its greatest efficiency. either
Do you men know that in Germany
and in England, and in France juye-
nile crime has nearly doubled since
This war started? The same thing
would be true OF Belgium II there
were any boys left there to commit
crime. II will be true Of America too
unless we wake up and put our house
in order. | wish we might turn this
meeting into joke-fest but to me the
occasion IS altogether too serious.
But | am DEPRESSING | have been
asked 10 speak upon the subject,
what Would Give for My Boy"
And this thought carries me back sew
eral years TO one OF the most anxious
moments OF my life. | am waiting In
room early one July morning under
tense ,nervous strain, when nurse
appears at the door with smile and
announces Everything is alright and
n Is a boy" And what relief
felt, and how my heart leapt for joy
fine boy Had the whole world been
dangled before me that morning would
have taken II for my boy? Yoi
dads have all been there. Would you.
you would not
The scene changes. a few years
later hurry home on cold winters
night, and as | enter the house
meet the urse again with hush "
whas Is wrong? The same boy ha
been suddenly stricken and lies AZ
the point OF death. enter the room
and behold his mother bending over
him. her heart breaking What would
give-for my boy now? Had the
whole world now 10 offer would give
Il to save my boy. Some OF you hav,
been there. too Would you2 Indeed