The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1918-10-17
LETTER FROM
Mr.. BACBY
Writes Interestingly of Scenes
and Incidents Obtaining
Over Seas, and
WORK HE IS DOING

wanting to write a few lines for the
Daily Times ever since ! landed on
this side but there has always been
something else to do.
1t has been just two months since
| struck French soil and they have
been months full not only of work
but of great interest.
The Y. M. C. A. has big task be-
fore it; much bigger than most OF
the folks at home realize. 1t has
not only to look after thewelfare OF
the boys physically, mentally and
spiritually, but 20 keep them sup
piled with tobacco and confectiona.
ry. This last in MY judgment was
a mistake. But III the earnest re-
quest of those in authority, the Y.
NJ A. A. took over the army can
teen. 1t was mistake because OF
the dissatisfaction it caused. The
supply is far from being as great as
the demand. OF course the goods
for sale has to come from America.
Our ships have been so well filled
with men and ammunition there has
been no room for other things. The
soldiers have money in their pock-
cts, they crave sweets fully as much
as they do the weed, and II they
can't be supplied the most natural
thing in the world is to blame tn.
"Y' for this.
Then, too, there is too much of
the Y. mans time taken up in the
canteen which should be given to
more important work. write this
because tt re are doubtless criti-
cisms going home about the service
the "Y" is giving and ! want you to
understand the situation.
Please, though not not think for
one moment that we are discourag-
ed or think of giving up the job. The
large majority of the boys appreci-
ate the "Y" and attribute the won
derful morale of the army as one of
the results of the work done by this
organization.
Am sure many Wilson friends
would be surprised were they to see
me standing behind the counter sell
ing chocolates, cakes, cigaretts, ci
gars, chewing and smoking tobacco,
just as fast as any Wilson salesman
could do. The boys think they need
these, the government thinks so too.
| sell to them because l am given an
opportunity to smile and give many
of them friendly word as | sell,
which certainly does them no harm.
But please donot think all of my
time is taken up selling goods. |
often stand for hours giving paper
and envelopes to the boys to write to
their home folks. AS | hand it out
| rejoice as | think of the pleasure
that paper with the red triangle will
bring to many home in America.
My most important work is that
of religious secretary of this camp.
Have under my direction eight SER
vices week. Three of them are
midweek, five Sunday. do not pre-
side at all but in way am RESPONSE
BILE for the conduct OF ali. Never
have ! attended better prayer meet
ings than we are having here. The
Sunday morning communion service
is as solemn and as helpful as il
they were held in one of our best
home churches. This camp at pres
ent is blessed with two NJ E. South,
chaplains who are splendid co-labor-
ers in the work. Soon after | got
here a delegation of boys waited on
me, asking for weekly communion
service. was delighted to plan for
this. Every Sunday at a. m. we
who love the Lord, regardless of
church affiliation meet around our
Masters table to remember Him.
One of the good things this war is
doing, is breaking down sectarian
predjudice. We have in our Y hut
seven workers, each of us is of differ
ent religious denomination yet we
work together as one.
No, the whole camp of many thou
sand is not made up entirely of
good church going boys. Some are
just as good as the best ones at
home and some are as bad as the
wort ones there, but ! will say this,
it is easier to do religious work with