The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-03-22
!. NEEDED MORE
HERE THAN WITH
ARMIES, P0NT|US
Columbus Man Urges That 1t
Be Kept Open AT Home
During Struggle
NECESSARY TO BUILD
UP u. S. AFTER WAR
Gives Four Reasons For
Backing 'Y'; Mention
Secy. Spence

"The Y NJ. c. A. is more essential
at home in war time-at the present
time-even than in the army" de
! clared John w. Pontms, former gen
eral secretary of the Columbus Y NJ
c. A.. when he addressed the board
of directors of the local association
( at the building Wednesday night.
Mr.. Pontius came here to urge the
necessity for keeping the Y. NJ. G. A.
| open during the war as one of the
most essential institutions in which
/ the checking of juvenile delinquency
the training of unframed men for va.
cant positions the maintenance of
adult efficiency and the steadying of
ing the period of the war that the
boys in the trenches, when they come
home, may find better America to
receive them and which will attempt
to repay them for Offering their all
in the cause of democracy.
Mr.. Pontius upheld his statement
that the Y. Nj. c, a. is more essential
at home than with the armies with
four reasons why it should be backed
up:
First, because of the associations
power to steady industry after the
war. Industry will need the potency
of the Y. NJ. c. A. greatly, he said,
after the great tensity of conditions
lets down and business will go back
to the pre-war basis
Second, because the Y. NJ c. A. is
in position, held by no other ma.
tional organization, to maintain an
adult efficiency during the war
against Germany.
Third. to train unframed men for
vacant positions now existing. Mr..
Pontius brought out the necessity for
this training of unframed men by an
Illustration in which the Columbus
association, inquiring as to why their
banking account had errors in ii. re.
ceived the reply from the cashier that
they were due to green men" The
Columbus Y. NJ. c. A. Immediately
started IA three months school in
banking which was crowded with pn.
pills. The result was that the I'M
trained or green" men were trained
and became more efficient, stabiliz-
ing the business of the banking insti.
tutions of the city.
Fourth, because the. Y. NJ. c. A. is
the greatest organization of its kind
in checking juvenile delinquency dur
ing the war. According to Mr. Pom
thus, the youngsters, as he termed
them, will have TO take the places of
their older brothers before long and
assume the responsibilities left by
the others going to war The youths
imagination is fired by the thought of
war and delinquency results. MIR. Pom.
thus declared. Not only is this delin-
quenCy existent among the middle
and lower classes. but is found among
the upper classes. This was shown
by a record of the Columbus juvenile
court for recent month when Il5
cases were recorded. All of the boys
were from the middle or upper class
es of the city. The T. NJ. G. A. has the
power to quell these easily.stirred
imaeinations of the boys and thus
check juvenile delinquency.
Mr. Pontius emphasized the task of
the Y. NJ. G, A. at home when he
spoke Of the America that must be
bnilt up and maintained for the boys
who return from the trenches. The
Y, NJ. G. A, must make democracy
safe for the world" Democracy, Mr..
Pontius defined as being friendship
organized into government, and il is
In the power of the Y NJ. G. A. to
achieve this mutual friendship among
men and weld and organize it into
government, he said.
During the course of his talk. Mr.. /.
Pontius described Nividly his trip to
Canada in January when he visited
Toronto with the commission from
Columbus in the interests of the war
chest that was raised in the Capitol
city.
r, s, Goodell acted as chairman at
the supper which was served by the .
Ladies' auxiliary AT { o'clock.
Mr. Pontius was received with en-.
thusiasm and the message which he
brought to this city in regard to the
maintenance of the Y. NJ. c. A. dur
Ing the war impressed the directors
Tho work Of former Secretary
Spence who is now engaged in army
"f' work, was mentioned by Chair
man Goodell.