Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-07
SECRETARIES CARE FOR
SOLDIERS EVERY MOMENT
Workers of Red Triangle Accompany
All Troop Trains, and Ship
ON Transports.
CcH:PLETE WONDERFUL SYSTEM
Organization Has No Break From
Time Young Men Leave Their
Homes Until They Enter First
Limo Trenches in France.

Completion recently OF vastly
larger and greater organization for
the Army Y. VI. c. A. made necessary
by .hn steadily Increasing military
forces Of the United States. has given
that association enc of tho greatest
agencies for war work in the world
To-day there is hardly a moment from
tho zine tho young soldier leaves his
home until re enters the front-line
trenches In France that he Is not under
months OF labor the organization OF
the red triangle has been brought 10
n state very near perfection.
state Secretary Peasants Yesterday
outlined briefly the work OF the Y. NJ.
c. a. in taking care OF the country.s
soldiers. Thousands Of persons are
helping the "Y'' in it's work and still
others are Joining tho ranks which
even now are not large enough to
meet the demands being made upon t.
IN recent weeks we have greatly
Increased the efficiency OF our organi-
sat!on. Mr.. Peasants said. when the
recent large drafts were made upon the
country's manhood the " realized
that its plans for n greater organiza.
ton. which had been under considcra
tion for some time. must be pushed
forward at once This was done with
all the speed possible.
SECRETARIES ARE PLACED
ABOARD MANY TROOP TRAINS
When large drafts were made re-
Gently and the young men sent to
training camps on special trains there
was a Y war work secretary assigned
10 his time. II was the duty Of this
secretary TO prepare the embryo sol.
die!s for conditions which they would
hnd In the camps. The secretary cx-
planned 20 them that they would find
green painted buildings at the camp
awaiting for them These structures.
marked by red triangle. had been
erected by the American people for
the soldiers OF democracy. and hero
the boys would find stationery on
which to write home. here they would
ma anusenents Of all Kinds. Ice water
on sultry days and secretaries 20 look
after their wants. Hero. too. they
could buy chocolate and cigarettes ana
other supplies needed by them.
AS soon as this system was placed
In operation. however. we found that
many young men from the mount.
country could not read or write. so
We Immediately started a class IN
English, and within three weeks We
had the boys SO they could write lot
ter home. This VIC consider one Of
our greatest accomplishments And
70. the others NC started a prelimin-
AIRY course in French, which is being
gradually enlarged.
while the boys are in the training
camps the secretaries look after their
every want and the soldiers are edu-
Gated as to the value OF the ~ They
quickly begin TO feel that they could
not do without II. When the time
comes for the boys TO entrain for the
crn barkat!cn camps, secretaries are
placed aboard these trains and accom-
pany the boys. remaining win them UNI
Ill they become familiar with the en-
barkatlon camp and acquainted with
these secretaries.
Then comes the departure overseas
in few days. and each transpor; has
TWO or more secretaries on it, All the
way over these men look after the
hoys. and when the ships arrive on
the other side the frs; thing they see
y the building OF the Y. ~! c. =, There
is no. Il single break In the chain Of
course, in France the y has its great
est organization. and here the secre-
,ar!es arrange all sorts OF amusements
for the boys held as reserves and those
la training camps
War work secretaries move on with
the hghting men when they were or
dered into Tho trenches. and y dug
outs have been erected between III.
iirst and second line trenches. Whcn
the men march through the communi-