South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-11


10 record them here. for all who
have visited France know that these
welfare organizations have nobly
wrought and heroically sacrificed. I
have, however. before me a few on
cial records OF the Y NJ c. a. from
which I present the following facts
y. VI. &. A. Work
There have been in France en-
gagged in Y VI. c. A. war service
from its inception 10 the sth OF May.
1888 workers Of whom 7.743 were
men and $3.50 women. The maxi
mum force in this service at any
time was reached on April 2. 1919.
when there were 6.357 secretaries
overseas, serving the a. +. r. They
have been representative Of almost
every profession and trade. the ma
jority coming from the ranks OF gen
eral business activity. The average
age Of the men workers was 40. that
OF the women secretaries 30.
one report states that no man.
under 90, who was III for military
service was employed by the Y NJ
q. A. but the citations show that
they carried on with the same cour-
age and spirit that identified true
Americans throughout the war.
These records show that they went
over the top with the assaulting
waves, that they exposed themselves
under machine gun and shell fire to
minister 10 the wounded, that they
worked indefatigably as stretcher-
bearers and that they drove ambu-
lances into the midst Of battle 10
rescue the wounded.
Others were sacrificed in the less
heroic but no less necessary work
behind the lines. Among these
stands out Miss Winona Martin OF
Rockville Centre. L. l.. who was the
first American woman killed in the
war She was killed by a bomb in
a German air raid. Miss Marian G..
Crandell Of California killed by shell
fire near ChaIons. March 20, 1918.
was another Of the women sacrificed
in helping the soldiers.
Another official report states that
among the Y. NJ. Q. a. workers, men
and women-there have been 19S
casualties divided as follows: Killed
in action. II; died OF wounds, g; dis
ease and other causes. 81; wounded,
gassed and hurt in action, 127.
Eighty-three Y. NJ e. A. seCre-
taries have been awarded the follow
ing decorations: Distinguished serv-
ice cross. s; Croix de Guerre.
/ CFrench), II; Croice de Guerra
Gtalian), AZ; cavaliere velle Corona
de Italia, 6; gold medal city of
Rome. / +; Russian cross of st. George
/ 1; Lorraine cross (French). /: Corps
/ Df Armes FRENCH. / British So
/ ciety medal. 1, and SO others have
/ been cited.
Speaking to Yanks From Russia.
/ Last week l had the pleasure Of
\ speaking one evening in a hut crowd
\ ed with American soldiers who had
/ just arrived in Camp Pontenzen
\ from Russia II was . warm day
! when these soldiers reached Brest
\ after spending many weary months
| in the swamp and waste lands Of
! Archangel and along the Volga.
/ where through the long dreary Rus
| sian winter they had bravely fought
I the bolshevists. the foe of European
/ civilization.
/ CHANGED to see those sturdy sol
| diers as they neared their billets at
| the camp after their three and half
mile walk from the dock. They
wore their heavy uniform well adapt
ed for cold northern Russia. They
| carried on their back the weighty
| pack Of the soldier and on their
arm they bore their heavy overcoat.
1 think l do not eXagerate when
say that their course from the dock
to the camp might easily be followed
by the large drops Of sweat that
fell on the ground" as they marched
along. But in spite of this fact each
man wore "A smile-for he knew IN a
few days some great transport would
bear him back 10 the best country in
all the world.
How those men did sing that night
as Mr. RittenhOuse led them in an
old-fashioned song service. and how
they did give heed as 1 endeavOred
70 bring them a message on The
Life Worth While" the life they
should live. when they again reached
their home folks and their home
country,
Large Number Sail.
In a letter 1 wrote some weeks age