The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-03-12
Answer TO CHARGE
! THAT Y.M.C.A. MEN
AVOIDED DANGER
General Dlckman, Hero of Chateau
Thierry, Issues Order on Conduct
Free Supplies.

Spread upon the records of the
Third division, A. Il. r., and just
brought to the attention of the Ma
tional War Work Council Of the Y. M.
G. A., is a general order issued by
command of Major General Dickmap,
which "Y" officials have hailed as an
emphatic answer to charges that Red
Triangle workers had avoided the dan
ger zones in France and had wrung
eXorbitant prices from the soldiers for
the comforts which the association
had sent overseas. General Dickman
directed that a copy of the order be
sent to every one of 'the thirty-four
men and six women who went with
the division through the fighting at
Chateau Thierry and along the Marne,
TO st. Mihiel, and later into action
north of Verdun and along the Meuse.
The Y. M. G. A. has made public
General Dickman's order along with
a communication from Col. ]. G. Rhea
of another division which was in the
st. Mihiel fighting. Colonel Rhea gave
figures showing the large amount of
supplies which We're distributed in his
division by "Y' secretaries without
charge. The order of General Dick
man, who is now in command of the
Army of Occupation in Germany, is
as follows:
'"The commanding general desires to
make of record in the general orders
of this division his appreciation of
the part taken by the members of the
y. M. G. A. who have been attached
to this division and actively carried on
their work in all it's phases during the
time that this division was in contact
with the enemy from May 81 to July
30.
During the days beginning July ID,
when the enemy made their attack and
for days and nights afterward the
Y. M. G. A., through its faithful
members at their posts Of duty, not
only with chocolate and cakes and to-
bacco cheered our soldiers, but were
of efficient assistance to our medical
staff in caring for wounded. Hot |
chocolate was served, in many cases
free, both day and night to the wound
ed and ambulance drivers.
"While the men of the Y. M. G, A.
were with the troops in the front line |
the young women of the Y. M. @. A. !
were detailed with the hospitals and |
the medical staff of this division bear |
testimony of their most efficient help |
during these two weeks of great strain.
1.-THE conduct of these self-sacrific-
ing and brave men and women who |
have so unhesitatingy given their
services to their country establishes |
a standard of prestige exceptional
courage, devotion and resources which
the commanding general particularly
commends."
Colonel Rhea, chief Of staff Of the
general staff Of one Of the divisions
which helped to straighten out the st.
Mihiel salient, wrote to the Y. M. G. A.
overseas headquarters in Paris as fol-
lows:
"The division commander directs me
to thank you in the name of the Off
GERS and men of this division for your
great work in having distributed gra-
It's to this division, between Septem-
Der 10 and IS, a total of 147908 pack
ages of cigarettes, 67,540 bars of choc-
olate 10000 packages of cakes, 1920
pounds Of hard candy, and hundreds
of gallons of coffee, chocolate and
bouillon.
1T is impossible to express to you
the appreciation of the officers and
men of the pleasure and comfort you
have brought 10 them when each one
was struggling under the greatest
hardships, to do his duty toward his
country. You probably realize better
than can be expressed the appreciation
of your kindly work"