The Carlisle independent., 1919-06-19
TROUBLE MAKING
 CANTEEN TAKEN
 OVER BY PERSHINC
Grants Earnest Request of Y. M. c. 4. head-Did Better Than Expected,
 Says General.

Cnaum0nt (Special) At the earnest
 request of E. c. Carter, general over-
 seas secretary of tbe Army Young Mems Christian Association, General FershiDg has officially taken over the army canteen, and in the future all ex-
 changes, or 'canteens," will be operat-
 ed by the military instead of the Y. NJ. c. A., as was the ages-old custom before the present war. In replying to MT. Carter's request, General Pershing says that as the reasons which i'm pelled him to request the Y. NJ. c. A. 10 undertake the canteen work no longer exist, he is glad to approve Car ter's suggestion. The general thanks
 the '. NJ. c. A. for the manner in
 which it handled the canteen, declar-
 Ing that, handicapped by shortage of tonnage and land transportation, the Y. NJ. c. A. has by extra exertion
 served the army better than could
 have been expected. and you may be assured that it's aid has been a large factor in the final great accomplish
 ments of the American army.
 According to '. NJ c. A. officials and investigators of recent criticism com ing from overseas, the canteen has been the cause of nineteen-twentieths
 of the organizations trouble. In his letter to MT. Carter, General Pershing declares that "the Y. M c. A. under took the management of the post ex- changes at my request at time when
 it was of the greatest importance that no available soldier should be taken away from the vital military functions of training and fighting" Y. Nj. c. A.
 men everywhere are sure that with the
 canteen in the hands of the army, all criticism of the organizations over
 seas work will cease, because of the im- possibility of a civilian organization, handicapped as the Y. NJ. c. A. has been. operating such a mammoth mer- cantile enterprise as the post ex-
 change business proved to be.
 General Pershing's letter to Mir. Car 1 ter follows in full:
 My Dear Mr. Carter:
 q have received your letter of Jan-
 uary % asking whether in view of l the present changed situation it would
 be possible for the army to assume 1 full responsibility for the maintenance | cf post exchanges throughout the l American expeditionary force. As | you correctly state, the Y. M c. A. un- l dertook the management of the post 1 exchange at my request at time
 when it was of the greatest impor- i tance that no available soldier should be taken away from the vital military functions of training and fighting. As | the reasons which impelled me at that time to request you to undertake this work no longer exist, am glad to ap- prove your suggestion. In reaching
 this decision consideration has been given to the new burdens in connection
 with the entertainment and athletic ac- tivities and the education that you have assumed. 1 have accordingly given directions that army units them
 selves take over and operate their own
 post exchanges. In milking this change permit me to thank you for the very valuable services and assist ance which the Y. Nj. c. A. has ren- dered to the American eXpeditionary force in handling these exchanges. Handicapped by shortage of tonnage
 and land transportation. the Y. NJ. c.
 A. has by extra exertion served the
 army better than could have been eX- pected, and you may be assured that
 it's aid has been large factor in the
 final great accomplishments of the
 American army.
 Cordially yours,
 (Signed) JOHN PERSHING."