Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-19
The Work Of the ~"

The Work Of the ~"
II there is an organized campaign
against the good name OF the Y. VI.
G.. A. as many seem to think. IT
should be stopped. No organization
that did so much for the soldier IN
the war and at the camps as the ~"
did. deserves reprobation. The COM
monest statement is that they gave
away nothing but writing paper.
This is not true. They gave away
heat, light, the finest entertainment
that money could buy in the form OF
singers. actors of note. hundreds OF
thousands of feet of moving picture
film service in exchange of money.
athletic equipment more than enough
to supply the L. S. for years, athla--
ic instructors. best in the world. ev-
erything that could be expected. and
they maintained over COCO huts with
over 1900 men.
The Y. NJ. c. A. is a going institu-
ton. 1t had IT'S work to do as bus
mess as we'll as a benevolent con-
Germ. 1t has nothing to say concern
ing any other of tht ecod influences
of the war. 1t e.>y sI-ws that it
did fairly according to it's own plans
and in the interest Of the soldiers
welfare. 1t charged a fair price for
it's goods-about 25 per cent. less
than the going price in the U. S. a.
the time. 1t had 12.C00 men over
there. All of them may not have been
perfect. but they were of the high
est average of character and purpose
possible to secure in this land. Let's
all stop knocking and boost hit for
the great institution that within It's
circle of usefulness is of gigantic
power for good. Let us boost at the
same time for all others that seek to
do similar work. 1t is all together and
no grouches.-Lewiston journal.
We are glad to see military
leaders and press taking up this pal
pable injustice and frankly defend
ing a great moral institution. If there
IS an organized movement to dis
credit the Y. NJ. c. A. then it should
be converted into boomerang by
the loyal manhood Of America who
know what the "Y" has meant to
the millions of boys in service.
whether in cantonment or trenches.
Most Of us are familiar with, and
alive to. the wisdom of the old saw
that ''the chap who never had any
thing at home is the one who always
grcwls at his fare when he goes out
in the world" Much of that cropped
out in the army and largely founi
vent on the ."Y" because. for some
purpose. that spirit was insidiously
encouraged.
Like Corp. Slauenwhite, many
boys come back and repeat such silly
chatter because they do not know
any better. If they had a single in
cident they make 1t look like VOL
ume to those who do not know the
facts. This young man has been tell
ing his friends and even newspaper
reporters who fell for it" and. what
is worse, spread it publicly without
explanation. that officers were IA
vored over the men Of the ranks
and tl..t the boys could not always
get paper at the "Y" for writing
home.
c. A. Gummere. of the Y. NJ c.
A. forces now in Maine. in three adj
dresses to Lewiston and Auburn con-
gregations last Sunday. took up and
answered in plain common honesty,
and horse sense, such criticisms as
are being peddled about the streets
by some returned soldiers. Mr.. Cum
mere, in response to the statement
that officers were served before pri-
yates. said that any private should
have known the whole truth as he
had been in position to know. The
officers were not served first unless
they had come from some hospital
or relief camp where men were .suf-
fering for the articles called for. and
then in many cases they were after
might have been dying Of wounds and
greatly in need Of the things called
for by the officers.
Mr.. Gummere gave many other IL
Illustrations and related the following
as illustrative Of one Of the most
common complaints:
Il paid 60 cents at " hut for q
package of cigarettes" said returned
soldier. talking to a Y. NJ. c. A. worker.
The worker meditated. To his absolute
IL cents. but he was willing to admit
that some undue advantage might have
been taken; for an organization so large
cannot be absolutely perfect in every
respect. While he thought the thing
over, he absently put his hand in his
AZ he looked at that coin. he saw thu
light
It was a ten centime piece. with the
number ten and the letters cine. He
asked the soldier II It was with coins
like that. that he had purchased the
They were like that" he said.
DO you know how much they are
worth In American money!
Ten cents. 1t Is marked on them"
How many o: them did you give fol-
the cigarets:
The whole situation was plain afte,
that. A ten centime piece is worth two
cents 10 American money. The soldier
mad paid II cents for his package OF
ctgarets. though he thought he paid 81
and told his story in all sincerity.
We are heartily ashamed Of the
winners and backbiters who are now
abusing the horse that carried them