Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-03
EH.C.k. AIDS TROOPS
ON ARRIVAL IN us.
oocretarles Serve Returning
Soldiers With Candy and Gig
arettes Without Cost
$4,000 HUT IS OPENED

a Just as the Y. NJ. @. A. secretaries
accompanied draftees In their first
journeys to camp they are now accom- :
p4nying the same men as victorious
Troops to their points of rehabilitation.
Something OF the work Of the trans
pcrtation bureau OF the national war
work council of the Y. NJ. c. A. is told
Ia report issued today.
A flying squadron Of the association
secretaries meets every ship upon its
arrival in port, the report states. The
soldiers are served, without cost, with
chocolate, chewing gum, newspapers
and postcards, and are accompanied by
secretaries from the ship to the de-
barkation camp. Twenty Ave "Y''
secretaries are permanently employed In
meeting ships and in single day re-
Gently they rendered service to 26, Az
men returning from overseas.
Since the service on troop trains were
inaugurated July, 1917, 6662 troop
trains, carrying total of 5000, 900
soldiers and covering total distance
Of more than $500, 900 miles, have had
on them association representatives
serving the men in every possible way.
More than ninety permanent troop train
secretaries now devote their entire time
to this service.
1881 Secretaries
The ocean transport service was in
augurated March 4. 1918. From that
date up to April 80, 1919, a total Of
1881 ~" secretaries served on 971
different sailings. Ten hundred and
twenty nine complete or refill equip
ments, at a cost of S630.574, were
placed aboard these vessels for the free
use of soldiers and sailors. Approx
mately 2,750,00 men have been served
by the association on ocean transports.
Until the signing of the armistice on
a November IL. the Young Mems Chris
zation having permanent representatives
assigned to ocean transports.
One secretary lost his life In the
sinking of the Otranto, while severa
others cheerfully took their chance,
with the soldiers and sailors when tn,
sCovinston, President Lincoln, and Other
ships sank. One troop train secretary
lost his life in the performance of his
duties.
y At the more important transfer cen.
tiers, such as Chicago, Pittsburgh, Den
ver, and Cincinnati, the transportation
bureau, In CO operation with the asso
citations In those cities, served thou.
sands of soldiers and sailors in transit
daily. At st. Louis two attractiv,
huts rendered unusual and far reaching
service.
At Hoboken. the great port Of EN-
harkation and debarkation, are 81,
buildings. FIVE being rented, and tn
slxth being the largest ''Y" hut il
America. These buildings served dur
ing the month Of April 276,10O men
An average of $500 were served daily il
the cafeteria and canteen, while dur
ing the month 10000 pieces of writing
material were used and 52,s34 men at
tended 1S3 different social and religion
and educational gatherings.
$4,000 Hut Erected
A fine up to date hut, costing $50,
Oe0. was recently opened at Newpor
News, Va, for the use of returnin
soldiers. 1t contains virtually the sam
equipment as the Hoboken hut and bid
fair to rival the latter in the measur
Z Of service rendered.
American troops now in Siberia wer
accompanied across the continent, froi
Z the Atlantic seaboard by troop trai
Representatives and across the Pacifi
BY transport secretaries, and recentl
several regiments of French soldier
en- route from France to Siberia wer
cared for during the entire journey b
representatives of the transportation
bureau.