Smyrna times., 1919-12-31
SOCIAL
SERVICE PROGRAM
ADOPTED BY ''Y"
Plans to Increase Membership
10 One Million.
Will Assist in General Nov rncnts for
Americanization and improved
Relations Between c; pitaI
and Labor.
m AKTNG their stand squarely with

T% AKTNG their stand squarely with
the churches of America for So
cial justice, based upon the
teachings Of Christ, the Young Mems
Christian Associations Of North Amer
lea, at their fortieth international con-
ventiOn held recently in Detroit, also
adopted the most comprehensive pro-
gram of expanding social service ever
presented to the associations in their
three-quarters Of a century of exist
ence.
The social creed previously adopted
by the Federal Council of the Churches
Of Christ in America and indorsed
later by the Interchurch World Move
ment was adopted by the "Y'' conyen-
tion without the alteration of a sylla-
BILE. 1t definitely commits the asso-
Citations to many specific social re-
forms, such as the Improvement of the
relations between capital and labor,
the enactment of uniform divorce laws,
better housing conditions and the like.
1t also was definitely resolved, that
the future great developments which are
being planned shall be worked out To-
cally and nationally in positive harmony
and cooperation with the evangelical
churches" One of the reports which
was adopted put the matter of the rela-
tion of the Y. NJ. c. A. to the churches
in this form: ''The association is indis-
pensable to the churches and the church
es are the associations base of opera
tions. The vital union between the two
should be made so evident that no one
could misunderstood it,
he 11or rfvaer rala - ha lot fevaa
call for the gradual extension Of its work
to reach every young man and boy in
America. Steps are to be taken imme-
diately to increase the membership in
the associations from $4,000 to 100000
by 1920, but this Is only = small part OF
the program.
In small cities and large, in industrial
centers, in mining camps, in rural COM
munities. in villages. in oil fields. in set
Elements OF co.ored people, in colleges
schools and universities, at railroad ter
minals and division points, the Y. M.
c. A. is planning to bring its influence
to bear upon the boyhOod and young
manhood.
The Industrial work Of the association
will be developed largely along community
| lines. The convention favored the adop-
ton of the SO called hut idea" That
/ is, the use Of buildings of not so formal
/ a type as those erected by the Y. M G.
A. before the war, but more ike Lne
army and navy huts, as q ready means
for extending association service to
| groups OF men and boys otherwise NOT
| reached by the association.
Community-w recreation is to be
| promoted, not only for its physical bene-
| fits, but as a developer Of nationa
| morale, and the value Of mass athletics
and mass singing was recognized and
will have a large place in the future
association activities.
The program for the more complete
Americanization of the foreign speaking
peoples who find a refuge in America Il
| not to be limited to the teaching OF Eng
lish and a smattering OF civics, but will
include am effort to inculcate the highes
American ideals
The experimental home room servic
of women in city associations is to b.
extended, the value of women in the
NJ c. A. uniform in Europe having sug
gested to some of the association leader
the possibility of their use in softenin
the institutional character of the ordi
nary Y NJ. c. A building and bringing
to its lobby a feminine touch suggestiv
of home and mother.
The Railroad Y NJ. c. A. will be ex
tended to many towns where no rail
road association has as yet been estab
lished, and the Railroad Department ais
win undertake to provide service simila
to that of the Railroad Y NJ. Q. A. to tn
thousands of young men who have re
Gently entered into the service OF IN
Merchant Marine