Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-04-25
GEORCIANS TAKE
PART IN Y.M.C. A.
WORK IN FRANCE
By Ward Greene
lrhe LonrnaI,s star corraspon.


tThe Journals STAFF Correspondent
Out of total of some five thou
sand men and women who have
served with the Y. NJ. c. A, in
France, eighty-two of them have
been Georgians. Seventy-one of
of the Red Triangle over there. Six
teen of them are girls. OF the 9TH
ers, two have died in France and
nine have returned to the United
States.
Atlanta has furnished twenty-five
men to the cause and niue women.
Macon and Savannah have been rep
resented by four each, Augusta and
Gainesville by three each; Rome,
Athens, Columbus, Decatur and Gel
lege, Park by two each. Other Geor-
gia cities nave had one.
Their work has ranged AL the way
from selling cigarettes TO Yanks in
the Rhineland to sending Yanks
homeward from Brest well supplied
with chocolate and magazines. They
S. o. S. Some of them have been
in huts, some in canteenS. Some
have prea others have driven
motor cars, others have operated
projecting machines in movie the
cally every phase of the multifold
overseas activities of the Y. NJ. c. A,
and they have worked well All of
them have served or viii serve for
at least six months; great many
on the dotted lines, AS long as I am
needed"
The purpose of this story is not
to exploit the work of the Y. M.
C. A, nor to defend it against any
criticisms that have been offer ed
association can stand on The simple
record of its deeds in France. 1t
is merely to tell who are the Geor-
gians in the Y. NJ. c. A, something
of the things they have been called
upon to perform, and where they
The life they have led and are
leading in France has not been all
beer and skittles, or whatever is
the French for Mister Weller's his
war, nor do they claim they did.
They nor any other Americans, to
my way of thinking, can wish for
any tribute so long as there stands
after the name of John Smith,
doughboy, but that simple line,
they, too, have served and perhaps
have suffered, they should not be
forgotten.
Procedure in France
When a Y. NJ. c. A. worker reaches
tiers in Paris, at II Rue d'Agges-
sauau, a little street near the Church
of the Madelaine, for instructions
There he registers and there, in
few days: he is given his assign
ing to the ability of the worker.
Ministers may be sent on speak
ing tours which will take them the
length and breadth of France. Those
with athletic experience may be put
- n A
with some division or in some army
area. where they arrange. boxing
bouts, football games, baseball
games, anything that will appeal TO
the men. Those who have enlisted
in the motor transport corps may
ager, perhaps, or as a simple me
chanic. Again. they may be at
tached to motor convey, driving |
trucks that bring supplies Tor nun
dreds CT miles from the ). y: s. INTO
occupied German territory. II he IS
may operate moving picture ma
chine, or act as booking agent for
shows or be the manager of the |
cter or an entertainer himself. The
accounting division, the educational
department, the Investigation office, |
e. ch may draw him into its service,
r:5ould he have the necessary quail
l.ce tons. ..-
Where a man or woman has no
special technical training in these
lines, he generally becomes a hut
or canteen worker. In this case ne
is likely to- be assigned to a1nost
any part of France, for the Y. M.
C. A. has more than 1900 huts in |
France and Germany, some OF Whlch
arc old chateauX deliberately fitted
ND and others of; which are mere
shacks to give roof and refuge
for the boys.
instance vast building housing a
theater, a cafe, writing rooms and
reading rooms all under one roof
is a "hut" And so is a shattered
dwelling we saw at Verdun, where
the wind whistled through the cracks
in the walls and the cold was keen
despite the swapping fire in the big
stove.
lives with the Y. NJ. c. A N France
both died of pneumonia. Rev. Charles
c. Edwards, a Baptist IT mister of
Ellabell, Ga, who came TO France
in May, 1918, died at Barbecue, on
October 81 of the same year. His
body rests today in the southwest
corner of the military cemetery OF
the town, marked by permanent
headstone. He was considered one
of the leading religious workers OF
the association in France and he has
been sorely missed, deeply mourned
by soldier friends as well as his CO.
workers.
John Thomas Johnson, of West
Point. Ga, who came to France with
the Transportation department of the
Y in September, 1918, died month
later, on October 80, at the port of
Marseilles, and is buried there IN
the st. Pierre cemetery.
ITO Re COntlnu6d,)