The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-04-10
y. NJ. c. A. IN FRANCE


siruefion.
Conarceour;, France.
March =, 1919
NJ dear Mr.. Bennett,
| realize you are overwhelmed with
letters from the A. 4. r. in France
and you may not have space in your
columns for one more. But believing
that somc Of my many kind and indul'
gen; friends in Manchester nnd vici-
niiy may be interested in some Of the
aspocts Of the Y. NJ. c. A. work with
which am acquainted, ! am going TO
,respaSs briefly on their good nature,
Al this juncture when IL is quite the
fashion 10 knock" the ~" few
farts regarding the actual constric-
tive work being done by this great
organization may not be out of place.
am tempted to take up cudgels in
defense Of the "Y" and state here the
results Of my own first hand knowl-
edge OF the facts and Of my inquiries
an well. Enough to say that the
criticism and attacks to which IL is
now being subjected are due to a va
riety of causes, I'll not attempt to
analyze here.
No human institution is free, from
defects. The larger and more con-
structive its program, the more open
IL Ia TO attack.
When one realizes that to meet the
tremendous needs Of an army, at home
and abroad, suddenly expanded to ov-
er 100000 men, the Y. NJ c. A. had
perforce, almost overnight TO expand
it's organization accordingly One
wonders not at the defects necessarily
incident to such expansion but at rel
atively high average quality Of its
personnel, and at the grand total Of
efficient service rendered our boys at
hsme and abroad.
When the facts are all known our
fair-minded American public will re-
verse its temporarily adverse verdict
and not only renew its confidence in
this great organization but take a
hst pride in an enterprise character
istic Of all that is best in our Amer
can civilization.
At present am stationed at Gond-
recount, about twenty-five miles south
Of Toul, which latter place is the ad-
ministrative center Of the Second Ar
my. The SSth Division troops are To-
Gated in villages all about here In an
area OF over twenty-five miles in its
longest diameter.
This division 10 nearly complete and
numbers upwards Of 10000 men, tho
including the "static area" troops, the
total in this region would more nearly
approach $4,000 troops. The officers
are generally billetted in houses in the
villages, the enlisted men in the "Ad-
ran Barracks" generally located at
the edge of the village limits. Each
such army post represents 1000 troops
more or less, Infantry in one village
or series of villages, Artillery in an
other and so on. Each army post has |
its "Y" hut with a small stage at one
end and the "canteen" generally at
the other. These huts, at a pinch can
accommodate 400 men, more or less.
There are benches, tables and stove
or stoves, etc. without going into
the more or less familiar tale of the
various activities Of these huts, it is
enough TO say that they have proved
veritable oases in the desert life Of
the soldier. In the larger camps there
are double Huts", that is two bar
rack rooms built side by side with a
moveable partition between the two,
one room being used for an entertain
ment hall and for athletic games, the
other for a social room, (reading and
writing and school room work.
The DRY Canteen" provides the or
dinary articles required by the SOL
dicr-tobscco, chocolate, toilet articles
etc. The "Wet Canteen" once day
now, serves hot chocolate and biscuits
at cost, while on Sundays, and some /;
times oftcncr, serves the soldiers free
of charge, One Sunday when located {
near Toul at Botzen Barracks assist {
ed in serving seventy gallons Of hot
chocolate to 1000 or more "chilly" ,
standing in line often one |
hundred a. time. ID
These Huts now serve also during /
certain hours of the day as school
rooms" for the Post Schools where {
groups Of busy soldiers are gathered G
around different tables in classes con-
Quoted by teachers chosen from the {
ranks, privates, corporals, sergcanis, !
and sometimes lieItenants acting in
this capacity. In view OF the handi- p
.aps under which both students ard {
teachers labor, surprising quality q
md quantity Of good, worthwhile a
work Is being done. The work In ques- $
a. N.