Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-05-13
4, Y. NJ c.. A. and the Army
Prom the New York Times.

From the New YORK Times.
The work of the Y. M. c. A. at the front has
been the object of so nfseh criticism. honest as
well as unintelligent that the report Of its serv-
ices now rendered by Mr.. George w. Perkins,
chairman of the executive committee of the
War Work council, will be read with special in
terest by contributors who, to quote Mr.. Per-
kins, had to deny themselves in order to give
to the cause"
1t has been charged that this benevolent or
ganization drove hard bargains with the SOL
diers was at no great pains to look after their
creature comforts, had no free lis" and in its
relations with them was cold as charity; also,
that the men it employed were often not dis
tinguished for helpfulness and courtesy. Com
parsons were made to the discredit OF the Y.
France that labored behind the lines to encour-
age the soldier to Garry on" by ministering to
his wants and providing him with amusements.
IT what was charged against the Y. M. c. A.
be true, 1t was monumental failure in the war;
but it could have been great deal of a success
without rendering 100 per cent Of acceptable
service. The impression made by this report of
Mr. Perkins is that the Y. M. c. A. workers,
rapidly modified for duty and equipped under
difficulties OF supply and transportation, proved
themselves indispensable in their own field to
the army, and, fairly judged, laid it under debt
that is i'll requited by intolerant and
querulous criticisms. That all the men
temperament for personal contact with the
soldiers of the army Mr.. Perkins by no means
maintains. On the contrary, there were incom-
petents, those with little breeding or tact and
some BLACK sheep" the latter few in number,
could not be trusted with funds, and two Of
them have been prosecuted. But 10000 cand-
dates were called, and 1929 chosen winnow-
ing-out process that speaks for itself
1t seems to have escaped the attention of
some of the critics of the Y. M. C. A. at the
front that General Pershing asked it, on August
20, 1917, to undertake the management Of the
army canteens. At the time ut was extremely
difficult to get supplies as we'll as men who
were accustomed to handling distributing, SELL
ing, and accounting for such supplies" When
the War department. could not provide freight
space the Y NJ c. A had to pay for it at high
rates This must be remembered by those who
cles furnished the soldiers. 1t never solicited
contributions for the purpose of giving away
canteen supplies. This was its policy, says Mr..
Perkins: y
ITO sell canteen supplies at as near cost as
possible, and to bend every effort when fighting
with supplies free of charge where it was at all
possible to get the goods to them
Asa matter of fact, the Y. NJ c. A. ,canteen
operations. it is reported, will show "a sub
stantial loss" Soldiers have declared that the
organization was niggardly in handing around
ClSdIctS CHOCOIdtCS ctC. NIL CT Kills
that the army authorities do not favor free
list" holding that ut is far better for the men
to spend their money on such articles than to
spend it in other ways" Between June, 1918,
and April, 1919, the Y. M. c. A. Handled in
France alone 2,000.0O0000 cigarets. 100000
bars of chocolate, 100000 cans of smoking
tobacco, 100000 cigars, 100000 cans of jam,
100000 packages Of chewing gum: and TO-
100000 boxes of candy. 1t was running can
teen by request of the commanding general and
tons, be it remembered, were conducted at a
loss.
The Y. M. c. A. was colossal business in
late, jam and candy factories; it manufactured
ly built 1888 structures, that is to say "huts "
storehouses, concert halls. hotels and churches.
Did it do anything for nothing? A great deal.
Its athletic department supplied the soldiers
with $4,000 base balls, 100000 base bali bats,
$4,000 felders' gloves, $4,000 indoor base balls
and $4,000 foot balls. 1t entertained 100000
men at vaudeville shows, and provided 702
american and 220 French entertainers. In
March, 1919, they. M. c. A. had IS troupes con
the road" in France. This cost the soldiers
nothing Furthermore 10000 picture shows
were given to audiences of 100000 men be-
tween August, 1917, and August, 1918 The
things that the Y. NJ c. A had done gratuitously
to entertain and cheer the soldiers in France
would make much longer list. General PERISH
ing has expressed his thanks in moving terms.
1t should be enough "The Y. M c. A. un-
doubtedly made mistakes" says Mr. Perkins,
"but what it tried to do was to respond to every
call that the armv made on il !"