Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-05-09
Y.M.C.A,'S WORK
FOR ARMY ABROAD
Report of George W. Perkins on
Activities of the 0rgani-
cation in Europe.
CRITICISMS We're NOT JUST
Arose Usually From Difficulty of Sc.
curing Competent Workers and
From Confused Conditions Of
Transportation-Fa ss Few,
Practically UnaVoic able.

Transportation-Faii u ss Few,
Practically Unavoidable.
New York, May I'm = ;epor' made
public today George w Perkins. chair
man of the finance committee OF The
Y. NJ c. A. war work committee. tells
of the results of his recent investiga.
ton of the work whics. the Y. NJ. Q. A.
has done in Euroye
First explaining the difficulty of Sc
curing efficient workers and the care
exercised in the selection OF the II .ooooQ
persons who were sent abroad. Mr.
Perkins says
Much has been said about the in
efficiency Of some OF these workers
and, without doubt, a number of them
were inefficient. In any form OF or
ganization in civilian life, whether Il
be public schools chain stores or cor
porations. If 90 per cent Of those
originally employed make good, the
result Is regarded as highly satisfac-
tory. If 10 per ccGt of the 11.229
people operating in France for the
Y, NJ. c. A. were inefficient II would
mean that there were l.122 men and
women who were more or less of
failure. | do not believe that any
thing like this number of people were
unsuccessful; but If under the close
scrutiny which the soldiers give these
welfare workers even per cent Of
them were failures, IL would have put
n large amount Of criticism In circula-
ton, and the work Of the % per cent
who were successful would be forgot
ten in the publicity given to the 5
per cent who were unsuccessful
THAT the workers as whole were
brave and unSelnsh Is shown ny the
fact that II Y NJ. c. A. secretaries
were Killed and l26 others were
wounded"
Why canteen PRICES Varied.
The report relates the troubles and
expenses met by the Y NJ, c. a. after
I: undertook the management of the
army cantepns AZ the request of Cen
eral Pershing and the confused condi-
tons that made It impossible 30 arrive
It IN average cost price Of the goods
sold to the soldiers. Ii continues
1.-THE Y. NJ. c. A. never solicited
money for the purpose of giving away
IFS canteen supplies II the Y. NJ. 9. A.
had given away canteen supplies in
France on the scale Of its sales Il
would have spent in this activity alone
at least as much money as It's entire
expenditures in France for all its ac-
tlvities. The cons'on policy Of the
Y. NJ. G.. A. was { sell canteen sup
niles OF as nearly cost as possible and
TO bend every effort. when fighting was
in progress. to furnish the men az the
front with supplies free Of charge
where 1t was mt all possible to get the
goods to them.
"Some have criticized TIE Y. M. G.
4. fer not giving away more articles
such ms cigarettes. chocolate, etc. Its
policy has been not to give away gen
orally, but only IN special and needy
cases From June 1918 to April, 1919,
the Y. NJ g. A, handled in France
alone upward Of 2.000O00000 pack
ages of cigarettes. 32,0O0,000 bars Of
chocolate. 100000 cans Of smoking
tobacco. 500O0000 cigars, 100000
cans of JAM. 29,0O0.00O packages Of
chewing gum, and 100000 packages
Of candy These are only few Of the
items handled, hut the size Of these
figures should convince anyone that II
would be financially impossible for the
Y. NJ. c. A. TO give its supplies away
generally Furthermore, the army
does not favor any such policy. II
thinks that II Is far better fOr the men
70 spend their money on such articles
as these than to spend It in other
ways. For the most part the men hold
the same view"
Its Varied Activities.
In considerable detail Mr.. Perkins
relates the varied and extraordinarily
extensive activities Of the Y. NJ G. A.
abroad, including the manufacture Of
much Of its supplies, the establishment
Of many hundreds OF huts, with ath-
letics, moving pictures and various
other forms Of entertainment: the
management of sightseeing tours for
soldiers on leave; the immense work
Of the educational and religious de-
partments and the distribution Of read.
ing matter In conclusion Mr. Perkins
says:
"The 7. NJ C. A. undoubtedly made
mistakes, but what It tried to do was
to respond to every call that the army
made on it. II never hesitated to
tackle any job it was asked ~ under
take; Il did not sdestep any task It
....... "a f, r,nrforrr,