The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1919-01-30
4
The Young Mems Christian
Association and Its Critics


rule. Soldiers were accustomed in
this country TO having things given to
them, OF sold at minimum cost.
When obliged to pay what they con-
sfdered an overcharge. naturally they
compizined. Storekeepers and shop
Keepers in this country have to bear
certain amount OF complaints from
their customers. How can we expect
that store abroad, run exclusively
for soldiers. could escape criticisms?
TIE Association undertook too many.
tasks II did FIVE of them exceedingly
well anc almost put over the sixth but
IN item minds of many people, its fail
rre TO put over the sixth task. Efficient
ly overshadows the successes made in
the other five.
The Association had almost exclu-
siye charge of the recreational features
.of Army life. II promoted and super
'Tised baseball. football. indoor base
ball basket ball. volley ball and almost
every feature of athletics in the Army.
Some Of the greatest athletic meets
ever held in France were conducted
under tie auspices Of the Association
The association was charged with
the tash of providing amusements and
'eHleYfainments for the soldiers Nov
ing pictures, lecturers, vaudeville per
|fcKmefB. actors, singers and musicians
|-9he best that America, France and
EnglAud could supply, were transport
led 70 France and under the Bureau
lOcAted in Paris and were sent all over
IL country wherever the soldiers were
|Qunrtezed They were sent up within
10 Inv, miles of the front line trenches,
of hbI little wayside villages and
wherever as few as 200 men were
'Quarte1ed. these entertainers furnished
amusement for the boys. II this had
not been SO. the temptations of Army
life wor3d have gone far toward break
ing down The highest ideals and morals
'of the yhen.
The Assoc:ssson was charged with
the task Of providing the Army with an
educational program This largely
consisted of teaching French to the
soldiers and literally tens of thousands
Of men win return to America with
some knowledge Of French which they
f6qnfsnfsessely necessary in many
ffi6resd authority and responsibility
abroad. In every possible way the
soldiers were made acquainted with
the history of France. with the life of
its people and its institutions in order
that they might at once come into
the closest sympathy with the French
people and thus add to their own sense
Of responsibility and purpose in fight
ing for and with the French. Mingling
with the French people. with the
French soldiers and becoming a part
of their life, added tremendously to the
morale OF the American Army.
The Association was charged with
the task of making Army life as home
like as possible. II. therefore. at
tempted 10 keep before the minds of
the soldiers the importance of leading
strictly moral life which is so neces-
sary TO successful army. The Asso-
citation based its attempt to do this
upon religion and sought in every pos
sible way to imbue the life OF the sol
dier with a sense OF responsibility to
God and to man and TO help him to so
conduct himself that he would do moth
ing to bring the blush OF shame TO his
cheek or impair in any way his eff
ficicncy as soldier. If the Associa-
ton had done nothing else than this.
and the commanders of the Army are
a unit in their approving testimony
of the work done along these lines,
then the Associations work abroad
would have been well worth while.
More than that Of any other organi-
cation. it was the task of the Associa-
tion to build up and maintain at its
highest pitch the morale of the Army
and when the true story Of Chateau
Thierry. the Argonne Forest and the
San Mihiel sector is told, it will be
found that the morale of the American
Army won the day for the Allied cause
ard to this magnificent achievement
the Association contributed immensely
There is glory enough in this great
war for all. The victory must not be
marred by any undue or unjust