Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-02-27
(Burges Johnson, in New York
TinoaS /

| (Burges Johnson, in New York
Times)
1t was my good fortune to spend
two months in the ''Y" uniform
with the American troops at the
actual front l was not a secre-
tary assigned to a canteen or unit,
but went from point to point, see
ing the "Y" men at work, helping
if 1 could in the short time-I was
with each one, and so getting an
insight into their activities; and
since l was not an official inspect
! ing the work, but merely an "enter-
tainer," l am confident that what l
saw was natural, everyday behav-
ior. l went from Pont-a-Mousson
to Alsace, from division to division,
and then Joined a field hospital in
the Second division for the st. Mi
hiel drive; then up to point near
Chalons, preliminary to the final
drive of the war. Incidentally,
was not "Y. NJ c. A. man" before
going over.
All of the criticisms against the
''Y' that l heard in the field, and
heard a good deal, fell into one or
the other OF two groups. 1t was
either due to the unsuitable person
ality of an individual or it was an
attack upon methods of canteen
work.
AS to criticisms due to the can
teen, they were of many sorts, yet
almost invariably without justifi
cation. The enlisted men were
crowd of normal boys who throng-
ed the canteens and were naturally
kindly in their judgments, but they
came in an endless stream, and
where there was an explanation for
some apparent fault it was almost
impossible for the canteen worker
to repeat the story over and over
again throughout the day. The
boys who heard it would weigh it
and accept it. The ones who did
not hear it would go out silently,
grumble, and make their charge.
Let me cite one typical criticism.
When the "Y' warehouse for the
Second division was at Toul there
had been a prolonged shortage of
chocolate. Finally several boxes
were received and divided pro rata
among the secretaries in the field.
The secretary with a battalion of
the Sixth marines got his proper
ton; the secretary with an engi-
neers' outfit got a smaller supply.
They planned to make it go as far
as possible by limiting each pur-
chaser to half a cake. The boys
always understood these limita-
tions and cooperated helpfully.
But imagine the engineers secre-
tary, with his canteen near the
front, suddenly raided by a crowd
of tired, muddy, hungry marines,
begging for chocolate, and too
tired to hunt their own canteen.
The secretary could only say:
Here is all the chocolate that I've
got, and it's meant for the engi-
neers." ] can imagine the marines
turning away disappointed, or an
cry, and saying: What is the Y
for? Is it for the army, or just for
the engineers" Or, supposing the
secretary decided to let his sup
plies go to the first corners. Then !
along came the engineers to whom /
lie was assigned They knew him. !
He was acquainted with most of /
hem personally. II am sorry" he
says, but I gave all my choco-
ates to the marines, although they
lad a secretary with their share of
he supplies, somewhere in the
Whichever way
he secretary acted a lot of boys
we're sure to feel aggrieved.
l heard many criticisms due to
uch a situation. Why did it never
Happen in the case of the Salvation
army, for instance? Because the
salvation Army, splendidly effec-
i've as it was, honored by every
ne who dealt with its representa-
ives in the field. was infinitely
mailer in size and in obligations.
'he United States army had not
it to take over the can
cen. 1t purchased materials up
o the limit of its funds, made pies
nd doughnuts as near the front as
, could, and gave them away to
II corners while they lasted It's
representatives. were not ASSIGNED
D different units. If a boy got a
oughtnut and a helpful word, he