New-York tribune., 1919-02-09
Admits Mistakes We're Made
But Says Critics Overlook
Great Work Accomplished
Profteering Is Denied
Lack of Canteen Supplies
Is Laid to Governments
Inability to Give Tonnage

Tae criticism directed against the
work of the y. NJ. c. A. at the front
has @@been concerned with only an in
fnitssimal amount of the work that
the 1organization has done, according
TO }ohn X. Mott, general secretary of
the National War Work Council OF the
"Y, ~ who spoke yesterday before the
League of Political Education in Car
negie Hall
Dir. Mott said that in consideration
of the criticism directed against the
association men were prone to forget
thesenormous scope of the work that
the Organization was doing and how
much of this had received no criti-
cislna at all. He referred to the work
on bhe Mexican border and, during the
present war, in France, England italy,
Russia and wherever the men of these
nations were fighting. He quoted
words of praise from Theodore Roose-
veltss the King of Italy, the French
High Commission, General Pershing
and others of international fame, who
spoke in the highest terms of the work
OF the "Y"
e Proud of Work Done
We now come to the A. f. F. he
saids "and if there is any part of this
work of which | am proud it is the
work of the American y. M. C. A. in
the "a. f. F. You have heard some
criticisms of it. l want to tell you
some things now that you have not
heard criticised
You have not heard anybody, en-
emyyor friend, crticise the fact that
the 4A. NJ. c. A. has had in operation
in tae A E. F. 1900 huts, rented build
ingsr and tents, the free use of which
is given to every man in uniform, the
American or Allied uniform. Last
winter men did not criticise when we
paids between $50 and $40 a ton for
coatin order that in hundreds of vii
Lagos and other places where our men
We're billeted there might be one place,
andaoften it was the only place during
those bitterly cold days and nights,
where our boys who had been drilling
on sthe sodden ground and had wet
feeteor in the drifting sleet and rain
and&@had wet clothing, could come to
drye1hemselves and get some warmth.
How many within your hearing
havg criticised the fact that we have
sentE overseas hundreds of athletic di-
rectars above draft age and that we
have already spent between 81 900 OOO
andS~$2, 600. 900 on athletic supplies for
thesfree use of American soldiers and
salWs?
g Entertainers Sent Abroad
Have you heard criticism concern
ingsethe fact that we are maintaining
overseas 100 entertainment troupes
selected by some of the leading mem
bersa of the theatrical profession, anc
that-their entertainments are provided
freesfor the A. +. f. in France and
EnaaDd' 1HsSs men eomDl.;u.d 10 vo,, ~ :,
we gre showing over 100000 feet ot
tilRa each month in our Y NJ. C. A
hurgand tents to nightly attendance
of nearly 100000?
Have men complained in your hear
lng@Qf the hundreds of thousands Of
dollars that we have spent in fre,
muSScal instruments and in sendinl
musscans and musical companies. in
cludfng the daughter of the Presiden
taIid ] pay her a tribute for her de
moeracy and her splendid spirit O
serg7ce l--have you heard complaint
about this?
Who has complained to you abou
ouHsgiving away over 1O00000O sheet
OF Writing paper each week and tn,
envelopes? Somebody did complain
about the poor quality of the paper
TheE forget that we were under gov
eminent restriction with reference t.
thespse of paper.
Nave you heard any people CRITICS,
thGsfact that we have sent over som
OF tsze most distinguished, brilliant an
popular lecturers to the men-and tn
nunaber of these lecturers is increas