New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-02-06
VAUDEVILLE STAR
Stands Up FOR 7. NJ.
Will Cressy Says Criticisms Of
Soldiers Are Unfair

Nice. France, Feb. CT see by
the papers"-that the returning SOL
diers are kicking about the service"
thew received from the \. Nj. G. a.
over here.
THAT was to be expected. There
will be the usual kicks and complaints
and Investigations in all lines fol-
lowing this war There always is.
But there are two fundam entail ideas
to be remembered with regard to the
'Y''.
The first is that it was entirely
matter of volunteer service, a service
Of love and sacrifice.
1.-THE second is that every complaint
against this service of love is q fur
Their proof of the thoroughness and
completeness OF that service. For so
thorough and so complete has been
this service. that these compliments
have grown to accept it as q matter
of course, as being their right; and
the minute some little out-Of-theWay
nook or corner of the army has been
overlooked and neglected. has failed
to receive this absolutely free service,
then up goes the howl from the men
of such outposts.
THE claims of overcharging the
boys arc either nonsense or lies. I
have covered more ground and seen
the workings of the ~ in more diff
ferent places than any officer in the
United States army, and [ have never
seen yet any variation in charges. The
" buys its goods in the United States.
transports them across $500 miles of
water. gets them to the front and then
sells them for less than they sell in
the United States. For instance: Pail
Mall cigarettes. in the United States,
80 cents: here II cents. Robert Burns
cigars. in the United states, 10 cents;
here cents. And other things in the
same proportion.
"Another thing, and this is a PROV
able fact: The Y. NJ. G. A. has given
away-absolutely free-more than all
the other organize tons over here put
together.
"As to the charge that some ~
secretaries have been grouches,
KNOW that that is true. l have seen
some mighty poor excuses for mon in
Y NJ. G.. A uniforms. But to those
making this charge, + would like to
ask one question: If you could have
your pick of all the men in your own
home town, could you pick out hum
dred men and not have some of that
hundred turn out to be lemons? And
the " does not have a chance to
pick out men. 1t is a volunteer or
ganization, it has to take what 1t can
get; and naturally it gets some awful
things. And just as naturally these
'grouches' are shipped out to the points
where they can do the least harm,
and SO men at these points have been
unfortunate enough to meet these
poor representatives, Of 'Y' service.
But you would not have the Y put
their poorest men in the most import
ant positions, would you?
80 when you read in the papers
such headlines about tChargos
brought against the Y. M. c. A. just
bear in mind that anybody can bring
charges against anybody for anything.
And when you hear a man kicking
because an organization that gave him
something did not give him enough,
or did not give it to him in theN way
he thought it ought to be given to
him. he is in mighty small business.
81 have lived q scattered life [
have known many people in many
lands. [ have lived with the Y in
France for five months I have known
them as few have. And I tell YOU,
the 'Y' is all right."-Will Greasy in
New York Star.