New-York tribune., 1919-01-21
FranceAsksY. MICA
TO Continue Work
There After Peace
Foyers du Soldat Will Be
Enlarged to Carry on the
Plans of Organization as
Begun i'll United States

PARIS, Jan. 20.-Permanent mainte-
nance of the Young Mems Christian
Associations foyers du soldat. which
were established throughout France to
serve the officers and men of the
French army during the war, and the
erection of scores, possibly hundreds,
OF additional ones have been decided
upon at the urgent request of the
French government. Not only does
this request give official recognition to
the lasting value of the work of body
formed primarily for war services
only, but it means virtually that France
is to have a Young Mems Christian As
sociation.
Every corner of France, under the
plan OF the government, is to have its
foyer. The French War Department is
sending postcard inquiries to 200 1000
vlllages-though there is no thought
OF founding anything like that number
asking the authorities of each COM
munlty questions touching the advisa-
blllty of establishing foyer in that
particular locality, and the commu-
nlty's willingness to cooperate.
Under the general plan the commu-
mites, with governmental assistance,
Will provide the land and labor neces-
sary for the construction Of the build
lngs, the foyers du soldat supplying
the materials. The Young Mems Chris
tlan Association will open each centre
n a l11to
prepared to take it over.
TO Follow Former Plans
The hundreds of huts, which will be
retained as permanent buildings, and
the large number of new BUILDINGS to
centres, designed as headquarters from
which an important section of the
physical, moral and educational life Of
the locality will receive its directing
force. For the foyers are to be much
more than rccreational posts. The Y.
M. c. A. officials agreed to undertake
the work only if they were permitted
to adhere strictly to Y. M. c. A. lines
I'VE cannot do this at the sacrifice
OF any one of the departments of en-
deavor we are accustomed to further"
one of them told General M. Cottez, di-
rector of infantry and of the section of
physical training in the French army,
when he sought the cooperation of the
Americans We are unwilling to limit
our efforts to physical development
alone"
I'VE want development in every line
which you can offer u.s." declared Gen
eral Cottez, with enthusiasm. I'VE are
eager for you to continue every phase
of the splendid work in which YOU are
now engaged"
Besides the 100000 inquiries ad-
dressed to French communities, General
Sottez, acting under direction of the
President of the Council and the Min
lister OF War, is sending special letters
to all the War Departments regional
directors. Meanwhile, Percy K. Car
penter, director of athletics in the
Foyer du Soldat. has instructed the
various regional directors of that body
to cooperate with the governments
regional directors in their inquiry. The
details of the entire enterprise are in
'he hands Of joint committee. COM
posed OF representatives of the French
war department, the FoYers du Soldat
and the National Committee of Phvsi-
cal EDUCATION, the last named a civilian
organization.
Arrange fer Locations
In accordance with the suggestion of
General CctteZ, attention will be given
trst to the fixing of locations for
foyers to the needs of indust trial CEN
tres, children in the schools, Young
men in villages and soldiers in bar
RACKS or connected with troop units
soon to be demobiized.
ATHLETIC fields and Fairgrounds -
terrains de jeux-arc to be an imnort-
ant feature of each foyer equipment.
There are indications that gymnasiums
and swimming pools also Will be in de-
mand. The intensive athletic pro-
Grammcs instituted by the Foyers du
Soldat are to be carried on without in
terruption Programmes for otheE
forms Of educational work. the moral
activities and the educational depart
value of each individual branch of ser
vice which they represent will be en-
phasized at all times.
In the Immediate future, at least
musical and dramatic entertainments
and film exhibitions will be given as
fgrequently as ever. 1t is confidently
expected by the French authorities that
demand for instruction in English
viii undergo a notable increase when
large numbers. Every class so formed
has numbered many army officers and
soldiers among its pupils Systematic
courses of lectures on subjects touch
ing social hygiene, sanitation and SINH
lar topics probably will be arranged
The compliment implied in the re-
quest made of the American Y. M. C. A.
to place the Foycrs du Soldat on a per-
mancnt basis is the greater because
in the beginning many thoughtful
Frenchmen questioned the wisdom of
the organizers in establishing huts and
canteens for the soldiers along the
lines originally mapped out 1t was
freely predicted that no place in which
only temperance drinks were served
could be made popular in France These
prophets are now admitting that they
went far afield in their predictions.
Experiment Is Success
For the first time, mons club,
founded on the lines of similar organi-
cations in the English speaking coun-
tries is now to be launched in France
Hitherto, also, the French club--or the
nearest approach to it that France has
known-has not had. .recreational feat
urcs. The principal reason advanced in
explanation of the failure of all pre-
vious efforts to make the mems clubs
popular is that the Frcnchman regards
the presence of women as essential to
his happiness. SO that is another re-
spect in which the war has revealed
possibilities hitherto unrealized.
Yet another development, so far as
the contact between T'renchmcn and
Americans is concerned, is the greatly
increased interest in physical develop
ment in France and the stimulation of
81 4