The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-07

sion boats on the Rhine operated by the
army and the Y. NJ. c. A.
Mr.. Perkins also tells of the simple,
practical educational system the "Y'' as
sisted the army in building up. 1t sent
| 900 professors and school teachers to
France in 1918 and the early part Of
1919, and also a great quantity of text
books and supplies. In March OF this
year the Y. NJ. c. A. educational COM
mission and It's teachers were taken over
by the army.
In the way Of reading matter the Y. NJ.
c. A. has distributed more than 100000
bound volumes. 100000 pieces of re-
ligious literature, 100000 magazines,
100000 newspapers and 100000
copies Of a ninety-six page song book OF
the A. Il. F. or the religious work Mr..
Perkins says:
Tho Y. NJ. C. A. has been criticised
for the kind OF religious services 1t held
and for the methods used to get the men
| to Europe developed a spirit of service
and self-sacrifice. The lives they were
leading were very real. and the religion
they wanted to hear about was Of the
same sort. Some speakers did not COM
prehend this, and therefore failed to
grip the men.
AS to the methods used in drawing
attendance, there were instances where a
scheduled entertainment of some sort
would be converted into religious
meeting. Such occurrences were not a
part Of any organised programme Of the
Y. NJ. c. A.. they were the actions OF
certain individuals who were short
| sighted and overZealous. and the rea-
| son given in most cases was that the
huts were in such constant use that II
was impossible to avoid having one &C
tivity overlap another.
ION the other hand. Il must be re-
membered that In many places where
the services have been properly con-
Quoted they have been remarkably sue
cessfuL notable example Is to be
found at Coblens. where thousands of
men regularly attend the Sunday evening
services in the great Fest Halle"
The Y. NJ. C. A. moved into Germany
with the Army Of Occupation. and on
| March / was active In 4S7 places there,
with GA workers.
Mr.. Perkins praises especially the
women ~Y" workers in Europe. He
says they furnish the home atmosphere
| to a remarkable degree.
OF the workers in general, he says,
that the cases OF failure or semi-failure
have been inflnitesimal compared with
the work as a whole. Great sums OF
money have been entrusted to them. and
|
two most conspicuous cases OF dishon-
, esty were those of an officer of a cham
Der of commerce and a minister The
money was recovered and the men con-
victed.
Army May Perpetuste Work.
The Y. NJ. C. A." Mr.. Perkins says.
can scarcely be blamed for trusting
men who held such positions In civilian
life. The vast majority OF the Y. NJ. C
A. men and women who handled money
were scruplously honest. and the sue
cess Of the Y. NJ. c. A. work in Europe
is unQuestionably due to the sacrifices
made by the Individual men and women
OF the organization and the generous
manner in which they gave Of their ply.
sical and mental strength. The
contributors to the Y. NJ. c. A. funds
can never adequately thank these men
and women for the faithful, unselfish
and able service they rendered"
He feels that no higher tribute to the
Y. NJ. c. AS work could be paid than
the action OF the army In either taking
over or cooperating in continuing and
charging the Y. NJ. c. A. activities. He
believes that the benefits have been &c
far reaching that the War Department
will continue these activities In peace
time. 'for many officers have told me
that the beneficial effect OF these actlvi-
ties on the morale Of the army could
hardly be measured. Germany had
nothing of this sort. and its absence
caused great loss in the morale of Its
men"
Replying TO a critic. who said the or
ganization's greatest mistake was In no,
limiting itself to 500 workers so care.
fully selected that each would ba n
star performer. Mr.. Perkins says;
Had the Y NJ. c. A. followed such a
course II would clearly have been think.
} ing much more of it's own reputation
than Of the service It could render. II 1,
obviously ridiculous to say that the Y
NJ. c. A. could have performed greater
service with 500 very competent men and
women than It performed with II 900 OF
$4,000 men and women. some of whom
proved incompetent"