The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1919-04-19
ANSWER TO CHARGE
THAT Y.M.C.A.MEN
AVOIDED DANGER
General Dickman, Hero Of Chateau
Thierry, Issues Order on Conduct
Free Supplies.

Spread upon the records or the
Third division, A. E. F., and just
brought to the attention of the Ma
tional War Work Council of the Y. NJ.
C. A., is a general order issued by
command of Major General Dickman,
which "Y" officials have hailed as an
emphatic answer to charges that Red
Triangle workers had avoided the dan
ger zones in France and had wrung
exorbitant prices from the soldiers for
the comforts which the association
had sent overseas. General Dickman
directed that copy Of the order be
sent to every one Of the thirty-four
men and six women who went with
the division through the fighting at
Chateau Thierry and along the Marine,
to St Mihiel, and later into action
north Of Verdun and along the Meuse.
The Y. M. G. A. has made public
General Dickman's order along with
a communication from Col. ]. G. Rhea
of another division which was In the
st. Mihiel fighting. Colonel Rhea gave
figures showing the large amount Of
supplies which were distributed In his
division by "Y" secretaries without
charge. The order of General Dick
man, who is now in command Of the
Army of Occupation In Germany. is
as follows:
'The commanding general desires to
make of record In the general orders
of this division his appreciation of
the part taken by the members Of the
Y. M. G. A. who have been attached
to this division and actively Carried on
their work In all its phases during the
time that this division was in contact
with the enemy from May 81 to July
80.
During the days beginning July IA,
when the enemy made their attack and
for days and nights afterward, the
Y. NJ. G. A., through its faithful
members at their posts of duty. not
only with chocolate and cakes and to
bacco cheered our soldiers, but were
Of efficient assistance to our medical
staff In caring for wounded. Hot
chocolate was served. in many cases
free, both day and night to the wound
ed and ambulance drivers.
"While the men of the Y. M. G. A.
were with the troops in the front line
the young women Of the T.. M. @. A.
were detailed with the hospitals and
the medical staff of this division bear
testimony of their most efficient help
during these two weeks Of great strain.
"The conduct of these self-sacrific-
Ing and. brave men and women who
have SO unhesitatingly given their
services to their country, establishes
q standard of prestige, exceptional
courage, devotion and resources which
the commanding general particularly
commends."-
Colonel Rhea, chief Of staff of the
general staff of one Of the divisions
which helped to straighten out the st.
Mihiel salient, wrote to the Y. NJ. G. A.
overseas headquarters in Paris as fol-
lows:
"The division commander directs me
to thank you In the name Of the off,
GERS and men of this division for your
great work in having distributed gra-
It's to this division, between Septem-
Der 10 and Is, total of 147.008 pack
ages of cigarettes, 67.540 bars of choc-
olate. 29,900 packages Of cakes, $500
pounds of hard candy, and hundreds
of, gallons of coffee. chocolate and
bouillon.
ut is impossible to express to you
the appreciation Of the officers and
men of the pleasure and comfort you
have brought to them when each one
was struggling under the greatest
hardships, to do his duty toward his
country. You probably realize better
than can be expressed the appreciation
Of your Kindly work."