The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-06-02
ONE WAR WORKER
TO COMPANY
A. e. F. stock-taking finds Y. M.
c. A. alone averages secretary
to every ITO men.


Paris, May.-Although the tumul
and the shouting have died over here
and the captains, having assisted il
efecting the exit of the kings, ar
themselves beginning to depart, tn
American program Of war witt
the A. e. F. carries on" with in
creased resources and effectiveness.
The other day the A. E. F. tool
stock of the agencies from the home
land that are serving the doughboy
The stock taking was preliminary tt
the newly instituted General Head
quarters program for co-ordinatinl
the work of these agencies to the
best advantage of the men. And tn,
results are illuminating.
With approximately 1900, 900 dough
boys still in France and occupied
Germany, there is now one Ameri-
can war worker over here for every
$50 men and one hut operated by an
American war work organization foI
every 900 men.
The totals as given in the resume
for all the war agencies, exclusive OF
the American Red Cross, are 9,GlS
men and women workers and 1856
huts. Of the total number of work
ers, $3.50 are representatives of the
Young Mems Christian Association,
loo vino tho vi
strength of all other organizations at
1858. OF the total number of huts
1907 are operated by the Y. NJ c. A.
and the remainder, 40, by all other
war work agencies.
Incidentally the stock taking
showed that everyone of the Ameri-
can agencies has increased it's per-
sonnet in the five months since the
signing of the armistice-the Y. M.
c. A., for instance, having added 726
workers to its strength. This in
crease is attributed to the recognition,
both by the military authorities and
by the executives of the various
agencies, of an increased need for
war work among the men, now that
the concentration upon the objective
of victory has been eliminated and
eagerness to get back home is inten-
sified, with weeks and even months of
waiting ahead.
With these resources at hand the
General Staff of the A. e. F. has I'M
do rta kOn 70 nd 10
the service given to soldiers by
the auxiliary organizations. General
welfare officers are to be appointed,
one to each combat division, each
plies and each higher headquarters.
Their duties will be to supervise ath-
letic and amusement programs; de-
termine the proper disposition OF
huts, restaurants and entertainment
halls recommend establishments
where recreational facilities are in
adequate or where there is duplica-
ton of effort, and to notify war work
agencies of the locations of all units
They will decide whether there are
too many or two few war workers in
their territories and, where neces-
sary, will obtain details of non com
missioned officers and men to aid the
war workers.
The welfare officers will have juris-
diction over free distribution of food
and supplies by the various war work
Indiscriminate giving
away will be discouraged, and free
distribution will only be countenanced
when ordinary comforts and facilities
Tor the men are not available, espe
,ially for sick and wounded and for
.roopS in transit or otherwise sepa-
rated from the usual sources of sup
ply.
The Y. M. c. A, which is operating
800 huts in France, is said to have
expended half the amount which will
De available to it for use in France.
It has operated the canteen service at
/ loss. With the army taking over
he canteen service, however, the ex
,enses of the Y. M. c. A. will be re-
duced.
Some idea of the expenditure made
or war work in the period which
passed with the institution of the pro-
yram of coordination is shown in the !
'ecord of the Y. M. C. A. This or
,anization had invested $4,500,000 in
overseas nuts and their equipment UP
o the first of the year, with an aver
lge maintenance cost of more than |
10000 a month. 1t gave away in
combat areas, from last May to the |
md of November, goods valued at |
more than 100000 and its Christmas
lifts to the doughboys last year rep
esented value of more than half a
million.
Its loss in the operation of can
Gems, done on borrowed capital, was
100000. 1t has expended $1,750,000 |
or sporting goods for free use of the
oldiers. 1t has leased and operated
Z chocolate and biscuit factories and
even sawmills in France to meet the
eeds of the work. 1t has distrib-
ted more than $2,000,O00 worth of
looks, literature and Bibles, free to
he soldiers.
The entertainment bill of the Y.
l. c. A. overseas for the last six
lonths had increased to 100000 a
lonth in February. In three months
fter the signing of the armistice it |
ave 11,181 moving picture presenta