The Republican journal., 1919-06-26
ONE WAR WORKER
TO COMPANY
A. e. F. stock-taking finds Y. M.
{. A. alone averages secretary
to every no men.


and the captains, having assisted in
effect.ng the exit of the kings, are
them .es beginning to depart, the
American program of WEI with
the A. E. F. carries on" with in
creased resources and effectiveness.
The other day the A. Z. F. took
stock of the agencies from the home
land that are serving the doughboy.
The stock taking was preliminary to
the newly instituted General Head
quarters program for CO ordinating
the work Of these agencies to the
best advantage OF the men. And the
results are Illuminating.
With approximately 1900, 600 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 n
American war work organization for
every 900 men.
The totals as given in the resume
for all the war agencies, exclusive of
the American Red Cross, are 9,618
men and women workers and 1855
huts. Of the total number of work
ers, $3.50 are representatives of the
Young Mems Christian Association,
leaving the overseas war work
strength of all other organizations at
1858. Of the total number of huts,
1907 are operated by the Y M. c. A.
and the remainder, lao, 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 arnistice-the Y M.
c. A, for instance, having added 1875
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
sifed, with weeks and even months of
waiting ahead.
With these resources at hand the
General staff of the A. E. F. has I'M
dertaken to supervise and regulate
The service given to soldiers by
the auxiliary organizations. General
welfare officers are to be appointed
Le4
similar unit of the Service of Sup
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 enterta nment
halls; recommend readjustments
where recreational facilities are i'll
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
mssioned 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
organizations. Indiscriminate giving
away will be discouraged, and free
distribution will only be countenanced
when ordinary comforts and facilities
for the men az not available. espe-
,;,l1 iaj- nd tod To
troops in transit or otherwise sepa-
| rated FROM the usual sources OF sup
ply.
The Y. M. c. A. which is operating
1900 huts in France, is said to have
expended half the amount which will
be available to it for use in France.
1t has operated the canteen service al
a loss With the army taking over
the canteen service, however, the ex-
penses OF the Y Nj. c. A. will be re-
duced.
Some idea of the expenditure MADE
for war work in the period which
passed with the institution of the pro-
gram of coordination is shown in the
! record of the Y. M. c. A. This Or
ganization had invested $4,000, 000 in
overseas nuts and their equipment UP
to the first of the year, with an aver
age maintenance cost of more than
10000 a month. 1t gave away in
combat areas, from last May to the
end of November, goods valued at
more than 100000 and its Christmas
gifts to the doughboys last year rep
resented a value of more than half
million.
Its loss in the operation of can
teens, done on borrowed capital, was
100000. 1t has expended $1,750,000
for sporting goods for free use Of the
| soldiers. 1t has leased and operated
81 chocolate and biscuit factories and
seven sawmills in France to meet the
needs of the work. 1t has distrib-
uted more than 100000 worth of
books, literature and Bibles free to
the soldiers.
The entertainment bill of the Y,
M. c. A. overseas for the last six
months had increased to $400,0 a
month in February. In three months
after the signing of the armistice it
gave 1881 moving picture presenta-
tions, representing an aggregate of
| $685., 900 feet of film.
Incidentally, the Y. M C. A. had
transmitted free of charge for the sol