Evening star., 1920-02-26

Difficulties encountered in dealing
with the Latin American viewpoint
which tends to rank beauty and size
on Il par with efficiency. are described
by Miss PcrSiS Breed. for five years
general secretary of the BucnoS Aires
branch of the y. w. G. A. and now in
Washington and in frequent confer
ence with the heads of the local as
sociation. which supports the branch
in the Argentine capital and which
feels consequent deep interest in
tho latterS progress.
when a Latin American has a big
idea" Miss Breed told a Star reporter
today. his first thought is to house
il impressively and beautifully. If
the already efficient ~ in Buenos
Aires is going TO get its message
over to the inhabitants generally of
that city it must have a fine building
at some central location. The y. NJ.
c. 4. has done this. and already its
membership lists are closed. For tn"
similar Woman'S organization to have
the success it deserves it must have
certain possession which up here
might he considered Injuries. but be
low the equator arc real necessities.
"If We had such building We
could talk to a whole continent. for
BucnoS Aires is i'll particularly ciosc
touch with the rest of the continent
The Argentine public is not yet cdu-
cateu 10 respond 10 lnc demand lof
such Il plant and the whcrewithal
must come from the British and
American publics."
Future Of .Y" in south America.
Miss Breed. who served the Buenos
Aires "Y." established in 1890. from
1913 to 1918. is on furlough TO help
present the world service program for
the extension of the Y. W. c. A. bot h
in this country and abroad. W hile
here. in a capital as cosmopolitan as
the Argentine city, and one in par
America. she feels impelled to stress
the opportunities which await the ''Y''
in South America. and with which she
is thoroughly familiar.
The Buenos Aires branch has done
a. lot OF things and wants to do 4 lot
developed its work through man. of
the same activities found in the
Washington association. 1t has Il
boarding department, Ike the Eliza
beth Somers annex. smaller. but win
A tremendous turnover and serving
sixteen nationalities. 1t has -four
ishing employment bureau. with a pa :
tronaee of about $50 day. It's lunch
room serves about a hundred girls
day, largely Argentinians. With
money raised among the business men
of Buenos Aires it has started a flour
ishing commercial department. which
trains girls for the positions tre!
want and for which, by the way. they
are badly wanted.
An adequate physical department
preferably with a pool, heads the ilst
of immediate needs of the branch.
All it has now is roof garden. un-
available when it rains. Such an ac-
tivity carries the greatest possible
appeal Of the South American tenn
perament, the secretary says. In line
with the worldwide policy of the as
socia;ion this branch must purchase
the site for it's hopedfor fine plant,
This will cost 100000 pesos. but Miss
Breed is confident it will be accom-
plished.
Reaches Many Classes of Girls.
The Ruenos Aires "Y'' now reaches
girls in commercial establishments
generally, girls in homes, and girls in
the teaching profession, all to graft
flying degree. 1t has, however. scarce
ly been able to touch the factory
girls. the girls in the high and normal
schools, and, above all, the university
students. This last class has consid-
erable organized power, political and
otherwise, south of the equator, and
from it the future leadership of the
association will come.
For years the Buenos Aires asso-
citation was the only branch in South
America Lately, however, secre-
tary was sent to Rio de Janeiro. capi-
tai of Brazil; another to Valparaiso,
Chile. and another to Montevideo,
Uruguay, all great ports.
These haven't had opportunity to do
much yet except study the languages
and familiariZe themselves with the
field A student secretary has also
been sent to Santiago. Chile. a great
center of learning. SO that opening
wedges are now planted at strategic
points The world service extension
program of the association calls for
81 100000 for use in the United States
and the same sum for foreign coun-
tries. and from this latter quota the
South American work is expected to
gain marked impetus.