The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-16
N7E!}!!.AE
 FRIENDSHIP IS
 AIM OF Y.W.C.A

New York. Feb, 16.-The promo ton of international friendship by hundreds of American girls who are assisting their sisters in ten European countries Is described in the report of the War Work Council of the Young Women's Christian Associa- ton to the American people, made publ1o today,
 Recreation, education, good cheer and housing facilities were made available for hundreds of girls en- gagged in work for the Allied troops in France and girl workers in French factories. Classes have been opened for girls in Russia and for former inmates of Turkish hareIns. Assist ance has ben given s,o71 war brides of American soldiers, representing six nationalities.
 The association has had S48 over seas workers of whom 265 were in France. Some of the workers in France have been transferred to other countries since the return of American troops and the work among French girls Is being taken over by French leadership. In nineteen towns or cities of l France. American girls conducted foyers for girls in war industries. | Warmth and cheer, comfortable chairs in which to read and rest and cafeteria were provided for French women who took their places in in- l dustry while their men folk were fighting. Recently this part of the 1 service has been bringing new cour- age to girls returning to their homes ] in the liberated and devastated re- l sions-
 1 Thirty-seven clubs were opened for army nurses to help relieve the strain l of emotional and physical fatigue i and the duIless of routine. The Red 1 Cross provided the room and the Young women's Christian Association ] the worker, the equipment and the i program
 Eighteen recreation eenters were
 conducted for Signal Corps girls
 'sWaacs,'' opportunities for fun
 physical comfort and good food beins provided by vacation camps and re
 creation parks.
 Three hotels were maintained il
 Paris for comfort of American wo
 men war workers on leave or ol their arrival in France. Seventeen hostess houses, with similar func tions, were maintained at embarka tion points, leave areas and In tn
 devastated regions.
 At present hostess houses are befn
 conducted at four cemeteries wher American soldiers are buried-Ro magne, St. Quentin, F'ere-en-Tarde ] nois and Belleau-Wood-to provid . information and care for women wh ( | visit the graves of brothers, father 1 husbands, sons or sweethearts. On 2 of the hotels that were opened in Pa : ris is maintained as the America q Women's club and acts as a, centrs
 hostess house, furnishing informe
 tion guides and interpreters
 The association conducted a tot;
 of 81 American centers in Franc d comprising 19 hostess houses, ,f clubs for Signal Corps girls, 37 nur 7. es' clubs, two British-American club '' one. Inter-Allied club and four cem J. tery centers It has had A F'rent IT centers, comprising 2S foyers, six r or creation centers, four summer camI
 four war bride camps, one hostel al le one emergency training school ld Assistance was given to Russi; T. girls in Petrograd, Moscow and $ ce mara, despite revolution, lack of fo 1e and personal danger, five secretari it. being sent from the United Stat Id Gymnasium work, English, Frene to Russian, bookkeeping, stenograh ". and music were taught to 150 girls
 Petrograd and 165 in Moscow. Ca
 teens were opened for Russian gir
 who would almost have starv
 otherwise.
 0u When. late in 1918, the Bolshev
 forced the associations workers a 1 leave Soviet Russia they went . Archange1 and VIadivostok and
 ta blished hostess houses for Anne
 can troops and clubs for Russ nk girls The girls clubs at Archan m. 1 had more than 500 members, larg .de 1 girl refugees.
 l1. In Italy the association maintain re | ten centers and fifteen American s
 retaries to aid American women '