The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-10
Greatest Exponent of Practical
Religion, Says Governor.
Seventy-Five Counties Repre-
scented at Meeting Here.
BIG WORK AMONG GIRLS
Army Maintains Homes for
Strangers in Big Cities.
Discuss Rural Problems To Be
Met by Organization.

SeNenty-IlVe Kansas ana western
Missouri counties were represented
by delegates at the opening of the di-
visional convention of Salvation Army
county advisory boards at Memorial
Hall this morning. The convention
was called by Senator Arthur Cap
per. president. and Carroll B. Mer-
RAM, chairman, of the advisory board
for the Kansas chief division. Its
purpose was to consider ways and
means of utilizing the services and in
situations of the Salvation Army in re-
lieving all forms of distress and vice
in the rural communities.
The convention was called to order
by Merriam at $3.50 o'clock and i'm
mediately following the invocation
pronounced by Rev. r. Y. Barber,
Chanute, chairman of the Neosho
business.
Allen Praises Army.
Governor Henry ]. Allen was the
| first speaker on the program, welcom-
ing the delegates to the city and hall
ling them as "a body of men and
Pwomen gathered together to put the
lSalvation Army in direct touch with
\ conditions in the rural district and to
I aid the army officers in administering
whatever relief might be needed in the
various localities
He characterized the Salvation
Army as 1.-The greatest exponent of
practical religion and relief operating
| in the United States today" He paid
an especial tribute to the more than
| 500 business men in los counties of
Kansas and western Missouri who
| have aligned themselves with the Sal
walton Army in the extension of its
relief work.
Sen. A. B. Carney, of Concordia, mem
| Der of the advisory board for Cloud
county, spoke of the wonderful pros
! perity of Kansas as shown by the rec
| ord wheat and corn crops and de-
| clared that the minds and hearts OF
! the people of Kansas are just as full of
the purpose to grasp the possibilities.
of aid extended by the Salvation Army
as the bins of the state are full of
grain. He declared that the people of
Kansas stand ready to land every sort
of moral and financial aid to the Army
at the behest of the advisory board.
Work Among Girls and Children.
Mrs. Commandant Simmons, of Chi
cage, the sole survivor of the first
party of Salvationists to come to
America, spoke of the work of the Sal
walton Army among children. Her
manner of speaking had none of the
brag and boast of the casual orator,
and her message was delivered with
a depth of feeling which left no doubt
of her sincerity or of the sincerity of
the Army Quietly and without much
gesture she spoke of the 800 boys and
&1IiS VINO RESIDE on the WHICH Is
a part of the Salvation Army juvenile
home at Lytton, Cal, and touched on
the methods of education used there.
She spoke of the boarding homes for
young women which the Army main
tains in the larger cities and char
acterized them as the stop-cock which
will eventually plug the hole thru
which rural girls in the city slip to
the wrong path.
At the afternoon session Mrs. Sim
cue homes for girls, touching particu-
larly on the fact that girls entering
these homes must stay a period of
three months following confinement
so that they may become so attached
to their baby that there will be no
thought of disposing of it. Mrs. Sim
mons told of several instances where
Kansas and western Missouri girls
have benefited by the shelter of the
homes. She outlined the Salvation
Army policies in compelling justice for
mother and child from the man re-
sponsible for the girls downfall.
Noon Luncheon ut c. of C.
Brig. J. c. Smith, commanding Of
ficer of the army for the Kansas chief
division, gave a general outline of the
work of the Salvation Army.
At the noon luncheon at the Cham
Der of Commerce short talks were
made by Clifford Booth, Wichita;
FRANK Il. SamuelS, state aOJutanL Oh the
American Legion, and Senator Kyle,
of Abilene. Mrs. Gertrude McCloud.
Salvation lassie from overseas, spoke
of her experiences as a doughnut
maker during the war.
A special reel of motion pictures
showing the work of the Salvation
Army institutions was given at the
Isis theater following the luncheon.
, The theater was donated for the pur-
pose by G. l. Hooper. The Orpheum
orchestra furnished special music for
the luncheon.
/ Lieut.. Col John c. Flynn, of Chi
cago, was the speaker at the film
showing, telling of the work done by
/ the salvation Army in its reclamation
of men and materials thru its indus
trial homes Colonel Flynn spoke of
the fact that thousands of poor fan1i-
/ lies each year are given necessary fur
niture, clothing and such like thru
these industrial homes. the articles be-
/ ing reclaimed from utter useiessness
thru the work of men who themselves
have lost courage to fight the battle of
/ life. He said that in doing such work
( the men regain faith in themselves and
/ soon are ready to become regular wage
earners again.
4 At the afternoon session in Me-
mortal hall. DR.. Edmund James Kulp
was the principal speaker. He touched
: in the work which the Salvation Army
already has done in the rural COM
n1unities of Kansas while functioning
/ thru the county advisory boards.
--