The Delta independent., 1920-09-17

tom of the organization. and. If the
matter had been remediable. she
spares not the lash of scorn. But
when human effort did its utmost and
the conditions under which the war,
and therefore the welfare service Of
the army. were carried on made i'm
possible part of what it was trying
to achieve, she explains the condi-
tions and shows that the organization
should not be blamed for what 1t
could not help. In the matter OF per-
sonnel on whic hthere has been so
much criticism of the Overseas Y.
she shows that, the service being a
voluntary one, the Y had to take the
material that came to its hand and
use it to the best advantage. About
half of it was unsuited to the work,
but much of this half was better than
nothing and so 1t was kept at the task
because the need was so great and
because sometimes hearts were mel
lowed. minds were broadened and
spirits were uplifted by service until
the most unpromising became invalu-
able. Here is a story of how one
secretary rose to the occasion:
There was another Y mana
New Englander he-who actually
felt it his duty to stand between
the army and its smokes. The
man was so desiccated that, to all
appearances. his very heart and
turned into bulletin of re
proach. And though he must sell
cigarettes in the Y canteen, he
handed out each package with a
lemonish word and look. Yet the
Y kept him on because personnel
was so bitter short that every
hand, however weak, mechanical
ly told. But presently. as things
warmed p, they did what they
could for him-gave him his one
chance for redemption-sent him
to the XIII or Cure. There in the
very front trenches. within range
of shellfire all the time. he did
what many another did under
that same handling He improv-
ed. He softened and smiled.
Nevertheless. and obviously still,
he still hated the weed.
Then came the day at Seiche-
prey when our wounded streamed
back to the triangle. and the Y
man, his real heart found at last.
met the stretchers as they came.
And every boy. the worst hurt
most OF all. II he was conscious,
looked up into that Y mans face
and begged for a smoke. Be
tween the blue-white lips of the
first that asked he put n cigar
cite And lighted II.
And In that very moment he.
saw with dismay that he had
used the last match! Then came
the final showdown.
Without one word the con-
scientious objector jammed n Gig
arctic into his own mouth. light
ing It from that in the mouth of
the wounded boy Thenceforth
all day until the need was done
he kept the spark going without
one break. II lighted hundreds
of cigarettes-his first smoke,
A great many Y workers. both men
and women. are mentioned by name.
and the story is told with pith and
vigor and picturesqueness OF how
each one battled with the need OF
place and time and achieved such
marvels as ought to shame to the
hearts core any homestaying critic
nf ha
some tales also-for the author Ia
eminently fair in her presentation OF
the matter-of the other sort. of men
who were no, fitted for the work and
could not measure up to what the sol
diers' need demanded of them She
tells her stories remarkably well.
with crisp. dramatic style and with
vivid. forceful words. The judicial
quality is not ofen found mated in
hooks with fire and force and vivid
ness. but Miss Mayo has achieved
their commingling. in most OF her
work, with very great success.
It is pity that the volume could
not have appeared during those in.
tense days when argument grew hot
and anger famed over whether or not
the Y. NJ. C. A. was profiteering over.
seas or the Red. Cross selling
sweaters. for It would have stilled
much anti-Y propaganda OF Germanic
origin and would have been a bless.
ing for many an anxious and troubled
heart But It's appearance then. when
It was so much needed. was physical.
ly impossible. However. there Is still
n very great need for It. as justifi-
cation Of the much-maligned and as
an assurance to the American public
that the money 1t gave SO generously
to the organization was well spent
and as its giyers would hnye yished