Newspaper Page Text
Nov. 7, 191*.
WHAT' SOLDIERS THINK OF ARMY Y. M. C. A.
WARREN SOLDIER
LOUD IN PRAISE
Says Y, M. C. A. Keeps Soldiers
Away from Temptations.
The work of the Y. M. C. A. cannot
be praised enough, especially in a
camp where 30,000 soldiers are iocated.
There are all kinds of temptations
which a soldier runs into, but the Y.
M. C. A. has entertainments, religious
services, etc., and the minds of soldiers
are kept clear of these thing’s.
The ,Y. M. C. A. building where I
write is a fine one, with plenty of win
dows. Thanks to the kindness of Mrs.
Timmons, wife of our secretary, and
several ladies of Augusta, curtains
have been placed all through the build
ing. We also have a Victrola, with
several records, papers and cooks for
the soldiers to read.
A camp paper, known as “Trench A
Camp,” is published and distributed by
secretaries of all buildings. The news
is gathered by the different reporters,
and the paper is printed through the
courtesy of the Augusta Herald.
Free writing paper, ink and pens are
given to the soldiers, and a good place
to write is furnished. Stamps can be
purchased at the desk.
Religious services are held during
the week, with special services on
Sunday, assisted by different ministers
from the city. Good music also helps
to cheer the boys. The religious work
is carried on by an able corps of lead
ers.
Free moving pictures are shown
every Tuesday and Friday eyening
when the building is packed to its ut
most capacity. Several high class en
tertainers of New York, have leen
sent here by the War Work Council, of
the Y. M. C. A. A great deal of sing
ing is heard at the building, under the
leadership of Mr. Tebbs, who is a fine
piano player and a good singer.
In regard to athletics, the work in 'a
camp is carried on the sain? as in a
city Y. M. C. A., only on a larger scale.
All companies have basket ball, foot
ball, and volley ball teams, which prac
tice on the Y. M. C. A. courts. Mr.
Curry, a well known young man of
Punxsutawney, is physical instructor
of our building, and is very well liked
by all the boys, as he is always on the
job, and ready to show us anything we
wantt o know.
I am a member of the Y. M. C. A. at
Warren, Pa., and always spend a great
deal of time at the building. I have
seen a number of fellows go into Y. M.
C. A. and enjoy religious services,
spend a lot of time there, whom I know
never went to church before.
So to close my little story, I wish to
say, in your local Y. M. C. A. endeavor
to raise money for Y. M. C. A. work,
remember you are doing a great bit
for your country by helping to keep
some soldier pure, clean and manly, so
when he is called for real duty, he will
be that much better as a soldier.
Be like the people of Warren. Pa.,
population of 15,080. They raised $14,-
600 in one night ton Y. M. C. A. war
work.
11. LE RO Y BELT.,
Company I, 112th Regiment.
GIVES
THE SPIRIT OF ’76
Camp Hancock.
To the Editor of the Evening Journal,
Vineland, N. J-
Dear Sir:
I would like the home folks all about
Vineland to know what wonderful work
the Y. M. C. A. is doing for Uncle Sam’s
coming fighting men. I come from
Brotmensville.
The Y. M. C. A., in each of their
buildings, gives movies, entertainments
and religious services,—something ev
ery night; baseball, basketball and all
sorts of athletic goods are loaned us.
Free writing paper and envelopes,
wrapping paper and all sorts of needed
supplies are furnished us without
charge.
The soldiers would be dead to the
ground were it not for the Y. M. C. A.
We would have no place nearby to go.
We would have to stay in our tents or
go waj' off to town and spend our
money.
When the Y. M. C. A. is around with
us boys, it is then we have the spirit
of ’76.
Don’ tyou think the people of Vine
land and vicinity ought to do their
“bit” for the Y .M. C. A., in the coming
nation-wide campaign for $35,600,000
to keep up this great work here and
overseas?
Verv truly vours,
PRIVATE LEON MOZITIS.
Battery B, 103rd U. S. Field Artillery.
AIR BRAKE EMPLoVe??
PROVE LOYALTY.
The Westinghouse Air Brake Co., of
Wilmerding, Pa., reuports that of 3,682
employes, 3,299, or 89.59 per cent, sub
scribed a total of $265,650 for Liberty
Loan bonds. In twenty-two depart
ments of this concern, employing 1,312
men. not a single man refrained from
buying a bond. And of five other de
partments, employing 1,036 men, the
percentage of those buying bonds was
about ninety. It is very gratifying to
learn that many of the foreigners em
ployed in the different capacities were
willing to place their savings in United
°'stes government bonds.
FRENCH AND CAMP
“Money Well Spent; 9
Says Cavalryman
Interesting Description of Life
of Soldier. Could Not Do
Without Y. M. C A.
It may be of interest to the public
to know how' a soldier uses his spare
moments.
We get up at 5:45 and on up to 11:30
we are kept on the go with drill, ex
cepting the time for mess. In the P.
M. we have about one hour to our
selves. During the night wo have
men guarding the stable and regimental
guard.
Wednesday afternoon, Saturday af
ternoon and Sunday are the days we
have off. Now’ comes the question:
How do we spend this time off?
First of all, we do not forget our
good friends at home, and see that
their interesting and welcome letters
are answered. Then we sec that our
body is kept healthy by taking baths
in our shower bath buildings, which is
provided with cold water only. Our
clothing comes next which most of us
wash ourselves.
Many of our boys are the best of
athletes and teams of baseball and foot
ball have been organized. The boys
practice certain times and at other
times a game is played with some other
troop. The Y. M. C. A. men at the Y.
M. C. A. building take a great interest
in encouraging these games.
Some boys have cameras and wan
der over the rolling hills of sand,
through the forests of oaks and pine,
fields of corn and cotton, studying
nature of the South and taking pic
tures of things such as they do net
see up north.
The colonial history is very inter
esting here. James Oglethorpe's old
fort and settlement was at Augusta,
and in days of the revolution this fert
was called Fort Cornwallis. This,
and things connected with these times,
makes history an interesting thing to
look up. I secured seventeen fine ar
rows in my little stay here.
We are blessed with some of the fin
est voices. In the evening or Sunday
afternoon, we get together and sing
religious and patriotic songs. The boys
have spent certain evenings in the Y.
M. C. A. tent entertaining the boys
w ho come there in the evenings.
The Y. M. C. A tent is full every
evening with boys writing home, on
material furnished by the Y. M. C A.
Other boys are reading good books or
papers, furnished by this good or
ganization for men.
Nearly’ every evening the Y. M. C. A.
has some kind of a program to render.
It may' be a lecture, moving pictures,
music or home talent play'.
Every Sunday these are regular ex
ercises during the day and night that
are attended by overflowing numbers
of patriotic young men.
The army is made up of the best of
men that the United States could pro
duce. Now and then there may be an
exception, as it is with all organizations
but I am proud to say, with all the
many thousands located here, I have
my first intoxicated man to see.
The Y. M. C. A. here is in a large
building. We surely could not do with
out this Christian organization, and
the money the home people put into
this organization, you can rest assur
ed is well spent.
N. W. MOYER,
First Pa. Cavalry, Troop C,
Camp Hancock,
Octo. 30, 1917. Augusta, Ga.
‘■wouldmissY m. c. a.
MORE THAN ANYTHING”
Camp Hancock, Nov. 1, 1917.
To the Secretaries, Y. M. C. A.,
Building 75.
Dear Sirs:—
I desire at this time to thank the Y.
M. C. A. through you for the many pleas
ures I have enjoyed in your building, not
only here but also at Camp Stewart, Tex
as. where they did such splendid work for
the soldiers. ' I sincerely appreciate the
many kindnesses that have been shown
me and it will always be my pleasure to
remember the Y. M. C. A. and its great
work among us men. I sincerely trust you
may be successful in your effort to carry
on that work as we would most certainly
miss the Y. M. C. A., I believe, more than
any other thing that might be taken from
us. 1 sincerely trust the fund you are
about to ask for may be freely subscribed
to. I am sure it would be if ths people
only knew what it means to us and how
much more it will mean when we get to
a foreign land among- friends but yet
strangers. Gentlemen, I wish you every
success.
Yours respectfully.
ISAAC JOHNSTON.
Battery B, 108th F. A.
SOME YARN.
The old soldier was telling of his thrill
ing adventures on the field of battle to a
party of young fellows, one or two of
whom were skeptical as to his veracity.
“Then,” he said, “the surgeons took me
up and laid me in the ammunition wagon
and ”
"Look here,” interrupted one of the
doubtful listeners. “You don’t mean the
ammunition wagon. You mean the am
bulance wagon.”
But the old man shook his head.
“No,” he insisted; “I was so full of
bullets that they decided I ought to go
in the ammunition wagon.”
Additional copies of this issue
of Trench and Camp may be
had at any Y. M. C. A, building.
Y.M.C. A. GIVES
THE HELPING HAND
Camp Hancock.
Dear Mr. Tomlinson:
As your $35,000,000 Y. M. C. A. wat
work fund campaign is about to be
launched. I feel it my duty and obliga
tion to express my opinion cf the work
that this splendid organization is car
rying on, with great sueces”.
If the public had the opportunity to
be present in camp and hear the up
lifting addresses and enjoy the splen
did entertainments, I feel sure they
would be repaid for any contribution
they-might make to this fund.
We hear much of the evils of the
army, in civil life, and I wr.nt to say
that they are many. With the helping
hand of these workers, we are able '.>
turn aside from all that which is evil
and distatesful. If you have a loved
one among us, dear civilian,- and he
gives these men the opportunity to
reach him. he will have taken a step
forward, and we must attribute tills
fact to the tireless efforts of the Y.
M. C. A. workers. I feel sure there
are many who have come to know
themselves and will be stronger in the
future.
The Y. M. C. A. buildings located in
all sections of Camp Hancock, afford
us great pleasure and convenience.
With good music and able entertainers
we spend many enjoyable evenings
that otherwise might be wasted in the
playing of “craps” or other “games of
chance.” These is also an abundant
supply of Y. M, C. A. writing paper at
all times, and we soldiers surely appre
ciate this fact.
Invitations to the best of Augusta
homes is secured through the Y. M. C.
A., and we enjoy meeting the Southern
ers.
In all, the Y. M. C. A. is doing a great
work, getting results, and should have
the support of every civilian and sol
dier.
I am glad that I have this opportu
nity to express myself in support of
this campaign-
Sincerely,
PRIVATE JOHN A. JOHNSON,
109th Ambulance Company.
Hawley Boy Found
His Home Paper
Camp Hancock.
Dear Mr. Shelly:
Last night, when I came down to the
Y. M. C. A. to write this letter to you.
what do you think Isaw the first thing—
a paper from my old home town. You
know when you go to the Y. M. C. A.
it’s just like meeting a friend from your
own home town. You can read papers
from all parts of the State, but 1 didn’t
think I’d see a paper from a little town
like Hawley. R- W. BEA.
NEW SURPRISE EVERY
TIME HE GOES TO “Y. M.”
Camp Hancock, Nov. 1, 1917.
Dear Boys of the Kross Kees Klub:
Let me tell you what good the Y. M.
C. A is doing for us. They have foot
balls, basket balls and medicine balls and
help us in all out sports, providing us
with letter paper and entertainments and
books to read. In fact, if it wasn’t for
the Y. M. C. A. and its men, who are
giving up their homes and roughing it
with us here and in France, and wher
ever Uncle Sam’s boys are, we would have
to live in our tents and think and worry.
Instead, we go to the Y. M., as we call
it, and everytime I go there, there is a
new surprise for me. Even as lam writ
ing, I have stopped to look at a beautiful
moving picture. It was wonderful and
held us tight t° °ur seats.
So, as an honorary member, I ask you
to do something to help these brave and
noble men of the Y. M. C. A., who are
doing all they can to entertain the boys
who are giving their lives for the cause of
humanity. Make some contribution
amongst the boys and girls who visit you
at the club rooms, and give it to the Y. M.
C. A. Send a representative around to
other clubs to do the same. Hoping you
will do your bit for the sake of the boys
in khaki, here and in Europe, I remain,
PRIVATE JACK J. SOAFER,
Co. K, 109th Infantry.
Always on the Job
With a Glad Hand
Camp Hancock, Nov. 3, 1917.
Just a line to show my appreciation of
the Y. M. C. A. work among the soldiers.
The men engaged in this work are a fine
type of men and certainly understand the
wants and needs of the boys away from
home. It doesn’t matter what religion a
fellow has or what station in life he
holds, these men are always on the job
with a glad hand.
It is a fine sight to see so many sol
diers using the privileges extended to
them. Along the sides of our Y. M. C. A.
building are long tables used for writing
letters, for which writing materials are
provided free- The piano and victrola are
going continually and they sure do help
chase the blues. Movies and entertain
ments help pass away many a weary eve
ning. One evening a week is scheduled
for devotional exercises. On Sunday the
Y. M. C. A. men go around to the dif
ferent companies for an informal church
service; usually a song service followed
by a short talk on a non-sectarian topic.
I understand a campaign has been plan
ned to raise $35,000,000 for carrying on
this work. I am sure they would not
have much trouble raising till samount if
the people at home could see the benefits
derived from it, especially if they had a
relative or friend in the army.
Wishing you success, I am,
Sincerely,
F. FLOYD ASKIN,
Ambulance Co. No. 109, 103 d Sanitary
Train.
Y.M.C.A.MEN
ARE NO QUITTERS
Stirring Scenes at the Front in
France in Y. M. C. A. Huts
Under Fire.
Mr. L. A. Crossett, the great shoe man
ufacturer of Boston, has just returned
from France. He traveled 3,000 miles in
the war zone for the Association War
Council. Francis B. Sayre, son-in-law of
the President, and Fred B. Shipp, Gen
eral Secretary of the Pittsburg Y. M. C.
A., were working in France at the same
time.
In reply to a request for some of his
experiences, Mr. Crossett spoke with deep
admiration for the splendid efforts of the
British Association in Northern France.
“I found a ‘hut’ near the entrance of
the front trench, where shells were com
ing down ah around it,” he said. “This
hut was in a little dugout made of logs
and covered with sandbags. At one end
was a little kitchen where there were two
tanks of water boiling. Here fresh tea
was made, and set out fresh for the men
who came to the hut when relieved of
their terrific strain in the front line
trenches. Not infrequently a cup of hot,
refreshing tea is given free of charge
to each of 300 or 400 men in those trenches
and I am sure this is appreciated by those
brave fellows. While talking with some
of the men, one of them remarked, ‘lf
it had not been for the Y. M. C. A. there
would have been mutiny and revolution
here. That is where we get our comfort
and cheer.’ The Association has been
providing amusement as well as warmth
for the fighting forces; it has provided
athletics, wherever possible, and in other
ways has relieved the. soldiers from the
strain whenever they have had a chance
to obtain that wholesome life and play
which takes a man away from his trou
bles.
“Many persons who do not understand
the work of Association men in army
camps seem to- think that, the secretaries
remain far back from areas of danger,
and are sheltered from harm. To correct
this wrong impression it may be said
that, in on© of the districts I visited nine
!>• r cent, of the Association secretaries
had been either killed or wounded in three
weeks of heavy fighting. But these secre
taries know that their work is of great
value to the troops.
“One of them remarked to me, ‘These
would be the happiest days of my life if
I only knew that eventually I would re
turn to my home.’ Os course he could
have no assurance as to this, and he
knew, probably as well as any one, of
the many Association workers who have
been killed while in performance of their
duties.
“It isno wonder that the soldiers say
‘The Young Men’s Christian Associatioii
men are not quitters&’ The troops have
seen the war secretaries stand under fire
and shell as steadily as the soldiers them
selves, and go right along with the troops
as they make their charge, and set up
their dugouts, quickly getting ready for
work. The minute wounded soldiers, who
were able to walk, came back from the
trenches the Association men were on
hand, ready to serve them with tea and
cocoa, to give them words of cheer, to find
resting places, and perhaps warmth from
a fire—the smoke of which was carefully
concealed from enemy observation, you
may be sure. In one district our men
served ninety gallons of coffee in one
day—29,ooo cups of coffee in a single
week—to men who were going back and
forth to the trenches.
"I you could have stood with me be
side a grave 300 feet long, and could have
seen 300 men wrapped in blankets laid
there in a row—men who had gladly
given their lives for us of the United
States as well as for the people of every
other liberty-loving land —you would
realize the sacrifices that are being made
for us. You would be filled with a desire
to spend the rest of your life in doing
something to help and encourage such
men as these. As far as lam concerned,
I can only thank God that 1 have had
thirty years of training in Association
work and can throw my lot in to help and
encourage those brave fellows overseas.
Money and business? These seem nothing
when compared with the service we might
give men of those great armies who are
struggling and dying for the sake of
humanity. And it must be remembered
that the Young Men’s Christian Associa
tion is the sole worker in this direction
at the front, there, today.”
Mr. Crossett brings additional word
concerning the splendid impression made
by General Pershing upon the entire
French nation.
“Pershing is the idol of the men, and
all who come in contact with him. He
appreciates the service of the V. M. C. A.,
and we can only say that, he has given
us every opportunity we have asked. He
Inspected the Association headquarters in
Paris and expressed himself as pleased
with what we are doing. He spoke of
knowing Association work at the Mexican
border as well as in the Philippines, and
—if I may be permitted to use the ex
pression—-he has so ‘militarized’ it, that
the Y. M- C. A. is now a recognized and
respected part of the army.”
Wants Mother To
Give Subscription
Camp Hancock. Nov. 4, 1917-
Dear Mother:
Just a few lines in regards to the Army
Y. M. C. A. I want to tell you that it is
a worthy and good place. It is worthy of
a subscription and if any of the commit
tee come to you, I wish you would give
them one. They have song-fests on Sat
urday nights, moving pictures, and we
can play basket ball, tennis, baseball,
football and they furnish writing paper
free, and magazines and newspapers to
read. The men in charge of the “Y”
are fine. They always have a smile for
one, so if they come to Carbondale. I
want you to help them out and tell the
neighbors, if they want to do their bit,
to subscribe for the Army Y. M. C. A.,
and oblige your loving son,
JIM,
Co. H, 109th Infantry.
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