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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. j) l i ! Twr w - kjflj v I ■jT 4T ■T' i Page 5