= |ii a ae nn ra CTT TT | MIN ZS¢6Z/H00X ON RESTS AAAS ee, icm mn tm : Sa HR eiteaterentt tsa I" ini i ‘i mT UE en i“ a i) | | i | 1 | i ] j t r aw a awe| a Ty UTTER EEE PPTL ITTSERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN AN ACCOUNT OF THE WORK OF THE AMERICAN YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS IN THE WORLD WAR VOLUME IISALT TTT aT10 SS ~ ™ ~ MAP OF PRINCIPAL FIGHTING AREA /~ OF THE WORLD WAR : English ‘Miles 200 300 Kilometres 300 400 500 600 700 Pre-war Frontiers shown thus pray Firth, : ee por -AMS se Bo tage 2. RAO SHON “ [ASG Las sede, LLS, . 227 SSO SS fo} Puke as $ Leith to Copenhagen|610 7. = RDS ; Lan, There se | * ah, B fm > : J PeP ay fovea ep inc \ Valdat = tay a Cf. peg eGR Sin ey” aoe Ko: ” Angry, KK Sie NA Uw aT . 138 4 TAS Oe PRON \ dremid es } a y Hutaye rf eee ateaee= ' > hie a | Se Set byrne peeves “97 Gauitla <> “fo : Sooo catante seer getters CO Yagitettin. ey D «ta CS. ; = Meridian of © Greenwich topore Fivacioe * = fe! pe > e Bl N pee Longitude East 40 of Greenwich ‘Prepared and Published for ASSOCIATION PRESS by John Bartholomew & Son, Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland.TEESESERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN An Account of the Work of the American Young Men’s Christian Associations in the World War EprtrorIAL BoarpD Chairman WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT Managing Editor FREDERICK HARRIS Associate Editors FREDERIC HOUSTON KENT WILLIAM J. NEWLIN ASSOCIATION PRESS New York: 347 Mapison AVENUE 1924Suenenttentesnel a ry r wih nea; LUTTE COPYRIGHT, 1922, by the INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS Printed in the United States of AmericaCONTENTS OF VOLUME II PART III (Continued) SERVICE WITH THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES XXXIV. ) XXXV. XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX. XL. XLI. EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE . Personnel — Textbooks — Pre-Armistice Conditions— Transition — Post Schools — Divisional Educational Centers—French and British Universities—American University at Beaune—United Kingdom—Supplemen- tary Activities—Army Educational Corps. GAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS . ; In the Fighting Period—The Post-Armistice Pesiod— The AEF Championship Contests—The Inter-Allied Games—Athletics in Leave Areas and with Troops of Allied Nations—Significance of Athletics. WOMEN’S WORK : Women’s Work in the Field. IN THE BRITISH ISLES AND ITALY . American Troops in Transit — Training Camps and Fixed Posts—In the Cities—Headquarters and Organ- ization—American Forces in Italy. WITH THE SERVICES OF SUPPLY Base Sections—Intermediate Section. WITH THE COMBAT DIVISIONS . Service in Training Areas—Periods of Combat. THE LEAVE AREAS . ‘ The Leave Problem—Life in ie Leas rece uiie Rhine Areas—The Paris Division—Leave Area Per- sonnel—A New Feature of Army Life. WITH RETURNING TROOPS In the Billeting Areas—The aiiatienea Cover Le Mans— At the Ports of Embarkation — Graves Registration Service—Another Adaptation. Vi 1 26 55 67 93 118 142 163vi XLII. XLII. XLIV. XLV. XLVI. XLVII. XLVIII. XLIX. LI. SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION ; The March to the nh Meee erin Germany —The American Forces in Germany. MEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE . PART IV WAR PRISONERS’ AID BEHIND THE BARBED WIRE The Life of the Prisoner of War-—Barbed- Wire iieekee —The Administration of Prison Camps—The Needs of the Prisoners. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE WAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS : Closed Doors—The Principles of Camp Service—Esti- mate of Success—The Story of the Prisoners. PRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN Organization and Cooperation — Civilian Prisoners — The Military Prison Camps—Prison Camp Activities —Changing Conditions. THE WORKING PRISONERS OF FRANCE The Camps and Their Inhabitants — The Beebe of Welfare Organization — Welfare Work Among the Ger- man Prisoners—The War Prisoners’ Aid and the Fa- vored Prisoners—A Complex Service. RUSSIA The Y Enters Russia—What the ay; Faced—The Work of the Y—Disorganization and Reorganization. ITALY AND THE BALKAN STATES Italy—The Balkans. ALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY. The German Prison Camps—The Y Enters Germany— The Camps—After America’s Entry in the War. THE CAMPS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY YMCA Organization in Austria-Hungary — Welfare Work—The Challenge. 179 200 217 230 244 258 270 283 290 305 aaa tan llLII. LITI. LIV. LV. LVI. LVII. LVIII. LIX. LX. CONTENTS THE LAST ACT The Peace of Brest-Litovsk ena Its Gee Gtee a The Armistice and Its Consequences—The Last Stage—The Human Motive. PART V WITH THE ALLIED ARMIES THE INTERNATIONAL SERVICE OF THE AMERICAN YMCA LES FOYERS DU SOLDAT The Development of the pees The Retenaion 5s ie Foyers—The Method and Influence of the Foyers—A Dis- tinctive Service. WITH THE ALLIES IN FRANCE With the Armies of Portugal—With the Polish Autono- mous Army—With the Russian Legion—With the Chi- nese Labor Corps in France. ITALY AND THE BALKANS : Italy—The Balkans — Roumania — Greece — Turkey and Asia Minor. IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST ; India — Mesopotamia — German East Africa — eet —— Sudan—Gallipoli—Palestine. WARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA Welfare Work Before the Summer of 1917--¥ Work in Garrison Cities and on the Fronts—From the Samara Con- ference to the Period of Allied Intervention—Period of Allied Intervention—Evacuation—Conclusion. POLAND AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA THE LARGER HORIZON . APPENDIXES EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION Conference on Army Work at Garden City, N. Y. eat 10, 1917—President Wilson’s Appreciation and Acceptance of Extended Association Service—Army and Navy Orders Authorizing Association War Work—National War Work Council. Vil 314 dol 300 359 369 393 419 458 476 487, | vill i: III. IV. VI. VII. VIII. IX. ele SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN MILITARIZING THE YMCA Militarizing Y MCA Personnel—Defining Duties of Red Cross and Y M C A—Military Uniforms for Y M C A Work- ers—Assignment of Secretaries to Military Organizations —Military Rules Governing Travel of Welfare Workers— Draft Difficulties and YMCA Personnel—Official Order Coordinating Work of All Organizations—Classification of Personnel. FINANCING WELFARE WORK First YMCA War Fund Campaign, May, 1917—Second YMCA War Fund Campaign, November, 1917—United War Work Campaign—Disposition of Post Exchange Sur- plus to American Legion—Audited Financial Statement for the Period Ended March 7, 1921. HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT Y MCA Peace-Time Army and Navy Work, 1902—Mekxi- can Border Work, 1914—Army and Navy Orders, 1917- 1918. GENERAL SUPPLY DEPARTMENT AND POST EXCHANGE Order Establishing Post Exchanges — Tonnage Require- ments, AE F-Y M C A—Warehousing—Tonnage Crisis— Automatic Tonnage—Difficulties in Distribution—Sale of Goods at Quartermaster’s Prices—Sale of Gift Cigarets. THE MINISTRY OF RELIGION Bible Study in Army Camps—Members of Religious Work Bureau. EDUCATION Educational Committee of the Commission on Training Camp Activities—Estimated Budget for Educational Work —Budget of the Army Educational Commission for the Year Nov. 1, 1918-Oct. 31, 1919—Educational Work in the AEF. ENTERTAINMENT AND ATHLETICS LEAVE AREAS . MORALS AND MILITARY EFFICIENCY PRISONERS OF WAR . 498 507 541 545 557 561 566 571 573 576 De a ee ———— =XII. XITI. XIV. XV. XVI. CONTENTS CASUALTY LIST—DEATH ROLL — CITATIONS — DECORA- TIONS p F YMCA Casualty List—Death Roll as of Official Record— Wounded and Gassed—Citations and Decorations. THE TAKING OVER OF WELFARE WORK ON MILITARY AND NAVAL RESERVATIONS BY THE WAR AND NAVY DEPART- MENTS OF THE UNITED STATES DISSOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL WAR WORK COUNCIL TRIBUTES TO THE WAR WORK OF THE YoUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS ABROAD AND AT HOME Letter of the Commander-in-Chief A E F—General Persh- ing and the Young Men’s Christian Association—Represen- tative Utterances. BIBLIOGRAPHY Classified List of Books and Authorities Mentioned in These Volumes with Other Literature Related to Welfare Work and the Problems of Reconstruction Since the War— Education — History — Relief — Welfare—War—Miscella- neous Descriptive—Morals and Morale—Prisoners of War —Religion—Women’s Work—Entertainment—Athletics. INDEX . : ; : ‘ é ‘ : ix 579 601 622 641 647Da oe ASN oeMAPS AND PLATES VOLUME II MAP OF EUROPEAN WAR AREA : ‘ . Frontispiece FACING PAGE MAP OF EUROPEAN AND ASIATIC RUSSIA SHOWING SIBERIAN RAILROAD AND Y SERVICE POINTS . ; , 420 PLATES XV. TROOPS SAILING FROM AMERICAN PORTS AND LANDING IN FRANCE AND ENGLAND’ . ; : : ; 70 XVI. TABULAR SUMMARY OF LEAVE AREAS DEPARTMENT aya XVII. Map oF FRANCE SHOWING FOYERS DU SOLDAT Uh Asay MCA. : : : ; 3 . ao 44: XVIII. Maps or MURMANSK AND ARCHANGEL DISTRICTS SHOWING YMCA SERVICE POINTS . : : - 2436 1From The War With Germany. A Statistical Summary. By Col. Leonard P. Ayres, Washington, D. C., 1919, p. 42.CHAPTER XXXIV EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE The Government’s task of transforming five million citizens into soldiers through military training and drill, was a stupendous educa- tional enterprise, rigidly limited, however, to military science. With the arrival of American troops in France, this training reached its climax. This was neither the time nor place for developing any non- military activities; yet it became clear at once that certain kinds of knowledge, even though not strictly military in character, were valu- able assets to officer and soldier. Ability to talk to his new neighbors in their own tongue, some acquaintance with French history, tradi- tions, manners, and customs—these had distinct usefulness, and in- struction in them became of real military value. Although the Army Intelligence tests caught many of the illiterate and near-illiterate, yet many thousands of men in the first detachments to go to France were unable to read and write, to count, or even to tell time accurately. Such ignorance contained elements of danger as well as inefficiency. The Association recognized this situation and endeavored to help the (ie it through its lecture and entertainment service; while individual situation secretaries were, for the most part, alert to seize occasional oppor- tunities to impart instruction. These sporadic efforts were very far from measuring up to the magnitude of the need and the oppor- tunity that foresight could discern. There would come a time when men in far greater numbers would have many unoccupied hours, for which no more profitable use could be imagined than study. The unique relationship of the YMCA to the Army indicated it as the organization properly responsible for this service and the system of huts, transport, and workers that it was building promised the requi- site physical foundation and machinery. Accordingly, on January 18, 1918, Dr. Anson Phelps Stokes, Secretary of Yale University and Chairman of the American Uni- versity Union, arrived in France under the auspices of the YMCA to make a thorough survey and recommend an educational plan. After visiting all parts of the field, and consulting officers and men of all ranks, as well as European educators, he rendered a report in Febru- 1The Stokes Plan Official Approval 2 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ary to the Chief Secretary, for his approval and transmission to the ‘Commander-in-Chief.t This report was in two parts. The first part contemplated edu- cational possibilities during the period of active fighting. There could be no question that, during this period, the only legitimate undertaking was that which would directly strengthen the soldier as a fighting man. Consequently Dr. Stokes placed special emphasis on the importance of instruction in the French language, in the history and causes of the war, and in similar subjects. He proposed the utilization of YMCA huts as class-rooms, and of the organization of the Y M C A to furnish the teachers and needed supplies. Instruc- tion was limited to troops in training, rest, or hospital camps. At- tendance would be voluntary, and all details subject to the approval and support of the Army officers in command. The second part of Dr. Stokes’ report anticipated the period when the active fighting would be over and the soldier would have a long period of waiting before his repatriation. In that period edu- cational work would not only furnish the soldier with an occupation which would help to maintain discipline and morale, but would also be of direct value to him upon his return to civil life. Post schools for units of five hundred men, giving common school courses for those whose education was especially deficient, industrial training and voca- tional’ work, even courses in French and British universities for col- lege and professional men were among the possibilities. These plans of Dr. Stokes were approved by the Commander-in- Chief in a telegram February 28, 1918, and by letter March 5, 1918. This letter, signed by Colonel Logan of the General Staff, in behalf of General Pershing, was in part as follows: “T am directed by the C.-in-C. to acknowledge receipt of the extremely interesting project prepared by Mr. Anson Phelps Stokes. The C.-in-C. is interested in this matter and is very much pleased with the comprehensive report which Mr. Stokes has submitted, in which he outlines the objects of this educational project. The C.-in-C. ap- proves the project in principle and has directed that proper facilities be given for this work throtighout this command. As.-already tele- graphed, the only important change that will have to be made in the project will be by transferring the functions that he has assigned to the Educational Director of each Division to an agency of the VYaMiC Ay? *Consult Educational Plans for the American Army Abroad, Anson Phelps Stokes, New York, 1918. | j | )EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 3 The project also met the most cordial support on the part of the leading authorities in education in France and America. Dr. Stokes proposed the establishment of the YMCA Army Organization Educational Commission of three to direct the work. Pending the appointment of this commission, Professor John Erskine of Colum- bia University became acting director in charge of the preliminary preparations. In August, Dr. Erskine was made chairman of the permanent commission and Dr. Frank E. Spaulding, Superintendent of Schools, Cleveland, Ohio, became the second commissioner. Soon after this, President Kenyon L. Butterfield of the Massachusetts Agri- cultural College at Amherst, Mass., was appointed third commissioner ; he arrived in France in December, 1918. Thus the planning and direction of the work was entrusted to specialists eminent respectively in the fields of university, common school, and vocational education. The field organization was to consist of regional and divisional superintendents. Under the immediate direction of the divisional superintendents, hut educational directors were to report educational needs and opportunities to their division superintendents, organize classes where possible, teach or secure teachers, and supervise all the work in their units. With the arrival of President Butterfield, the work of the commissioners was subdivided, Dr. Erskine taking charge of all academic and professional education, Dr. Spaulding being re- sponsible for the field staff and for the educational work below college grade, and President Butterfield for all vocational education—agri- cultural, commercial, trade, and technical. There was a special di- rector of the Department of Books and Periodicals. In addition to this organization in France, Professor George Strayer of Columbia University, President of the National Educa- tional Association, and Dr. James Sullivan, Director of the Division ot Archives and History at the University of the State of New York, acted as representatives of the Commission in New York City. These men served as the connecting link between the educational work in France and the whole educational world of America. On October 31, 1918, the Army issued its first formal announce- Army Participation ment of educational plans, in General Orders No. 192, to become 1The Minister of Public Instruction, the Directeur de 1’Office Nationale des Universités et Ecoles Francaises, and rectors of the universities gave their whole- hearted assurances of cordial cooperation. Educators throughout the United States recognized the unusual opportunity and many of them gave their time and energy without stint in the organization and the carrying out of educational plans.The YMCA Army Educational Commission 4 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN effective January 1, 1919, which created an educational organization within the Army. This consisted of a school officer in each army, corps, division and regiment, who should be responsible for the organi- zation of classes, for the securing of classrooms and equipment, and for school discipline. ‘Post schools,” it read, ‘“‘will be controlled by post commanders as to discipline, attendance, sanitation, and, in the absence of volunteer civil agencies, instruction; but such instruc- tion will conform to the approved system of the YMCA Army Edu- cational Commission, and such schools will be subject to inspection and supervision as to methods, results and subjects of instruction by properly authorized agents of the Y M C A Educational Commission.” In December, the Government sent to France Brigadier General Robert I. Rees, who had been Chairman of the War Department’s Committee on Education and Special Training, and who had organized the Students’ Army Training Corps throughout the colleges and uni- versities of the United States; he was placed at the head of the new organization. Thereafter, the educational work was carried on by the cooperative action of the army educational officers and Army Educa- tional Commission of the YMCA until April 15, 1919. By General Orders No. 9,1 January 14, 1919, the task of instruction was definitely assigned to the Army, in addition to full responsibility for administra- tion. The function of the Y MC A Army Educational Commission was defined in general, as that of an advisory board to the 5th Section of the General Staff, with specific responsibility for the following duties: To furnish expert educational advisers and assistants; to develop methods of instruction, syllabi, course material and the procuring of text and reference books: to provide, so far as practicable, facilities for post schools in YMCA huts. The expert advisers were to be assigned to duty with army, corps, division, and post school officers, and to act as teachers of method to detailed instructors, as super- visors and inspectors of instruction, advisers to school officers, and instructors so far as their other duties would permit. Attendance was to be voluntary, except for illiterates and foreign speaking sol- diers who could not read or write English. This division of authority and responsibility, whereby the teaching staff was relieved of all administrative, disciplinary, and constructive details, and was set free to devote its entire time and attention to instruction, was a unique experiment in education. The success attained bears witness * Appendix VII, p. 564.EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 5 to the almost universal presence of tact and sympathetic cooperation in the dual administration. In February, 1919, General Orders No. 30: authorized still Divisional Schools further elements of the Stokes plan. It called attention emphatically Cooperation to the importance of national education. In addition to post schools, divisional schools were to be established to teach subjects of high school grade, and fourteen trades were specified to be taught in each divisional center. Courses were to be arranged for five hours a day, five days a week for three months, and students were to be relieved of other duties except one hour of military training daily. Still more noteworthy, the arrangements that the YMCA had perfected with French and British universities were approved, and the detachment of selected soldiers, with commutation of quarters and rations, was commanded in order to permit them to take up advanced studies in those institutions. Finally, to provide for several thousands more than could be served in this way, authority was given for the estab- lishment of an AEF university. Thus every feature of the plan submitted by Professor Stokes a year earlier was put into effect. The burden of this educational enterprise as finally established be- came entirely too great for any civilian organization to carry.” From the very beginning the possibility of ultimate army con- eat trol had been present in the minds of the farsighted leaders who de- vised and promoted the scheme. Dr. Stokes, in the introduction to his report as published in October, 1918, said: “Tt probably will assume such large proportions when demobili- zation begins that government cooperation, and perhaps direct gov- ernment control and responsibility, will ultimately be necessary.’ Ten days after the Armistice, the Executive Committee of the Wer Work Council adopted a resolution requesting the General Sec- retary to communicate to the Secretary of War the Council’s desire to be of the utmost service during the difficult period of demobiliza- tion, with the following explicit statement as to educational work: “Tt is especially desirous that the services of the YMCA Army Educational Commission formally authorized by General Pershing, together with its machinery, personnel, and equipment, should be made such use of in the interest of education as the military authori- 1 Appendix VII, pp. 564, 565. 2 Educational Plans for the American Army Abroad, Anson Phelps Stokes, Secretary of Yale University, New York, 1918, p. 4.Transfer to the Army 6 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ties may think best. This committee will be glad to be informed as soon as practicable whether the original plan is to be followed by which this Educational Commission will continue under the War Work Council of the Y MCA as the main agency for providing edu- cational facilities in the A E F, or whether the Government wishes to take over entirely the work of the Commission, or whether it wishes to develop some modified plan of cooperation. In any case the Sec- retary of War is assured that the Association will be glad to follow the Government’s wishes as to the part it should play in helping to develop adequate educational facilities for the American troops overseas.” Pending an official decision on the matter, the Council appropri- ated $200,000 a month for a period of six months from February 1, 1919, for educational work with the AE F. With the arrival of Genera] Rees, with the adoption of the full educational program of the YMCA Army Educational Commission by the Army authorities, with the establishment of compulsory attend- ance throughout the Army for illiterates and near-illiterates, and with the appointment of thousands of school officers and teachers from the Army itself, the YMCA Educational Commission believed that the time had come when the work should be wholly administered by the Army. On March 3d they recommended to the YMCA Chief Secre- tary, that the transfer be made. After several weeks of negotiation, on April 8, 1919, General Orders No. 621 appeared, the second section of which mobilized the YMCA Educational Commission as the “Army Educational Corps in the American Expeditionary Forces.” This order served to make authoritative and in some details more complete the transition which had been working out in practice for several months. The Y MCA had been responsible for the initiation of the movement, and for the support of the preliminary program. {t had realized that unless supplies in the way of books and materials were prepared, secured, and on the spot when needed, and unless the administrative machinery was set up and ready to operate when the need came, they would not be there at all when they were wanted. It had appropriated the sum of $2,000,000 for the purchase of textbooks and supplies, and had Spurred on their manufacture and transporta- tion so that an immense stock was already in France. It had formu- lated in great detai] the plans which were put into effect when the opportunity came, and had recruited educational experts. All this *See Appendix VII, pp. 564, 565.EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 7 had been done with clear prevision that the period of demobilization would bring an immense need of educational service, and that every- thing must be ready for instant action when the moment should come. With the realization of this anticipation, the Army had inevi- tably become more involved in the work. During the winter of 1918- 1919, it furnished an increasing proportion of class room facilities, equipment, and transportation. It had reconstructed and equipped the hospital at Beaune to serve as an A E F university. It had fur- nished the staff of teachers who could have been secured in no other way. Thus the Educational Commission, with its staff, was so in- extricably mingled or merged into the enterprise that continuation without them was unthinkable. In absorbing the personnel of the Commission into the Army, the final stamp of approval was given to the service which had been rendered. In a letter to the Chief Secretary, dated March 25th, General Pershing said: “Tt is desired, in conclusion, to express the highest appreciation of the work of the YMC A through its Educational Commission in organizing the educational work at a time when it was impracticable for the Army to do so, and for the continued assistance up to the present time in the wise development of the educational system in the AEF. The large number of well qualified educators brought to France by the YMC A during the past year will be of inestimable value to the Army in its educational work, and this contribution is especially appreciated.” In a final acknowledgment of the transfer, Secretary of War Baker wrote to Mr. William Sloane, Chairman of the National War Work Council, as follows: “In accepting this transfer on behalf of the Army, we wish to thank the YMCA for the admirable work which it did in initiat- ing and carrying on this educational work at a time when, because of the pressure of the all-engrossing business of actual fighting, it would have been difficult for the Army to have undertaken it. avn “T have been familiar in a general way with the origination of the idea for an educational program for the AE F in the mind of Dr. Anson Phelps Stokes ; of the selection of Professor Erskine, President Butterfield, and Superintendent Spaulding, Dr. Sullivan, and Mr. Fairley for the corresponding duties on this side, and I understand from my associates that because of their accomplishments it 1s now a comparatively easy task for the Army to carry on the work which they undertook.” Official AppreciationThe Call for Educational Secretaries 8 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN When the YMCA transferred its textbooks, surrendered its staff and materials, and resigned to the Army this branch of its wel- fare work, a great educational machine was ready and working. PERSONNEL Educational work began in the spring of 1918 with a total staff of only fourteen men, a library force of three, and a headquarters Staff of three, including the Educational Director. With the coming of July, the staff at work consisted of nineteen educational directors, in charge of not more than 285 hut secretaries who had had prac- tical educational experience. Of these not more than 100 were giv- ing their full time to the educational work. Plans were then far enough advanced, and registration in classes so large as to warrant a-call for the special recruiting of educational secretaries, and on July 1st, Dr. Erskine cabled to America for one educational secretary for each hut—1,000 in all—for 75 supervisors, and eight regional directors. At once recruiting was begun. Since the need then and later was primarily for administrators and supervisors, all efforts were concentrated on securing men with wide executive and admin- istrative experience in schoo] affairs. The responses were prompt and enthusiastic, but the usual personal and official difficulties created many delays. After the Armistice, when educators in the Army itself could be freed from military duties, the War Department advised the cessa- tion of recruiting. The sending of personnel for the general educa- tional work continued, however, until April 10, 1919, for lecturers on citizenship until April 30, 1919. By this time the Association had re- cruited and sent to France nearly 600 educational organizers and supervisors of the highest standing. In spite of the best efforts of al] concerned, however, there was never a time when the staff on the ground was not wofully insufficient for the huge task. Even though the ful] numbers requested by the Commission could not be supplied, those who were sent composed that necessary nucleus of experts around which the entire scheme was built. TEXTBOOKS Textbooks, of course, constituted a fundamental necessity of educational work. Books from England were unsuitable. English arithmetics and commercial] books, for example, were written in terms of pounds, shillings, and pence. Pre-war supplies, even ofEDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 9 books that could be used, were practically exhausted owing to previous demands of the British, Canadian, and Australian YMCA. Gov- ernment restrictions in the use of paper prevented the reprinting of exhausted editions. Until after the Armistice, tonnage restrictions prevented book shipments from America. Recognizing that the great need would arise after the Armistice, the Commission made careful preparation. As early as September, 1918, a list of necessary textbooks had dveational been prepared. The War Department advised planning for the needs of 2,000,000 men. On October 24th, the Finance Committee in New York authorized the expenditure of $2,000,000 for textbooks and educational supplies, apportioned tentatively as follows: for maps, blackboards, mechanical drawing materials, etc., $100,000; for sta- tionery and supplies, $200,000; for textbooks, 950,000 copies, $750,- 000; for reference books, $880,000; for correspondence courses, $70,- 000. These allotments were greatly modified by later developments. The American Library Association undertook responsibility for ref- erence books up to a maximum expenditure of $1,000,000. The markets of the country were unprepared to fill such orders. Publishers undertook the manufacture of special inexpensive editions and, with the sudden coming of the Armistice, bent every effort on speedy production and delivery. In spite of an interruption, caused by uncertainty immediately after the Armistice as to plans for re- patriating the AEF, more than 1,500,000 books had been shipped from New York before the end of February, 1919, four months from the time the purchase was authorized. In view of the difficulties in transportation the Association was experiencing in France, it was agreed that the Army should take over the textbooks from the YMCA and distribute them. The Y MCA contributed to the Army the textbooks then in use throughout France, and transferred at cost the books then en route. At this time, also the American Library Association undertook such parts of the task as could be administered best by them. PRE-ARMISTICE CONDITIONS When the staff on the field began educational work they found, of course, that the conditions of active service made it impossible to “Some conception of the size of the order may be gained from the fact that 195,900 books on agriculture, 169,822 on engineering, 128,800 on economics, and 106,900 on education were requisitioned. Half a million pamphlets were included.Objections French Language 10 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN carry out systematic plans. Moreover, transportation facilities and available tonnage were so inadequate that even the canteen could not get its necessary supplies. Such educational materials as were needed had to be secured either on the spot or improvised. The limited amount that could be brought over by arriving secretaries, in connec- tion with their personal baggage, did not go far with an army. Yet, whenever the secretaries in the field could, they gave lectures to the soldiers, established classes, and gave instruction. It was a surprise to all to discover how unexpectedly large a proportion of the soldiers were eager to learn and willing to use their scant leisure in study rather than play. Beginning with occasional lectures, the educational work developed rapidly wherever the secretaries in charge were en- thusiastic in the cause. The significance and results of the educational work are not nearly so obvious as those that had to do either with the canteen ser- vice or athletics. Many secretaries, especially when under extra- ordinary pressure, were often uninterested in, and sometimes seriously objected to, the establishment and development of an educational program. Divisional secretaries overwhelmed by imperative and insistent demands for increased canteen service sometimes com- mandeered the educational secretaries in their department as helpers. Sometimes special educational secretaries themselves, enticed by other apparently more important phases of the Y work, transferred to these departments. As time passed, the plans and possibilities became more definitely outlined, and the territory to be covered clearly dis- tricted ; and on July 1, 1918, the acting director issued the call for an adequate staff as already described. With the development of the Army Educational Commission and its staff, there was built up within the Y MC A a subordinate organ- ization, functioning practically as an autonomous unit in itself. That the educational directors and secretaries were responsible directly to the Commission and only indirectly to the Y as a whole, was the cause of occasional friction where this double relationship was not fully realized. Yet, in spite of these and other troubles, the work developed in a most encouraging fashion. By February 10, 1919, in one division, scattered throughout 57 different villages, classes were organized in every one. The soldiers displayed a great interest in French. Text books were lacking and instructors were few. Early in 1918 the Ministry of Public Instruction selected Hugeéene Gourio of the LycéeEDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE a Buffon to prepare a special text book for the French classes in the Army, and in some cases delegated French teachers from the schools to give the instruction and to supervise the teaching. This work increased so rapidly that in the report of progress issued by the Army Educational Commission, October 1, 1918, it was stated that more ‘than 200,000 were then studying French in regular classes, meeting once, twice, or three times a week, under French and American teachers. By this time hundreds of French teachers who had been secured locally were being employed, receiving from five to eight frances a night for teaching each class an hour. A close rival to French in popularity was instruction in English. Hending and Thousands of illiterates and foreign born soldiers who could not read or write English wanted to write letters home. In one of the ports 25 per cent of the negro troops could neither read nor write. In another camp the illiterates numbered 30 per cent. Classes in English were formed, meeting whenever military duties permitted, usually for half- hour classes in the evenings. In one camp in the course of six weeks’ instruction, 100 men were taught to read and write. These men were working at least eight hours a day; yet such was their interest and zest for this instruction that they were voluntarily giving up their free time for study. Nothing could equal their pride when they were able to sign the payroll for the first time, and later on when they could actually write letters home. Historical lectures proved very popular. The soldiers seemed Rrench) eager to know something of the outstanding figures of French history. Wherever possible these lectures were accompanied or followed by lantern slides illustrative of the talk; sometimes they were combined with trips to the spots in the neighborhood which were the scenes of great events. Such lectures were always well received; and in the development of this work thousands of slides were sent to different centers on every conceivable subject of educational character, selected to illustrate the historical, social, or industrial life of the country. ; The soldiers had, by reason of their military life, a very real Geography and interest in the railways, waterways, natural resources, and topography of France. Maps which presented these features in clear outline were eagerly sought and studied. As in the home camps, in every hut where there was a map, the soldiers gathered around it, tracing out the battle line, or studying the topography of the section. They were discovering in this way the military importance of mountains, valleys, and rivers. This very practical interest in local situations stimulatedee Books Readjustment 12 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN a real interest in economic geography, and lectures of high quality on this subject never failed of an audience. Mathematics was another popular subject. The lack of a sufficient number of text books was a great handicap, but by October, 75,000 men were enrolled in regular classes in spite of inadequate equipment. Where no classes could be formed, where no lecturer spoke, where even entertainers seldom appeared, a good book or magazine was a precious find. Standard library units holding about 35 volumes were sent out to the fighting divisions; even small cases holding seventeen volumes were designed for the soldiers in the trenches. The coopera- tion of the American Library Association made it possible to develop this library service. Any soldier anywhere could write to Paris asking for any book; it was sent him free, at once, if humanly possible, on a loan for a month. This library service was not only an indispensable aid to the educational work, but in only too many cases it was the educational work itself. During June, 1918, books and magazines sent out to the soldiers by this library service totaled 2,216,218, be- sides 300,000 newspapers; in October the total, inclusive of news- papers, reached 4,179,112. TRANSITION The unexpected signing of the Armistice on November 11th brought upon the Educational Commission a readjustment for which it was far from ready. Plans submitted for approval even in mid- October contemplated the continuation of hostilities up to mid-summer of 1919. Now, action and performance had to replace preparation, for with the sudden cessation of hostilities, the pressure to supply the educational needs of the Army increased tremendously. The tempo- rary cancellation of the text book order, transportation troubles both on sea and land, inadequacy of equipment, shortage of personnel, were very serious handicaps to the prompt and effective establishment of the new type of work. Nor were the difficulties to be overcome all of this material charac- ter. The minds of the soldiers themselves were now filled with the idea of getting home to the exclusion of almost every other interest. Only slowly did they come to realize that months, instead of days, must elapse before all could be returned. Men were reluctant to enter upon any educational program that seemed, at best, short-lived. As the days passed and the situation became better understood and the work of the Educational Commission better known, this attitude changed.EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 13 The opportunities for helpful training were brought to the at- tention of the men in various ways. Posters in the huts and dis- play advertisements in the Stars and Stripes and other army publi- cations brought home to them in effective fashion the importance of preparation for their return to civil life. The theme was always the need at home for men who were trained. The response on the part of the men was gratifying; it did not take much persuasion to induce them to equip themselves for better positions and a fuller pay envelope back home. Yet at the same time that vocational training was being emphasized in this way, the problems of citizenship were equally stressed; for there was full realization of the fundamental purpose of this period of training, as stated by General Pershing himself in Gen- eral Orders No. 30: “The Commander-in-Chief invites the attention of organization commanders and of all officers in the American Expeditionary Forces to the importance of national education. This citizen army must return to the United States prepared to take an active and intelligent part in the future progress of our country. Educational and occupa- tional training should therefore be provided to meet the needs of the members of the A E F in order that they may become better equipped for their future responsibilities.” The army school officers, without whom the work could not be officially established in the camps, were appointed promptly in most cases; where this did not happen, due to a failure to appreciate the importance of the educational orders, or where these officers when appointed were not in full sympathy with the plans, the work was slow in getting started. When once the post and division schools were begun, with the full support of the army authorities, the progress of the work was much more rapid. Post SCHOOLS General Orders No. 192, in effect January 1, 1919, authorized the establishment of the educational system of the AEF-YMCA throughout the Army. Among other things these orders provided for the establishment of ‘‘Post Schools” in all posts, eantonments, hospi- tals, or rest camps, or areas which had a constant population of 500 or more soldiers. Attendance was voluntary, except for illiterates and non-English speaking soldiers, who were obliged to attend. It was natural that the first schools to be started were for illiterates, where _ the work was definitely prescribed. For all other soldiers the plan Emphasis on Vocational Traininga 14 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN had to be extremely flexible, capable of adaptation to all sorts of con- ditions. The subjects were those of a common school curriculum, modern languages, history of the United States and of other modern nations, civics and citizenship, and such other additional Subjects as might be authorized by General Headquarters. So far as possible, the wishes of the men were met by the establishment of special work. In all 133 different subjects were taught in the schools, ranging in Scope from reading, writing, and arithmetic, to psychology, baking, advertising, and locomotive engineering. The purpose was not to offer a ready-made educational program to the soldiers, but rather to construct one to order. The primary requirement was that it should first of all meet the needs of the soldiers. The man himself was asked what he wanted to study. When a sufficient number agreed on a subject to warrant the formation of a class, an instructor was sought, classroom and equipment secured, and the work begun. The initial enrollment was voluntary, but students who began any course of instruction in a post school were required to complete the course, and could not drop out at will. Should the military unit to which they belonged be ordered back to the United States, however, they were to be permitted to go with it. Until this was made clear there was great reluctance to enroll, through the fear that such en- rollment would delay the longed-for return home. The classes were started in all sorts of quarters with such make- shift equipment as could be secured in the confusion. At first the work was carried on in the evening, after the duties of the day were ended, since one of the requirements of this work was that it should not interfere in any respect with military requirements. After the schools were well started men were frequently released from military drill for two or three hours per day, for study or class work. In the Army of Occupation, an order was issued specifically setting aside two hours in the afternoon for school work, and prescribing that soldiers regularly enrolled in post schools could not be taken from their Studies at this time. Practically all the teachers used were secured from the Army it- self. An exhaustive list of officers and men with the necessary edu- cation and experience had been made, and from this list a selection was made of those who might be detailed to act as instructors. One of the most difficult tasks was to discover those who were competent. Some of them had had previous experience in teaching; many of them had not. This made the problem of teacher-training an especially im- .EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 15 portant one, and ultimately teams of supervisors were appointed from the Army Educational Corps whose duty it was to work constantly in all parts of the A E F, observing the teaching, holding individual and group conferences with the teachers, arranging formal institute pro- grams, and preparing helpful syllabi and bulletins from time to time, in order to improve the kind and quality of the instruction. In order to assist in this, men detailed as teachers were often released either wholly or in part from other duties so as to allow them to prepare lessons as well as to teach. The size of the schools depended directly upon the local billeting situation. Where large numbers of men were quartered in a small area, as in a city or large camp, the schools had a large member- ship. The post school in Hoehr, Germany, reported an enrollment of 741 for the month of February, and the school for colored troops at Camp St. Sulpice reported a maximum enrollment of 1,301. Most of the post schools were small. In the First Army area, Attendance of a total of 560 schools less than half had as many as 60 members, and 73 had less than twenty. Even so, the enrollment for the month of maximum attendance reached the amazing total of more than 182,000. In the Advance Section SOS alone, in spite of its task of maintaining the long lines of communication to the Rhine, and the necessity of doing all educational work at night, by candle light, after a hard day, the enrollment during the month of March was 12,350. From January to June 1st, the total number of students reached in this section was 22,300; the teachers numbered 1,425 and gave in- struction in 215 schools. DIVISIONAL EDUCATIONAL CENTERS The curriculum in the post schools was arranged so far as possible to meet the wishes of the men. Frequently, however, there were re- quests from a few students for courses of a technical or advanced character. For such courses and for such students, the divisional educational centers were established. This did not necessarily mean 2 school for an army division, as might be expected. It meant rather central schools in given areas, aS Many and as scattered as conditions might demand. Here men who could be spared came from all over the district, to take special courses. Instruction was afforded in certain trades, selected primarily on the basis of the army equipment that was available, such as baking, telegraphy, carpentry, horseshoeing, survey- ing, tailoring—anything the men wished to learn.Srna Trade Schools French Universities 16 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN In the trade schools the men were trained in connection with the army shops. In groups of one to five they were assigned to expert workmen as instructors, with an expert non-commissioned officer in charge of several groups. They worked seven or eight hours a day, learning as they worked. At Decize 3,000 men were taught in this way to operate and make light repairs on motor cars and motor- cycles. In some camps part time was spent in the classroom study- ing such related subjects as shop arithmetic, applied mechanics, or mechanical drawing. The value of such practical training as this was immediately obvious. At Romorantin there was an increase in production after the system was put into successful operation of from ten to twenty per cent. More than 27,000 soldier-students were enrolled in the various divisional educational] centers through- out the Army; and the work at many of these centers was at its best when the army school system was dissolved in June. FRENCH AND BRITISH UNIVERSITIES From the very beginning this educational enterprise had re- ceived the hearty approval and enthusiastic support of the educa- tional leaders in England and in France. The cordial cooperation of the French educators, culminated in an official invitation to the U.S. War Department to make the fullest use possible of the French educational institutions. With the coming of the demobilization period, it became possible to accept this invitation, and to send selected officers and men from the Army to the universities of France. The universities of the United Kingdom extended a similar invitation. Tentative arrangements were made by the YMCA long before the Army was ready to send students. A preliminary survey showed that the French universities would be able to accommodate at least 6,000, and the British 2,000 more. The French universities offered courses in letters, science, law, and medicine. The British universities did not specify particular fields of study, but left the election open to the student. While most of those who went to Great Britain entered courses similar to those in the French universities, theology, technology, and agriculture also drew their quota of followers. It became clear that the soldier’s pay during his furlough would not enable him to live properly at the universities and that three months would be hardly enough time for him to become accustomed to the new environment and to profit fully from his opportunity. SoEDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 17 it was arranged that the officers and soldiers chosen would be ‘‘ordered to detached service” for this work, and that the soldiers would re- ceive commutation of subsistence at two dollars per day and reim- bursement for actual cost of room rent not to exceed one dollar per day. The student was obliged to pay a fee for the courses he chose, amounting to not over 250 francs. Special extra fees (laboratory), if required at all, were not to exceed a maximum of 100 francs addi- tional. These arrangements were announced to the Army by a tele- gram from General Headquarters to the commanding officers of each division and of the SOS on February 8, 1919. All applicants for this detached service were required to be col- lege graduates or to have had a minimum of two years of college work or its equivalent. For those who were to attend the universities in France, some knowledge of French was imperative. In order to assist those whose mastery of the language was still imperfect, courses in the French language were established at each university. The term was to correspond with the regular university schedule, continuing from March 1st to June 30th. Students who chose this uni- versity work were required to remain in residence and complete the term, even though their units might have been ordered home before the end of June. Many more applications were received than could possibly be accommodated, so a quota was selected from each division, and ordered to report to specific universities. For each university a military commander was appointed, by preference one who was a university man himself. The officers and soldiers who were sent to the 49 British uni- British versities which opened their doors to the American visitors were less fortunate in some respects, since they were able to take advantage of only the short summer term. Although special arrangements were made for the American soldiers there was less chance for regular university study. In other respects, the students in Great Britain met with the same cordial reception and warm welcome as their fel- lows in France. They came away at the end of the term cherishing the most delightful memories of their visit and of the kindness of their hosts. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AT BEAUNE The applications for entrance to the French and British universi- ties were far in excess of the accommodations, even though at leastBeaune University Council 18 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN two years of collegiate work was a requisite to admission. To accom- modate this overflow, and to offer an opportunity to those who had had less than the necessary two years preliminary preparation, an American University was proposed to be conducted along American lines, and staffed entirely with American instructors. As soon as this plan was authorized, search was begun for the most suitable location. At Beaune, a beautiful little city in Cote d’Or, there was a great base hospital camp, about two miles square, containing more than 200 buildings. This camp was chosen to be the site of the American University. At Allerey, ten miles away, another hospital camp, in the midst of six hundred acres of farm land, afforded an opportunity for easy transformation into a College of Agriculture, to be carried on in connection with the University. In a month’s time, after the choice was made, the hospital buildings were remodeled, adapted to educational purposes, 175 new ones constructed, the workshops of the hospital transformed into laboratories for engineering and technical instruction, an administrative staff organized, and teachers secured. On February 7th, General Rees appointed Colonel Ira L. Reeves, former President of Norwich University, to be the local representa- tive of the General Staff, Section 5, and made him Superintendent and Commanding Officer of the University, afterwards President. As the local Army Executive Officer, he was in charge of the military ad- © ministration, and his special function was to establish and main- tain the fullest possible coordination between it and the educational program. His previous educational experience and natural interest in the work made him a most sympathetic collaborator; and the American University became a remarkable illustration of most suc- cessful cooperation in dual administration. The University was administered by a “University Council,” con- sisting of Colonel Reeves as President, Dr. Erskine as Educational Director, the other members of the Army Educational Commission ex-officio, the directors of the various colleges and of the citizenship course, and the registrar. This Council was charged with all matters concerning curriculum, schedule, and personnel, with the power to recommend action to the President. Each department in turn ad- ministered its own affairs, recommending to the University Council through its director. A survey of the Army showed that among the officers alone there were 2,600 who had been college professors or were equipped to giveEDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 19 instruction in college subjects. _ With such a supply to draw from, it was not difficult to secure a faculty to teach practically every subject 7 offered in an American university. Naturally, it took some time to complete laboratories, secure equipment, get books and establish smooth running conditions. Students began to arrive on March 7th, 1919. It was not long before 6,000 of them were working here on a wide range of subjects, with adequate materials, and under efficient instructors. These students were sent to Beaune on “detached ser- vice,’ whereby they received their full pay while attending courses. One of the factors that made the University attractive to the men and yet introduced difficulties in the administration, was the fact that both instructors and students were allowed to be returned with their outfits when their turn came for embarkation, even if this compelled them to leave in the middle of a term. On account of the eagerness on the part of the men to get home at the earliest possible moment, there had been considerable reluctance to apply for admission to the University until this option to go or stay was made definite. The occasional departure of groups of students or instructors had a dis- organizing effect on some classes; but at the end of the three months’ session, the University was running with unexpected smoothness and accomplishing its work in very effective fashion. When the Uni- versity was in full action at mid-term, it was offering 240 courses in its 36 departments to a total class enrollment aggregating 13,243. One of the especially interesting branches of the work at the University was that in the college of fine and applied arts. It was not supposed at first that much interest would be shown in an art school for soldiers; but application for courses in the fine arts, throughout the Army, totaled well over 3,000, without advertising ‘The scope of the educational work in general is indicated by the complete- ness of the list of subordinate colleges in the University at Beaune. These were thirteen in all, designated as the colleges of agriculture, fine and applied arts, business, cadets (West Point courses), correspondence, education, engineering and industry and trades, journalism, law, letters, medicine, music, and science. Of these the college of business was much the most popular, with an enrollment exceeding 2,000 more than twice that of any other. Regular courses were carried on during five days in the week. On Saturday morning there was a course in citizenship, for all the University students, at which attendance was required. Saturday afternoons were free, affording opportunity for many delightful rambles in the beautiful countryside of the Céte d’Or, or for excursions to places of interest in the neighborhood. The University was of valuable service to the system of post schools and divisional centers throughout the Army; for many of the men chosen to teach in these schools were sent to Beaune for a two weeks’ intensive normal training course, planned to coach them in the best methods of school work. he aculty Fine and Applied ArtsA Triple Service 20 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN or special solicitation. In connection with the college at the Ameri- can University, a special art training center was established at Belle- vue, between Paris and Versailles. Here courses were given in paint- ing, architecture, sculpture, landscape design, city planning, indus- trial and commercial art design, and architectural engineering. No more admirable location for such a school could have been found. Through the courtesy and generous cooperation of the French, the ateliers of Laloux and of Jaussely, and the Académie Julian, were thrown open to the American students, and famous masters of paint- ing and sculpture gave freely of their time to criticise and direct the work. As a result of the work at Bellevue, and in the art school at Beaune, there was an extraordinary interest taken by the soldiers in fine and applied arts. The American University and the art school at Believue, together with the other opportunities in Paris and neighbor- hood, gave instruction and training to more than 1,300 art students, in addition to those who received less systematic training in the many camps where local educational directors organized and conducted special art classes independent of and unconnected with this central institute. UNITED KINGDOM The general educational work of the YMCA with the Army in the United Kingdom was carried on by means of three principal agencies, the Library Service, the Lecture Service, and the Instruc- tion Service. Up to the time of the Armistice, while the troops were moving, textbooks were scarce and classrooms lacking; the first two of these agencies practically monopolized the field. During its first year in the United Kingdom, the Library Ser- vice distributed more than 478,000 books, magazines, pamphlets, and maps to the troops. Lectures were always popular. Even during this period class work was carried on wherever possible in a wide variety of subjects. When the general educational program was approved by the Army and began to receive its active support early in 1919, the most im- portant service of the Educational Department of the United Kingdom was the problem of placing the 2,000 soldier students who were to come from France to study in the various British universities. In this task the Y M C A placed its entire resources at the disposal of the Army Educational Corps.EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 21 Preliminary arrangements with the universities were completed by the time of the arrival of the first students at Knotty Ash Camp, Liverpool, in March, 1919. Meetings were held at which attention was called to the special opportunities at each university, followed by individual conferences in which further information and advice could be given. After these meetings the assignments of the students were quickly made, and they were sent out to the universities where they were to study. When the universities found it almost impossible to house this sudden influx of students, the Leave Department of the YMCA found lodgings for them. When they organized their college sports in American fashion, the YMCA supplied them with athletic equip- ment. When during vacation periods, or in their free time, the stu- dents planned tours or excursions, Y secretaries acted as guides and lecturers. In various other ways the YMCA helped to make the stay of these young Americans in England both pleasant and profit- able. SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES From the beginning, it was recognized that the lecture would be Extension one of the very best methods of education under the unique circum- stances. The troops were frequently in motion, the courses had to be short; continuous class work was impracticable; but a lecture was always possible. The educational work overseas began with one man giving part of his time to lecturing. When the work closed June 3, 1919, there were 157 field lecturers in this single branch of educa- tion. This number, too, includes only those who were specifically with the Army Educational Corps, and does not include the large number of other secretaries, who, as opportunity offered, in addition to their regular duties, gave talks and lectures to the soldiers on a variety of topics. The lectures covered a wide range of subjects. Talks on pres- ent-day political and social problems were always well received. The history and art of France furnished a wealth of material with illustra- tions always ready to hand. One of the most successful branches of the lecture service was that on occupational direction. A team of speakers met the men in formal public gatherings, to talk on the general problems of employment; in groups by trades or professions, to discuss the problems of the group; and individually, for consulta- tion on their personal problems.Citizenship Bureau 22 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Lecturers on business topics, especially insurance, on engineer- ing and on trades, found a ready hearing, and the teachers who were working in the post and division schools were greatly helped by the field force of trainers who coached them on teaching methods, and helped them with individual counsel. When possible, the speakers were grouped in teams, and the work carried on in the form of insti- tutes. This became the most practical solution of the problem of reaching the largest number of soldiers with a limited personnel. Particularly successful were the agricultural institutes; the first one of these, held in the Bordeaux area, reached 10,000 men in a period of two weeks. By the middle of April when the Army took over the work, the institute movement was wel] started throughout the Army. Available records of meetings and attendance are not complete; but they indicate that during April and May there were over 500 institutes throughout the AE F with an attendance approximating 200,000. Under the inspiration of an institute, or sometimes of a single lecture, clubs were established among the soldiers to follow up the work just started. Occasionally these were organized, managed, and maintained by the men themselves spontaneously, or upon barely more than a suggestion. They were of every possible type. In the college of agriculture at Allerey, there were more than 40 varieties, from a peanut club to a dramatic club. The membership varied widely. At one time, in one regiment alone of the 91st Division, there were more than 1,000 men enrolled in clubs; in Le Mans area, 2,000 names were on the list. One of the most valuable features of the club work was a by- product. Many a man discovered the value of getting together with others on matters of common interest. He found that he not only could learn from, but also contribute to his neighbor, and through this club experience he received a real stimulus towards cooperative organization and community spirit. In connection with the general program, a special Citizenship Bureau was established after the Armistice for the specific purpose of spreading reliable information about, and stimulating discussion upon the problems of our industrial, social, and civic life. This work was carried on almost entirely by the institute and club methods. A special staff of lecturers, in teams, went about from camp to camp, discussing topics of vital interest to the soldier-citizen. up the lectures with an “open forum” and in this dis- They followedEDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 23 cussion the men themselves took a lively part. The reports show that lectures and discussions were held before audiences whose numbers exceeded 230,000. The generous cooperation of numerous organiza- tions in the United States was of great assistance. Slides, charts, and a variety of exhibits on such subjects as city planning, child wel- fare, health, and other matters of civic importance were furnished free, enabling the bureau to do its work without expending a large part of the YMCA appropriation for the purpose. The Sight-Seeing Department was an important educational fea- Bie hizecine ture. One of the most valuable methods of learning is to see objects of historical or artistic significance under capable direction, explained by one who understands and appreciates their value. In the leave areas, where the soldiers were given a seven-day respite from the strenuous military life, they could hardly be ex- pected to spend any of their precious vacation time in a class room, no matter how interesting or important the subject. Since, however, these areas were in the most attractive and enticing spots in all France, they afforded an exceptional opportunity for lectures, talks, and hikes to historical points with guides—a form of instruction which from the first proved popular and successful. Even in the camps there were many similar opportunities. Where there was a group interested in agricultural study, permission was obtained from near-by French stock breeders to visit their farms, and leave to go was granted by the military authorities. Problems of stock raising, feeding, selling, pasturing, and breeding, as well as of general farm- ing, were studied at first hand. Or perhaps it was to be field work in art and architecture; by skilful planning and guidance a wealth of illustrative material could be revealed. The chateau region was espe- cially rich in such opportunities. At Blois, companies of soldiers were taken every day to the chateau, famous alike for its architectural beauty and for its historical associations ; and many trips were made to the cathedrals in the neighborhood, the French gardens, the local stock farm, and the stone quarries. Although the active educational organization which the Y M C A Exservice had built up in France was taken over bodily by the Army in April, 1919, the contributions of the Y MCA to the educational welfare of the soldier did not cease. Wherever opportunity offered, incidental classes were established, and the library and lecture service continued ; nor was its work ended with the return home of the Army. Realizing the problems that ex-service men faced in the attempt to adjust them-re et he neces nniag eee beioaeasionnannnnna nanan Educational Urgency 24 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN selves to changed economic and social] conditions, the YMCA “Edu- cational Service”! was established in order to assist these ex-service men, as well as the Americans who served with the Allied Armies, in securing education, choosing a suitable occupation, and obtaining satisfactory employment. ARMY EDUCATIONAL CoRPS The experience of our educational leaders in their work with the educational program in France revealed to them in a striking fashion the defects in our national educational system, and also what could be done by a systematic effort to remedy those defects in connection with the national Army. The results were so Significant as to sug- gest the possibility of the establishment of some permanent system of brief courses of study under military discipline. If we are to overcome the illiteracy that exists, if we are to train even our literate citizens adequately for some trade or profession, it must be done in some way supplementary to our present educational] system. It is Significant that at thee AEF University at Beaune, May 24 to 28, 1919, a conference was held by a Committee on Universal Training for National Service, at which the three members of the Army Educa- tional Corps, each in his own way, presented before the conference the importance of some system of this sort. There can be no ques- tion but that this experiment on a large scale in education in citizen- ship under army direction, will prove to be one of the most valuable in the educational history of our country, not merely to those whose intellectual equipment was definitely increased thereby, but equally to the leaders in the educational world and to the country at large, in the light which it throws upon our present educational weaknesses and possible methods of reorganization. One of the most striking lessons of the war was this discovery of the importance of better education for men in the Army, both as soldiers and as citizens. As the size of the Army increased, the War Department had been compelled to establish schools at army camps, and to organize development battalions. It had even drafted the col- * Consult Chapter XX. "Dr. Erskine, in an article in the Review o Reviews for October, 1919, and Dr. Spaulding in the Atlantic Monthly for April, 1920, not only advocate but urge the establishment of an educational draft, for a year of combined mili- tary and civic training, for all except the physically disabled and the mentally incompetent,EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL SERVICE 25 lege and technical schools in order to give the enormous amount of intensive education and vocational training needed by officers and men. An examination of the men drafted for the Army had revealed Givie the fact that more than twenty per cent could not read a newspaper or write an intelligent letter; that many who were technically literate had not mastered yet the fundamentals of elementary school educa- tion; that the number of skilled men in the trades was grossly insuffi- cient for the needs of the state; and that in general there was a wofully inadequate preparation for civic responsibilities. With the transition from war to peace, our Army became trans- formed from a fighting machine into a huge university. The materials utilized in the war were found to be equally valuable as equipment for technical and trade education. It has been stated that in peace time only four hours per day can be spent profitably in strictly military training, and that nearly 50 per cent of the Army should spend the rest of their time in vocational training and in training for other national needs. So with the repatriation of the Army, and the de- mobilization of most of the men, the Army did not give up the educa- tional system adopted and practiced in the camps at home and abroad. The fact that it has preserved such a system as a permanent element in military training is evidence of the highest possible type to the value of the educational work done during the war, and an indirect recognition of the significant service rendered by those who planned, formulated and organized the program which was finally put into effect. By its present educational system, the Army is continuing to make men not only better soldiers, but better citizens, able both to defend their country, and to contribute productively to its life, with a better understanding of its fundamental institutions, and a fuller appreciation of its national ideals. 1Consult Final Tabulation of Army Mentality Tests During the War, Vol. XV, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, 1921. ResponsibilitiesThe Director Forecasting Needs CHAPTER XXXV GAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS In the minds of leading physical directors, YMCA physical work with the AE F was broadly conceived and elevated above the popular conception of athletic sports. These were regarded as but one of several means by which not only fighting efficiency could be en- hanced, but a genuine character building influence exerted. After the Armistice, the recreational and entertainment aspects of athletics emerged into spectacular prominence. Nevertheless, in the broadest Service, the fundamental characteristic of YMCA physical work was dominant. While contestants might be actuated by no motive ex- cept the desire for fun and victory, the physical director aimed at cumulative resulting life values. IN THE FIGHTING PERIOD The work was initiated by Dr. John H. McCurdy, of the YMCA College at Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr. McCurdy had won a national reputation as a leader in his field, as indicated by his selec- tion to be chairman of the section on physical education and hygiene of the National Commission on Secondary Education, and editor of the American Physical Education Review. He was directly com- missioned by the International Committee to take charge of physical work with the AE F. With the consent of the Committee he also ac- cepted a credential authorizing him to act as the official representa- tive in France of the War Department Commission on Training Camp Activities. Arriving in France on August 14, 1917, Dr. McCurdy Spent two weeks as physical director at the field artillery training camp at Valdahon, and then inspected the 1st Division in the Gondre- court area to familiarize himself with typical conditions in the field. On September 1st he undertook the duties of YMCA athletic direc- tor for the A E F, the department of which he was head being known, informally, as Recreation. The first necessities were workers and supplies. Before the end of the month requests were sent to New York for physical directors on the basis of one to each 2,500 men, and, in addition, for each 15,000 men an average of one man capable of handling the work in an entire 26GAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 27 division. In the light of the best information available, the numbers required were 170 by May 1st, enough to handle the work with an army increasing to about 450,000 men. Supply estimates were based on the division as a unit, and an order aggregating $300,000, estimated to be sufficient for 40 divisions and to last until October 1, 1918, was sent to New York in the middle of November. Meanwhile, with the few men and supplies available, work was started. At Gondrecourt on Thanksgiving Day a divisional field meet was held. At the aviation school at Issoudun an active director worked with the hearty cooperation of the commandant and a captain detailed as athletic officer. Three fields laid out by army agencies were available for football. In reporting on his activities, December 17,1917, sixteen days after his arrival at his station the enthusiastic director wrote that twelve football teams had been organized. The basket ball season was started on January 1st and ended on February 13th. Twenty-one teams were organized and one night each week was always devoted to this one sport. On account of the weather all games were played in the YMCA hut. Officers acted as officials for the games. Every Monday was given over to boxing bouts and wrestling matches. Boxing was the favorite amusement and drew capacity audiences. For baseball the YMCA leased a field upon which a number of diamonds were laid out. Similar activities developed in a number of places, especially about the base ports. There were not enough secretaries and the canteen had an irresistible tendency to draw into its vortex every worker in sight. It was particularly hard to get trained physical directors from America. Most of the men active in the work in the United States were of military age and had entered the Army. Of those available who were familiar with athletic games and their organ- ization, few had the technique necessary for promoting mass and non- equipment games which constituted the corner-stone of the YMCA athletic program. Supplies too were exasperatingly slow in coming in spite of strenuous efforts in New York to overcome the obstacles that held back all materials. For such reasons, in part, the athletic development was slow. The program, however, had other important features which could be promoted without a large personnel, or supplies. One of these was the Bureau of Hygiene, organized November 6th. To head this, Dr. McCurdy secured Dr. James Naismith, always, however, himself giv- ing the closest attention and cooperation. Dr. Naismith had been Athletic Beginnings Social Hygienetees Sanh nh ate = A Civie Need 28 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN head of the Department of Physical Education in the University of Kansas for 21 years and had had several years’ service as chaplain in the National Guard. The work consisted of preparation and dis- tribution of literature, and lectures on the importance of clean living, especially from the point of view of fighting efficiency and of future family and social health. So far as possible, men with scientific, professional knowledge-were entrusted with this duty, and uninformed zeal was discouraged from meddling with it. The lectures and litera- ture combined educational and inspirational features. The facts were set forth plainly, but without exaggeration. Appeal was made to Christian principles, to the soldier’s sense of duty to his family, actual or anticipated, and to his Sporting spirit—the spirit of the athletic training table. The objective was distinctly to establish or cultivate the inner motives for clean living, for self-respect, and for self-control, as contrasted with medica] measures for avoiding disease after exposure. The fact that the subject does not lend itself to general discus- sion should not be permitted to obscure the much more important fact that there was need of such efforts and that they were recognized as having definite usefulness by the medical officers who were continually consulted, and whose professional labors the program was intended to assist.t_ Of course some men sneered at the work, and accused its promotors of pruriency. Such probably were not aware of the statis- tics showing the military casualties from this cause in the earlier years of the war, nor of the civilian conditions which, before the war, caused many sober and unexcitable leaders in the United States to feel that extensive education in socia] hygiene is one of our most urgent civic needs. Some of the measures taken locally by army officers to expose to public shame, as a deterrent to others, men who had contracted venereal disease, could be justified only by the undeniable fact that a man who rendered himself unfit for duty, because of indulgence, was as guilty of disloyalty as if he had wounds self-inflicted for the pur- pose of escaping the dangers of fighting. Side by side with disciplin- ary measures, commanders welcomed the influence that would make discipline unnecessary.? ‘Consult Chapter VI. gh urged by leading officers of the Medical Section of the General Staff n and officially direct a program to promote cleanness of life, 1on that he could accomplish more as a Y M C A man re- * Althou to accept a commissio Dr. McCurdy’s convict mained unshaken.GAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 29 A third responsibility undertaken by this department was main- tenance and promotion of the health of secretaries. This originated September 16, 1917, with a report on camp sanitation and coopera- tion with the Army Medical Corps. At first treating personally such secretaries as became ill, the director in November made an ar- rangement with the American physician practicing in Paris to give medical care to Y MCA workers. About the same time he arranged for hospital care by the American Red Cross Hospital No. 2 in Paris and the American Hospital at Neuilly, and for medical treatment and hospitalization in the field by the Army Medical Corps. The service of the Red Cross and Medical Corps was always freely given. Early in January a visiting nurse began to care for secretaries ill at their lodgings in Paris. On January 28th, Dr. Frederick P. Lord, Professor in the Medical School of Portsmouth College, who had come to France as a secretary, was appointed head of the Health Section of the Recreation Department. This bureau had, of course, intimate connection with the Personnel Department. Eventually it became independent as the Medical Department, reporting directly to the Overseas Committee. With a personnel of 40 workers, eighteen of whom were physicians, this department conducted a wide variety of preventive, sanitary measures as well as care of the sick. While setting these activities in motion the Director of the Recreation Department was giving his chief attention to a compre- hensive effort to make a positive contribution to the physical condi- tion of the Army through recreational athletics. It was his belief that, however many physical directors the YMCA might provide, they would be inadequate in numbers, and that every unit should have officers and'men scientifically trained to direct this work. Too many officers, however, regarded athletics simply as a time-killing device to keep idle men out of mischief. The situation and the proposals resulting from study of it may best be indicated by the following incident. In November, 1917, Gen- eral Summerall, after discussion of plans with Dr. McCurdy, turned over his brigade for a demonstration by the physical director at St. Nazaire. Tapes were laid down to indicate a trench six feet wide, and the whole brigade attempted to jump the trench. Twenty eight per cent of the men failed to clear it. The minimum standard jump for grammar school boys thirteen years old, in New York City, is six feet. The men then ran 220 yards. The minimum standard for school boys for the distance is 27 1-5 seconds. Seventeen per cent of Health Bureau Athletic ProgramMass Athletics 30 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the brigade took more than 30 seconds. Dr. McCurdy offered to guar- antee that if given the opportunity he would take the poorer 40 per cent of the men and increase their physical efficiency ten to fifteen per cent in six weeks. After a similar test in the Gondrecourt area, one officer declared that such an improvement would save ten per cent of the casualties in a surprise attack, and another said that that ten per cent would make the difference between success and failure. Several such demonstrations proved that recreational athletics had a positive relation to fighting efficiency, and that the mass play methods which were aimed particularly at getting into the game those men, physically inferior, who were least likely to take part in voluntary athletics, offered a feasible method of procedure. By March, 1918, the idea had made sufficient progress among officers to warrant a definite proposal of compulsory mass athletics, which was put forward to the Commander-in-Chief as follows: 1. (a) Compulsory mass athletics, the training graded accord- ing to the ability of the men, the prime object being to raise the physi- cal efficiency of the poorer 40 per cent. All should be included in these exercises in graded groups. This will result not only in increased efficiency in the Army but in the development of a method for the schools and colleges in America, which will fit men for efficient mili- tary service who are now ineffective. The present Army has from 20 to 30 per cent of its force below normal possible efficiency, essential to a good soldier. The trench jumping of a brigade in which 28 per cent failed to jump over a trench six feet wide indicates this fact. Six feet is a poor jump. Numbers of other men were only mediocre: seventeen per cent of the men tested could not run 220 yards in 30 seconds, a very moderate rate. Such men could neither catch a Hun nor get away from one. The poorest 40 per cent of an army is the easiest portion to improve in physical efficiency through training. (b) Optional athletics on evenings, holidays, and Sundays for the natural athletes, the object being to furnish a spectacle and fun for the crowd. Inter-regimental and inter-divisional matches in box- ing and baseball are illustrations. 2. If the Commander-in-Chief desires it, the AE F-Y MCA is prepared to carry out both of the above types of physical training. The first type can only be handled as a compulsory program. This would involve turning the men over to the Y M C A physical directors for them to direct the work with the help of officers and non-commis- sioned officers. The second type is already being undertaken by the YMCA. A vigorous program of mass athletics and competition in team athletics is essential to the highest physical efficiency and fight- ing morale of the army.GAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 31 9 The YMCA is prepared to furnish athletics and gymnastics related to the military needs in agility, speed, skill, and endurance. The Y MCA has already a staff of 86 trained physical directors with the AEF. By November, 1918, it will have a staff of approximately 300 serving with the AE F. It now has in process of delivery over $300,000 worth of athletic goods for the AEF. The letter further suggested that the Commander-in-Chief should consider detailing an officer in each division to promote athletic work under the general supervision of the Athletic Department of the Y MCA, and that an officer in each regiment and company be desig- nated to cooperate with the YMCA physical directors. These men were expected to be non-commissioned officers who had had athletic experience, and could be detailed a few hours each week to assist in both compulsory and mass athletics, and to help in the promotion of optional team work for championships. At the time this letter was sent many features of the program as suggested for the whole Army were already under way in the 2d Division and elsewhere, and the purpose was to universalize the method. At the First Corps School for officers in the Gondrecourt area, the YMC A physical director made during the spring a demon- stration of instruction that led the commander to recommend that it be introduced into all the military schools in France. On March 21st the Germans started their great spring offensive, and open warfare began. The resulting changes in the military situa- tion not only made impossible the adoption of the compulsory plan but also, to a large extent, prevented the smooth working of the program for voluntary athletics. The limitation of trans-Atlantic transporta- tion space cut off much of the expected inflow of additional physical directors and of athletic material. The sinking of the Kansan and Oronsa, each carrying a large quantity of athletic supplies, dealt a heavy blow to the Athletic Department. The dark side of the situation resulting from these various dis- appointments is indicated by the following report, dated March 22, 1918: “The first brigade returned from the trenches the other day to the Gondrecourt Division for rest. We tried for several weeks be- fore this time to have athletic material, especially baseball outfits, on hand, so that we might put on a big program of athletics immedi- ately. All arrangements were made with the Army so far as the appointment of athletic officers was concerned and plans were laid for a big time during the next four weeks before the men went back Fortunes of WarEncouragements Cumulative Development 32 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN to the trenches. We are seriously crippled in the carrying out of our plans because of the lack of material and there is not much hope for a change for the better. One of the generals remarked at an athletic meeting the other day that it was up to the YMCA to de- liver the goods. He said something about the fifty million dollars and the fact that we had several months to prepare for this athletic work —which, of course, is quite true. The general, like most Americans, is very much interested in baseball and if we fall down on this one item I think we are in for a great deal of criticism from the Army. The same thing applies to our front line work. There isn’t half enough material to carry on the work. There will be more to explain away as the weather brightens up and there is more chance for out- door games.” This, however, was but one side of the picture, as appears from a cablegram from General Pershing, dated April 5, 1918: “Paragraph J-A. Reference physical training troops in France. Understand Fosdick Commission is planning to send athletic direc- tors who are to be commissioned and detailed for this particular pur- pose by War Department. It is not thought wise or desirable that ad- ditional non-combatant personnel should be attached for any purpose to division staff already large. If it becomes desirable to have these activities conducted by commissioned officers there are graduates of West Point and the great colleges who are available for this purpose and in the meantime the situation is being adequately met by the Y MCA physical directors working in entire harmony with divisional and smaller unit commanders. Conditions governing in the training camps in the United States do not govern here and methods used in the United States cannot be used here. It is recommended that the present satisfactory system be not changed or interfered with, espe- cially in view of the fact that opportunities for physical exercise apart from strictly military training will constantly diminish in number.” Behind this expression of opinion by the Commander-in-Chief lay a cumulative development. At the end of December, 1917, following a conference with Col. Logan, Chief of Staff, First Section (G-1), the Y MCA had been asked to promote informal games in late after- noons and evenings, challenge games on Saturday and Sundays, and regular scheduled games at training camps. Army athletic materials, e.g. the Clark Griffith’s supplies, were to be turned over to the YMCA for distribution. When possible, soldiers were to be detailed for athletic instruction. Early in March, E. B. De Groot, who had had large experience in public play promotion in Chicago and San Francisco, became AssociateGAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 33 Director with special responsibility for athletics. In March, the Colombes Athletic Field—the scerie of the Olympic contests held in connection with the World Exposition in 1900—was secured for the Paris Division. The Clark Griffith’s equipment was found in an army warehouse at Nevers, and put into circulation. The athletic supplies ordered in November were beginning to arrive. On May 9th the athletic work was extensive enough to warrant the reorganization of the Department of Recreation, which now became the Department of Athletics, Hygiene, and Health. The athletic staff, at that time numbered about 100 men, instead Undermanned of the 170 called for; of these, 30 had been selected from among the general workers to serve until trained men could be found to replace them. The practice of some divisional secretaries of setting physical directors to canteen or transport work was peculiarly exasperating. Three days after the reorganization of the department, its representa- tions on this score resulted in a bulletin issued by the Chief Secre- tary, requiring that all physical directors should be released from other duties and give full time to physical work. Early in June the Chairman of the War Department Commission on Training Camp Activities visited France, and in a series of con- ferences it was agreed that the Commission would send no athletic directors to France, and that the Commission’s supplies should be de- livered to Dr. McCurdy for distribution to the army units and to the athletic directors of the Y M C A and Knights of Columbus. About $300,000 worth of supplies eventually came from this source. An order for athletic supplies, amounting to $40,000 to meet needs for the remainder of the year, and another amounting to $1,400,000 for 1919 were sent to the War Work Council, thus early to avoid a repetition of the delays already suffered. These orders, large in the aggregate, called for an expenditure of forty cents per year per man. The scale on which activities in the field were actually carried cca on while this development was being accomplished, was indicated by a report of June 30, 1918, from which the following is quoted: Equipment Games Played Distributed in June EE eC ORR 25,200 balls 6,000 eee nail Se oe ne 500 balls 4.000 Wollevaball senso qdae oe tt 14,400 balls Horo00 field Cts) mene heitct a Re , 2 : oa ; ae ner. boos 1,506 sets 1,400 Soccer football .....-------:++++> 2,980 balls 80034 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN An average of 200 baseball games and ten track and field meets per day was far from insignificant. This report also proposed a school for physical education of athletic officers during the fighting period, and the Inter-Allied Championship games during demobilization. The personnel and supply situation seemed to call for more ef- fective action in the United States, and with the cooperation of Dr. Luther Gulick, well known as a leader in this field, a Spirited recruit- ing campaign was conducted. One of the new provisions was that every recruit for this work should take an intensive training, adapted to overseas conditions, in the Y MC A Training School at Springfield, Mass., or at Chicago. As a result of this campaign, 1,616 men were recruited, 869 for home camps and 747 for overseas. During August and September, 301 physical directors sailed for France. While these efforts were being made, military events of the first importance had been occurring in rapid succession. All eyes were turned toward the front. About the middle of J uly when the German offensive was at its height Major General Harbord was asked whether there was not some special service that could be rendered by athletic directors for the men who were actually fighting. Troops in the Chateau-Thierry region were then scattered all over the country-side. There was a large number of men who were not in immediate contact with the enemy, but who were waiting to go into the front lines, or who were in artillery units firing from distances of one to ten miles in the rear. The question was what could be done that would not interfere with military operations. The General’s opinion was, evou can go just as far forward as you have the nerve to go. I will have it known that the Y MC A directors are to promote simple Sports as far as they can. See Major General Bundy, Commander of this Division, and tell him this.” General Bundy, when seen at his own headquarters, was enthusi- astic. He thought the Services of Supply were getting too great a proportion of the physical directors. __ Let me sketch the conditions in my division,” he said. “Within a mile of where we stand are perhaps ten thousand men who are in what may be termed ‘support positions’—not in the line. They are in the woods here concealed and in camouflaged positions out of sight of the enemy aircraft. Elsie Janis doesn’t come up here and sing to these fellows. What do you suppose they are doing? They are in the woods, waiting three hours or three days for orders to take them Into the front lines and if there is one period when the strain is theGAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 30 most severe on the American it is when he is waiting for something. He is all right when he is fighting and training. But when the training is done and the fighting has not begun, when he is in a period of inaction, when he is within sound of the guns and can’t see the enemy, then is the time, if ever, that he is upset. There is only one thing that will offset that to any appreciable degree and that is some form of physical activity. These men are trained up to the minute to fight and we say: ‘Wait three hours or three days.’ If you can go in there with something that does not mean the men must collect in large groups, send every athletic director you have.” In went the directors. Non-equipment sports were started at once. Boxing-gloves and baseballs were supplied whenever possible but it did not take much material to keep a great many men busy in such off hours as they had. The non-equipment games spread rapidly until the whole 2d Division was soon familiar with the methods employed. In the training areas as well as close to the front many games were played under exciting conditions. Sometimes it was necessary to post guards to watch for enemy airplanes and many a nine had to take to the woods till danger had passed. Sometimes army officers were not favorably disposed. Occasion- ally a commander would say: “Absolutely nothing doing—we are fighting a war—you fellows are crazy—this is not a playground.” The majority, however, took General Bundy’s view and often cooper- ated by calling special attention to particular situations where ath- letics would help; such, for example, as the fact that in the artillery divisions guns were manned by two crews, one of which was always off duty, and in need of recreation. By August 1st the personnel of the department had risen, toy lO; teprorement by October the figure had reached 297. Even prior to the arrival of the new recruits from the training schools matters began to improve to some extent, partly because of the withdrawal of physical directors from canteen work and partly because a large number of Army and Association officials were being converted to the opinion that the promotion of athletics was a very essential matter. A reflection of this change occurs in a formal expression of opinion by the conference of regional directors held at Paris, August 9-10, 1918: ‘Divisional and regional secretaries must accept the responsibility for meeting the recreational athletic demands put upon us by the Army. This work having been definitely committed to the Association by the Army becomes one of the obligations to which all are committed.” DuringEndorsement of Athletic Values 36 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the month of August, when complete statistical reports were compiled for the first time, there were recorded in round numbers, 175,000 soldiers participating in games promoted by the Y MCA directors, and 720,000 who enjoyed them as spectators. An important factor in hastening the change in favor of pushing athletics was a letter to the YMCA athletic director for the First Army from Major General Harbord, Commanding Officer, Services of Supply (prior to that Chief of Staff at General Headquarters and also Commander of the Marine Brigade of the 2d Division at Chateau-Thierry). This letter dated August 27, 1918, was as follows: “T take advantage of our acquaintance, dating from the days when you were the physical director in the YMCA work in the Philippines, to say to you that it has reached my ears that the benefit of recreational athletic sports furnished by the A E F is still a matter for discussion among some of your people. . In my mind there is no uncertainty. In the first place, granted the time for recreational athletic sports, it seems to me that there can be no doubt of the value of athletic recreation for men of all types, soldiers and others. “In any Army we have in France, no matter how large, there will always be, roughly, one-third of it in the Services of Supply. These officers and men are without the stimulus of meeting the enemy, their work is of the humdrum, monotonous character that lowers tone, yet it is so important that the Army at the front cannot exist without it. It extends from the ports to immediately behind the front line trenches. Obviously, unless the Army at the front can be supplied, it cannot exist. On the Services of Supply falls the burden of sup- plying it. I can think of no better method of elevating the tone of this large force, of taking their mind off of their work outside office hours, so necessary to maintain health and at the same time guard their morals, as recreational athletic sports that the Y M C A is alone able to furnish them. _“The theory of the employment of the combat divisions is that in ordinary times probably half of them are engaged in combat and halt of them in rest. With those in rest, their minds must be taken off of losses recently suffered, the memory of hardships undergone must be | removed, the physical tone elevated after comparative physical inac- tivity in the trenches, and their morals must be guarded by furnishing them an amusement which will keep them from seeking bad associates. For all these purposes there occurs to me but one which appears to help on all points mentioned: that is, recreational athletic sports furnished by the YMCA. The benefits of this phase of the YMCA work are so clear to me, so generally believed in by all our officers, and so welcomed by the men, that I am astonished that there should be any doubt expressed by anyone. “Very sincerely yours, “J. C. HARBORD, Major-General, Commanding.”GAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 37 The reading of this letter at a general conference of division secretaries held shortly after it was received gave a distinct impetus to athletics. The previous order releasing physical directors from other types of work now met with full compliance except in bad weather or in emergencies. Such Army officers in the Services of Supply as might have been indifferent hitherto could not fail to follow the Commanding Officer and give full cooperation. The result of this change of attitude was at once apparent. Taken in conjunction both with the increase in the number of physical directors and supplies, it goes far toward explaining the increased number of participations in athletics for September and October as compared with August. The numbers for the two latter months were 580,000 and 1,007,000 as compared with 175,000 in August. The lower rate of increase in the number of spectators (August 720,000, September 1,614,000, October 1,973,000) is also an indication of improvement, for it shows that the effort to get “every man in the game” was having effect. The chief improvement was naturally felt in the Services of Supply particularly at concentration points such as Tours, Blois, Dijon, where a considerable number of athletic directors had been assigned to meet the needs of relatively permanent units. Even among depot divisions, however, where the troops were coming and going, and where men destined to be replacements with combat divi- sions were receiving the hardest kind of training to prepare them for the front, much more was accomplished than had hitherto been possible. In spite of the fact that hours for drill and other regular duties were long and filled completely, games were often played in the late afternoons or evenings. On Saturday afternoons and Sundays the utmost use was made of every available bit of athletic material. In addition to mass games, track athletics and baseball flourished. In the latter sport not only were the representative teams of neighboring units pitted against each other, but league games were scheduled with teams of different army divisions. Drill grounds, sometimes to the number of thirty for a single divisional area, usually provided the fields for diamonds. They were not the best imaginable but the teams gladly accepted them and the enthusiasm of both players and the large crowds of vociferous spectators covered all defects. Track athletics were promoted by holding innumerable local meets. The best contestants in each local event were selected to compete in sectional meets. In some instances sectional meets were Athletics in the Services of SupplyReorganization 38 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN recognized by division commanders who sometimes suspended drill for half a day and even detailed a band for the occasion. In some units track and recreational work was done on the field at intervals during drill. For a change and diversion the officers were glad to have the men jump into games of soccer, brisk foot-races, or pushball contests. Boxing always attracted crowds but there were not gloves enough in all France to make this sport more than a form of enter- tainment. Quoits, volley ball, indoor baseball, and basket ball both indoors and out, furnished additional recreation and amusement, but to the American nothing took the place of baseball. While such activities as these were being organized on an increasing scale in the Services of Supply during September and October, 1918, a similar extension was occurring at the base ports where soldiers were still debarking at the maximum rate. Thus, amid the inevitable rush of the fighting days, handicapped by the rapid movement of troops, discouraged by the lack of trans- portation facilities and of athletic material, confronted in the begin- ning by an underestimate of the war value of their work and the necessity of doing canteen service, the physical directors, cooperating with local Army officers wherever and whenever possible, actually did Succeed in carrying out the voluntary program to an extent hardly to be expected under the circumstances. Aside from promotion of the great variety of athletic activities, perhaps the greatest accomplish- ment was the demonstration on a large scale of the fact that athletics not only have a place in the Army, but that even in a fighting period their value is great enough to warrant their inclusion as an integral and carefully organized part of military operations. THE Post-ARMISTICE PERIOD While the Army could not give detailed attention to a peace-time program, it was plain that the cessation of hostilities would inaugurate a period when an extensive scheme could be carried out without serious or unexpected interruptions. For the Association, too, conditions would be different. It could be reasonably expected that the shortage of supplies and personnel would be rapidly overcome. The essential need would be a comprehensive program and a thorough organization to measure up to the opportunity. The expansion of athletic work in September and October had led to a partial reorganization, the Athletic Section of the Department of Athletics, Hygiene, and Health being set up as an independentGAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 39 department with Elwood S. Brown as director. Upon Dr. McCurdy’s return to the United States in November, the Health Section also became independent. Already in June the suggestion had been made of a great series of Inter-Allied championship contests to be held in the period of demobilization. As the great offensives of September and October went on, a preliminary series of A E F championships was proposed, and the plans for both were thoroughly elaborated. These were laid before the Commander-in-Chief on October 15, 1918: “Peace, whether it comes tomorrow or many months from now, Conditions should find us in a state of preparedness against the inevitable period of relaxation that must be met when hostilities cease. This period will bring about an increased danger from moral temptations, will be a time of impatient waiting for the day of departure for America, and will call for very constructive and interesting bodily activity if the dangers of disorderly physical expression are to be avoided. “Fundamentally our Army in France is a physical machine. Physical vitality is the chief element, the most important asset. Two million men are now engaged in the strenuous game of beating the Hun. They are in hard daily labor, intensive military training or engaged in actual fighting—physical expression, nearly all of it. When this is suddenly taken away no mental, moral, or social pro- gram, however extensive, will meet the need. Physical action will be the call; games and play, informal and competitive, the answer. It is assumed that a certain amount of military work will be continued but it is not believed that this will be found either sufficient or the best way to offset the certain reaction that will come about when the fighting is over. “Four activities are suggested, for which, in cooperation and Suggestions conjunction with the necessary Army committees, the YMCA through its Department of Athletics is prepared to assume the initial responsibility in promotion and organization. “1. Great mass games and play for every possible man—‘Ath- letics for everybody.’ ae “2 Official A E F championships in a wide variety of competitive sports including military events; beginning with elimination regi- mental contests, ranging upwards through the divisions, possibly the army corps, and culminating in great finals in Paris. ’ “3 Physical pageants and demonstrations to be held in many centers demonstrating to our Allied friends Americas best in sport, her great play spirit and incidentally her finest in physical manhood. iThis letter outlined the proposals in great detail. Though written in a highly condensed style, it Saal cover several pages of this book. It is printed in full in The Inter-Allied Games, Paris, 22d June to 6th July, 1919. Major G. Wythe, Captain J. M. Hanson, Captain C. V. Burger, editors. Published by the Games Committee, Paris, 1919. See pages 17-20.40 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN “4, Inter-Allied athletic contests—open only to soldiers of the Allied Armies—a great set of military Olympic games.” The letter proceeded to call attention to the fact that this program would require the Association to arrange for: (1) the con- tinuance during demobilization of at least 100 of its best trained experts in mass play who for the most part were under contract reading “for the duration of the war’; (2) the preparation of instruction books, rules, and printed matter of many descriptions; (3) the procuring of a half-million dollars worth of athletic supplies in addition to the order of $1,400,000 already placed for 1919; (4) the technical direction of the elimination contests within regiments and divisions; (5) the securing of specialists to conduct and drill participants in pageants and demonstration games; (6) the securing of suitable grounds, equipment, and necessary prizes for the finals; (7) the arrangement of entry lists, heats, events, and officials. For the Army the letter suggested that cooperation would be desirable in the following ways: (1) the detailing of a considerable number of “non-coms” for instruction in promotion, organization, and conduct of group games; (2) the detailing from the army ranks of a number of trained athletic directors to work in cooperation with Association men; (3) the appointment of committees of officers to work with Association committees. In addition it was proposed that the Army assume responsibility for the training of its men entered in the international events and that, while a suitable Inter- Allied Army Committee should be organized, participation in all con- tests should be upon invitation by the Commander-in-Chief of the American Army to the Commanders of the Allied Armies. While no direct written reply to this communication could be expected at this time, a very definite intimation was at once given verbally, that when the proper time came the Army would cooperate heartily. So definite was this intimation, in fact, that the Association promoter of the plans proceeded to perfect them as far as could be done at such an early stage of proceedings. No one not familiar with the negotiations necessary to carry such a plan as this into execution can fully realize what is covered by this simple phrase “perfecting of plans.” Even before the proposal could be made at all, many officials within the Association, especially those entrusted with financial mat- ters, had to be convinced both of its practicability and its utility. Also, after the Armistice, the Army had to be thoroughly assured thatGAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 4] the proposed plans would actually succeed before it could definitely issue orders putting them into effect. Innumerable unofficial con- ferences were necessary. It was futile to ask the Association’s Finan- cial Committee for a stadium and detail of secretaries unless the Army would accept, and the Army could not accept unless assured that these things would be furnished in addition to expert advice. Fortunately the Association had on the ground, in the person of the man who had worked out the plans, a man experienced in such negotiations and organizations on a huge scale. In a very real sense, the foundations for the post-Armistice athletics in France were laid in the Philippine Islands nearly a decade earlier. In those far off possessions of the United States Elwood 8. Brown, as representative of the International Committee, had begun work among the civilians of Manila in-1910, and had succeeded in the course of several years not only in making sports popular among the Filipinos but in further- ing the organization of a series of international contests known as the Far Eastern Games. In the first series, at Manila in 1913, both Japanese and Chinese participated. So successful was the meet that a permanent organization was formed and games were held biennially thereafter—Shanghai 1915, Tokio 1917, Manila 1919. By the success- ful promotion of these meets and by its earlier athletic activities in the Philippines, the Y M C A through its local physical director accom- plished at least one thing that became of the utmost importance for the post-Armistice athletic programs of the Great War. This accom- plishment was an ocular demonstration to officers of the American Army then in the Philippines—among them the very men who were destined later to hold the highest commands in France—that mass athletics could be taught rapidly to men hitherto inexperienced in such recreations; that athletics, by stimulating the mind as well as the body, improved efficiency; and that, on the field of sport more easily perhaps than anywhere else, men of different nationalities can be made to cooperate harmoniously in the most strenuous forms of competitive activity. The winter months, during which these negotiations were pro- gressing, were naturally very tedious for the soldiers. Drilling at first was greatly reduced in amount and time hung heavy. Mail and pay did not always arrive on time. Even in January some of the soldiers still had insufficient light and heat; clothing and sometimes shoes were inadequate. Men frequently marched all day in the rain and were brought back to wet billets. In some places there was only The Athletic Impresario Events Leading to General Orders No. 241Effects of Criticism Appointment of the Chief Athletic Officer 42 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN one candle to every five or six men. On this account, supper was gerved at 4.30. To meet such conditions the military authorities resorted to heavy drilling. ‘Squads right, squads left,’ looked upon as ancient history, became again the order of the day. The doughboys were outraged, and expressed themselves forcibly. As a matter of fact, the military authorities did not want to resume heavy drilling but something had to be done. This was late in November. Criticism was not confined entirely to the ranks. One day there came to the ears of General Fiske, Chief of the Training Station at General Headquarters, the report that a certain colonel did not approve of the general training program. The colonel—who hap- pened to be one of the best known athletes in the A E F—was called upon to explain. No matter who he was, he was told, for such criticism he would be severely punished. In defense the colonel out- lined a general plan of athletics very similar to that which the Associa- tion had already proposed. Punishment came just the same. Orders were issued for his transfer from the Intelligence Section to be head of the Athletic Sub-section of the Training Section, together with the command to execute the program. The culmination of this punish- ment was the Distinguished Service Medal and the following cita- tion: “Colonel Wait C. Johnson, U.S. Army. For exceptionally meri- torious and distinguished services. As Athletic Director G-5 of the American Expeditionary Forces, he was given the important and difficult task of planning and organizing an elaborate program of athletic training and competitions for American troops, embracing all branches of sport. By his zeal and sound judgment he carried this program to an eminently successful conclusion, thereby rendering an invaluable service in maintaining the morale and physical fitness of our troops during the trying period of repatriation.” By the appointment of Colonel Johnson as Chief Athletic Officer on December 1st, the Army was equipped to cooperate officially in very close coordination with the Association. To him was turned over the letter of October 15th, a second letter dated November 27th, outlining further proposals for the Inter-Allied Games, and other correspondence of later date. Colonel Johnson at once gave every possible encouragement to the Association’s voluntary activities and in the ensuing months the number of participants increased from 5,140,000 in January, to 7,500,000 in March. Immediately succeeding his appointment, also heGAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 43 held numerous conferences with representatives of the YMCA. The result was the following letter from the Commander-in-Chief : “We are now starting on one of the most important an periods which the American Expeditionary Perces have Heat tee Relieved from the stimulation of the exciting demands of actual battle conditions, we must maintain the contentment of our officers and men and continue to increase their military knowledge and efficiency. BE we “T am, now, therefore, most anxious to encourage in every way possible the athletic side of our training, both as a means of keeping them in the state of physical and mental fitness which is so necessary to the morale which breeds contentment. “Your organization has already rendered to our Expeditionary Forces great and most useful assistance in athletic activities, and I assure you I thoroughly appreciate all that it has done and the spirit back of the self-sacrificing services of yourself and of the members of your staff of athletic directors. Because of this and of my confi- dence in the desire of all of you to help in every way, I am writing to ask you to continue your assistance at this time, when expert ath- letic direction is so vitally necessary, by arranging to keep at least one of your best fitted and most competent men with each of the divisions and separate units in the American Expeditionary Forces, to cooperate with the divisional athletic director. “Allow me to express the earnest hope that you may be able to comply with this request.” With full cooperation between the Army and. the Association Issuance of assured, the Army proceeded to issue General Orders No. 2411 No embodying explicit instructions for the AEF Championships. This order did not mention the subject of Inter-Allied Games. Negotia- tions for that meet had not progressed sufficiently at that time. In other aspects, however, it did adopt the chief features of the Associa- tion’s letter of October 15th. The Army was to assume responsibility for the A E F elimination contests, athletic officers were to be detailed ‘ for army, corps, division, regimental, and company units together with company sports managers, non-commissioned officers, and pri- vates for each of the various athletic activities. Participation in mass athletics was encouraged by the unique provision that group competitive game schedules should be arranged in which the number of men entering, as well as the points won, should be considered in determining the winning company or unit. All-point company cham- pionships were to be arranged with suitable trophies for the success- 1See Appendix VIII, pp. 566, 567.Elimination Contests 44 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ful unit and individual prizes for those representing that unit. Elimination contests were to culminate in championships. As far as possible contestants were to be relieved of military duties in excess of four hours per day. Concerning the Association the order read: “The Y M C A, with the approval of the Commander-in-Chief, has organized a Department of Athletics and is prepared to give every assistance in the development of general athletics and the arrange- ment and management of competitions between military units. It has a large number of specially trained physical directors with wide experience in mass play and in other athletic activities now in its ranks in France. One of these will be attached to the staff of each division and separate unit, and will be designated in orders as Divisional (or Unit) Director and, under supervision of Division Athletic Officer, will be charged with the responsibility for the arrangement, manage- ment, and general conduct of athletic activities throughout the unit. “In carrying out the work outlined in this order, the YMCA will seek the participation and assistance of the personnel of the other auxiliary welfare agencies in such a way as to obtain the maximum efficiency and results. “In order to obtain the maximum benefit from the YMCA, Knights of Columbus, Salvation Army and other welfare organiza- tions, and to increase their efficiency, commanding officers are authorized to assist these organizations in every way consistent with military requirements, and for the purpose to detail non-commis- Sioned officers and privates from their commands to perform duties appropriate to the grades of the men detailed.” THE A E F CHAMPIONSHIP CONTESTS Under General Orders No. 241, for months preceding the final struggles, elimination contests were held in football, basket ball, box- ing, wrestling, baseball, golf, shooting, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track and field events. As a general rule the teams in each class of sport competed first for supremacy in each of the regions into which, for convenience, the A‘E F was divided. In the semi-finals and the finals the requirements were that the regional championship organiza- tions should be the original teams that had fought their way through from the start. Partisan backing of teams representing particular units was thus assured. Excitement ran high. In football no season in the history of the sport ever developed better matched teams or more exciting contests than the preliminary matches held to decide the supremacy of the Second Army. As in the ancient days when Greek met Greek, America’s best were matched against their peers. Men renowned for earlier victories on college grounds were again com-GAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS A5 peting; Withington, Legore, Beckett, Mahan, and Fish; could they “eome back’? Discussion of questions like this stimulated greater interest in athletics than ever before. The four teams that qualified for the Second Army championship played five tie games before the 7th Division won. The 28th Division team played three scoreless games with their principal rival, the 5th Division, and “agreed, in case the fourth game resulted likewise, to accept the unheard of solution of judging the winner on a yardage basis. The 28th Division won the game but this strange rule had to be invoked in its final game with the Tth Division, for neither team could score during 60 fiercely fought minutes, and the 7th Division was adjudged winner by only 34 yards. Participation in all sports for the first five months of 1919 Competitors mounted to over 31,500,000. During the Championship Series not less than 5,000 officers were devoting particular attention to the conduct of athletics, and even elimination contests were witnessed by great crowds. The contests at Bar-sur-Aube between the teams of the First and Second Armies were attended by 25,000 soldiers brought by special trains. The finals, held for the most part at the Colombes Stadium near Paris, were watched by the Army with all the interest ever called forth by a Yale-Harvard game or a World’s Championship Series. The concluding contests were always witnessed by the Com- mander-in-Chief and he awarded the prizes. Efficient management of the entire series produced remarkable results. In football 75,000 officers and men participated, but despite the terrific struggles that occurred, sometimes even on fields covered with snow and ice, there was not a single serious accident and only one broken bone. The spirit of fair play was universal. Officers and men competed on equal terms. In boxing matches the majority of the men who took part in the finals had formerly been professionals, but in numerous instances they underwent heavy preliminary training and gruelling matches for no other reward than the desire to win for their own organizations. The bouts were conducted under new rules; the length of rounds was reduced to two minutes and other changes were made which estab- lished the sport on a new basis. To witness or take part in a boxing match was, next to a good feed Spectators and baseball, the most popular enjoyment in the Army. Enormous crowds attended the championship bouts just as they did the purely exhibition contests staged, on numerous occasions, both before and during the series. The combined report of participations and attend- ance in this sport was 680,000 and 6,250,000 respectively. The par-Boxing Promoted by the Knights of Columbus Boxing in Paris Character of Boxing 46 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ticipation figures include the large numbers of men who engaged in mass boxing conducted by Y M C A athletic directors. Special credit for the success of boxing carried out under Order No. 241 must be given to other welfare organizations. As related in Spalding’s Athletic Almanac for the A E F Championships: “The Knights of Columbus requested, because of the fact that many of the secretaries of their organization had in the past been in- timately associated with the boxing game, that they be allowed to de- vote their energy to this particular sport.” The Knights of Columbus in the Third Army alone staged more than 60 big programs and 4,000 bouts throughout the Army of Occu- pation before fans numbering more than 100,000. Their experts were often called upon to act as officials in the AE F boxing and wrestling eliminations. The Jewish Welfare Board, the Red Cross, and other welfare agencies also entered the boxing entertainment field, though not on such a large scale as did the Knights of Columbus and the WEL GAY For several months after the signing of the Armistice the Y MCA staged weekly bouts at the Palais de Glace before audiences of 4,000. These accommodations proving too small it was found neces- sary to hold both the AEF boxing and the wrestling finals in the Cirque de Paris which was leased for this purpose by the YMCA for a period of two months. There were approximately 6,000 seats in the building and standing room for 2,000 more. Here Carpentier, Jeannette, and McVey had fought famous battles before audiences that paid high prices for admission. Not a soldier paid a cent. For exhibition contests the General Finance Committee of the YMCA made a special appropriation which enabled the athletic directors to engage many well-known French, English, and Australian, as well as American, boxers. Under this appropriation at one time 80 shows were held a week in various places to audiences totaling more than 200,000. Generally speaking the finest of sportsmanship prevailed. To quote Col. Johnson: “These men fighting under a new set of rules especially compiled for the AE F gave a magnificent exhibition of the manly art and de- monstrated that boxing can be conducted along absolutely clean lines and in such a manner as to give it in the field of sport the eminent position it so justly merits as a clean and splendid game. The contest- ants treated each other with all the courtesy of the tennis court andGAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS AT yet the fierceness of the fighting throughout all the rounds left nothing to be desired by the most ardent fan.” The closing tribute to the success of the A E F Boxing Champion- ship Series was paid by General Pershing in his speech on that night: “The fairness and cleanliness of these bouts is something of which we should all be very proud. The result of this type of athletics is sure to create a higher tone of athletics at home. Two million men are going to carry back home a better notion of what clean sport should be. The management deserves credit for carrying out these events, and to the men in charge I wish to express my very sincere thanks.” There was no lack of similar praise for the high ideals of sports- Ge PRar i manship maintained, as audience after audience witnessed the finals Chempicnsiip in other sports. The boxing and football championships received the greatest publicity. Less general attention was paid to baseball be- cause the finals were not reached until after the Inter-Allied Games. The soccer contests, which lasted four days, were, however, com- pleted at Colombes Stadium by the middle of May and aroused great enthusiasm. The tennis championship was fought at the Racing Club of France toward the end of the same month. Shooting and musketry matches were held at the rifle range at Amours near Le Mans and swimming events in the lake, Bois de Boulogne, Paris. For track and field events, stars selected from all parts of the AE F were brought back to Paris for training and elimination contests. The finals were spectacular. The whole series of contests leading up to the A E F Champion- ships considered as one meet, constituted the greatest athletic program ever carried out under one management. The victors in the finals had to play through from ten to forty preliminaries. They were the best athletes selected from two million men. Many of them had gained topmost rank in amateur sports in a nation noted for its promotion of athletics. Many were professionals. To have taken part in organ- izing such a series was a high privilege. THE INTER-ALLIED GAMES The Inter-Allied Games provided a fitting climax to the champion- ship contests. During the entire period of the eliminations it was known throughout the Army that the victors in the AEF Series would be eligible to represent the United States in the Inter-Allied events. Such knowledge naturally enhanced the fierceness with which the earlier series were fought.| | The Motive of International Fraternity Army and Y MCA Joint Control The Stadium 48 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The main purpose of the Inter-Allied Games, however, was essen- tially different from that which underlay the AEF contests. The games occurred late in June and early in July after three-fourths of the troops had already left France. The problem of securing partici- pation in sports, therefore, was rapidly disappearing. What the games did accomplish, according to purpose, was a demonstration be- yond peradventure that in one field of human activity at least, intense competition could coexist with friendship. The world contests stood for the application in international relations of the sportsman’s ideal of keen rivalry, a free field and fair play. They symbolized the ends for which the war itself was fought. The letter of invitation, sent by General Pershing on January 9, 1919, to commanders of the forces of 29 nations, colonies, and dependencies, presented this purpose in the clearest and most forceful language. As his letter indicated clearly, the games were not an Olympiad promoted on the basis of joint-control by participating nations. The American Army was the host. Every effort was made, through re- peated consultations, to make the rules and regulations agreeable to the nations that accepted the invitation, and in no case was expense incurred by the invited armies other than that involved in training, transporting, and billeting their own teams. As finally arranged after numerous conferences with Colonel Johnson, responsibility for the games rested entirely in the hands of the Army Games Committee. This committee, established February 4, 1919, derived its authority directly from General Pershing. It consisted of Colonel Johnson, Chairman, two other army officers, and two YMCA representatives. Numerous sub-committees were created to care for publicity, grounds, supplies, and ceremonies as well as for the program of competitions. To all these committees, YMCA directors possessing technical knowledge on particular subjects were attached either as members or in an advisory capacity. Immediately before the games were staged, Colonel Johnson conferred upon Elwood S. Brown, then YMCA Athletic Director for the AEF in France, entire authority, derived directly from the Commander-in-Chief, to act as Director General of the Games. The original plans contemplated use of the Colombes Stadium, but when the acceptances came in and the widespread enthusiasm for the project was realized it became necessary to provide a larger arena. The YMCA then guaranteed to build that monumental structure accommodating 40,000 spectators, the famous Pershing Stadium, laterGAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 49 presented to the French people as a perpetual memorial of America’s goodwill. Situated in the Bois de Vincennes where knights of France since Henry of Navarre had contended, the site, donated by the French Government, was near enough to Paris to be ideal. To defray the cost of the structure and to carry on the games, the Y M C A appropri- ated 1,000,000 francs divided as follows: 450,000 for preparation of the site, 150,000 for equipping the Stadium, 50,000 for prizes, and 350,000 for general operating expenses including welfare and enter- tainment service to American troops and competitors of all nations. The whole project of the Stadium, however, would have failed com- pletely had it not been for the spirited and efficient way in which the American Army met a very embarrassing emergency. After the structure was about one-third completed, the French contractor sud- denly was confronted on May 2d with insuperable labor difficulties and was compelled to cease work. With the games scheduled to begin June 16th, the situation was apparently hopeless. The Army, how- ever, rushed in engineers and materials, and by herculean efforts com- pleted the Stadium on time. The working out of the program developed many novel features. Novel To avoid unfairness to nations weakened by the war, or accustomed only to a limited variety of sports, it was provided that there should be no general championship. Any country especially proficient in any given sport could make an entry for that alone, could have a chance for a special championship, and, if successful, could gain the satisfac- tion that comes from recognition of merit. This departure from usual procedure in Olympics had proven highly successful in the Far Eastern Games. In scoring, no account was taken of form. Any sport which had but one entry became an exhibition event and any country could stage a demonstration. Moreover the no winner plan encour- aged many countries that wished to introduce particular games among their people, to enter teams against countries that had specialized for years in those particular sports. The object sought was many entries rather than extraordinary records. Eligibility was limited to men who had worn the uniform of any of the Allied Armies. Nearly 15,000 athletes participated. In view of the enormous losses of men suffered by many of the Ease Toney armies the eighteen acceptances to the invitation were highly gratify- Fartiipanns ing. Some of the nations were at a tremendous disadvantage. After eight years of devastating war, Serbia’s sportsmen faced a hopeless task when they sought representatives. The Czechs had fosteredThe Advantageous Position of the United States 50 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN gymnastics but had long been discouraged by Austria from promoting sports or athletics. Great Britain, had she been able to participate, would have found herself handicapped as was France by the fact that in listing names illustrious in previous contests, scores would have appeared on the honor roll as “killed in action.” Nevertheless many nations made very strenuous efforts to be represented and this natur- ally helped to encourage that spirit of good sportsmanship which the games were intended to foster. In some instances the example of the United States in its earlier encouragement of sports helped greatly to stimulate these efforts. Italian Army officers, for example, became much interested in the athletic competitions held among the United States troops that were sent to aid Italy’s fight and they asked the Y M CA to introduce the same system into their own Army. The granting of this request led to a long series of elimination contests and the final selection of a team to represent Italy in the games. In other sports in which Italians excel such as riding, fencing, wrestling, and swimming, the nation was naturally well represented. Czechoslovakia sent as her soccer team the Prague squad that had been boycotted by the Austrians from 1908 to 1918, and had the great satisfaction of winning the championship in that sport. In fencing, too, the team of this nation gave an excellent account of itself. For the competition in tennis, however, her players had had no practice chiefly because in their country no tennis balls had been available since 1914. France, in spite of her enormous losses of men, made a very re- markable showing. She combed her Army for athletes, held extensive elimination contests, and enlisted the cooperation of her many athletic federations. As a result she was one of the largest participants in practically every sport. Her fine spirit of cooperation and determi- nation to conquer won her the same admiration in sport that her splendid valor on the field of battle had brought her in the war itself. Among all the nations the United States was the least handi- capped. Nearly all of her best athletes were in the Army. Compara- tively few had been killed. Furthermore, the presence of some 50 athletes from the Army at home was a partial compensation for the absence of many victors in the AE F Championships who could not remain for the Allied Games. These considerations detract nothing from the merits of victorious individuals or teams but they cannot be left wholly out of the reckoning when accounting for the fact that aie teams won twelve championships out of a possible twenty- our.GAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 51 Thirty thousand spectators rose to their feet on the opening day Gala at the entrance of the military parade headed by the Garde Républi- ae caine Band, and followed by representatives of some of the most famous fighting contingents of the war. Tattered regimental flags, many stained with blood of battles long antedating those of the Great War; national ensigns of all participating nations; uniforms of vari- ous sorts, Chasseurs Alpins, Zouaves, Tirailleurs, French, Italian, Serbian, and all the rest—these, and the presence of thousands of spectators in uniform, were the thrilling reminders of the world-wide character of the long and bitter struggle now brought to a victorious close. The military were followed by 15,000 athletes who lined up in front of the troops marshalled before the reviewing stand. In the presence of this audience the Stadium itself was pre- Jresentation of sented by the Y MCA to General Pershing as representative of the * France Army, and by him in the name of the Army to the French people. The inscription perpetuating the event, wrought in bronze and set firmly in the concrete of the Tribune d’Honneur, reads as follows: “Pershing Stadium erected for the Inter-Allied Games by the American Young Men’s Christian Association and presented by it through Edward C. Carter, Chief Secretary, to General John J. Persh- ing, Commander-in-Chief, for the American Expeditionary Forces, and in turn presented by General Pershing to M. Georges Clemenceau, President Council of Ministers and Minister of War, for the French people, that the cherished bonds of friendship between France and America forged anew on the common field of battle may be tempered and made enduring on the friendly field of sport.” The story of the exciting contests that took place during the next two weeks in the great Arena has required a book to itself. Suffice it to say that not one accident marred the success Otithe the succes) great meet. Not only the sports themselves but the exhibitions, such for example as the dare-devil horsemanship and swordsmanship of the Hedjaz Arabs or the swoop of the great Caproni to within twenty feet of the ground to rise by a masterful maneuver clearing the stands a few feet above the spectators—these and the many pageants, demon- strations, and night illuminations lent a picturesqueness and variety to 1The Inter-Allied Games, Paris, 22d June to 6th July, 1919. Major G. Wythe, Captain J. M. Hanson, Captain C. V. Burger, editors. Published by the Games Committee, Paris, 1919. Concerning this volume it has been fitly said: “Economists, diplomats, moralists of every persuasion, must instantly admit the strength of the spirit here set forth toward world friendship or belie thet own sanity. It is moral, it is hopeful, it is religious in a most practical sense, 1 is the antithesis of war.”| | 1} | The Wide Range of Athletic Service 52 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the celebration that was in keeping with its character as a symbol of international fraternity. ATHLETICS IN LEAVE AREAS AND WITH TROOPS oF ALLIED NATIONS The history of athletics in the AEF in France is not complete without mention of the work accomplished at leave areas in France. Neither can an account of athletics overseas be adequate without some attention to the contribution which Y MCA physical directors made among troops of the Allied nations, both in France and in other fields of military activity. In the leave areas athletics were largely subordinate to entertainment and in consequence boxing and other sports that could be staged before crowds were featured. At Nice, however, the AEF tennis and golf championships, in which many famous players competed, were run off amid much enthusiasm. When weather permitted winter sports, skating, skiing, and mountain ‘ climbing were enjoyed to the full at Aix-les-Bains and other mountain resorts. Athletics among French troops was cared for by the Comite Nationale d’Education Physique et Sportive de l’Hygiéne Sociale and with this Association the YM C A worked in close cooperation. The French were particularly proficient in boxing, track events, and soccer. Franco-American contests in these sports aroused intensest enthusi- asm. The American loves an up-hill fight and in competition with the French his mettle was tried at every instant. During the early period of exhibition boxing, out of 182 Franco-American contests held at the Palais de Glace the Americans won 56, the French 55, and 21 contests were draws. The Frenchman’s fist was not exactly feeble. Moreover, his chivalrous conduct in the ring was equally influential in developing respect for his prowess. The French knowledge of Rugby football was likewise expert and their superiority over hastily trained Ameri- can teams was easily demonstrated. On the other hand, the popularity of baseball among the Americans had so much influence upon the French as to produce a recommendation by General Cottez, Director of Physical Training in the French Army, that baseball be included in all centers of physical instruction. Following this order one YMCA director at a training school for French infantry made it possible early in the war for the French soldiers to lengthen their grenade throwing considerably, and improved accuracy by 30 per cent. Other directors attached to the Foyers du Soldat aided especially in introduc- ing mass plays such as line relay games, hand wrestling, and massGAMES FOR FIGHTERS AND VICTORS 53 boxing, with which the French soldiers had hitherto been entirely unfamiliar. The French were particularly pleased with the American game of basket ball. Avoiding the danger of a baseball to unskilled hands, basket ball has the features of speed, excitement, and open play. Moreover it develops the muscles of the arms as well as legs, and men somewhat deficient in the upper body profited much by in- terest in the sport. Special efforts were made also to advance the sporting program Athletics Among among many of the Asiatic and African races serving in the Allied 4‘™ans Armies. The Chinese Labor Corps and Indian troops serving the British Army, the Arabs, Senegalese, Tunisians, Anamites, and other Indo-Chinese with the French were all reached to a greater or less degree. In fields outside of France the Americans were likewise infiuen- tial in the teaching of athletics. The British were just as quick as the French to adopt the American basketball. After the Armistice an instruction tour by two American teams was specially arranged for by the YMCA. Before demonstrations, a half hour lecture on the principles of the game was given. The result was a request for an expert to teach the game to British non-commissioned officers in order that they might in turn instruct their men. Similar calls for expert instructors in various branches of ath- letics came from many other nations, especially during and after the Inter-Allied Games. The Chief Military Officer of Roumania asked the YMCA that a trained recreation leader be assigned to that country for at least a year. The YMCA responded by sending a director and four assistants. A number of directors were sent to work with the armies of other nations, Italy, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and Belgium. SIGNIFICANCE OF ATHLETICS Athletics proved to be one of the major features of welfare work. Pushed into the background at first by more urgent and engrossing concerns, it gradually won recognition as an unexcelled method of occupying the free time of the men with interesting, congenial, and beneficial activities. With physical improvement it combined relaxa- tion of nervous tension and outlet for surplus energy. Through mass games for all, unskilled as well as expert, and hotly fought exhibitions of clean sport, it promoted the spirit of gameness, determination, com- radeship, and fair play which is the soul of cooperative success. Fin-| | | 54 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ally it brought together, in competitions no less strenuous because friendly, the picked athletes of the Allied Armies, welding on the field of sport the bonds of fellowship forged on the field of battle. From purely individual ministry, the maintenance of a healthy mind in a healthy body, its influence extended to the promotion of a sound inter- national unity, through mutual respect based on mutual acquaintance. The value of its contribution to the national welfare, in peace as well as in war, is beyond question.CHAPTER XXXVI WOMEN’S WORK The dominant part played by women in the initiation of modern efforts to mitigate the hardships of soldiers was a clear augury that, in such a struggle as the World War, women would not be content with Hooverizing and knitting. That the first development from the impulse given by Florence Nightingale should have employed pri- marily the unique gifts of women for nursing the sick and wounded, was in the natural order of events. But her vision had included also the well, and when welfare work for all began to be conceived as the extension of home influences and comforts into military camps, the indispensability of women, as well as their resolution to participate, might have been foreseen as certainties. It was only the fact that the Y MCA, to which welfare work was entrusted, was specifically a men’s organization, that obscured for a little while the large and important function which could be best performed by women. When individual women began to seek admission into the ranks of welfare workers, they found advocates able to persuade those who feared embarrassment and difficulty to try the experiment. The result was a demonstration that a well-rounded welfare program requires women, not as substitutes for men, but as cooperators in a work for which neither sex is sufficient by itself. Performing a wide variety of prac- tical service, they imbued it all with a comradeship in which the soldiers found a deeper satisfaction than in all the creature comforts they received. That this comradeship exerted an effective influence, not only upon the conduct of the men, but on their character and soldier spirit, needs no discussion.* 1 Readers who would enjoy detailed information on Y women workers will find interesting accounts in the following books: A Red Triangle Girl in France, New York, 1918; A Y Girl in France, Letters of Katherine Shortall, Boston, 1919; Canteening Overseas, 1917-1919, Marion Baldwin, New York, 1920; My A. E. F., A Hail and Farewell, Frances Newbold Noyes, New York, 1920; That Damn Y, Katherine Mayo, Boston, 1920; The Big Show, My Six Months with the American Expeditionary Forces, Elsie Janis, New York, 1919; Trouping for the Troops, Fun-Making at the Front, Margaret Mayo, New York, 1919; Two Colored Women with the American Expeditionary Forces, Addie W. Hunton and Kathryn M. Johnson, New York, 1920; Uncensored Letters of a Canteen Girl, Katherine Morse, New York, 1920. 5DAmerican Women 56 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN It was the exacting demands of the war itself which opened, to women, doors always before closed. The draining of the man power of Britain left gaps, first in civilian industry and soon in military sup- port service, to fill which only women were available. They answered the challenge as spiritedly as did their brothers, and it was not long before, in munition shops and on farms, in trains and busses, and countless other occupations from which the requirement of bodily strength or technical skill had previously excluded them, women were busily and efficiently at work. Civilian life in Britain had been dras- tically scaled down by 1916; without the women doing men’s work, it is difficult to imagine how it.could have gone on at all. In the face of what women were actually doing, he would have been bold who had dared propose, for any occupation, the warning, “Women Excluded.” In the Army, too, women found place. Corps of women, famil- iarly and almost affectionately known as Waacs (W.A.A.C., Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps), Wrens (W.R.N.C., Women’s Royal Navy Corps), Rafs (W.R.A.F., Women’s Royal Air Force) and Vads (V. A. D., Voluntary Aid Detachment) were cooking, typing, driving cars and trucks, speeding on motor cycles as messengers, and perform- ing varied services in direct connection with the Army and Navy, not only in Britain, but in France and Belgium. They were uniformed and drilled, lodged in barracks and commanded by woman captains, majors, and colonels. It was inevitable, therefore, that women should have presented to the British Y M C A a solution of its serious recruit- ing problems, and as the months of 1915 and 1916 passed, with stead- ily increasing demands for men to fight, women came to carry most of the load of hut and canteen service in British training camps and cities, and a very large part of that on the continent. The canteen door was the first one opened to women by the YMCA. Mrs. Vincent Astor offered her services, and, arriving in France in June, 1917, was put in charge of the first canteen for sailors at Brest, and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., opened the first canteen in Paris in July. These two were the pioneers of more than 3,000 Y girls. In early conferences between the American and British YMCA leaders, the work of women in the British huts was carefully reviewed and discussed, with the result that in August, a message was cabled to the War Work Council, in New York: “Unanimous opinion that qualified women for canteen work are necessary.”WOMEN’S WORK 57 An explanatory letter revealed the cautious approach to what seemed a revolutionary innovation: “All should understand that the primary task for the women workers is assisting in the menial work, in the canteen, the kitchen and the café, at the same time having very limited opportunities in French and other educational classes, and in the entertainments. ae Our official reason for bringing women into huts should always be that we desire to use women so as to free as many men as possible for military service.” In striking contrast to the careful limitations of this program is the statement of the head of women workers in Paris a year and a half later. She reported that she was eliminating all women from the dry canteen at the Pavillon Hotel because it, being a purely busi- ness proposition, should be carried on by men, in order to set women free for social service. The Chief Secretary’s judgment as to the type of women wanted, Qualities however, never needed revision. They must, he wrote, be strong, sensible, with some knowledge of life, good mixers, loyal to military and Association rule, in thorough sympathy with the Association’s social and religious aims, and have interest in spiritual things. He adds, “the by-product of the presence of women in the huts is so very great, that the highest standards of character, religious interest, edu- cational, and physical efficiency must be insisted on.” Such require- ments did not seem exacting and it was thought that all the women needed could be easily found among volunteers. In July and August several women hearing rumors of overseas canteen service had already applied. A group of women recruited from the American colony in Paris were aiding Mrs. Roosevelt in the Paris canteen. In August an American woman was sent to St. Nazaire, another to Nevers, a group from the American Fund for French wounded opened a canteen at Bourmont under the Association, and Mrs. Astor had made the begin- ning at Brest. By early September it was evident that the women’s work was going to need the special care and guidance of women. By October, 25 women had come from the United States and at a confer- ence at Versailles the Women’s Bureau was formally organized as part of the Paris headquarters, with Gertrude Ely and Martha McCook in charge. Meanwhile, recruiting women in New York developed in charge of the Women’s Division of the War Personnel Board.? 1 Consult Chapter XXVII. 2 Consult Chapter XV.Location The Canteen 58 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN WOMEN’S WORK IN THE FIELD The one order from Army Headquarters relating to the stationing of women with the troops was that forbidding them to go beyond Brigade Headquarters. As, at the front, nothing is easier to lose than Brigade Headquarters, this regulation was never a guide. The gen- eral plan was that the women would work at the ports, in the S O§, and with the troops in training. The women with the 1st Division, moving with their troops, worked in the field hospitals during the first engagements in the Cantigny sector. In the view of the officers, their influence and helpfulness was so great that they were allowed with the divisions at Soissons, St. Mihiel, and through the battle of the Meuse- Argonne—some of the women marching with the troops into Ger- many. These of the Ist Division had the longest and most effective service of any of the women with the fighting divisions. There were, however, more than 50 under fire with twenty other divisions and with the Foyers du Soldat. Thirteen women secretaries received the Croix de Guerre, and many were cited for bravery. Practically all of the women hoped for front line service; but since the presence of welfare workers at the front was entirely under the control of the com- manders, it was not possible to make any definite plans for these coveted positions. In September, 1918, an order was sent out from the Women’s Bureau that no women should be permitted in the regions of the moving troops save those who had been from six to nine months in the service and who were especially recommended by their divisional chiefs for this honor. The Armistice came before this plan could be made effective, and whether one ever saw the front or worked the whole time in a port was a matter rather of chance than of selection. Though it was hard for the women of the rear to realize this, there is no doubt that the leaders were right in their feeling that the most valuable work the women could do was during the periods of waiting, or in those rear regions where the men labored incessantly with no hope of excitement and no incentive to heroism. The actuality of the canteen was very different from the imagi- nary picture most of the women had conjured up. “We started with splendid plans to run a sort of quick lunch res- taurant with ham and eggs, omelet, hot chocolate, steak, French fried potatoes, chops, ete. I laugh when I think of it. We got up at six and tried to start the fire. French coal is about half slate and you can’t "A Red Triangle Girl in France, New York, 1918.WOMEN’S WORK 59 depend on ita minute. Anyway, our range is a snare and a delusion, with a fire box about the size of a couple of bricks. We also had a balky little charcoal burner and my sterno. . . . The boys drank eighty gallons of chocolate and milk; and after the hours of serving were over some of the cadets came in to help wash the dishes, sweep the floor and put the canteen in order. . . . Our canteen, though too small, is better than many, for we have floors, a few little heating stoves, and best of all, electric lights.” Perhaps this worker had an exceptionally exaggerated anticipa- gypsies tion of canteen work, but the conditions which enabled her to con- gratulate herself because her canteen had floors and a few little heat- ing stoves, were typical, and suggest the situation better than a description. Not only were the services narrowly limited but the amount of labor and ingenuity required for even a minimum of service was prodigious. Such prosaic details as procuring wholly inadequate supplies of green wood and continual feeding of fires, or washing hun- dreds of cups, when water had to be carried from a distant pump or well and heated over a single tiny stove, absorbed hours and taxed good nature.t Running a canteen was not merely a matter of selling or serving over a counter, and it was only gradually that French women were hired to help out in the preliminaries. Until after the Armistice, soldier details were not to be spared from military duties. Nevertheless, the extract quoted suggests ways in which the transformation of women’s work began. The soldiers everywhere lent a hand in their free time. Their tendency to linger for a chat at the counter, had to be repressed because of delaying the line of men waiting for service. But they quickly found that helping in the kitchen gave better opportunities for talk with the girls, and men who despised and loathed detail as kitchen police in the mess kitchen com- peted for the privilege in the Y canteen. What the Chief Secretary had referred to as a by-product of women’s work, the friendly associ- ation with the men, took in this natural way a start toward the most significant feature of their usefulness. Cooking, too, led to satisfaction greater than the eating of the Cooking things cooked. Facilities and supplies were both lacking for a restau- rant, or even quick lunch service in the huts. But the men would get materials and bring them to the girls for preparation. Sometimes it would be sugar for a batch of fudge; sometimes apples could be secured 1“Tt took three hours to boil our huge pots on the small stoves we had.”— Letter of a canteen worker.Personal Hospitality Hut Decoration 60 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN and the girls made pies; or flour for fried cakes. This was irregular and occasional, a matter of readiness to seize or to make opportunity. It meant, however, that many toothsome delicacies were enjoyed by the men, not to speak of the fun that went with stirring the fudge and washing up afterwards. Most of the huts and girls managed to develop specialties; at one it was doughnuts, at another, ice cream; but the point was that, in an unpremeditated way, a very large number of men felt that they had special personal attention for which they felt personal appreciation. As opportunity offered, most of the women practiced a hospitality that went still further in this direction. The equipment for a tea table could often be secured or improvised, and invited groups gathered about the fireside in the hut, or in the women’s billets if the situation permitted. Just how much such interludes, for they were no more, meant to men in the general squalor and roughness, is only to be inferred from the popularity of the women workers. The obvious dangers of seeming partiality were avoided, with few exceptions, by the social experience and poise which had been an emphasized require- ment in recruiting, and by the fact that the women were genuinely intent on service, and watched continually for the men who showed signs that life was going especially hard for them. The situation demanded the utmost tact and sincerity, for the admiration and appre- ciation of the men were outspoken, and might easily turn heads sus- ceptible to compliment. To be the only woman among hundreds of men, to see daily men undergoing experiences evoking sympathy, and to be unable to forget that sooner or later they would move forward into battle, and yet to smile and be gay and thrust aside the pathos and make a joke of the hardships even while intent on mitigating them, most of all to shed the personal tributes without appropriating them, as unconsciously as a duck sheds rain—all this was a severe test that only sincere devotion could successfully pass. It is hardly possible to enumerate the details of women’s work with the A E F, nor would the most complete enumeration convey the real significance that made it invaluable. One of the characteristic ele- ments took the form of hut decoration. Apparently the first reaction of any woman on arriving at a hut was that it needed to be cleaned up and made attractive. A poster or two, or a string of flags; curtains hastily improvised out of materials bought in the nearest town; a touch of paint here and there—after all they did not make the barn- like huts or the barns themselves that served as huts, really beautiful.WOMEN’S WORK 61 But they served as reminders that beauty was real and would one day be again enjoyed; they helped to visualize home; they bore witness to the presence of the home-maker which perhaps means more to men than any concrete expression of the home-making instinct in materials. Without attempting to catalogue the details, one may visualize women, bright, inventive, resourceful, sympathetic, expressing themselves in ways that multiplied their limited numbers until each man’s own womenfolk became realto him. When the chairman of the War Work Council went over the field in the spring of 1918 and observed the work of the women, he insisted that the limiting title, “Canteen worker,” be dropped and the time-honored Association title, “Secretary,” be given them. While this aura of womanhood, so difficult to describe, yet so real, attended all that the woman did, it must be recognized that their actual concrete service was often of the most laborious and exhaust- ing character. With many a division, the serving of hot drinks and sandwiches to troops entraining or detraining, was largely performed by them. Forty-eight hours without intermission, on a railroad sta- tion platform, in heavy rain, preparing and passing out hot chocolate, was an experience many of the women knew. Hospitals and dressing stations, when the wounded were pouring in, found women working at top speed for hours at a stretch, assisting surgeons, bathing and cleansing patients, preparing food and drinks, and ministering to every need within their power. Even the chauffeur’s job was theirs at times, and although the conviction that they could be more useful in other ways prevented extensive employment as drivers, they proved in emergencies that they could negotiate the rough roads of the advance zone without lights, and what was still more important, take care of their cars. In the advance zone they experienced the hard- ships of the troops, serving in towns where nightly bombing or shell- ing made it necessary for all hands to go out into the fields to sleep. They were billeted in unheated rooms, and at times had to forage for their food. Although special efforts were made to secure comfortable quarters and conveniences for them, they had to go to some places where such things did not exist and could not be created, and they accepted conditions without complaint. Perhaps the severest condi- tions were those endured by the few women who marched with the troops into Germany. As a group, the women demonstrated physical ability to endure the strain of protracted periods of hard work, dan- ger, and hardship, and a spirit that outran even the limitations of the Physical Endurance62 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN body.t The record of serious illness was remarkably low. Out of 3,480 women overseas, nineteen died of disease, four before they reached the field. The conception of dancing as a social enjoyment of the idle must be put aside when this feature of women’s activity in the A E F is con- sidered. To the men it was the favorite recreation, but their inces- sant demands put a severe strain upon their partners. When a dance was proposed for a unit in the billeting areas, after the Armistice, the Y girl attached to the unit would call upon all the women workers within motor radius to come and help out. Cars would be furnished by the Army to bring them and take them back to their posts. It was held that a girl who responded to such a call had the right to claim a return in kind when her unit gave a dance. One of the work- ers tells, in a letter, of her dismay when she realized that in collecting partners for her outfit’s dance, she had put herself under obligations to go to thirty dances in other units. Since dancing was regarded as an extra, not releasing women from their regular duties, it became a serious problem. The director of the Women’s Bureau, in writing to one of the regional directresses in March, 1919, said: “It will be wise for you to tell the women in your region that they cannot leave their huts for more than one evening a week; I see no other way to curtail this mad dancing. . . . I realize that noth- ing quite takes its place, but it is certainly being overdone and we have got to substitute other methods of amusing our men.” In Paris the matter had to be taken up with the prefect of police and with our army authorities. The rules as finally laid down for the entire YMCA force forbade attendance at any dance where liquor was served, and ordered that all dances be scheduled to permit the workers to be at home by midnight. Y women were to attend only dances given by welfare organizations where there were stated host- esses, and they could go to but two a week. The situation, and the attitude of the army in the matter is made clear by a telegram from General Hagood with the Army of Occupation: “Greatest immediate need is several hundred young women work- ers of pleasing personality. At a recent. dance here twenty-one Y MCA, Red Cross and telephone girls were collected from surround- ing country and there were fifteen hundred soldiers crowded into the “Compare Chapter XXVII.WOMEN’S WORK 63 hall. These women you have on the job are overworked and do not have even an opportunity to eat their meals.” The “flying squadron” was an attempt to save the hut worker for what seemed to the Women’s Bureau far more important service, and yet not disappoint the soldiers and officers. These flying squad- rons were groups of women under a chaperon who went from hut to hut dancing with the men. Although so far as the pleasure of the sol- diers was concerned, this was most successful, it was a plan requiring such careful handling and fraught with so many dangers, that it could not be considered a solution; a setting of limits to the dancing was finally recognized both by Army and Association as imperative. In the work of the Foyers du Soldat it was quickly seen that it would be impossible to answer the call of the French Army for 1,400 huts without the help of women. The recruiting of French women was begun in the autumn of 1917; but it was found impossible to secure the requisite number of suitable helpers. Several American women were secured and the first experiments were made with twelve French and American directresses. The plan was that the front line work should be in the hands of men secretaries exclusively, while in the destroyed towns each hut should be in charge of two women, a French and an American, the French directress being in charge. So successful were the twelve women that more were sent for and there- after the French and American women worked together on an equality and planned out their huts according to their own judgment. There was much greater difficulty in securing permission to move among the French troops than among the American, so that the Foyer workers had often to wait long periods before they could set up a new Foyer when forced to evacuate an old one. These delays added to the diffi- culty of securing sufficient American women. It was necessary that American women working with the French should have, besides a knowledge of the French language, an understanding of the French people and such grasp of affairs as would make them tactful, sympa- thetic friends of the poilu. Although many such women went, to France, the work for the AEF naturally seemed always the more urgent, and despite constant calls only 79 American women served with the Foyers. This meant working not alone with the French troops, but with Algerians and the Polish Legion and with the refu- gees fleeing before the Germans, or creeping back to their restored vil- lages. The most thrilling incidents in the women’s services came to Foyvyers du Soldat| | | In Italy In the United Kingdom 64 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN these Seurs Américaines. The one woman who lost her life on duty under fire was a Foyer directrice at Ste. Menehould—Marion Cran- dall. Nowhere was there such opportunity for influence making toward international goodwill, as that which came to the women wear- ing the grey veil of the Foyers du Soldat. The women’s work in Italy was theoretically under the Women’s Bureau in Paris. Workers were assigned from Paris and Italy was treated exactly as one of the regions in France; but so far away was it in those days that the work went on necessarily with scant communi- cation and little either of advice or equipment. An appeal for work- ers for Italy reached New York in the spring of 1918. In August, five women were sent down. In Rome and Florence the American women residents made strong volunteer committees so that the first women secretaries were used especially as liaison officers to bring the eager and generous members of the official corps and the American colony in touch with the men. The devotion of these volunteers was unwearying, and one of the most useful results of their interest was the opening of American homes to the boys. Women worked for short periods at Fiume, Trenso, Treviso, Milan, Bologna and till the summer of 1919 at Rome, Florence, Venice, Genoa, and Trieste. Since only one American regiment was stationed in Italy, the work was mainly with the Navy, the soldiers passing through, the ambulance men, and the sailors from convoys. The women’s part of the work in Great Britain! for the AEF began when Eagle Hut opened in 1917. From the British Y, from the Green Cross, the Association for volunteer war service, and from the American Women’s Club gathered hundreds of eager helpers. They worked in teams, each under its captain, and many served throughout the whole two years and more while our men were passing through England. The work could not have been carried on without this service from the already over-burdened English women to their late come Allies. “Not only did they ‘carry on’ in the face of air raids, and ‘flu’ epi- demics and in the midst of personal grief” but they took the hard hours of night and early morning. This was partly because there were few American women, but largely because our women were not hard- ened to the discipline and heavy, steady work to which the British women were inured by three long years of war. Even Saturday aft- "The very significant service of women in the street patrol in London is described in Chapter XXXVII.WOMEN’S WORK 65 ernoons and Sundays there were shifts of English girls from shops and offices who gave up their holidays gladly to help the Americans. In June, 1918, the women’s department was organized under Lady Ward, who served without interruption from beginning to end. Abso- lutely necessary and successful as had been this volunteer service by women, there was decided opposition to the idea of women workers from America such as had been working almost a year in France. Lady Ward began with eight and wrote to New York for six more. After watching this innovation for a month the secretary most opposed asked for eight for his own district, and the cause was won. Before the work closed, 159 American women were working in the stations scattered from the Orkneys to Plymouth, from London to Bantry Bay. Under the London office, too, came the women at Corfu, Corsica, and Azores. Much of this work was, of course, in the ports, with the navy and the sailors of the transports. At Barry Docks, Cardiff, women were first used with the merchant marine. Here was a class of men, the same in peace as in war, always wanderers from port to port, always homeless. The success of the little Y at Barry Docks with its American house mother was so immediate that one wonders why so inexpensive and simple a method of giving the seamen a home in a foreign port had not long ago been discovered by the port soci- eties. It is not the purpose of this chapter to give a comprehensive and detailed account of all the service rendered by women to the Army. In the descriptions, both of plans and of performance, already given and to follow, there is constant allusion to their presence in all departments and fields. Wherever men were, there were women also, taking their full share of what was to be done and meeting emergencies with no hampering preconceptions as to what was and what was not their proper function. The profoundly significant development of the war, in this con- The/ninence nection, was the demonstration that the right kind of woman may live in military camps, not only without offense or harm to herself, but with incalculable benefit to the men. Even the entirely proper pre- caution, established at first, that women should be assigned always in couples and never singly, was soon quietly ignored under the pressure of the work, and was found in practice quite unnecessary. It may be doubted whether, in any surroundings except the privacy of home, women could be more secure, not only from danger, but from the slightest offense of word or look. The soldiers gave them undiluted66 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN respect, and the perfect loyalty of comradeship. To this result the bearing and spirit of the women contributed equally with the chivalry of the men. In the long history of the association of the sexes, there is no better augury for the future than in this natural companionship in a great achievement, where sex unquestionably played an important part, yet without perversion or exaggeration.CHAPTER XX XVII IN THE BRITISH ISLES AND ITALY In the description of the fundamental elements of service, the point of view, so far, has necessarily been that of men planning for the whole A EF, and setting ideal standards of service. Inevitably, the standards outran achievements, and the implied comparisons pro- duce an effect distinctly unjust. In the following chapters the stand- ards and the conditions that limited their realization recede into the background. Going into the field with the workers and the soldiers, we shall see through their eyes the things that were actually done. Inasmuch as the British Isles constituted an important field of service for the AE F-Y MCA, in which a large proportion of the soldiers first entered their overseas experience, it will be convenient to survey the work done there before considering the work in France. In relation to the A EF, the British Isles had the character of Americans in the an intermediate base. Approximately half the American forces landed at British ports and stayed a few days before proceeding to France. The business of forwarding these troops gave permanent employment to several thousand officers and men at the various head- quarters, posts and rest camps. Naval operations, carried on jointly with the British, were based on British ports, in which 25,000 to 40,000 naval men performed shore duty or came on leave from the ships. Saw-mill units, cutting lumber in the forests of Scotland, and aviation mechanics, to the number of approximately 25,000, taking special training in the care and repair of aeroplanes, constituted a semi-permanent American population, while military and naval offi- cers constantly coming and going on business in London, and the crews of the transports on shore leave at Liverpool and other ports, formed a transient personnel always numerous enough though al- ways changing. The American Y MCA in the United Kingdom had thus a two- fold function. It furnished service appropriate to the needs of Ameri- cans in those parts, and acted as a link between the organizations at home and in France, especially in the forwarding of personnel. More than 6,000 Y workers passed through England en route to France, of whom less than 1,000 stayed to give service for a few weeks or months. 67| | | ' Making Place for the Americans The Opening of the American YMCA 68 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Housing and transportation of these travelers was almost as difficult as the similar task performed by the Personnel Department in Paris. The influx of Americans into the Britain which had resulted from three years of war,’ brought a necessity for readjustments both ex- tensive and delicate. On the personal side, there was a natural dis- position to look upon the American advent as “none too soon,” but the universal belief that the American Army and Navy would prove the decisive factor in the critical situation ensured a hearty welcome. If, as was unquestionably the case, the exuberant confidence of the newcomers irritated people who had passed through the sobering experiences of three years of war, it had also a certain contagion which revived the earlier spirit of the English. Certainly the civilian population, in spite of exhausting preoccupations, joined cordially in every effort for the happiness and well-being of the Amertfcans. On the physical side there were real problems. To house the newcomers, British camps were turned over temporarily or perma- nently, their occupants going to improvised quarters, or crowding into already crowded encampments. American labor battalions were employed in many places building barracks to replace those loaned to the Americans. The transfer of troops from Liverpool to Channel ports put a severe strain on railroad equipment. Food, too, presented problems. The American supply service provided of course for strictly American camps, but the many detachments in British camps were fed by the British commissary until, in some cases, the Americans’ dislike of British rations forced a change. The civilian population were under sharply restricted rationing, and American civilian workers and soldiers away from their units learned what hunger felt like at times. The extent to which private hospitality was shown Americans when people were limited to eight ounces of meat, two ounces of margarine and eight ounces of sugar per person per week, when milk could be had by none except children and the sick, was eloquent testimony of the goodwill of the British. There were in the spring of 1917 a number of American YMCA secretaries in England in the prisoners of war work, while others, among whom was Edward C. Carter, were working with the British YMCA. The first active work was undertaken at Bordon in Hamp- shire, where several thousand American engineers were encamped for a few days on their way to France. The saw-mill and other units ar- *Consult Chapter IV. ?Consult To Fighting Americans, Rudyard Kipling, Paris, 1918, p. 12.IN THE BRITISH ISLES AND ITALY 69 rived in succession, and the welfare work continued at this point until in the early autumn a purely American camp was permanently estab- lished at Winchester. Meanwhile, a large hut in course of construc- tion in London for the English YMCA National Council was pur- chased by the American Y M C A: this was the famous “Eagle Hut” in the Strand. Since the general supervision of the operations in France neces- sitated Mr. Carter’s presence in Paris, in August, 1917, Robert L. Ewing, who had been in charge of the prisoners of war work, assumed direct responsibility for the service in the British Isles as a part of the AE F-YMCA. In October, Headquarters were opened at 47 Russell Square. The prisoners of war enterprise, which had been under the general direction of the English National Council, was trans- ferred to the American Association at this time. AMERICAN TROOPS IN TRANSIT Of the 1,025,000 Americans who passed through England, 844,000 or nearly five-sixths landed at Liverpool. Approximately 50,000 landed at each of the ports of Southampton, London, and Glasgow, with a scattering few elsewhere.’ The need of opportunity to recuper- ate after the trans-Atlantic voyage, and the irregularity of Channel transport, necessitated a few days’ stay in England, and encamp- ments of large capacity, known as rest camps, were established near the ports. Those at Winchester, Romsey, and Southampton Com- mon, being very near the principal point of departure for France, were usually utilized so long as space was available. Close to Liverpool was Knotty Ash Camp, where men just off transports could be held overnight, or, if the camps near Southampton were filled, until room was vacated by departing troops. In the autumn of 1918, camps at Codford, Flowerdown, and Stanton were also used as rest camps. The men usually arrived at rest camps +n a most uncomfortable state of mind and body. Sick and tired of the long voyage in cramped quarters, weak from sea-sickness or lack of appetizing food, with nerves ab- normally tense or abnormally relaxed, and often with a long ride in crowded trains following immediately their debarkation, they were 1n real need of rest, good food, and diversion. The rest period proved, however, 2 rather uneasy repose. In face of the possibility of sub- marine interruption of the Channel transport, the stream of men was kept flowing at full height, and some detachments had hardly settled 1See Plate XV facing p. 70. The English Rest CampsiW i} Winchester 70 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN in barracks when their turn came to move on, while others, though they stayed several days, were in constant expectation of embarkation orders. It was not easy to settle down, and something interesting at every moment was required to keep these “resting” men occupied. The general characteristics of Y service can be easily imagined. First of all the men wanted food, and crowded into the canteen. Then they wanted to write home. If 5,000 men arrived at a rest camp in the morning, it was a certainty that 10,000 letters would be written and handed in for mailing that day. Impromptu athletics would ap- peal to many as the first chance for a week or more to limber their muscles. Concerts, shows, and movies exerted an unfailing attrac- tion, while, if time allowed, short sight-seeing trips appealed to those curious to see something of England. All these activities were pro- moted by the Y in all the rest camps, of which a brief account of two will represent this type of work. The camp at Winchester was transferred to the American Army by the British, and the American Y was able to secure two huts in Which the British Y had been operating. Very soon a building in the town, known as the Garrison Theater, was hired. This had a seating capacity of 500, far too small to accommodate the audiences, and two large tents were erected in combination as one, with a capacity of 4,000, for entertainment purposes. Another hut, 30 x 90 feet, Was bought and moved to Winchester to Serve as an officers’ club, and still later several large Marquees were erected in different parts of the camp. Being less than two hours’ journey by rail from London, it was possible to secure the best of talent for all kinds of entertainment for this camp, as also for Romsey and Southampton close by. The British Committee on Entertainment furnished a large number of programs by professionals, and local talent obliged most willingly when needed. An entertainment was given every night when as many as 1,500 men were In camp, and if the camp was filled, shows and movies were given at three or four places simultaneously, often twice in an evening so that two relays of men might be entertained. At one time or another, every crack British band played in this camp. All the buildings and tents were equipped with tables and chairs riting, plentiful supplies of books, magazines, and American newspapers, musical instruments, including pianos and phonographs, billiard or pool tables, post exchange and wet canteens adequate to serve 15,000 men. In six months 35 match and 600 in- for reading and wFc iat ete cab ert QUEBEC 11.000 MONTREAL 34000 ST JOHN'S —-'1.000 HALIFAX 5000 PORTLAND 6000 BOSTON 46 000 NEW YORK 1.656.000 PHILA 35,000 BALTIMORE 4000 NEWPORT NEWS 288,000 . TOTAL 2,086 000 TROOPS SAILING FROM AMERICAN PORTS AND LANDING IN FRANCE AND ENGLAND GLASGOW —-45000 MANCHESTER 4,000 LIVERPOOL 844000 Y RISTOL PORTS 11,000 FALMOUTH —s‘1,000 PLYMOUTH ‘1.000 SOUTHAMPTON 57000 LONDON ©—-_ 62,000 TOTAL 1025000 LE HAVRE 13000 BREST 791,000 ST NAZAIRE 198600 LA PALLICE 4000 BORDEAUX _— 50,000 MARSEILLE | 000 TOTAL | 057,000IN THE BRITISH ISLES AND ITALY Al formal games of baseball were played, besides football, soccer, basket- ball games and boxing matches in proportion. Winchester had eight baseball diamonds, five basket-ball courts, two football fields, and an athletic field with quarter-mile track, besides ample facilities for other sports. Lectures were well attended, the new arrivals showing live lypestee one interest in talks on England, and France, their history and customs, 4“vites and on the war. Other educational work was for the most part, with the men permanently stationed in the camp. In one week in Octo- ber, 1918, classes were meeting in five subjects, with a total attendance of 450. Eight libraries were maintained, with a circulation of 200 books or more a week. Bible classes were organized among the per- manent detachments, and services for worship and preaching were held regularly in the Garrison Theater and the Auditorium, as well as in the huts. At these services many of the leading preachers of England and Scotland, as well as those brought by the YMCA from America, were heard by the soldiers. The life of the 35 YMCA secretaries in Winchester was ex- tremely uneven. With the arrival of a convoy bringing 20,000 to 35,000 men, the rest camps would be filled to capacity, and for a few days every secretary would be working at top speed, snatching meals and sleep as opportunity offered. Then the camp would be emptied as suddenly as it had filled, and in the breathing space the staff would renew stocks and equipment, plan for the future and make themselves useful to the depot brigade, who also had time for Y activities only in the lulls between successive convoys. The camp near Liverpool was constructed by the Americans in fot February, 1918. It spread over a meadow, about five miles from the landing stage, and had accommodations for 13,000 men. In fifteen months, 250,000 men passed here their first hours on foreign soil. Beginning with a single tent, the YMCA work expanded until there were eleven centers manned by 21 secretaries. The stay of troops was, on the average, shorter than at the rest camps in the south. One of the frequent features was a parade of the newly arrived men, to receive a welcome in England from a representative of the King, when a printed copy of a greeting signed by the King was given to each man. Activities were carried on in the manner already described. The Liverpool Gymnasium was secured for basket ball, and the chemical laboratory at Liverpool University for instruction, military transport being provided to take players and students back and forth betweenThe Saw-mill Units 72 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the camp and the city. For nearly a year welfare service was pro- vided at the hospital to which many soldiers were taken who had suc- cumbed to influenza or other diseases on shipboard. Closely connected with the Knotty Ash Camp was service at two social centers in Liverpool and the very important work at the land- ing stage for debarking troops. After June, 1918, a corps of secre- taries met every ship to answer questions, exchange money, distribute postcards and collect letters and cablegrams, and to give the men copies of the Association publication, Home News, containing the latest cabled news from the United States. At the Dewey Rooms a restaurant served 1,500 men a day in busy periods. Three hundred local women gave volunteer service here. Just after the Armistice another social center was opened at Lincoln Lodge, with sleeping ac- commodation for 300 and a large restaurant. Here a corps of 250 volunteer women made the extensive Service possible. Both these centers had frequent religious services and entertainments. tries and Italy. Special reasons, such as the wish to visit relatives, had to be given if one was to receive military permission to go to England, and passport and travel difficulties made leaves in Italy few. The Lon- don executives made arrangements for a leave area on the AEF model at Leamington Spa, but the quick evacuation of the United Kingdom after the Armistice prevented its operation. A very popular officers’ club was established at Stratford-on-Avon, by the coopera- tion of Miss Marie Corelli and others, where many officers stationed 1Bor Leave Areas with statistical information, see Plate XVI facing P. 154.Contrasting Conditions 152 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN in England spent week-ends. English hospitality provided other delightful and much enjoyed week-end visits for many officers and men, and short tours and visits in Scotland made those who secured them enthusiastic over the welcome and attention given. The Hospi- tality League was the agency through which most of these visits were arranged, and its carefully thought out methods enabled men to specify the combination of mountain, seashore or country, and golf, tennis or shooting that would please them best. LIFE IN THE LEAVE AREAS The summary facing p. 154, prepared by the Leave Areas Department, shows so far as figures can, the magnitude of the ser- vice. If to the number of men entertained, the factor of the length of each man’s stay is applied, there results the extraordinary record of 3,858,303 men-days for the French leave areas, and 1,290,000 men- days for the Rhine areas, or a total of 5,148,303 men-days for the entire department, exclusive of Paris for which no records were kept. Not alone the quantity, however, but much more the quality of the provision for the soldiers’ comfort and happiness constitutes the real substance of the service. This may best be apprehended by sur- veying it as it presented itself progressively to the soldiers. They came, it must be remembered, from the billets of northern France, with its mud and rain and its unspeakable devastation, or.from the barracks and tents of theSOS camps. They came with full equipment, rifle, bayonet, gas mask, and all. The mud of the trenches was on their boots. For months they had not slept in a bed; their food, ladled out as they filed past the mess kitchen, had been eaten from megs kits. The primary desire of every man was for a taste of physical comfort. They descended from the trains into the most renowned pleasure resorts of Europe. In a brief speech, the Army officer in command informed them that, while they were there, they were free from military routine, and subject only to the ordinary rules of decent be- | havior. They were conducted by Y secretaries to hotels, built and furnished to cater to those able to pay for the most elaborate luxury. The entire accommodations were for their use. Any man might draw a room in the royal suite. Beds with clean sheets awaited them, and, as the director of the department remarked, the first thing done by most of the visitors was to “loaf and invite their souls” to spend 24 hours in bed.THE LEAVE AREAS 153 Arising they found their clothes and boots cleaned, and descended to dining rooms where tables were laid with white cloths and silver, and decorated with flowers. The meals stipulated in the YMCA eontract with the hotel keepers were of high standard, both as to variety and quality. By contrast with the conditions they had left, the Leave Area was the acme of luxury, and all this was at the expense of the Government, thanks to the persistence of YMCA advocates of soldiers’ rights who, in face of many serious obstacles and objections, had pushed the matter to an official ruling by the Judge Advocate General. It was not long before most visitors found their way to the easino or club house where the YMCA had established its service center. The characteristic European breakfast of rolls, coffee or chocolate, and fruit, only whetted appetites for a real American breakfast, and the widespread rumor that sausages, cakes, eggs, and American coffee could be had at the Y canteen was an irresistible attraction. This led to new discoveries. There were American girls, whose occupation was to make things pleasant and homelike for the soldier. They served him food, told him of the attractions of the place and the entertainments planned for the week, and were in- terested listeners to his talk about his experiences or about his home and home folks. Lounging rooms with easy chairs that were really easy, American papers and magazines, facilities for amusements in great variety, were plainly in evidence. There should be no difficulty in enjoying himself. Out of doors was equally attractive. No physical surroundings could have been more satisfactory. These towns were as peaceful and beautiful as if war had never been. They were not only resorts of holiday seekers, but homes of people of means and leisure, and villas, gardens, chateaux, were as attractive as taste and wealth could make them. There were varieties of climate, but all were good. The bracing air of mountain areas, the sunshine of the Riviera, and the sea breezes of Brittany were alike a welcome relief from the fog and cold and rain of northern France, while instead of dirty villages and barren plains, there were snow-capped peaks against blue sky, or lake, river, or cliff-lined coast in the distance, and well kept streets and parks to stroll through. For most of the men it was the first glimpse of “beautiful” France, the beginning of comprehension of that passionate French love of country which they had seen so little to justify or explain. Natural AttractionsVaried Interests 154 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The natural attractions of the town or region offered plenty to interest men who preferred to follow their own fancy. There was plenty of companionship, too; men from all parts of the United States and from all branches of the military service with whom to compare notes and extend mental horizons. Nevertheless, so thoroughly had the YMCA arranged ways and means for maximum enjoyment that most of the men spent the larger part of their time under its guidance. Hikes, sight-seeing trips, and picnics were extremely popular. About every leave center points of interest and natural beauty abound- ed. From Vals-les-Bains, in the Ardéche, one might visit Avignon with its palace, the home of the popes in the 14th century, or spend a day climbing about the Pont d’Arc, a natural bridge over the river Lignon, or explore the crater of the Tojac Volcano. In Nimes were the Temple of Diana, the Arena, and the Roman Baths, built in the 1st and 2d centuries. In Aix were similar ruins and the grottos whence came the naturally heated waters for the thermal baths. From the centers in Brittany the famous Norman monastery of St. Michel could be easily reached. Elsewhere excursion steamers on lake or river or sea were chartered by the Y MC A for the free use of soldiers. On all these trips, fun was combined with exercise and instruc- tion. With the lunches provided by the hotels and supplemented by hot or cold drinks and other supplies from the Y canteen, the day was planned as a regular American picnic, or “pique-nique” as the French called it. Fifty or more soldiers with two or three Y girls to provide the feminine element made up the parties... Always there was a Y man along, well informed as to the history and legends that at- tached to the places to be visited, or prepared to explain the natural curiosities to be seen. History learned amid the scenes where it was made is more vivid and fascinating than books can make it. Although most reports state that educational work was not emphasized in the leave areas, there can be no doubt that in these informal talks, with free opportunity to ask questions, men gained acquaintance with the people, customs and events of the past that they could or would have secured in no other way. For those who did not care for such excursions, or by way of variety, sports of all kinds offered attraction. They included both the amusements peculiar to the place and season and the games popu- lar with all Americans. In the Alpine and other mountain areas there were peaks to climb, with expert guides engaged by the YMCA.TABULAR SUMMARY—LEAVE AREAS DEPARTMENT Ss Areas | Y Personnel |& & Towns Date of Date of soe Cae mie lots) | 555 i h Enter- i 2 opens pacity Leaves Leaves eine lier ye tat Ese Savoie {Aix Les | | Bains |Feb. 15,1918|June 1, 1919) 4,347)103,927) 4,500 |........ Ibtos Gnrad aser troo oe Chambéry |Feb. 15,1918/June 1, 1919) 538) 6,926)....... 123,318] 37] 44) 81] 53:1 Challes Les Eaux Feb. 15,1918|June 1,1919|) 885) 7,965).......]....... geet he loli flees. BRITTANY (St. Malo |Aug. 25, 1918|June 15, 1919|| 906).......].......J....-... Py. REAL cccre Dinard Aug. 25, 1918|June 15, 1919|/ 1,360 66,976] 3,200) 70,176) 22) 24) 46) 78:1 Paramé Aug. 25, 1918|June 15, 1919] 1,122].......]......-]-..---- lews | eeeeebosdl. mun. St. Servan |Feb. 1,1919|June 1, 1919] 203}.......].......].-.--- Veal Becca eeeretses leimroreis AUVERGNE|La Bour- | | boule |Sept. 5,1918|Jan. 15,1919] 3,908) 27,058)....... 97,058] 32| 28] 60] 65:1 Mont Dore|Sept.. 5, 1918|Jan. 15, 1919])..... 0)... 22. anes e epee ff ee DAUPHINE |Grenoble |Sept.25,1918)May 6, 1919])......]]...+---]-.seee-[eeeee re peor foresforeecpeeees Uriage Les Bans |Sept.25,1918|May 6, 1919] 2,412] 36,099] 3,000] 39,099} 37} 36, 73) 38:1 Allevard |Sept.25,1918)May 6, 1919)......||......-]..---- nese. | Sele ee all erishs Nancy |Nancy |Sept. 1, 1918|Feb. 20, 1919] 1,020)....... 120,000} 120,000] 14) 14] 28}... Arpicue |Vals Les | | Bains Nov. 1, 1918}Apr. 25, 1919} 1,256) V450S le . caer 14,503] 12 _10 22) 57:1 H&RAULT |Lamalou | Les Bains} Nov. 15, 1918]Apr. 27, 1919 1,350] Sood 8,394 | 10 _13 23} 60:1 GARD Nimes Dec. 15, 1918|Apr. 20, 1919) 600) 3,934) 1,000} 4,934) 11] 6) __i17 36:1 RivieRA_ |Nice Dec. 1, 1918]May 27, 1919]) 3,359 45,026] 29,471]........|| 39) 49) 88 60:1 Cannes Dec, 1,1918}/May 1, 1919] 889] 8,154) 8,500 150,549] 20) 24) 44] 28:1 Menton Dec. 1,1918|May 10, 1919] 2,484) 24,567) 2,500)....... | 13] 25] 38] 61:1 Monte Carlo Jan. 1,1919}May 15, 1919] 2,325 20,331] 12,000)....... | 14) 25 39} 50:1 Pyrénées |Luchon |Dec. 1, 1918|May 10, 1919] 1,552} 10,992)....... or Culeerol mero imei avs) Cauterets |Dec. 1,1918|May 20, 1919] 2,722] 24,722) 500) 41,205) 10) 16) 26 104:1 Eaux- | Bonnes | Dec. 10, 1918}Apr. 19, 1919 900)" “4,991)......-|.----.- (Ay 101 18} 50:1 Pau Mar. 15, 1919!June 1, 1919)...... @asuals|iacik . |e wk Gla] SON eee. Aupins.. |Chamonix |Jan. 1,1919]May 5, 1919}......|)....-.:[e--- 02 -}e> cease __ oil [nstont | to cellars St. Gervais |Jan. 1,1919]May 5, 1919|| 2,364 18,675} 2,000 20,675) 14] 22) 36) 66:1 Le Fayet |Jan. 20, 1919 May 75; LO1O}S 2. ee: fre ner | serene } Raye ne ele wrtiets Anniécy |Annécy |Jan. 10, 1919]}May 20, 1919 TPL TONBES 55a 8,155) 15) 19] 34 35:1 Daly Leave|s RHINE Coblenz |Jan. 10,1919|May 7, 1919] 1,000)......- 300000] se ecee ech eae reee reece lepezeke VaLLEY |Neuwied |Jan. 10,1919|May 7, 1919 T-O00|: Soe. 35,000 510,000 52| 66} 118] 97:1 AREAS Tréves Jan. 20,1919|May 7, 1919|} 600).....-- 30,000 Billeted |]....]...-]...--[e+++: Andernach |Jan. 25,1919|May 7, 1919||......])-.----: 120,000] Troops |]....]-..-]-<---Jeeee: Neuenahr |Feb. 10,1919]May 7, 1919] 1.000}...-..- 25,000} 780,000)....)...-]..--- tenes Bianniy Biarritz | Feb. 15,1919| Tune 15, 1919| 1,486] 16,307) 2,500) 18,807] 14) _19) 33 45:1 VALENGAY |Valencay |Nov. 1, 1918 July 1, 1919 Alliccta Sow 2,500 DT SP AW 3)... ST. Ste. Mar- Nazatre| guerite |Aug. 15,1918|May 1, 1919) 50j.....-- 2,000} 2,000} 2) 3] 5/..... Brest |Trez-Hir |Sept. 1,1918|May 1, 1919] 80)....--- 3,000] 3,000) 2)_—O}_ 2. LYONS Lyons Nov. 1,1918}July 1, 1919|}_ 200)....--- Casuals)... +: @ iOlyew4 LOU ei: Paris Paris Div. |Nov. 1, 1918]Feb. 15,1919) ..-..||-.----- oof | sean cee |B A Ee [OAREXGTISOMONES eu nee 33.1 49) 457,704 706,67111,944.375! 408! 477! 885)... PLATE XVITHE LEAVE AREAS 155 One notable event was the scaling of an unnamed peak in the Pyre- nees by a party from Cauterets. Twelve men reached the summit, where French and American flags were raised and the name “Peak Wilson” officially bestowed. Winter sports such as skating, skiing, and sleighing had their turn, and snow-ball fights were not unknown. In the summer there were baseball, tennis, golf, and swimming, and the innumerable non-equipment games that left men breathless from laughter and exertion. The YMCA provided the athletic field or baseball diamond and the necessary equipment—the men needed no stimulation to do the rest. In-doors, in the evening or in bad weather, there was equal variety. Every center had its theater where players of the Over- There Theater League gave plays, or French vaudeville or concert parties entertained. A separate hall was used for motion pictures and two or three showings were given daily. Very popular were the games especially those known as “rough house” games. A group of men would be blindfolded and scramble to get and hold a place on a small table. Blindfold boxing was an unfailing source of hilarity, and even potato races and similar games were played with zest and laughter. Impromptu acting also became popular. From charades there developed the living movies, in which melodramatic scenarios were acted as if before a motion picture camera, a single speaker supply- ing explanatory remarks as a substitute for the “titles” of the screen. Many of the men, as well as the Y girls, could dance, sing, or play an instrument, and all were willing to contribute their specialties for the general amusement. In brief, the social halls held every night a crowd of young Americans eager for fun and able to improvise it without difficulty. Dancing of course played an important part. Although the men outnumbered the girls by fifty to one, the system of “tag” dancing, by which, when a whistle was blown, every man might cut in, made sure that every man got a partner. In the social halls, rank was forgotten; one of the workers at Aix-les-Bains tells of the visit of the Queen of Roumania and her daughter. The princess accepted an invitation to dance with an American captain. At the end of the first minute he was “tagged” by a doughboy, and the princess finished the dance with a succession of enlisted men. The dancing was a strenuous addition to the duties of the girls. They worked all day in the canteen, or hiked with the picnic parties ; there was no possibil- Indoor EntertainmentThe French Response 156 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ity of resting while the orchestra played, for girls were too scarce, and they were caught from one partner to another often without missing a step. Dancing slippers had little chance against hobnail army shoes; the rule was that proposed by the donkey turned out in the poultry yard: “Let every one look out for his own toes.” But somehow the girls endured it and kept smiling. There was hardly a leave center in which the French residents did not furnish an element of enjoyment and permanent value. At first uncertain, they soon discovered that these hundreds of young men in khaki were gentlemen. Visiting the casinos they made acquaintance and invited their new friends to their homes. Social leaders invited and chaperoned young ladies of the local families at the dances and other social gatherings. Great as was the momentary pleasure of such association, the deeper value lay in the mutual discovery of qualities that led to respect and liking. For the Ameri- cans who had met none but peasants in France, this was a revela- ation of the character which has made France a great nation, and the sowing of seeds of mutual liking and respect which may easily grow into an international influence. When the time came for the men to go back to their posts of ser- vice, there was unanimous appreciation and praise for the good times enjoyed and regret that they were so soon ended. The primary purpose of the Leave Areas was attained. They furnished the restora- tive recreation that braces bodies and Spirits, and heightens morale. The state of mind of soldiers, whose leave grant was coupled with orders to go to a particular place, had been accurately foreseen, as was proved by the fact that almost every arriving party was filled with gloomy forebodings of life in barracks, parades, and compulsory athletics. Man after man confessed that his one aim had been to find a way to slip out of the area and enjoy himself in his own fashion. Equally evident was the wisdom with which that state of mind had been met. The hope to make the Leave Area so pleasant that no one would want to go away after he comprehended what was offered, was realized to an extraordinary degree. The program satisfied the permissionaires, and the few who criticized were shamed into silence by the majority who took pains to make known their appreciation. While in two or three places, results were marred by lack of local cooperation, staff difficulties, unavoidable changes of program, or con- tinued bad weather, the characteristic of the work as a whole was unqualified success.THE LEAVE AREAS 157 THE RHINE AREAS There were certain features of the leave service in the Rhine areas that distinguished them in some degree from those in France. Most important was the fact that seven day leaves were rarely granted in the Army of Occupation, most of the men receiving one to three days’ furlough. This, together with the fact that soldiers were not permitted to resort to German hotels and restaurants, made nec- essary a very considerable provision of facilities for serving meals. The Y MCA was permitted to draw needed supplies from the Quarter- master for this purpose, and served food at cost. A second result was the development of the one day excursion One Day Rhine plan. A fleet of seven steamboats was requisitioned and manned by the Army. These made daily round trips between Bonn and Bingen. A YMCA secretary was in charge of entertainment, and a lecturer pointed out the castles and points of interest, telling the history and legends attached to each. A panorama and booklet of Rhine legends were given to each passenger. When possible the Army supplied a band, at other times the Y M C A an orchestra, for music and dancing on deck. Materials were furnished by the Army for the midday meal, prepared and served by the Y, and canteen supplies were distributed. Directly across the river from Coblenz was the castle of Ehren- breitstein, the strongest fortification in Germany, and Stozenfelz Castle, the property of the Kaiser. These had great interest for visit- ing soldiers, and the Y secured two launches which made several trips daily for their accommodation. On all these excursions, YMCA girls added greatly to the soldiers’ enjoyment, as always. The enter- tainment and athletic programs in Coblenz and other cities were in- tensified with a view to the large number of men on one day leaves and short furloughs. THE PARIS DIVISION Paris was recognized as a Leave Area after the Armistice. The Paris asa work done, however, was a continuation and expansion of that which “*”° *"* had gone on from the beginning. Something like 200,000 casuals, men and officers, arrived each month on their way to join their units, on special duty or as permissionaires. Katherine Mayo’s description of the casuals in London applied equally to Paris.’ * Consult Chapter XLII. ?That Damn Y, Katherine Mayo, New York, 1919, p. 361.Genial Approach Accommodations 158 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN “Take, for example, a cold wet winter’s night. The street is full of khaki—Australians, Americans, Tommies, Canadians slogging along in the rain and slop, dog-tired, strangers and nowhere to go, with their heavy kits on their backs. “Where are they exactly? They don’t know. Where are they bound for? They don’t know. Where will they sleep that night? Heaven alone can tell—if Heaven cares. Hungry? Yes, Fed up? Fed—up.” Service began at the railroad stations where there were informa- tion booths and canteens, and secretaries met the trains day and night. They greeted arrivals and guided them to the large trucks that ran as omnibuses between the stations and the Y and Red Cross hotels. At night a secretary accompanied each of these trucks to see that all the men were properly lodged. The men who were chosen for this service were very carefully selected. They were salesmen, newspaper men and others with large experience in the art of genial approach. This effort was not confined to the railroad stations. Informa- tion scouts patrolled the popular streets, ready to give information and to direct men about the city. Many times they cared for intoxi- cated men and found lodging for those on the streets at night. A small band of women workers were included in this street hospitality service. Their presence in the streets at night was in many instances an effectual means of keeping the boys from evil companions. The Association, in addition to many smaller places, operated four large hotels, Hotel du Pavillon, Hotel Rochester, Hotel du Palais, and the Hotel Richmond. During the month of March, 1919, these four hotels served approximately 100,000 meals and provided beds for 35,000. The Pavillon, containing 190 rooms accommodating 420 people, was leased at a rental of 260,000 francs per year. At this place and the Richmond, free teas were served every afternoon, and usually there was music by an orchestra. There were two restaurants (serving a daily average of 22,000 meals) and 24 huts, barracks and canteen rooms, besides the clubs, theaters and other amusement centers in the Metropolitan area. The soldier with a few days to spend in Paris was naturally anxious to see the sights. Twice a day from five of the most important Y centers, walking parties conducted by competent guides made tours of the city; many men had only a few hours between trains in town, and other parties, starting from the railroad stations, were formed for these. Large sight-seeing busses and army trucks also made aTHE LEAVE AREAS 159 comprehensive tour of the city twice a day. There was, further, an auto and boat service to reach the beautiful and historic suburbs of Versailles, St. Germain, Malmaison, Fontainebleau. The sight- seeing bureau also distributed to all soldiers an attractive booklet en- titled “The Story of Paris.” There were still other secretaries special- ly trained for guide service in the Hotel des Invalides, the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the Pantheon. This service began in October, 1917, with one secretary and one ten-passenger car. Towards the end it employed more than 50 men. During the six months, January to June, 1919, nearly 700,000 Ameri- ean soldiers took advantage of these trips entirely without cost to them. The Association spent more than 300,000 francs in this ser- vice, exclusive of the allowances of the secretaries employed. In Paris, primary emphasis was not placed on the religious work, Suny. except among the troops permanently located in the area. Every Sunday night a service was held in the Palais de Glace at which the average attendance was about 1,000. The religious director, with a staff of only seven men, managed to hold Sunday services in practi- cally every place within the area where American soldiers were stationed. The greatest needs of the transients were met by the provision of hotels and restaurants, and the hospitality and sight-seeing depart- ments. Next to these, the most pressing task was to keep the boys properly entertained. Extensive plans were launched for their diver- sion. The Albert Premier Theater which had a seating capacity of 700, was soon outgrown, so the Palais de Glace was taken over. Its theater accommodated 3,000 seated and another 1,000 standing, and more than 70,000 per month witnessed the varied shows in which many of America’s leading professional players appeared, including the AEF boxing matches once a week. It was also a club house, a meeting place for men and women of all the Allied Armies. Another of the Parisian playhouses conducted by the Entertain- ment Department was the Champs-Elysées Theater. This was one of the newest, most elegantly appointed theaters on the continent, and its stage was so large that only part of it could be used by even the biggest shows. There were several other theaters, large and small, in this area, but the greatest of all was the Cirque de Paris. Its seat- ing accommodations of 6,000 were increased to 8,000 and, on an aver- age, it entertained 15,000 a day at its two performances. Here too were attractive lounging rooms plentifully supplied with good read-160 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ing matter, a canteen, and a regulation boxing ring, as well as the main stage and many rest rooms. It is estimated that in all other Y amusement centers in Paris about 12,000 soldiers per day were entertained in the period between March 31 and June 80, 1919. Nancy, strictly speaking, was neither a leave area nor a recrea- tion center, but was turned over to the Department because the prop- osition involved looking after men on short leaves and often men A W OL, and because of Nancy’s proximity to the American Second Army, so that hundreds of our men visited there daily. For the ac- commodation of this floating population the Hotel de Europe, with a capacity of 125, was taken over for officers, and a large apartment house near the station was procured for enlisted men. Nancy had suffered such frequent bombardments that these bomb-wrecked build- ings were made habitable with much difficulty. The outstanding feature at Nancy was the taking over by the Y of the Nancy Thermal. This huge bathing establishment, fed by natural hot water, contained two swimming pools, one of which cov- ered over 13,000 square feet, a large pavilion of modern construction, special bathing and lounging rooms, a large building with halls on the lower floor and a cinema theater above, a great power and heating plant, large grounds with tennis courts and roller skating rink, and space for all athletic games. This had been completed just before the war, and had never been used. Arrangements were made with the Army to furnish clean underwear to each soldier utilizing the baths, the Army Salvage Department put a laundry in operation in the building ; and while the soldier was having his swim, his outer clothing was put through the delousing plant. Two large tents, where refresh- ments were served, stood in an open space beside the pool. Between October 16th and February 16th, 120,000 Americans visited the baths. Perhaps the most noteworthy service was that rendered to 30,000 Allied ex-prisoners, released after the Armistice. The following excerpt is from an official report: “Since Friday last practically all our force have been engaged in serving the prisoners (English, French, Italian, Roumanian, etc.) lib- erated by the Germans on this front and brought into Nancy. There had been no provision made for them as they were not expected here, SO we opened our canteen and dining-room to them and served choco- late, cookies, and such things as we had, and are still doing so. We have received the thanks of the English Army men, with the statement that if it had not been for the YMCA many men would not haveTHE LEAVE AREAS 161 lived. We are keeping the baths open all night for them. We have, of course, expended a large amount. Feel that it was the greatest op- portunity possible for the Y and authorized all possible use made of our canteens and supplies.” LEAVE AREA PERSONNEL Harly in the experiment the leaders had seen the need of training fainting) their workers. This work was altogether different from that in a hastily improvised roadside hut near the front, or in a great soldiers’ club in a camp where the men worked hard all day. Leave areas meant one grand round of diversion. The object of it all was to make nerve-racked men forget the war—forget even that they were thou- sands of miles from home. The tried workers of the first winter were therefore used to man the points, and the inexperienced were sent for training to the Savoie Area. Nearly every one of the 885 secretaries in the department served an apprenticeship at Aix before being assigned elsewhere; a system to which the success of the whole scheme may be largely attributed. The majority of the workers were women, who carried on the more picturesque and noticeable though not the less difficult part of the task. Often these soldiers had scarcely spoken to a fellow country-woman since leaving home; and in the leave areas it was part of the plan that they should find American women at leisure to chat, to play games, to lead hikes. Nothing else could have done so much to make the men feel at home, and to make them forget the hor- ror and the monotony of their past months. This women’s work was organized and guided for nearly the whole of the first year by Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Her successor at Aix, when she took charge of the entire field, was Mrs. James T. Anderson, who took charge later of the largest of the areas, that of the Riviera. It was the wisdom of her oversight of the hundreds of Association women in this region that caused General Pershing to suggest that all women of whatever organization, coming to the Riviera, either on leave or on duty, be placed directly under her charge. A superficial consideration may suggest that these workers had an easy task, as well as more com- fortable living conditions than most Y men and women. It was the opinion of the closest observers, however, that there was no more difficult work in the service. To receive continually shifting groups; to make every man personally feel a particular welcome; to meet men who were unhappy and dissatisfied either with military conditions or with the service of the YMCA or both; and to entertain these menA Military Novelty 162 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN so as to renew their devotion to American ideals, was a tremendous task demanding continually the exercise of high qualities of person- ality and friendship and attended by severe nervous strain. A NEW FEATURE OF ARMY LIFE The Leave Area plan was an absolute novelty in the world’s mili- tary annals. It was the solution of an age-old problem which had been previously deemed impossible of solution or not worth the trou- ble. The driving forcé that carried it through to success was in part a better understanding of the factors of military efficiency, but far more a determination that America’s citizen soldiers should not wholly lose touch, in the brutality of war, with the civilization for which the war was fought. It was one of the first of the problems of the AE F to be considered, and the development progressed rapidly enough to keep pace with the Army’s needs. Fundamental to its success was the principle of “leave on duty status” which Mr. Edmonds worked out and persuaded the Army to accept, and the intelligent program of entertainment provided by the YMCA. Without the first, few soldiers could have availed themselves of leave privileges. The hotel charges for seven day leaves alone would have amounted to more than 50,000,000 francs, or $10,000,000. Without the second, only repres- sive measures could have controlled the restlessness and discontent, and the whole purpose of leave would have been defeated. Military and social values were the product of personal satisfaction and enjoy- ment that made the leave period a bright spot in a drab existence. It is to be hoped that a much fuller record and study of the Leave Area enterprise than is possible in this book may be made available. Not only is it unthinkable that it should be omitted from the plans for any expeditionary force that America may in future send from her shores, but it has significant values for civilian consideration. There can be no question that, as the largest employer of labor, the United States Government found that its immense expenditure on soldiers’ vacations paid high dividends in efficiency. Such a discovery should have a far reaching effect upon industry at home. Whether or not this shall follow, the full comprehension of the Leave Area service by the supporters of the YMCA cannot fail to be convincing. In that service their purpose and desire for the welfare of the soldiers was brilliantly fulfilled.CHAPTER XLI WITH RETURNING TROOPS The general situation in France following the Armistice has been previously discussed.: It remains at this point merely to emphasize the principal effects of the new conditions upon the welfare program as preliminary to a description of the field operations. The YMCA programs of education, athletics, and other activ- Reorganialouems ities, prepared in anticipation of the event, were produced; and the of Activities organization was redistributed in accordance with the new arrange- ment. The difficulties involved in such a reorganization can hardly be overestimated. The close of hostilities, however, made possible the full partici- pation of the Army in welfare activities. The educational program was finally taken over entirely by the authorities, the athletic program was constituted as one huge cooperative effort between welfare workers and army officers assigned to the work, entertainment was made an official activity, and the Y was in the end relieved of the onerous burden of the canteen. The soldiers themselves were, of course, free for a more extensive participation in all activities and for detail work in the huts.2. The cooperation of the Army in no sense diminished the task of the YMCA; rather every department of work was expanded to meet the increased demands. The clearing of eastbound ocean traffic helped the personnel and supply situation materially; though, of course, this help was not immediately available in the midst of the first necessary read- justments. From the point of view of the AEF-YMCA the period from November 11, 1918, to September 1, 1919, represented a short but very trying phase of reorganization to prepare for extensive activities in cooperation with the Army, during which intensive service in the billeting areas had to be maintained, followed by the establish- ment of large new facilities for general work in the debarkation areas and base ports. Meanwhile, the Army of Occupation called *Consult Chapter X. ? Consult Chapters XXX, XXXIV and XXXV for detailed accounts of enter- tainment, educational, and athletic activities after the Armistice. 163French Winter Emergency Call for Women Workers 164 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN for a diversion of effort to Luxemburg and Germany. The purpose of this chapter is to present the leading features of the new work in France inaugurated by the Armistice. IN THE BILLETING AREAS Most of the combat troops spent the few weeks during which the arrangements were made for their evacuation in the billeting areas behind the lines. With the wintry weather, and the inactivity and the uncertainty as to the length of the delay, it was a bad time. There was nothing new in the features of service offered at this time, though the emphasis had changed. There is one thing very clear. Though every part of the Y’s work was more or less under- staffed and at very few points before the Armistice was any situation regarded as “in hand,” yet there appears in the appeals to Paris from the field at this time an unmistakable note of new urgency. It is quite plain that in those dreary days the field organization of the Association was conscious of a need even greater, if that were pos- sible, than in the period immediately preceding. To understand the reason, it is only necessary to put the various elements of the situation together. The miserable weather, the lack of purposive activity, and the desire for home—now that the big job was accomplished—threw up into high relief all personal deprivations of every kind. To say that this created a great problem for the high command and for the officers in the field is quite just, but the statement is liable to obscure the truth that the situation created a great problem for every soldier himself. And while the headquarters staff of the Y was working on new plans and making reassignments as fast as permis- sion could be secured, the general uneasiness was also affecting the welfare workers in the field. There was an earnest effort made to stiffen every activity of the Association at once, hindered very greatly by the fact that few new workers could be sent anywhere. The women secretaries were, . of course, invaluable at a time like this; they brought the one touch most needed in the drab surroundings. An emergency call for 57 women from one regional headquarters indicates at once the extremity of the need and fhe clear apprehension of the means required to meet it. The period of inactivity was soon over and the movement west- ward began.WITH RETURNING TROOPS 165 The first work of the Association at these centers at the front S™trsinment was the putting on of entrainment programs for the troops starting home and looking after the remnants of troops left behind. After the long, cold, dark weeks of waiting, a division would get its orders to move up into the Le Mans area. That these men were to move at all was enough to raise their spirits and cheer their hearts, but none the less there were many little things to be done to free this initial stage of their journey from inconvenience and to make it as comfortable as possible. If the departure was scheduled for the early morning, there was breakfast to be supplied or hot coffee at least. Reading matter had to be furnished, games supplied and all the odds and ends involved in a departure to be looked after so that there would be the greatest amount of comfort and amusement en route. Usually the Y staff that had worked with the division accompanied it, and continued its service for the time they were traveling and at the embarkation center when they arrived. At the stations through which they passed en route it meant much to them to find the Y ready to furnish hot chocolate and a sand- wich and to bring chocolates, cigarets, and sandwiches to soldiers not allowed to leave the trains. A place to sleep comfortably was not unwelcome to those who had a few hours’ respite on the train journey. In the Chaumont section a cot would be frequently used by two or three men in a single night, one man rising to catch a train and another taking his place. As the Army gradually left the areas and the regular service Cleaning-up diminished, there remained for the Association workers the tasks always accompanying the breaking up of a field organization. Sal- vaging, closing out of leases, settlement of damage suits, inventory- ing, and shipping supplies and equipment, the problem of returning personnel, all clamored for attention; not until July when the troops were practically all under way was this work finished. THE EMBARKATION CENTER—LE MANS The most rapid expansion recorded in the whole history of wel- fare work in the American Expeditionary Forces took place within Le Mans Area, shortly after that city and its outlying towns had been designated as the American embarkation center. This area included the district from 30 to 50 kilometers around the city and had a billeting capacity for over 300,000 men. It was almost equl- distant from the ports of LeHavre, Brest, St. Nazaire, and Bordeaux,i | i | i | 166 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN and so was the natural center to which to bring the troops to be prepared for embarkation. Here the soldiers came for delousing and re-equipment and final reclassification before being started on the final lap of their long journey. Le Mans had previously been used as a replacement depot, so there was already on hand some existing equipment for welfare work, but with the enormous influx of troops after Armistice time the wel- fare organizations were forced to expand very greatly and very rapidly to meet the new situation. Soon after the Armistice there were 200,000 new troops here, the first contingent of those who were on their homeward way. As units went out to the shipping ports, others coming in immediately replaced them. As quickly as possible they too were moved on; their stay was often, as they hoped it would be, a short one. Yet while some divisions spent less than a week here, others remained for nearly four months. Arrivals and depar- tures took place on shortest notice. This program of a perpetually transient population was aggra- vated by the movement of casuals back and forth, some homeward and some to other points in France. While a division brought its own group of Y workers with it, which helped to relieve the pres- Sure on the local staff, yet the task was always serious enough, and in June it required more than 600 workers to man the 300 Y stations in this single area and to operate the fifteen rolling canteens. Some idea of the extent of the work may be gained from the fact that nearly 625,000 soldiers passed through Le Mans before June 30, 1919, and the total operating expenses for the region up.to June, not including the expenditure of the Paris Headquarters for per- sonnel and material, were almost a million francs. The soldiers arrived at all hours of the day or night, in com- panies, in squads, in pairs and singly as casuals—thousands of them pouring in, all to be cleared preparatory to being sent to the port of embarkation. Arriving usually after a long and wearisome rail journey in a troop train, a welcome at the station or at the hut with a cup of hot coffee meant a great deal. Often the girls in the wet canteen, in addition to their regular work, stayed up all night once a week to make coffee for the troops coming in for embarkation, and spent the following day serving coffee and sandwiches, taking and sending cablegrams, shopping, and performing the hundreds of minor Services which seem of such importance at the last minute to the departing soldier.WITH RETURNING TROOPS 167 Hotels were crowded, cafés were charging enormous rates for simple meals, and even Central Hut itself was being used for sleeping quarters as well as a recreation center. In an attempt to meet the food emergency, the Y opened one of the largest and finest cafe- terias in France in the heart of the city. The building had been originally designed for a Y activities hall and could be adapted to cafeteria purposes without serious difficulty. It had accommodations for seating 300 at once and could serve 1,090 soldiers in record time. Breakfast was “real American,” made to fit the American palate. Here the boys found “hot cakes and syrup” just like home. At the height of its season from 1,100 to 1,800 meals a day were served, not only meeting the needs of those who otherwise would have had to hunt for a meal in a crowded city, but furnishing a welcome relief to men already long-tired of army fare, and eager to return to the comforts of civilian life. | The regular departmental activities were organized and devel- Activities oped to a remarkable degree. The number of participants, including repeaters, in athletics during the six months ending in June, totaled over 3,000,000. Eighty thousand pieces of athletic equipment were supplied. In the month of May alone over 1,000,000 persons wit- nessed baseball games played on 243 diamonds. Fifteen thousand baseballs were used up. At times other games such as indoor base- ball, basket ball, volley ball, football, quoits, and wrestling rivaled baseball in popularity. Boxing had a strong hold on the interest of the soldiers. Seventeen hundred sets of boxing gloves were fur- nished in the month of April alone. Especially noteworthy were the boxing events staged in the Pare Des J acobins, once a Roman amphi- theater, so arranged that thousands could witness the boxing events staged on the bandstand. At one time there were over 18,000 men as spectators of a boxing exhibition in this park. The athletic work here meant the equipment and development The Work of a group of bored, tired, and discouraged men, twice outnumbering the total enrolment of our six biggest colleges combined. It meant the transformation of muddy, undrained meadows into adequate athletic fields. It meant the supplying and sometimes the manufac- ture of suitable athletic material. It meant endless work in preparing schedules and supervising training. Figures can never tell the real story of the man whose weary wait for his trip home was made less tiresome and more endurable by interesting events in which he took part or which he could witness.Education - A Big Show 168 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The Educational Department found abundant ways to help the men stationed in or passing threugh Le Mans area. The con- stantly changing personnel of the troops and the absence at the begin- ning of proper textbooks, school rooms and teachers delayed the establishment of formal work, but finally there was a system at work embracing grade schools, grammar schools, high schools, business and college courses. The Ecole Pratique in the city of Le Mans was secured for evening classes and developed until it had a faculty of fifteen with courses in twenty-five different subjects. In January a School of Architecture was opened with a beginners’ class of twenty men detached from their respective organizations by special orders from Divisional Headquarters. There was organized a most success- ful School of Agriculture, and instruction in all phases of farm work was carried on through classes, lectures, and farmers’ institutes. Agricultural clubs were organized and excursions planned whereby the men had opportunity to visit and study at first hand the farming methods in the noted French farms of this department. In addition to this regular work the library service was developed to meet the craving of the men for mental recreation and improve- ment. The number of loans of books totaled over a million and a half and 10,000 copies of the Paris editions of the New York Herald, the Chicago Tribune and the London Daily Mail were distributed daily to the soldiers within two hours after arrival from Paris. Truck- loads of current magazines were brought into the area to be quickly worn out through continuous reading. Incidental lectures and sight-seeing trips helped to fill in odd moments and make some of the time profitable as well as entertaining. At no point was the entertainment service a more effective force than at this embarkation center, where it received its greatest devel- opment. Concerts, theatrical performances, motion picture shows, were provided in endless succession. Within a period of three months the attendance at the various kinds of shows, theatricals and enter- tainments increased from approximately 500,000 to 3,500,000 per month and the number of entertainments given from 1,000 to nearly 5,000. The booking office at Le Mans was widely known as “Entertain- meént House” and became the largest play factory inthe AE F. Under the direction of an expert New York theatre manager, plans were developed and personnel increased so that Entertainment House was prepared to furnish all kinds of amusement for the Army. At theWITH RETURNING TROOPS 169 beginning of the year, there were on the road four Y MC A troupes and half a dozen Army shows, as well as some transient troupes from the home-going divisions. During the month of January these units gave about 600 shows to audiences aggregating 100,000 men. The amazing growth of the department’s work was illustrated by the comparison of these figures with those of the month of April, when there were 4,250 performances given to a combined audience of more than 3,500,000. In the city of Le Mans alone more than a dozen theaters, including the magnificent Municipal Theater, were opened to soldiers after April first. Not always, however, did the cast find such conveniences at hand. Shows were given in huts, in tents, in trucks, in French barns and occasionally even in open fields. The department staff not only provided Le Mans area with its Fe ee Ona entertainment, but developed three of the most successful shows as well as the largest single production that toured the entire AE F. Many of the productions of this play factory received commendatory citations from the commanding officers at the various points where they staged their performances. The Cinema Department supplemented this regular work with its valuable and interesting form of entertainment. It added to the regular movie work what was known as a “flying squadron,” which consisted of a series of trucks equipped with Delco lighting outfits and projectors by which picture shows could be carried to the most remote areas, shown on screens on the side of a hut, the wall of a house, or perhaps a frame supported on an Army camion. In the month of May 2,047 shows were given to audiences of 954,000 men. The Religious Department in this area provided for religious Feligious services on all suitable occasions, organized Bible classes and dis- tributed Bibles and other religious literature in large quantities. During the month of March there was a total of more than 1,000 services attended by 225,000 soldiers. Ten thousand Bibles were given away. Two hundred and seventy-two thousand pieces of religious literature were distributed. A very keen religious interest was mani- fested by the soldiers in most cases, and every reasonable endeavor was made to have the services conducted in popular style without offense to men of different sects or to those of non-church-going habits. The religious motive back of all welfare work was empha- sized, and many obtained a new vision of religion as life and service. The number of men signing the war roll ecards was 1,545, and the number of Bible classes held during the period from January to JuneDancing 170 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN 15, 1919, was 304 with an attendance of more than 4,700 men. The Department worked in hearty cooperation with the Army chaplains, who were necessarily recognized as the authorized religious leaders. Y MCA secretaries were frequently called upon by Army chaplains to conduct services and do other religious work in the chaplain’s absence. Jewish, Roman Catholic, Christian Scientist, as well as Protestant denominations, were furnished with space in the YMCA huts for the purpose of conducting their own services. The aim of the Department was to hold at least two religious services each week in every place in the region, where circumstances permitted, and special occasions, such as Christmas Day, Easter Sunday and Mother’s Day, were usually observed with a fitting religious program. With the arrival of American girls after the Armistice, the enthu- siasm for dances grew by leaps and bounds. So popular was this feature of the social life that night after night girls who had worked all day in canteen or station service, were kept busy trying to accom- modate the soldiers and to meet the demand for dancing partners. This was no easy task. Practically all the women workers were expected to attend a dance twice a week. Many of them were called upon for every night except Sunday. It even became necessary finally to establish a dancing bureau in order to see that every soldier got an opportunity to dance with an American girl once in a while, and that the girls themselves should not be permitted to exhaust them- selves by overdoing. Flying squadrons were established of girls who were taken from one camp to another by motor in order to afford all the soldiers some opportunity to dance with an American girl. The stories of their experience make interesting reading. One girl writes: “The dances in Le Mans proper were always interesting, but it was the dances in the little towns that provided the variety. When the girls started from their canteens and offices for one of these dances they never knew what kind of a place they were bound for. When the destination was reached the girls were likely to find their hosts waiting in a barn, a French dancehall or a fine old chateau. The music, too, varied from a forty piece band to a reed-organ or an accordion. No girl expected her shoes to last longer than one week without repair, for dance floors were always an uncertain quantity, perhaps cement or planking so hurriedly put together that hopping over the cracks was in order, and one could fairly feel the leather wearing off the soles, while the hob-nails played havoc with the uppers. No one was ever so popular as an American gir] at an enlisted men’s dance in France.”WITH RETURNING TROOPS 171 At one dance in the Seventh Division when it was the first time the men had danced or had been with American girls for six months, there were 1,500 men and seventeen girls. The officers were obliged to order that every third dance be a stag dance in order to save the girls. On another occasion at an enlisted men’s dance, a limited num- ber of men were let in at one door and put out after their dance at another, while a new relay came in. Cutting-in was popular, but it required the greatest care to prevent it having all the marks of a stampede. Many a time the girls reached their homes late at night or early in the morning after a tiresome motor ride only to be up again at seven to begin the regular canteen duties of the day. What these girls meant to the men was well expressed by one soldier boy when he said: “Life in the Army is awfully out of balance, you know, but you girls helped to balance it.”* AT THE PORTS OF EMBARKATION Maintaining the Balance When the Army first began to reach France the ports Of Brest, condition: Bordeaux, and Marseilles were already overloaded with the task of handling munitions and war supplies. Work was being rushed at top speed to increase their capacity to handle freight, long before the problem of troops became serious. With the coming of an army from America the construction work increased enormously, in order that as soon as possible these harbors might be used for the discharge of troops, and the pressure on England and the congestion on the Channel be relieved. By the time of the Armistice tremendous changes had been made, and camp accommodations were ready for the large bodies of men who now would be able to return direct from France to the United States. The conditions at Brest had been so improved that in spite of the climatic conditions there—the records give 333 rainy days in one year—the camps in the Brest and Pontane- zen districts came to be regarded as among the best in France. In the spring of 1919, nevertheless, all these ports, now ports of embarka- tion instead of debarkation, were taxed to the limit of their capacity to meet the requirements of the returning troops. As in the days before the Armistice, the largest number of troops continued to pass through Brest, but other ports which had previously been used largely for freight now became ports of embarkation for many of the return- 1The History of the YMCA in Le Mans Area, by the Regional Staff, Port- land, Oregon, 1920, furnishes a complete account of the Association Activities in this Embarkation Center from December, 1918, to July, 1919.Saget en egee ee Expansion at the Ports | | 172 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ing soldiers. The proportions are indicated in a report of the Statis- tics Branch of the General Staff for April 23, 1919, which shows that up to that date there had sailed from Brest 432,830 men, from St. Nazaire 197,908, from Bordeaux 155,918, from Marseilles 32,421, from Havre 5,190, and from English ports 36,965. With the rapid growth of the camp accommodations, went a corresponding growth in the equipment and personnel for Y service. With the arrival of troops homeward bound, new huts were erected, new secretaries initiated into their multifarious duties, orders for supplies doubled, and redoubled, again and again. Even so, it was not until the coming of spring that the service became all it was hoped to make it. By that time the athletic programs, entertainments, cinema shows, sight-seeing trips, and religious and educational work were progressing at full speed, in daily service to the hundreds of thousands of men passing through en route for home and undergoing all the for- malities requisite for repatriation. In many respects the work at these ports was a repetition of the organized work at the embarkation centers. For some of these troops who had not gone through Le Mans these ports were the first stopping place after leaving their billets near the front. Here, too, were delousing camps, where the men were obliged to remain from three to ten days in practical isolation, where a Y hut with Y service was, aS one man put it, “certainly an oasis in the desert.” Here the men remained long enough to be re-equipped and reclassified, or, if ready for sailing, until the transports were ready and their sailing orders received. The uncertainty of the length of their stay again made regular, continuous work for any considerable period, especially educational classes, impracticable, except for the troops in charge of the camps. But all the other features were developed to the full. Sight-seeing excursions to points of interest in the neigh- borhood took place daily, rain or shine. Sometimes on foot, some- times in camions or by boat, soldiers and secretary or “‘Y girl” would be off for the afternoon, visiting interesting old chateaux, quaint villages, historic spots, witnessing the quaint customs of the people of the district; learning something of history, something of architec- ture, much of France; and whiling away in a delightful fashion another of the tiresome days before their final departure. The eve- nings were filled with entertainment features, shows and moving pictures. The report of the Entertainment Secretary of the Pontane- zen Division says:WITH RETURNING TROOPS 173 “So, from January to June, the entertainment work grew and flourished, and took on ever broader and broader proportions. What had seemed an almost hopeless task at the beginning, by reason of intelligent planning and faithful effort, gradually took on life, order and system, so that the department was able to furnish ever more adequate and efficient service. It expanded from week to week with almost astounding development and fast became one of the Y MC A’s most helpful and truly successful enterprises, in that divi- sion. Courage, optimism, unwavering determination and never flag- ging effort won their deserved reward, triumphing over difficulties, dampness and depression, and bringing to the long detained, home- hungry boys just that mental exhilaration, emotional relaxation, good cheer stimulus and recreation of spirit that they stood in such vital need of during those dull days that stretched between Armistice Day and their long awaited ‘Embarkation Day. 27 Special auditoriums were built to hold the audiences that wished to attend. The one at Brest had seats for 3,000 men; the stage here was exceptionally well equipped, and matinees and evening perfor- mances were a daily occurrence. The number of huts in the Pontane- zen Division, to which entertainment was furnished through the YMCA, grew from six in February to twenty-three in June, when there were given weekly in these huts an average of 70 musical and dramatic shows, 120 motion picture shows, and 15 band concerts. In addition to all the various activities already described in Specialties previous chapters, the embarkation ports called for certain new forms of service, arising from their character and the special needs of the men at the time of embarkation. The soldiers arrived at the ports, often after a journey of 48 hours or more, weary, cold and hungry. In addition to their regular work, men and women secretaries some- times spent whole nights making coffee or chocolate, and sandwiches, and serving them to troops coming in for embagkation. Information as to trains, trips, and places of interest in the vicinity was given hundreds of times a day, and every effort made to insure its accuracy and helpfulness. With the influx of troops in such great numbers, hotels and restaurants in the towns were overloaded, and the charges were often high. To relieve the pressure, and to provide good food in wholesome surroundings at lower prices, restaurants and cafe- terias were opened, where the men could get real home cooking and home dishes. Ice cream factories were established; from a section near Brest, famous for its strawberries, half a ton was used every day in making strawberry shortcake. Hotels were opened for the' | | { Activities of the Financial Department The Shopping Bureau 174 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN officers, buildings secured for officers’ clubs; and the huts themselves, whenever needed, were always at the service of new arrivals who had not found a place to sleep. The free chocolate and cookies on Sundays at the huts were always a great attraction. These men, arriving from all over France and about to return to America, found themselves possessed of French money, often that of local districts not legal tender in other sections of France. To change their French money into American, to accept these local notes, which were later redeemed through the Y secretary in the district to which they belonged, to cash checks, to arrange the sending of money home, all these services during the last few days of the men in France made the financial department of the embarkation port a very busy place. During the month of January, 1919, the value of the money thus exchanged at Brest was nearly 4,500,000 francs. A working capital of 250,000 francs was committed by the Paris head- quarters to the Brest Division to make this work possible, and of this amount not one franc was lost to the Association, although, at times, in order to render a needed service, the financial department took chances which no organization operating for profit would have dared to take. One of the unique forms of assistance was that of the “shopping bureau.” Thousands of men would arrive in camp, uncertain whether they were to leave for the boat in one day or ten. Their stay was seldom longer than a week; leaves were rare or impossible; for the most part the men were necessarily restricted within the limits of the camp itself. Yet they all wanted to get souvenirs of the town or of France, presents for the folks at home, or little things for themselves. Virtually prisoners for the time being, they would have been prevented entirely from taking such things home had it not been for the services of women workers who went to the town on regular shopping tours. The purchase of suitable articles for gifts was often much of a puzzle to the soldier, and the advice and help of a Y girl was especially acceptable when he doubted his own judgment as to value and appro- priateness. The women also helped by sewing on new chevrons, Service or wound stripes, or shoulder insignia that needed replace- ment; and inasmuch as every soldier wanted to look his best on his return, there was an endless amount of this sort of work to do. Shop- ping and sewing filled many an hour of a Y girl, and brought frequent opportunity for a chat with the departing soldier about home. These activities are illustrated in a report from Marseilles:WITH RETURNING TROOPS 175 “We find that the boys have many other needs, as well as the desire for tasty food. None of the casuals are allowed outside of the camp, yet all wish to get souvenirs of Marseilles and to complete their supply of presents for the folks at home; also, they are all sent through the ‘mill’ and are bereft of chevrons, service and wound stripes, and shoulder insignia, all of which they must have before sailing in order properly to impress their friends and family on arrival. To supply these needs we have established a shopping bureau handled by two of the girls. Each day one is in town buying everything from service stripes to lingerie, while the other is at the counter taking orders and selling her purchases. These girls also keep a supply of post-cards and views of Marseilles, which we sell in enormous quantities at whole- sale prices. . . . Each girl of our staff has some canteen service every day, some regular time off, and other time which she spends outside in the hut with the boys. One girl takes care of the flowers, so that there are always several bouquets on the counter and around the hut. Several of the girls play and sing and amuse the boys when off duty. The others spend what time they have, which is all too little, in sewing on chevrons and attending to the thousand and one wants of one big family of boys.” When the troops finally went aboard the transports for the ocean Ocean Activities trip that was to finish their overseas service, the Y followed with Home Journey supplies, equipment, and personnel for work during the home journey. At first, when workers were too few for the work in France, the chief task was the equipment of each returning transport with welfare supplies. Each ship was met on arrival and examined with a view to ascertaining the kind and amount of materials needed, which were then provided and placed on board for distribution. These were principally such articles as cigarets, games, books and magazines. So much of this material was needed that it required a special warehouse for these supplies alone. At one port the requisitions for a single month included 300,000 packages of cigarets and 200,000 packages of chocolate. Sometimes phonograph records and musical instruments from the entertainment department, or boxing gloves or other athle- tic equipment from the physical work department, were added. Every ship was provided with all kinds of religious literature. When it is considered that embarkation camps were filled with thousands of men who were through with the war and anxious to get home, but who were detained for periods ranging from seven days to six weeks, it will be readily understood that an intense athletic, social, religious and educational program, together with sight-seeing and other activities, played a great part in keeping them contented.A Much Needed Service With the Colored Units 176 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN GRAVES REGISTRATION SERVICE While the main body of American soldiers thus found themselves in the currents setting homeward, and the greatest volume of wel- fare activity related itself to these men in the ways already described, there were some small groups, here and there throughout France, who, like the larger Army of Occupation in Germany, were destined to remain for longer periods than their fellows in order to help bring to a close the outstanding affairs of the AE F. Among these groups none was in greater need of welfare work than those engaged in the tasks of the Graves Registration Service. The very nature of their occupation rendered desirable every possible diversion of their thoughts during recess hours. Not only at the cemeteries, but where- ever American soldiers fought, there was for them work of the most melancholy kind. Everything about them—the bodies, the shell- marked fields, shattered woods and ruined villages—suggested death. These men, whose duties brought them into closer contact with the dead than with the living, were surrounded by many diversions through the activities of the YMCA. Huts and canteens were opened throughout their camps; dances, entertainments, lectures and religious meetings were arranged, and schools were inaugurated. American girls went out to them to give added cheer. As far as the means avail- able permitted, every leisure hour was utilized by Y workers, so that the men might have no after-thoughts of their day’s gruesome work. Closely associated with the men of the Graves Registration Ser- vice were a number of colored units, Pioneer Infantry, Engineers and labor battalions.: It was the duty of these men to go over the blighted areas where Americans had fought, salvaging, repairing highways and railroads, filling in trenches and reburying the dead. They labored in a wilderness of destruction. Centered in and around Ver- dun and the Argonne were 30,000 men on this kind of work. The Y established headquarters in Verdun and with a force of only eight workers, men and women, covered every point where American sol- diers were at work. Soldiers were detailed to canteen work, sixty men being thus employed at one time. Entertainments were furnished by bands, orchestras and vaudeville units in the area. Religious ser- vices were conducted by white secretaries and by enlisted men who had had experience in religious work. *Consult The American Negro in the World War, Emmett J. Scott. Wash- ington, 1919.WITH RETURNING TROOPS 177 The work of the troops finally resolved itself into the construc- tion of the national cemeteries at Romagne, Thiaucourt, and Beau- mont, so that by May, 1919, practically all the soldiers had left the district except those thus employed. At Romagne about 6,000 men were at work on the Argonne Cemetery, the largest of the American burial places in France. Bodies in various stages of decomposition had to be brought from distances varying from 30 to 50 kilometers. The whole region was in a state of desolation, and the total lack of conveniences subjected the men to many hardships. It was obvious that there was great need of welfare work in these places, to prevent lowered morale. The Y sent colored workers, both men and women, who succeeded in furnishing comforts and distractions that relieved the tension and greatly improved the morale of the men. Headquarters for this work were established in Romagne, and a building opened. A second build- ing was opened later and used as a reading and writing room. Both buildings were supplied with pianos, tables and chairs, and were made as cheerful and homelike as possible. A large hangar served as an auditorium, with a capacity of 2,500. A lively program of indoor and outdoor activities was carried out and a plan of religious service best adapted to the men inaugurated. Two women of especially broad experience were placed in charge of the hut. They had the as- sistance of four women secretaries and a detail of 26 soldiers who prepared sandwiches, doughnuts, chocolate, and lemonade to be freely distributed. ‘Three thousand doughnuts, 2,500 biscuits, 1,500 sand- wiches, twenty pounds of cheese, one case of jam, 1,200 lemons, and four bags of sugar were served daily to the men. In addition to these goodies, there was a supply of cigars, cigarets, chewing gum, and candy. Three thousand newspapers were distributed daily. On leaving the camp each soldier was given some chewing gum, candy, cigarets, and cigars. By the end of June there were engaged at Romagne four women and seven men secretaries. The presence of the women had a most wholesome influence. Under date of June 27, 1919, the 1st Battalion, 813th Pioneer Infantry, expressed its appreciation to the Y M CA workers at Camp Romagne in the following terms: “We have been doing very tedious work, but very sacred, that is, digging up and reburying the American soldiers, who fell in this great conflict to save their country. The Y MCA workers have toiled A Region of DesolationThe Post- Armistice Adjustment 178 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN day in and day out, never tiring, making everything pleasant and homelike for us. “This is the first time that the lst Battalion, 813th Pioneer In- fantry has ever had a Y MCA attached to them, and when this was found out by the Y MC A workers of Camp Romagne, why it seemed as though they doubled their efforts to make everything bright and cheery for us. “We have had plenty of motion pictures, traveling vaudeville shows, at least four or five nights a week, plenty of soothing refresh- ments served to the boys when they came in from a long, hot and dusty trip on a truck, and plenty of sporting equipment for out and in- door sports, and also plenty of reading material. “The Y MCA workers have kept the morale of this camp to the highest standpoint, and if it had not been for their presence here, the work that the men were doing and having home constantly on their minds, why this camp would have been in an uproar all the time.” ANOTHER ADAPTATION The varied welfare activities conducted on behalf of the Ameri- ean soldiers during the period following the Armistice illustrate again the efforts of the Association to adapt its program and its resources to the needs of the men it was seeking to serve. New problems necessi- tated the working out of new methods, all designed to meet the parti- cular needs of the men under changed conditions. One factor in the larger success of welfare work during this period was the plan of military supervision which gave to the welfare program the full back- ing and support of the army organization. The chief of one sub-sec- tion of the General Staff was made directly responsible for the co- ordination of all the activities, an arrangement which secured the cooperation of all the welfare societies and insured a high degree of efficiency. Into this unified scheme the Y M C A fitted its established machinery and personnel. Based upon the psychological necessity to relieve the months of the post-Armistice period from the evils of idleness and temptation, no one can contradict the outstanding fact that the results of the whole effort fully justified the time, strength, and money invested.CHAPTER XLII THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION Of course, the spectacular event of the post-Armistice period was the occupation of German territory. The task of occupying the American zone was assigned to the Third Army, organized for this specific purpose, under the command of General Joseph T. Dick- man. In the early morning hours of November 17, 1918, less than a week after the Armistice, this Army began its march. At the head of the column were the Ist, 2d, and 32d divisions, bound for the east bank of the Rhine; these were followed by the 3d, 4th, and 42d divisions, who were to occupy the west bank; next came the 89th and 90th divisions to take up their position in the Moselle Valley; and behind there followed the supporting 28th, 33d, 5th, 7th, and 79th divisions, who were to be stationed in Luxemburg and also to guard the lines of communication. The 1st Division crossed the Rhine on De- cember 13, 1918. The various divisions, aggregating approximately 250,000 men, rapidly took up their positions and were soon scattered over a territory of 3,000 square miles stretching from the French frontier through Luxemburg and Germany up to the Coblenz bridge- head. After a period of about six months, the American Army of Oc- cupation was withdrawn and the remaining troops, about 15,000 in number, became known as the American Forces in Germany. The welfare work of the Y M C A appears, during this last period, The Period in four phases: first, service during the march forward; second, work for the units on the lines of communication; third, the elaborate enter- prise conducted for the Army of Occupation; and fourth, the com- pact and highly-developed organization in the American Forces in Germany. The whole period reflects the transition from the hectic conditions of the rapid, forced advance, begun with a minimum of preparation; through the extended activities of the first months of 1919, when large opportunities were matched at last by rapidly in- creasing facilities; to the last stage, when, for the service of a small body of men, it was possible to organize scientifically with a selected 1 History of the A EF, Shipley Thomas, New York, 1919, p. 372. The sup- porting aivinions were attached to the Second Army with headquarters at Toul. 179| | On the Road 180 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN personnel, well supplied with the basic essentials of successful wel- fare work. THE MARCH TO THE RHINE The Y MCA had no opportunity to make preparations for the march into Germany. Such workers as were with the different units when the fighting ceased were permitted to go forward with their units. They were able to carry with them only such supplies as they found ready to hand. Thus, welfare service on the march was repre- sented almost entirely by efforts of personal ingenuity on the part of workers who were so fortunate as to find themselves in favorable positions. The story is interesting primarily for this reason. It was a hard time for the soldiers. The roads were bad and the weather cold and wet. All the advancing divisions had been in combat and there had been little rest after the hard fighting. Though in- clusion in the Third Army was unquestionably an honor, there was a natural feeling of disappointment that they were not chosen rather to turn their faces toward home. But it was only an armistice; fight- ing men were needed at the front till the possibilities of peace were assured. The 1st Division, first in so many things, was the first to cross the bridge at Coblenz. It was served on the march by a small group of secretaries giving cinema shows with a portable machine wherever possible, and distributing supplies secured from the warehouse at Ippecourt. During the week when the division was delayed at Luxem- burg a dining room was secured at one of the large hotels, a reading and writing room was opened, and a wet canteen was started. Five Y MCA girls were attached to the division. The troops were proud of the fact that their outfit was accompanied by Miss Gertrude Ely of Philadelphia, who had been decorated with the Croix de Guerre for her work in the trenches, dugouts, and hospitals in the forward posi- tions. Miss Ely was the first American woman to cross the Rhine, marching over the pontoon bridge at Coblenz at the head of the column just behind Brigadier-General Frank Parker and his staff. Another woman secretary won admiration by walking the entire distance with the soldiers, refusing all offers of a place in an automobile. She de- clared that if the doughboys could march into Germany with packs on their backs, she certainly could march without a pack, and she did. The soles of her shoes were worn through, but the saddler patched up the holes.THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 181 Secretaries hiked with the outfits of the 2d Division and during the stay in Luxemburg sent ten trucks to France for canteen supplies which were distributed before the men reached Germany. A woman worker with the 3d Division wrote: “The Armistice was signed, and soon after we were en route to Germany on trucks. This was the most discouraging time. The war was over, so we thought, the work done, and everybody wanted to go home, and, worst of all, supplies were low. We carried all we could on the trucks, but rail connections were not yet through and truck loads do not go far with a division. Much of the time was spent of course traveling but when a stop of a day or two was made we girls were packed on to Ford camionettes with a cocoa-making outfit and dumped into a town to find a place to set up shop. We served cocoa all afternoon until called for and taken to headquarters for the night. It seemed as though there never was enough to go around at that time but we did the best we could with what we had.” The 4th Division was badly handicapped by the lack of transporta- Service Despite tion but strenuous efforts were made to reach the different units. With the advance of the troops of occupation, the divisional headquarters of the 5th Division were successively moved from Etain, to Longuyon and Longwy, France, and to Hollerich, Luxemburg. The next move was to Merle and, lastly, to Esch where the division re- mained until ready to entrain for embarkation. During the weeks through which these changes were made in the effort to keep abreast with the Army there is a record of a heavy distribution of canteen sup- plies, a free hot drink service, a banking system, generous supplies of newspapers, magazines, writing paper and envelopes, together with occasional entertainments, athletic events, and religious meetings. Transportation required a car, two trucks and several camionettes. “Marching into Germany the 32d Division Y succeeded in keeping supplies rolling with the front ranks, thanks to the generous coopera- tion of the Army,” wrote a secretary with that division. During the long and uncertain ordeal of the Argonne drive sup- plies were received from the regional warehouse at Ippecourt and this continued to be the source until the division left Consdorf, Lux- emburg, a distance of 140 miles. At Consdorf in celebration of Thanksgiving Day, 60,000 pounds of chocolate and other supplies were distributed. At Speicher, Germany, the canteens were supplied from Treves. Part of the Y staff remained at Speicher two days waiting for additional supplies and thus had an opportunity to serve twoTypical Experiences Potato Soup 182 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN other divisions, the 42d and the 89th, which remained for a day in the town. On this hike of the 32d Division 320,000 sheets of letter paper were distributed with envelopes. The experiences of the 90th Division were typical: “The day the Armistice was signed we located in Mussay on the Meuse; all supplies were brought by truck from Ippecourt. The next move of the division located us at Marville. Here the lines of com- munication broke down. At Marville were delivered our last regular papers, which had been brought up to this time from Ippecourt. To relieve the desperate supply situation and to make Thanksgiving Day, now at hand, a fact, G.1 of the 90th Division gave us a convoy of thirteen trucks to haul supplies from Ippecourt. “The next long jump landed us at Retang. All that was left of the abundant Thanksgiving supplies at Marville were relayed and stored here. While at Retang we secured two truck loads of supplies from Luxemburg city. Another long jump and we landed with the division at Remisch, Luxemburg; for here we brought supplies from Luxemburg city. In each of these cities we opened a large central canteen. The secretaries assigned to troops remained with them through all the movements. In every way possible they got supplies from the central canteen and served their own units. During these days we used our own limited transportation for traveling canteen purposes. In getting supplies we were absolutely dependent on army transportation. At Retang an Army truck was given to mount a Deleo moving picture machine. The outfit complete joined us at Remisch, and here worked successfully, practically every night while marching, in entertaining the boys of the 90th Division. “Trucks loaded with supplies and secretaries crossed the Moselle into Germany and served the men en route until we came to rest at Wittlich.” Holding these few facts in review it can hardly be doubted that thousands of the men who participated in that long and eventful march of the Third Army from the old battle line in France to the banks of the historic Rhine, carry with them memories of the part played by certain men and women secretaries of the Y MCA. The workers were eager to go forward into Germany and were ready to share with the Army in the discomforts of the weary hike. Much depended, not only on their ability to secure and to transport supplies for the canteens, but also on their readiness to perform spontaneous service. From Luxemburg, for example, the march was particularly hard. The weather was cold and raw, and in many cases the men’s shoes were worn through and their feet were sore and blistered. One of the secretaries conceived the idea of finding out in advance whereTHE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 183 the troops would be billeted for the night and planning for their com- fort. She would go ahead with the billeting officer and make arrange- ments with the German families to have hot potato soup in readiness. There was no shortage of potatoes, and the German housewife has a reputation for potato soup. If there was any hesitation on the part of the cook, a hint that she would be reported to the American Army authorities, was sure to overcome it. It rained nearly every day, and it was usually late at night when the men arrived. What could meet more perfectly the requirements of wet, tired, and hungry men than good hot potato soup! The American finds more than news and editorial comment in The News his newspaper. The satisfaction he takes in the consciousness that Day such a publication is within reach, a symbol perhaps of his contact with world events, has its antithesis in the dissatisfaction he feels and in the complaints he utters if he is deprived of this solace. They were eager to know what was going on in other parts of the Army and especially hungry for news from the United States. Any long continued ignorance of the general progress of events greatly increased their restlessness and anxiety and to that extent threatened army morale. The work of getting newspapers and magazines into the hands of the soldiers therefore met a very profound and a very practical need. The means adopted to accomplish this end and the difficulties in the way were specifically indicated in letters written to the Book and Periodical Department by their representative. It was agreed that newspapers would be even more welcome than sup- plies. Under date of November 26, 1918, he wrote: “T reached Luxemburg Saturday night after jumping eight trucks between Ippecourt and Luxemburg. Trains were running but the movement was slow owing to army supply trains. All ingress to the Metz-Luxemburg region without special passes was stopped. The route north by Nancy was clogged by north-bound freight and it was impossible to forward papers by rail. Trucks were employed. After several days spent in a town along the route, he wrote: “The papers started coming here on Saturday. No word had been sent concerning them and they were distributed locally. West’s truck arrived and went that’ night with Mails and Tribunes of the 26th. The Heralds did not come until morning. | sae “Wednesday the truck got back with the driver ‘all in. Thurs- day morning I sent it back with the Heralds of the 26th and the Mails and Tribunes of the 27th, also writing paper, Magazines, cigarets, chocolate, etc. There were none at Luxemburg. It got back here latei } | ! | | | i , rt | 184 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN tonight and will get out tomorrow early with two days’ papers. I go with it. “TI am writing this Friday night late. The truck is in bad condi- tion. (220 kilometers a day in a four-ton truck is no joke). But I think we'll get off O.K.” By such means did the Y M C A seek to minister to the mental as well as to the physical needs of the Army in transit. To visualize the event one must picture first the tired troops in the bleak winds of shell-shattered northern France, bivouacked perhaps in some sheer skeleton of a wood, shivering at their camp fires, waiting the order to move. Then the long columns of infantry are seen lengthening out along the dusty roads and winding through ruined villages past crumb- ling walls and heaps of débris where once had been quiet homes, little schools, and modest churches. They come then to liberated French villages with pathetic ill-fed people gaping from the doorways, as if unable to understand what it all meant. Tender-hearted doughboys share their meager rations with haggard women and emaciated chil- dren. Released prisoners, ragged and pale, pass in grotesque but pitiful groups. But the Americans move steadily on day by day, stepping to the music of the regimental bands, until more fortunate neighborhoods are reached, unhurt by the havoc of war. Signs of rejoicing and demonstrations of welcome are given, and children run along by the side of the column giving flowers to the men. Over the hills and down through the winding valleys of old Luxemburg they march with aching feet. Quaint houses, picturesque towns with ancient towers and castles, fit into the landscape as if so placed by nature’s hand. Occasional stops are made—then again the incessant tramp, tramp, tramp of the companies, regiments, brigades, and divisions, as they swing forward to the positions in the Rhine country, and ever the cold wind, the chilling rain, the aching muscles, and tired feet, and the honest appetites of youth in action. It was an eventful day in the history of the march when General Pershing entered the city of Luxemburg to be welcomed as a hero and deliverer and to review the troops in company with the Grand Duchess from the palace balcony. No picture of the march would be adequate that did not feature the motor trucks scurrying to and fro keeping the advancing lines in touch with distant bases of supply, bringing up great loads of choco- late, cigarets, cakes, candy, newspapers and magazines, writing paper and envelopes; the cinema shows night after night when opportunity offered; canteens located in all sorts of places and equipped as if byTHE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 185 magic for a few days’ or a few hours’ service ; sympathetic, courageous women ready always to make hot chocolate, distribute cigarets, news- papers, and stationery, to help with correspondence, mend clothes, or sew on buttons. In general, the conditions prevailing during the migration of Secligicovs the Army over the French border and into Germany were not favor- able to the holding of religious services. As opportunity offered the desires of large numbers of the men were complied with and many services of an interesting and profitable character were held. The recurrence of Thanksgiving Day was a reminder of the religious nature of that observance, and some appropriate services were held at various points along the line of march conducted by chaplains and secretaries. Meetings on Sunday were held whenever possible. Especially to those men of strong religious sentiment and accustomed to church attendance at home, religious exercises on the march meant much; while to a very large number such gatherings were at the very least an emphatic reminder of the spiritual elements of American life, and an inspiration to maintain the ideals upon which our country is founded. The long march was soon over, and more settled conditions Raven" brought a measure of contentment—persistently disturbed by the ur- gent desire to be out of it all and back home again. Contact with for- eign lands created in American troops true appreciation of their own. LUXEMBURG The main line of march of the Third Army lay through the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg. For centuries Luxemburg had been a bone of contention between France and Germany. In 1866, Luxemburg was declared a neutralized principality under the Dutch Crown. In 1890, when Wilhelmina became Queen of Holland, Luxemburg became an in- dependent Grand Duchy under its own line of sovereigns. In August, 1914, the Grand Duchy was overrun by German troops and: was 0c- cupied by them during the war. The evacuation of the country by Germans was one of the conditions of the Armistice. On November 21st, General Pershing entered the city of Luxemburg at the head of a small body of troops, the rest of the line being sent around the city. In his proclamation, General Pershing explained that it had become necessary for the American troops to pass through the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg and to establish and maintain lines of communication there for a certain time.186 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN When spectacular events are concentrating attention, it is easy to forget small bodies of men in out of the way places, however necessary may be the functions they perform. Yet because of their very isola- tion, their need of welfare service is more urgent. The men in Luxem- burg were no exception of the rule. They were scattered in small groups along the lines of communication upon whose security and efficient operation the Army of Occupation was dependent. In spite of the fact that the leaders in Paris were striving with all their power to follow up their outposts in Germany, an extensive Y service was built up among the troops scattered through the little Grand Duchy. The divisional secretaries went forward with the troops but supplies and supporting personnel came up slowly in the general confusion that followed the total rearrangement of plans after the Armistice.t The scattered units were hard to reach with limited personnel and equipment. The billeting arrangements, as usual, dis- tributed each division over a considerable territory. In one case a single woman worker was compelled to supervise no less than four- teen service points. Supplies were scarce all through the winter for familiar reasons. The workers complained particularly of the diffi- culty of securing proper quarters for their work. Nevertheless, a real service was established in Luxemburg. There is no need to recount the multiplication of familiar activities. Such a center as the divisional headquarters at Esch represented the final achievement. At this point during the winter was developed a com- plete divisional organization with a headquarters staff including activi- ties directors. The field workers were distributed in seventeen towns from which service was extended to some 40 centers in all. At Esch there was provided a large lounging room, a theater, a club for officers, and a club for non-commissioned officers. A warehouse and garage were also in operation. A number of the working centers in this dis- trict were housed in most unsatisfactory quarters but others were well up to the best standards. Soldier details furnished much assist- ance at various points. The typical activities beyond canteen service were represented by athletics and entertainment. Football, boxing, and wrestling made up a large part of the program, and volley-ball became a highly popular diversion. There were divisional championship contests with trophies awarded by the YMCA. In spite of transportation dif- * Consult Vol. I, Chapter X.THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 187 ficulties the usual forms of entertainment were carried on—vaude- ville shows, lectures, moving pictures—now, of course, augmented by soldier shows and “stunt nights.” Dances were given to which girls from the homes of Luxemburg were invited. Among the women workers in this area there were many with musical talent and these gave little informal concerts in connection with their trips to the scattered outposts. By the spring the troops began their much-desired exodus; and pee arrangements were made to close up welfare work, in accordance with Activities military regulations, by June 1,1919. As entrainment was postponed, permission was secured to remain for a longer period and service was actually continued till the soldiers left for embarkation in July. GERMANY The Third Army began to cross the German border December 1, 1918. Several weeks elapsed before the Coblenz bridgehead and the various billeting areas were occupied. The country and its people presented a sharp contrast to mutilated France. A writer observed: “We have crossed the border into Germany. It is another land. Instead of desolation and ruin, the countryside is untouched and un- hurt by.the hand of war. Nothing could look better kept and more prosperous than these well-groomed vineyards and fertile fields through which we are passing.” While there were no welcoming demonstrations as in Luxemburg, Dangers creas there was no opposition on the part of the people. The crowds in the streets of Coblenz were described as “eurious though not hostile.” When billeted in their homes, the soldiers usually found the German people agreeable and given to hospitality, but they were still an enemy people. General Pershing wrote in his report: “The fraternization problem was sharply raised by the transition from the rigors of war conditions in France to the comforts of undis- turbed German cities and homes.” Measures were taken to safeguard the Army against this temp- tation. Fraternization was forbidden. Throughout the Zone of Oc- cupation, only a few designated hotels and restaurants could be patronized. The Army was thrown back on its own resources for the diversion necessary to keep the men normal in mind and kody. The problem of morale thus appeared in a new form.Perils of Idleness The Welfare Opportunity 188 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Another fact to be considered was the large amount of un- occupied time. The business of occupying enemy territory under the terms of an armistice is quite different from the fatiguing pro- cess of training for an impending conflict, or participating in bloody combat. A certain amount of drilling was still necessary, and the business of conducting the army organization imposed many diffi- culties on the men in the more responsible positions. But the Ameri- can soldier was in Germany primarily just to await developments and to hold himself in readiness for whatever action might finally prove necessary. However disinclined to idleness, the situation left him with much time at his own disposal. In an account of his experi- ences with the Army of Occupation, one man wrote: “In traveling to my assignment with the Rainbow Division, I passed through innumerable small villages where a single company might be billeted, or possibly if the town was large enough a regiment would be stationed. There was, of course, a pretence of drilling daily, and it was a frequent sight to see doughboys hard at work in the field, marching back and forth in full equipment, the only real purpose of which seemed to be to give them a little exercise and warm them up. The usual sight, however, was a village street full of doughboys at rest, ‘holding up some door post,’ or talking over complaints in general, seated on a door step. After several months with the A E F, I came to believe that there could be no lazier life in the world than our dough- boy was having in Germany.” Seldom in this story has it been possible for the historian to record a situation where the possibilities of service in any degree matched urgent human demands. In connection with the occupation of German territory, such a situation actually began to take shape. Military exigency in the shape of the rapid advance into enemy coun- try set up its last difficulty and then, relatively speaking, retired grace- fully from the field. The months of November and December, 1918, were difficult ones for the welfare leaders; but when they were once free to move into Germany, most of the limitations that had beset them night and day since May, 1917, dissolved before their eyes. The real danger was over, and the military authorities were able to relax regulations and smooth the way for welfare work. Further, it must be remembered that, while the Americans desired to impose no un- necessary burdens upon Germany, the relationship between the civilian population and the military forces was quite different. It was ex- pected, under such circumstances, that the American Army would freely requisition facilities required for all departments of service.THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 189 It is no matter of surprise, therefore, that on February 1, 1919, less than six weeks after the 1st Division had crossed the Rhine, the Chief Secretary with the Army of Occupation could report 336 centers of service manned by a personnel numbering 472. The program was well-balanced and highly organized. By January 20, 1919, adequate rail transportation service was established for the Army, and extended to the Y. Before February 1, 108 cars of canteen supplies were de- livered. These were distributed to more than 300 canteens. The welfare workers in this period proved that, given the opportunity, they could establish a large and effective service with great rapidity. The Entertainment Department was evidently the first to get Dee under headway. This was accomplished largely through the persist- First Month ent effort of an entertainment director, who, after waiting for passes fifteen days at Bar-le-Duc became impatient of the delay, and defied red tape by actually appropriating the automobile of one of the YMCA officials and going A W OL to Coblenz. A letter to the Entertainment Department in Paris related his experience as follows: “Although stopped about fifteen times, I managed to bring the Hunting and Francis party through, reaching here (Coblenz) last night. We are working right now on taking over the biggest and best place in town tonight called the Festival Hall, seating over 1,500 men. Weare going to get a band and start off in good shape to over- come our great handicap which the Entertainment Department has been in no way responsible for. Speaking to some officers, shortly after we reached here, I told them straight how we were kept out through lack of passes, so if the Army sets up any more howls to you, tell them straight that we waited fifteen days at Bar-le-Duc for permission to come. Even if I am shot at sunrise, I am happy as I can be for going A W OL in Sheets’ car. I would still be in Bar-le- Duc, and here we are going to show tonight.” The report for January, 1919, gives a total of 303 performances by professional parties to audiences aggregating 100,000 men. At the same time there were 91 soldier talent shows, a majority of which were trained and costumed by the YMC A. More than 1,250 costumes were in stock, purchased from the largest theaters of the occupied territory, at an expenditure of approximately 65,000 francs. These costumes were lent without charge to the units approved by YMC A coaches and army entertainment officers. A complete establishment was set up for making special costumes, and for altering the existing Tt must be remembered that for various reasons no general advance of welfare workers was permitted until January, 1919.} i i] it i | |] | | i! i} \ 190 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN stock to meet the definite needs of the organized units. Other items such as wigs, paints, hats, and masks, were also carried in stock. The Music Department was organized to supply music and musi- eal instruction, and train directors for mass singing. During the first month 282 musical instruments were supplied. An order was placed with a leading firm at Mainz to make 100 instruments a week for eight weeks. A library of 50 songs was projected, and a printing firm engaged to turn out 5,000 copies of each. The music and the instru- ments were issued to the army units without charge. The Cinema Department also began to function very early in the period and at the end of the month reported the possession of thirteen portable machines and 35 stationary machines. There were ten YMCA directors in the department and 36 soldier operators; 1,810 reels were shown during the month at 724 shows, attended by 512,500 men. The Athletic Department distributed large quantities of athletic equipment, and with the cooperation of the army athletic officers, con- ducted elimination contests leading to the selection of representatives in the A E F Finals, and the Inter-Allied Games at Pershing Stadium. Through the Newspaper and Magazine Service Department, 1,550,000 papers were distributed during the month and 112,357 maga- zines. The papers arrived from Paris at three P.M. on the day suc- ceeding the date of issue, and were distributed among the divisions by the use of Ford cars. Even thus early also, the hotel and restaurant enterprise assumed considerable proportions. Thirteen hotels were being operated, ten at Coblenz, one at Andernach, one at Cochem, and one at Treves. More than 185,000 meals and 8,850 beds were supplied. The following leave areas were opened: Andernach, Coblenz, Neuenahr, Neuwied, Treves. An all-day program at each center in- cluded meals, canteens, entertainments, daily excursions, and Rhine boat trips, library and money exchange privileges. The exchange business throughout the Area of Occupation averaged 500,000 francs a day, while secretaries sent home for men in the Third Army a total of 5,000,000 franes during January. The Coblenz Leave Area Exchange at the Fest Halle handled a total of 200,000 francs daily in post office money orders, express orders, drafts, and French, Ameri- can, and German moneys. In the Religious Work Department there were twenty-five work- ers, each division having a religious work director. There were nineTHE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 191 special speakers in the field. Over 375 meetings had been held, and supplies distributed as follows: IShnUEIE 66 q0abhoees on 250,000 Communion sets....... 5 Mestaments. ¢.2....:... 11825. Rosaries 552-424 1,000 Miscellaneous ......... 20:000) Scapulars ¢cs45- ee oo 1,000 NOlLGINCVOEPANS 4 6 «14 «040 1< (4. Crucifixes; .. 42sec 1,000 The Educational Department was in charge of Dr. Guy Potter Benton, President of the University of Vermont. An educational pro- gram was conducted in accordance with GHQ General Orders No. 9 (1919), in cooperation with the army educational officers. There were 18 directors, 13 lecturers, 960 teachers in army schools, and 18,360 men enrolled in classes. This rapid expansion of service continued until by April 1, there were 508 points being served, 425 of which were full time centers. Outlying points were reached with the rolling canteen and the portable moving picture machine The period from January 1 to July 1, 1919, presents not so much Aerial oo a record of problems faced as of the achievement of a rich and varied service in which the Army and the YMCA cooperated to make full use of all facilities. The details of this service are of interest because they demonstrate the range of possibility of welfare work under favorable conditions. The need was in one sense as great as ever. The fighting men were not very busy and there were very sound reasons for the maintenance of a clear line of separation be- tween them and the civil population. Some of the rules may appear as rather rigid, but the high command of the American Army has been fully justified by experience. Such rules of course implied a restric- tion of ordinary means of diversion. There are many stay-at-homes who would give much for the privilege of a six-months’ sojourn in Europe, but the vacation feature of the experience ceased to appeal to the Army of Occupation. A referendum on immediate repatriation would have been carried in the affirmative at any moment by an al- most unanimous vote. In the present case there were present the facilities to the need; short of changing the basic conditions, any- thing desired was within the powers of the Army and its welfare forces. 7 Every department of work expanded rapidly. The great Fest Halle at Coblenz was requisitioned by the Army and turned over to the YM C Aas a center of activities in December, 1918. On the first floor of this building were located the post officeLiberty Hut 192 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN and information desk, check-room, news stand, pool and billiard tables, bowling alleys, and a large restaurant. On the second floor were the main lobby, the library, game room, writing room, and a wide porch. The main auditorium, seating 2,000, has a fine pipe organ with a choir loft seating 150 people. These excellent quarters became a first-rate American club. In all, nineteen hotels and restaurants were operated, _ serving on an average 18,000 meals a day in the busiest season. Vic- tory Hut in Coblenz held the cafeteria record of 7,000 in one day. Outside Coblenz huts were built or suitable buildings requisitioned with the idea of duplicating all the essential features of the Fest Halle program at as many points as possible. The cinema work in the area was extended until 55 of the larger centers were equipped with standard machines, and 63 small machines were mounted on trucks equipped with electric plants and storage _ batteries. The use of the trucks made it possible to give approximately 100 shows a night to the detached units. At the Lese Verein at Co- blenz, motion pictures were operated day and night. Over 1,566,000 men attended these shows from January 1, 1919, to July 1, 1919. Dur- ing this period the total attendance at motion picture shows in the Third Army was more than 5,000,000. In athletics, the program was developed until practically every man in the Army was reached. Liberty Hut, on the grounds of the ex-Kaiser’s palace, was built expressly for athletic purposes. It ac- commodated 4,000 spectators for boxing events, and provided gym- nasium facilities of every description. On Carnival Island in the Rhine River, near Coblenz, an athletic field was built with a quarter- mile track and 220-yard straightaway. The entertainment work grew until there were 68 professional units, with a total of 273 artists. The development of soldier talent was one of the distinctive achievements of the post-Armistice period. Professional coaches were recruited by the Y MC A for this purpose. In this way, 138 officers and 2,966 enlisted men were trained, and gave a total of 4,985 performances. Musical instruments to the num- ber of 4,029 were distributed. Sheet music was printed and distrib- uted by the hundreds of thousands. The educational work was taken over by the Army April 15, 1919. Prior to that time a comprehensive scheme of education had been developed, including regular classes and lectures on a wide variety of subjects. While religious motivation is claimed for the work of all depart- ments, the Religious Work Department found excellent opportunityTHE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 193 in Germany for its special function, and the Sunday afternoon meeting at the Fest Halle in Coblenz, was the outstanding event of the week. The auditorium accommodated 2,000 and was packed to its capacity. More than 40 itinerant speakers, and as many as 25 singers, were regularly employed visiting the scattered units. More than 100,000 pieces of literature were distributed. Bible classes were well attended and popular. Leave area and sight-seeing features were present on a large scale. Seven Rhine excursion steamers were requisitioned by the Army with a total carrying capacity of 3,500. The YMCA supplied the lecturer and a group of women workers for each steamer. The general plan was to give the lecturer the right of way on the outgoing trip, reserving the return journey for merrymaking. Sight-seeing trips to Ehrenbreitstein on the Rhine and other historic and pic- turesque places were made instructive and diverting. While it was unavoidable that some units should fare better than he Out yee others, it cannot be alleged that the work was confined to the larger and more accessible fields. The early circuit riders crossing moun- tains, fording rivers, and threading forests in order to reach their small congregations in the back woods settlements were no more persistent in their efforts to deliver the Gospel message than were some of the Y secretaries in their efforts to reach the smallest and most isolated groups of soldiers with canteen supplies and messages of good cheer. The story of the outpost service in Germany is of the kind usually enshrined in literature. Between the Allied and Ger- man lines, there was a neutral territory where neither friend nor foe was supposed to be. One of the most trying pieces of work that the Army had to perform was the guarding of the edge of land that looked over upon this unoccupied space. For several months affairs were much on edge. If the Armistice should suddenly terminate, these outposts would be the first to be plunged again into actual battle, and that perhaps without a moment’s warning. Groups of about 50 men were sent out to the frontier. From these outposts again, smaller groups of four or five men each were sent out to form what were known as Cossack Posts, and to keep sharp and lonely vigil on the edge of the neutral territory. Except for the occasional visit of an inspecting officer and of the men who brought their rations, these guards were left absolutely alone. They deserved the best the Y had to give, but how to reach them was the problem. No vehicles of any sort were allowed on the roads leading to the posts, except fori i j The Last Days of the Army of Occupation 194 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the purpose of taking munitions to the men. This situation appealed to the sympathies of the nearest Y directors. Two young women were chosen and assigned to the special task of helping the guards at these lonely stations. The men could be reached only by long journeys on horseback. Thus mounted, and with great saddle-packs swinging on either side, filled with writing paper, games, chocolate, and cigarets, the women traveled day after day over roads forbidden to any but themselves, in order that they might carry creature comforts and good cheer to the men so far from civilization. Shouts of welcome greeted the women on every visit, and it was the testimony of the soldiers themselves, that the personal presence of the visitors brought them their chief joy. A machine gun battalion was usually posted behind the front line guards. This battalion was visited first in the day’s round, and from their positions, the start would be made for visits to as many points as time would permit. In order to be of greater service, the young women enlisted the help of an adjutant, and arranged for a little play to be given at the various outposts. The sketch furnished by the Y MC A Entertainment Bureau was en- titled ‘After the War.” It was an amusing piece that had gained re- nown in various parts of the AE F. This necessitated the erection of small stages made of little trees cut for the purpose, or salvaged tables nailed together and supplied with candles in tin cans as foot- lights. No more delighted audiences ever assembled in France, although sometimes the audience would consist of but four or five soldiers. The outposts were supplied with books from time to time, and religious services were arranged for Sundays. “The men were far from being disheartened. They felt the effect of the strange and different work they were doing. They knew how to take care of themselves, but there was grave danger that they would fall into those habits and unhappy ways that come from entire separation from the world. It was this we tried to prevent and suc- ceeded in doing. They deserved all we could give them. We were delighted with the apparent pleasure we gave.” The late spring of 1919 found preparations under way for the repatriation of the Third Army with the welfare work at its height. This welfare work was the last demonstration on a large scale in the A E F and it may fairly be recorded as an example of effective service reaching a point of efficiency above that possible in any other area overseas. It would not have been possible but for the experience that preceded it and for the fine cooperation of the Army, both officers andTHE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 195 men. In particular, it demonstrated some of the best features of civilian participation in the military enterprise; for, in spite of the early difficulties due to the rapid advance, the flexibility of the YMCA organization in the end proved of great service in supplementing the more rigid official procedure and in bringing directly to the fighting man the chief elements of home life at a time when that home life was ever in the forefront of his thoughts. It is quite true that this occu- pation of enemy territory is not a typical military task, nevertheless it involved many tens of thousands of American citizens in uniform; and this last six months of overseas experience would have been very different if civilian welfare service had not been an active element in their lives. THE AMERICAN FORCES IN GERMANY As the Third Army started toward home, the Y M CA began sal- New vage operations, closed the main welfare centers, and prepared to mee withdraw from Germany. The commander of the new forces, how- ever, Major-General Henry T. Allen, made a definite place for the Association in his plans for the welfare of his men. On September 1, 1919, the A F G-Y MCA, with James A. Sprenger as Chief Secretary, took over from the Third Army, the last of its points, and prepared to carry out a liberal service program for as long a period as was desired. It is true that this last phase represents service for a compara- tively small number of men; but it has a place of significance in this history because it was, in one sense, the fine flower of the welfare enterprise. The new organization was more thoroughly militarized than its predecessor had been; indeed, it was practically incorporated in the A F G and even the detail of its plans was carefully worked out with the Staff. Since the active work in France was over, the Chief Secretary in Germany reported directly to New York; so there were no longer conflicting demands for service to be adjusted. The Y had a small personnel, selected from a large group of experienced workers; during the years 1920 and 1921, there was no change among the heads of departments. The men to be served were in a settled location. Facilities and general supplies were adequate. Most important of all, it was possible to make definite plans for a known situation. The new program called for a reopening of the Fest Halle, which had been closed in the early summer, as a center of activities in Ccblenz, with club-rooms in the outlying posts. Religious, educa- tional, athletic, and entertainment activities were planned on a largeThe Structure of the Work Supplies 196 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN scale in cooperation with the army officers assigned to these special departments. Hours of opening and closing recreation centers, deter- mination of the extent and character of free distribution of supplies, and all kindred matters were settled by the military authorities. It was clearly understood that the YMCA work was conducted for American soldiers and that such privileges as were accorded to Ameri- can and Allied civilians were not in any way to interfere with the primary purpose. When the AF G-Y MCA opened its work sixteen huts and the Victory Hut cafeteria in Coblenz were in operation. The outlying cen- ters were serving the small units guarding stores in the transition period. All but three of these points were closed within a few weeks. The Fest Halle in Coblenz was turned over to the YMCA again on October Ist. After extensive repairs had been made anda large stage installed in the auditorium, the building was reopened on October 25th. The Fest Halle under the new conditions replaced the Liberty Hut and the Victory Hut Cafeteria. New centers were opened as occasion demanded. In all a total of 36 huts were in operation in 1920 and 1921, the largest number at any one time being 23 in May, 1921. Over the Occupied Area, which covered some 700 Square miles, there were a number of small units. These were served through club-rooms equipped and supplied by the Y but run by soldier details. Eighteen of these club-rooms were established. Moving pictures were shown regularly at most of these points, two had a stage for more extensive entertainments, and two maintained canteens. In addition, limited Service was offered at about 20 other points. A fully equipped hut was maintained at the American Base Port Headquarters at Antwerp and a branch hut at the American Docks. During the summer of 1921, at the request of the commanding officer of the American Graves Regis- tration Service, a hut was operated at Romagne. The outposts in the Bridgehead were served as formerly by the rolling canteen, which distributed all supplies free. This canteen regularly visited about fifteen points and up to the end of the year 1921 had served 28,890 men in 137 operating days. When the troops of the Silesian Brigade entered the occupied area for training, seven huts were opened for their benefit. The Bahnhof Hotel in Coblenz was operated by the Association until August, 1921. A determined attempt was made in connection with all restau- rants, cafeterias, and canteens to supply food cooked and served in theTHE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 197 American style. The Y endeavored to secure supplies that would fit in with this policy. In two cases it was necessary to manufacture. The Y therefore was authorized to open a bakery and an ice-cream plant. In two years the bakery turned out 1,000,000 pounds of bread and 500,000 pounds of rolls, not to mention 1,500,000 doughnuts, 300 cinnamon rolls, and 350,000 pies, cakes, tarts, turnovers, and other forms of pastry. The ice-cream plant, in the same period, produced 1,128,000 liters of ice-cream. These supplies were sold at cost to mem- bers of the A F G and their families. The original arrangement with the AFG called for a staff of 20 Fersonneians men and 35 women, or one secretary to about 250 men. New situa- tions arose calling for additional service from time to time and these figures were exceeded. Many additions were made of men expert in special lines of work. These workers were, of course, supplemented by a large force of German employes, the Fest Halle alone requiring over 100. The extraordinary value of women’s service in this area must be Women's emphasized. In all about 150 served, the highest number at any one time being 72. The women secretaries were entirely responsible for hut management except in the case of two large centers. They par- ticipated actively in all activities—social, religious, entertainment, and educational. Two women traveled with the rolling canteen. Their contribution in music was particularly useful. In 1920, a woman was appointed to the position of Port Secretary at Antwerp—with excel- lent results. In this field the Y women really surpassed their enviable previous record. It is not proposed to enter into a detailed description of the multi- farious activities of this period. They presented many unique fea- tures of peculiar interest but were, of course, for the most part devel- opments of previous experience refined in the new favorable condi- tions. Educational work included a night school, and a day school operated until the Army Commission was ready to take over the service on a permanent basis, a school for children of Americans in Coblenz, and the operation of the library. Athletics included con- tests in baseball, basket-ball, boxing, football, soccer, golf, mass games, polo, swimming, tennis, and track athletics, in which the figures for participation exceeded 1,700,000. The Y. provided athletic fields, club-houses, a swimming pool, trophies, and all kinds of equipment, working always in harmony with the athletic officers. The movie machines presented 18,891 programs for 2,934,888 spectators, clickingMilitary and Civilian Cooperation 198 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN off about 20,000 miles of film in the process. The entertainments offered included vaudeville shows, musical concerts, amateur shows, stunt nights, operas, the Harvard glee club, and the various per- formances of the popular American YMCA Stock Co. In all 6,982 different events were given for 1,882,643 spectators. The Rhine excursions were continued. The work of the Religious Department was entirely non-sectarian. Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish services were held in the huts, and literature of al] types supplied to the men. The whole program was carried out in the closest cooperation with the army chaplain. Public meetings were supplemented by study and discussion groups of all kinds. In the hospitals, the Y at the request of the Red Cross conducted many special activities. It must not be forgotten that this splendid program was carried out as a part of the regular life of the forces, a splendid example of military and civilian working hand in hand in the interests of the best Service to officers and men. This summary account of the last phase of the work in Germany brings to an end the story of the YMCA with American forces in the World War. There remains to be told the story of work done for prisoners-of-war and for Allied soldiers—no small part of the total activity of the YMCA during the war, yet perhaps not possessing the strong appeal to American interest of the work done for our own men. For the first time it has been possible in this book to present to the public a comprehensive picture of the complicated and extensive enterprises which came to be included under the general term of wel- fare work for soldiers. No soldier or sailor was reached by every phase of activity, and very few of the workers, except those in places of central responsi- bility, saw more than bits of it here and there. All reports and com- ments by individuals were necessarily based on fragmentary observa- tion, and even the liberal Space in newspapers and magazines was insufficient to give more than illustrative glimpses. Seen now as a whole, of which many a single division was greater in magnitude than the prevailing conception of the entire work, the service can be meas- ured in its true proportions. Not only was it an unprecedented per- formance, but never before the World War had such an enterprise even been conceived. The comparatively simple ideas of welfare work which can be discerned in earlier efforts for soldiers developed into a program which searched out every significant need of men in all possible situations, and devised ways to meet all needs, at least in someTHE ARMY OF OCCUPATION 199 degree. The variety and diffusion of service, as well as its magnitude, nevitably influenced the allotment of resources to any particular group of men or type of service. In the study of the great mass of reports of work done, and not less of the discussions and correspondence which accompanied it, the fundamental objectives and principles which gov- erned administration have come into clear light. A brief survey of these will serve to coordinate the apparently diverse elements into the organic whole of which they were constituents,Comprehension Shoe Sbrarteniendiciends aemnraiianenncdaslancieceos-onemanessecoeonansinasitarneasininaaaa nnn SN ~ Snare | CHAPTER XLIII MEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE Nothing is more fallacious than to confound means with ends, forms with spirit. Without the crowding details, the figures baffling comprehension, the rushing events, with which the preceding chap- ters have been concerned, there could be no understanding of the service rendered American soldiers in the World War. But the sum of these details is not the sum of service. Doughnuts and chocolate, shows and sermons were but temporary and partial expressions of something that did not cease when the crumbs were flicked away— something'that was vital in American life before the war and endures as a permanent force. What it was we may not be able to put into words; but it would not be far from true to say that the fulness with which a man can apprehend it is the measure of his mental capacity and spiritual vision. Only by penetrating through the outward forms and the quantitative measurements to the fundamental reality of which they were the expression, and appraising the faithfulness of the service to that which inspired it, can a genuine comprehension of the entire enterprise be attained. Most of the American people—95 per cent at least—fought the war vicariously. They never struck a blow nor suffered a physical wound. Yet they were heart and soul in the war; it was their fight— an obligation that could not be delegated to comparatively few repre- sentatives. If “our finest hope is finest memory,” then one of the solid bases of faith in the future is the recollection of that personal unrest, in those days of trial, which permitted innumerable men and women no peace with their own self-respect until they had found some way to give themselves to the cause—a way sometimes, indeed, pathetic, sometimes grotesque, but always dignified by the earnestness of the self-compelled soul. Giving few if any premonitory signs, there sprang into activity at the moment’s demand, a spiritual driving force that gathered the whole nation into its sweep. It util- ized money, materials, organizations; its existence was in men and women. Danger and difficulty increased its momentum. It communi- cated itself directly to the men who bore arms, outrunning the waves of the radio spark to fan the ardor in their souls. America, straining 200MEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE 201 toward her sons, pouring power into them, lifted them to endurance and to deeds that surpassed their conscious powers. There are facts here, indisputable though mysterious, which psychologists will be long in explaining. When all the material resources have been catalogued— that incalculable weight of money, material, and organized industry —this spiritual force, resident in citizens, ranks unquestionably greater than all the rest. Indeed all the rest were but the media through which this effected its impact upon the enemy. The change that followed the war, in whatever way it is to be Idealism explained, cannot obliterate the reality of this experience. The human spirit is subject to tides that must ebb as well as flow. Possibly devel- opment to come will enable it to persist normally at the flood attained under extraordinary stimulus. In any case that flood was attained in an idealistic devotion which, in the largest sense, embraced enemies as well as allies, and which, for the time at least, accepted the noble declarations of the national leader as the definition of the people’s purpose, for which no sacrifice was to be refused and in which all were resolute to share. Men of faith will hold this fact superior in signifi- eance to the recession which seemed to deny its reality, and will be con- fident that the power persists to reach again and to surpass the high level registered in 1917 and 1918. Any sound comprehension of welfare service depends, in the first instance, upon recognition of its source in this widely diffused and insistent idealism. ‘The people saw in these soldiers unselfish cru- saders for a cause whose rewards could be only those of the spirit. A man who in those days had dared to suggest that our soldiers were risking their lives for the purpose of enriching or aggrandizing the United States or for personal advantage of any sort, would have needed police protection. It was not enough to promise unlimited tributes to those who should return. Even while they fought, they must have every alleviation of hardship and danger, every support of body, mind, and spirit, that could possibly be given. In giving “until it hurt” the people at home expressed their profound concern for the men in arms and found a sense of vicarious participation in their experiences. They seized upon the welfare organizations as singu- larly appropriate mediums of fellowship and charged them with the duty not only of transmitting their material gifts but the effective expression of their participation in the actual conflict. The Y MCA, when America entered the war, was a Societys Dil ye reece vate rather than public, with a large but somewhat definitely limitedThe Fighting Men 202 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN membership and supporting group, and with an organization shaped to its own purpose, but with special] adaptation, in its Army and Navy Department, to work with military forces. Almost immediately it was made the agent of the American people, officially through Gov- ernment authorization and unofficially through the funds contributed for its work. The impulsion of its own interest in young men, which had carried it into service to soldiers and prisoners of the belligerent nations in 1914—a service made possible by contributions of millions of dollars from its own members without any appeal to the public— was now augmented by an urge from outside its own circles which knew no limits in desire for expression in terms of comfort, content- ment, and gratification of American soldiers. Upon it descended a double responsibility, of which one part was clear to everyone and one part realized by only afew. It had not only to transmit the gifts of the people; it had also to define, to transform, to embody. It received money; it delivered service. Behind it was a popular purpose, intensely insistent, yet almost void of form and definition—a demand that somehow, something should be done for the men. What that something should be and how it should be done was conceived in the most fragmentary manner by the public at large, and by the Govern- ment defined in the most general and abstract way. The Associa- tion’s task was, in one fundamental aspect, to interpret the inclusive purpose of Government and people and to devise the forms and con- tent of a service which should accomplish the desired results upon the men. Very few American citizens knew, while the war continued, how widely the forces of the nation were diffused nor how variously they were employed. The commonest conception was of a line of men mov- ing through the great training camps, across the submarine infested Atlantic, to the trenches in France. The sufficient symbol for all sol- diers was the fighter with poised bayonet, face to face with a German. That, every soldier was or soon would be. How far from the truth that conception was, the reader has already realized. There would have been no benefit, but serious danger, in making known the details of the location, movements, and condition of the thousands of scat- tered units; it was desirable that the public should have its attention concentrated upon the dramatic aspects of the situation and that only those who had real responsibility for the national defense should know the actual facts. Yet without the details the American people, wholly unfamiliar with the strategic elements of war, could not construct aMEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE 203 true picture. Similarly they very slowly and gradually came to realize something of the complicated variety of operations in which soldiers must be employed to make up that whole which constitutes an effective military force. If, however, the people were uninformed, it was the particular business of the Y MCA to know these things and to guide its action by that knowledge. Its responsibility was as extensive as the forces, and the fact that a man was assigned to a labor battalion instead of a combat unit, or sent to guard the Mexican border instead of attacking a German trench, in no way affected either the public or the Associa- tion’s interest in his welfare. After the war, the relation of fighting experience to the long training, the process and delays of transport, the grueling labor of supply service, and the waiting for action, can be more closely measured. These constituted the entire military experience of three-fourths of the mobilized Americans, and occupied by far the largest part of the time even of combat troops. Their characteristic sense of superiority to other branches of military service is natural enough in the excitement of war, but is born of romance rather than common sense. They have only to remember what proportion of their time was spent in other ways than fighting, to realize how infportant to them was the welfare service outside the battle areas. However adequate or inadequate the conceptions of the public or Ws. Work ~ the soldiers, there could be no question that the people’s concern was Couric for all soldiers in the totality of their military experience; not for a part, or in special situations only. As the interpreter of this concern, it was incumbent upon the directors of welfare work to keep the entire forces in constant survey. So it came about that the War Work Council of the Y MCA was, as it were, a watcher in a lofty tower whence its gaze ranged far and near wherever American soldiers or sailors were on duty. Or, to change the figure it was a sensitive nerve center to which came pulsating messages of need from every cell in the vast tissue of the armed forces of the nation, and from which radi- ated everywhere the power that took form in service. The task was no less than to anticipate all situations that might arise anywhere, | and to prepare a service that should be feasible under the conditions | and satisfying tothe men. It was an impossible ideal but the YMCA strove to realize it. 'The Association itself, by its service in the home camps, taught the men to expect much; there was no other standard than its own service ideals. Surveying the entire experience it 1sWelfare Service 204 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN beyond question that the Y MCA set the standards and developed the methods adopted by all other welfare organizations, and at the end transferred to the War and Navy Departments a program such as had never been hinted at in any pre-war regulation or recommendation. In establishing and applying these standards and methods, the Association made maximum use of all facilities granted by govern- mental and military authorities. Possibly importunity might have resulted in ampler privileges. The responsible heads of the YMCA believed such importunity not justified in the circumstances. It was not their function to decide the importance of their own work relative to other elements in the national undertaking, nor to review or criti- cize the decisions of those who dealt with the whole problem of which their work was a subordinate part. Their duty was to state their plans adequately, to request the facilities needed, and to make fullest use of what was granted. It is impossible to discover any organization as well prepared as the Y MC A for the more subtle and perplexing part of the task—the devising of forms of service. Here it was the master of tested methods developed in service to young men in general and to American soldiers and sailors in particular. It had also a rich stock of ideas and ideals growing out of experience and now to be fested in practice. Its leaders knew by repeated proof the kinds of service acceptable to the men. The core or heart of its program was social; religious, edu- cational, athletic, entertainment, and practical personal activities issued from and returned into this social nucleus, like the lines of force of amagnet. The most definable effect of these cumulative influences was a conservation of the sense of personality in the men which was essential to their conscious merging of themselves into the great com- mon effort. Without interference with the military objective, indeed auxiliary to it, welfare work developed a corrective relief or counter- force to such of the military processes as tended to mould men mechan- ically into uniformity, submerging alike personality, initiative, and responsibility. Each man found the means of satisfying a personal need or desire, whether it took the form of a craving for sweets or of ambition for self-improvement—a need for diversion and temporary self-forgetting, or a profounder need for self-realization and recovery of grasp upon spiritual realities. In such satisfaction he somehow escaped temporarily from the status of a cog in a machine and regained his self-hood. This was partly no doubt an inevitable consequence of acts performed with a more immediate purpose, but on the part atMEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE 205 least of those who shaped service policies, it was the outcome of a conscious intent realized with growing clearness as the war went on. In this fact the thoughtful reader will find one of the elements Cruciate of crucial significance. It may be argued with a high degree of con- viction that such an objective is intangible and fantastic; that in the circumstances of war the relief of physical hardships, the lessening of deprivations, the gratification of momentary desires, constitute a suffi- ciently exalted aim; and that a reasonable fulfilment of such purposes would merit and receive the approval of the public and the men served. Such an argument, however, proceeds upon the assumption that there is an unbridgeable gulf between the two types of purpose involving an inevitable choice of one and neglect of the other. But there is a deeper diagnosis of the needs of citizens who The Fsycholoey become soldiers. A great mass of observations of the men made dur- Soldiers ing the war is most strikingly confirmed from two post-war sources: the action of the Government in creating or developing its “morale” branch, and the literary expression of those soldier-authors who have most freely availed themselves of the relaxation of the censorship. There is ample evidence, the more convincing because it is in so many eases an unconscious revelation, for the belief that the frame of mind which expresses itself in the phrase, “Never again,” is due not to the fact that men were cold, hungry, worked hard, deprived of customary material gratifications, wounded or even killed; but to the fact that their lives and actions seemed to be dictated to them without apparent consideration of their personal likes or dislikes, abilities or disabilities, intellectual, moral or social habits, ambitions or aspirations, or rela- tionships to other persons. In the manner of their employment and management, in the administration of discipline, in their feeding, clothing, housing, transportation, and all the rest, they could not see that they were distinguished, in principle, from the horses and mules that the Army used. They also were war material, sentient but as persons non-existent ; they lost not only their liberty but their individ- uality; they became units as satisfactorily identified by a number as by a name, and many of them underwent experiences that bred a sense of spiritual outrage. Very many others, thoroughly understand- ing the necessity of self-subordination to a common cause, found the actual experience a severe trial, and valued more than anything else the opportunities they could find or ereate for recovering their sense of self-hood. Still others succumbed to influences they did not know how to escape.The Submergence of Individuality 206 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN There is no intent here, either by direction or indirection, to for- mulate or to imply a judgment on the degree to which submergence of personality is an inevitable accompaniment of war; nor whether in the American or any other army, the consideration given to individual personality was more or less than conditions warranted. Whatever the correct standard may be, and however the actual facts conformed to or departed from that standard, it is clear that the coordination of millions of individuals in a great cooperative enterprise under emer- gency conditions, necessarily involves a high degree of subordination of personality, for which submergence is not too strong a word. But there is a vital distinction between the methods by which this subordi- nation is attained. If it is the conscious voluntary act of men who understand thoroughly what they are doing—who are not cancelling themselves, but giving themselves in their full powers—it is the supreme social act of which humanity is capable, the flowing together of innumerable rivulets into an invincible stream of power. If on the other hand, it is the surrender of men to mechanical force, the pro- duction of solidarity by reduction of individuals to the lowest com- mon denominator of humanity, it is the most dangerous process to which a democracy can subject its citizens. .Repression by authority or force of highly developed instinct breeds internal disturbance injurious not only to the individual and to society, but to the very pur- pose for which it is exerted. It is the characteristic of war that events will not wait for the complete education of all soldiers into the reasons and necessity for voluntary self-adjustment. The mechanical process must be employed in part. Its employment must be entrusted not only to the majority of officers who accept it as an unfortunate necessity and who seek to replace it by intelligent self-devotion, but also to those who know no other way to deal with men and who tem- peramentally enjoy the exercise of authority. In these facts and their implications centers the entire problem presented to and by the citizen soldier ; here is the root of the most significant sufferings and dangers to which military life exposes the citizen. The ideal of democracy pivots on the freedom of the individual to develop and express his per- sonality, with resulting benefit both to himself and to society. This is the atmosphere in which Americans live. Whatever undermines individuality and saps its vigor, tends to degradation and discontent. Social ends are promoted normally by the mutual adjustments of per- sonality; in emergencies by its temporary unification; never by sup- pression. From the individual and social viewpoints, the all inclusiveMEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE 207 service that is most significant is that which enables or assists a man to preserve his full manhood through adjustment, and especially through periods of eclipse, of those essentials of manhood—freedom, initiative, and responsibility. The whole post-war morale policy of the War Department emphasizes that, in the new army, “the accent is not upon the soldier, but upon the citizen.”* In spite of the fact that many soldiers and many welfare workers Fundamen saw the ministry to deep-seated needs as in sharp contrast with satis- faction of momentary desires, the intimate relation between the two was comprehended by the leaders from the first and by many workers as their experience increased. That relation is in effect the relation between symptoms and cause. The incessant demands of the men for things having no importance whatever except that they were outside army routine—for food other than rations, for particular brands of cigarets, for shows which they could applaud or hiss, for places of resort where they were not under the sergeant’s eye, for exercise dif- ferent from that led by the drill-master—these were fundamentally, though usually unconsciously, assertions of individuality, efforts at self-preservation. The significant fact was that the framers of the service program realized this relation and planned their program to supply fundamental needs through temporary gratification. Like food, it was intended both to satisfy appetite and to maintain vigor of body, mind, and spirit. For this it was not required that every known form of satisfying human desire should be supplied; it was sufficient that the program should contain elements capable of meeting every type of human need—elements convertible into, if not expressly designed for, needed nourishment and exercise of the whole man. This is the animating spirit of the “four-fold” program which the Association promoted. It aimed at the conservation and develop- ment of personality, character, in men as individuals, and as members of a society which had been civic, was for a time military, and would be civic again—a society built upon and unthinkable without the rich- est possible development of individual manhood. The whole history of the YMCA had been a demonstration of The Conserramon this spirit and purpose. The official authorization of the President, designed “ to further the work of an organization that has demonstra- ted its ability to render a service desired by both officers and men. ‘Consult Annual Report of the Secretary of War, 1919. Washington, D. C., p. 68.f | | Elements of Complete Service Individual Responsibility 208 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN and specifically calling attention to the four-fold program, gave the stamp of the Government’s understanding and approval. The response of the people to appeals in which this aim was clearly set forth left no doubt that it was the true interpretation of their purpose. The long experience of the YMCA in serving young men had fully demonstrated certain principles. One was that the only effective service was that which contemplated the whole man. Beginning with a specifically religious purpose, the educational, athletic, and social features had early been found not merely desirable, because attracting and interesting men, but necessary if the religious objective was to be attained. Even the provision of dormitories and restaurants was found essential to complete effectiveness. Any person familiar with a modern city Association will recognize that in operating hotels and restaurants in France the YMCA was not entering an unknown field. The elements of complete service and their coordination were both thoroughly understood. A second principle that was firmly established was the fact that the preservation and development of manhood are achievements always of the individual concerned. No one can do it for another. Except in unusual situations it is not promoted by gifts to individuals. In emergencies, where the ordinary ability of men to purchase what they prefer is cancelled by temporary conditions, the gift of creature comforts may be the most eloquent expression of interest. Otherwise, such gifts should be restricted to occasions and circumstances in which the significance as an expression of friendship outweighs the intrinsic value. In this matter, the guiding experience of the YMCA was in accord with undisputed sociological science. But this was only a Special application of a broad principle. Men may be taught, stimu- lated, assisted—opportunities and facilities may be provided—but the activity must come from the beneficiary himself. It is no more pos- sible to maintain or develop manhood from without than to do an- other’s praying for him or to take physical exercise for him. A third clearly recognized principle, also developed in experience, was the fact that the forces which affect character, for good or harm, vary only inform. They are essentially the same in camp as in city; it is only in appearance that military and civilian life are different. The forms taken by the negative forces that undermine or obstruct character development vary widely; the susceptibility and resistance * Consult Chapter XIII.MEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE 209 of men change in different stages of military as of civilian experience; and the forms of the positive forces must vary correspondingly. But the nature and mode of action of each group is constant, and in its four-fold program the YMCA had developed a working method which was as effectively applicable to soldiers as to civilians. On these and related principles a program aimed to accomplish the pur- pose already formulated was prepared. Like the objective, these principles are subject to judgment. To direct its war work in the large, the YMCA availed itself of The Civilian Standing of the best assistance to be found in America. The membership list of the ¥ MCA War Work Council the War Work Council includes few, if any, names that cannot be rec- ognized as representing advanced leadership in all professions, in business and finance, in social and philanthropic work, in organization and management. Similar men and women constituted its perma- nent advisers and, in many cases, volunteered or accepted invitations to share in executive work, in France and England. With such coun- sellors it was improbable that any promising line of service would be overlooked, or would lack spirited advocates in the conferences where the elements of service were coordinated into a balanced program. In fact, it is not known that there was any form of activity promoted by any other organization which was not promoted in larger measure by the Y M C A; nor since the war has there been suggested any form of activity likely to be useful on a large scale that was overlooked or rejected by the YMCA. | It is equally evident that the program was not confined to the forms familiar in civilian YM CA work. There were war situations which had no parallel in civilian life, and others called for a develop- ment of service forms in which what was old became completely hidden by what was new. The Entertainment Department was conducted on a professional scale, where in the normal Association work it had been represented only by amateur dramatic clubs. Educational and physi- cal work appeared in forms before unknown or barely incipient. It seems clear that the YMCA was open-minded, even to the extent of subordinating some of the tenets of its own group to the wishes of the soldiers and the Government. As is always the case when a purpose is to be cast into forms . action, two groups of forces acted and counteracted, one positive, the other negative. On the one hand were the daily multiplying a schemes, proposals, from within and without the organization, lor varying or enriching the service. On the other hand was the neces-Specialists in Every Form of Activity 210 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN sity of coordinating and balancing the different types of service into a well rounded program, and of subordinating the whole to the mili- tary situation. Innumerable suggested plans, good in themselves, were rejected because their ultimate result would have been practical duplication, or because they enriched one field of service at the expense of impoverishing other fields. Still other plans, admirable under other circumstances, were not feasible under war conditions. In developing special activities the Y MC A called to its aid men of the largest and most intimate familiarity with the a priori possibil- ities in specific fields. 'They were men intensely aware of the capacity of education, entertainment, athletics, or religion to benefit men. The programs they formulated, the standards they set for themselves and the organization, tended to be such as idealists frame for the em- ployment of resources whose wealth has never found opportunity for full exercise. The educational program would have given continuous employment to more workers than the Y MC A had in France; after the Armistice it actually did employ as teachers, officers and soldiers outnumbering the entire YMCA staff. So meager a provision of entertainment as one show a week by five performers to audiences averaging 500, would have required 3,000 entertainers averaging a performance every day—an impossible standard under existing trans- portation and other physical conditions in France. Much the same might be said of the athletic and religious programs. The simple fact was that the means were not at hand for carrying out any of the programs in full. Inevitably therefore there was a scaling down of all department programs, through the allotment of workers, funds and transport, which left the actual performance in each field disap- pointing to its promoters as well as to soldiers particularly inter- ested. The coordination of these activities was further complicated by the invasion of the post exchange, a form of service of elementary importance yet distinguished in important ways from the anticipated program. This not only absorbed a very large proportion of secre- taries’ time before the Armistice but drew into the organization a more varied personnel. It will hardly be denied that, even with a free hand, the problem of balancing and coordinating these elements was intricate and perplexing. In addition to the necessity for such internal adjustments of the different elements of the program to each other, was the necessity for the adjustment of the whole and the parts to the varying military sit- uation. This was partly a matter for the Association, but more foree a - | ; | MEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE 211 the Army command and local officers. It was effected partly by explicit orders, partly by the logic of particular situations. “There was no universal nor even general standard. Atevery point and time it was a matter of adaptation, which might be compared to the incom- ing tide upon an irregular coast. At one point the waves advance steadily along a stretch of beach; at another they penetrate far inland up the channel of creek or inlet; at still another they rise almost imperceptibly against the face of a cliff. So the life of the Army pre- sented fluctuating opportunities and obstructions. At one time men were so busy that it was useless to offer educational classes; at another, days and weeks of idleness invited a school program occupy- ing several hours every day. Again a whole unit might be regularly led in mass play or an ambitious baseball league schedule be carried through. Elsewhere, at the same moment, the provision of a foot- ball for the men to kick about in the intervals between shell fire was the maximum possible athletic service. The function of the welfare organization was to be ready at all times and places to press in with service adapted and adequate to whatever opportunities might appear. In such circumstances, unevenness of performance was inevitable. Varying Scales At one extreme, service contracted to the distribution of such quanti- ties of things to eat, drink, and smoke as could be transported to the scene, the care and transmission of valuables, and friendly personal acts to as many men as the staff could reach. At the other extreme it expanded into a full program of all elements of service promoted vigorously and simultaneously. Variations between the extremes de- pended partly upon circumstances, partly upon the virtues and defects of individual workers, partly upon the operating efficiency of the organization. By the irony of circumstance, it was precisely at the point when men endured the greatest strain and the environment was most barren that the limitations closed in most drastically and ob- stacles increased most incaleculably. At these points the YMCA lay under the responsibility of making its most strenuous and sus- tained effort. The preceding pages prove at least that the Association mobilized for front line service more men than it could secure per- mission to send forward and that the larger accomplishment in the rear sections and in the home camps was not at the expense of the greater need. ; ese In tracing the genetic line from its source in the popular purpose Visas tre. to its result in service delivered, there has been no evasion of the pro- gressive contraction from ideals to actualities. In every great effortThe Maintenance Home Infiuence 212 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN to embody an ideal purpose in materials and definite forms, such con- traction may be observed. If comparison is made between the ideals of negro emancipation half a century ago and the status of negroes today, or between the ideal of government of, by, and for the people, and existing political conditions, or between the ideals of popular education and its actual practice, the discrepancies are obvious. Per- haps the most illuminating comparison is between the almost uni- versal conviction of the folly and wickedness of war and the results of efforts for the assurance of peace. These discrepancies are neither to be ignored, apologized for, nor explained away. The better future is possible only by the study of their causes and the concentra- tion of will and wisdom upon their conquest. In the welfare work performed in the World War there was attained the high mark of accomplishment of a purpose of which the conscious beginnings appeared barely half a century ago, and which expanded almost over- night to proportions as unprecedented as the war itself. The recorded facts may be reviewed from two standpoints. They constitute the material for judgment of a completed historic per- formance, and the data for future dealing with a problem that will disappear only when war itself shall cease. They may be studied as the report of a trusteeship of definite funds supplied for service to a definite body of individuals, or as an intensive development of an influence for individual and social welfare which both preceded and continues after the war. From either standpoint, the correctness or errors of insight into the essential nature of the task, the suitability of the methods and agents adopted, and the conditions under which the work was done must be kept in mind. The most inclusive statement of the objective from the stand- point that contemplates the soldiers and sailors as individuals to be served for their own sake, is that which defines it as bringing to the men the best elements of the homes and home communities which they had left behind. How much the camps lacked of this is well known. But in view of the actual performance, the characterization is both too broad and too narrow. The best of home cannot be transferred without the women and children who make the home. New friends may be valued, but none, however kindly, can fill the place of a man’s own. The immense provision of materials for letter writing and the steady influence exerted to promote home letters made possible a maintenance of direct communication never reached in previous wars. The introduction of American women into the camps supplementedMEANINGS AND VALUES OF SERVICE 213 this to a very high degree. They could not be substitutes but they were reminders of mothers, wives, and sisters. Their usefulness lay less in what they did, though that was great, than in what they were. Their presence kept alive the refining influence of womanhood. The resulting enthusiastic agreement as to the value of women workers should not obscure the fact that the inclusion of women was, at the time, an experiment, as to which opinion was far from unanimous. Similarly the peculiar comforts arising from the privacy of the the eee individual home cannot be enjoyed where men are housed and fed on masse and in indiscriminate association. The best substitute for these elements yet discovered by society is the club. In the “huts” the essence of the club idea was embodied. As compared to barracks and mess halls, the huts provided a higher degree of physical comfort, individual freedom, and choice of occupation, amusement, and associ- ates. Entirely apart from direct activity of workers, the furnishing of club facilities in themselves involved an immense expenditure and contributed the most significant single service to the contentment of the men—a service not less important because it came to be regarded as a matter of course. The social resources of the average American community were The Een outstripped by the provision made in large camps everywhere, both abroad and at home. Thousands of men saw plays, heard music, and read books such as they never could have hoped to find in their home towns. They saw and heard speakers of a caliber only to be met in great centers of population and gained outlooks into the world of thinking minds that far transcended the bounds of village philosophy. For a fair parallel of the preaching in the camps one must turn to the great American universities, where the most eminent clergymen of the country in succession bring their spiritual messages to young men. The same is true of the lecture service. Nowhere but in college halls have so many and so eminent authorities on subjects of human interest been heard. Formal educational work was limited most by the lack of time of the men to avail themselves of it, but in scope and variety it exceeded the facilities to be found in many good sized towns. As for theatrical entertainment, many a unit of 500 men saw plays and play- ers rarely if ever to be seen in cities of 100,000 population. If the money spent by citizens for such things as these be any indication of their human value, then the free provision of them to millions of men must constitute an enormous service rendered in the interests of maintaining and advancing the standards of civilization.Ultimate Values the Criterion 214 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN It is believed that, as the results of welfare performance are more closely studied, the conviction will grow that ultimate values, rather than immediate, constitute a true criterion. Two united objec- tives inspired every effort—a victorious fighting force and a nation enriched in citizenship by its homecoming sons. American character and energy were to be afforded the best support and stimulus the nation could give. Americans were facing an immediate duty of which every instinct of humanity, brotherhood, liberty and self respect commanded acceptance. Not all understood clearly, but all felt the spirit of the hour and acquiesced without protest in a military regime which no compulsion could have imposed. Intermingled with the shaping forces of discipline and training, by which these men were to be welded into an invincible army, was the welfare service intent on enabling each man to offer, in himself, a larger gift. The total result stands evident. None but a presumptuous fool would attempt to apportion credit—to measure and compare the value of the many factors which united in producing that result. How large a share was that of any organization is irrelevant; how vital it was is all important. Victory won, those Americans scattered to their millions of homes. Are they better citizens? The future will tell.PART IV WAR PRISONERS’ AID| ] | | j | Tea) | | | | idl aay Patel | } } | 1 }CHAPTER XLIV BEHIND THE BARBED WIRE The prisoner of war is a strangely pathetic figure—a youth, con- scious of no crime, yet deprived, in the full vigor of his manhood, of nearly all the ordinary outlets of human activity; a soldier, without the stimulus of active service or the sustaining consciousness of achievement; an exile, living in an atmosphere of constant hostility, owing his very life to the sufferance of his captors; a man without rights. Since he is no longer an effective unit in the business of war, his own military organization counts him as non-existent. Though living, he is dead, and dead with little glory. To his captors he is simply an additional embarrassment, another mouth to be fed, an- other body to be clothed. To his guards, he is the cause of the most monotonous and hated of all duties; and to the civilian population, he is the enemy in their power and without means of retaliation. THE LIFE OF THE PRISONER OF WAR statement the practice of civilized nations in the treatment of pris- oners of war. Though this summary of experience was theoretically accepted as binding the signatory Powers, it is well to remember that all such provisions were greatly modified in practice in the World War. Military necessity cannot always take full account of humane agreements and the best of intentions may be frustrated frequently by the forces of passion aroused in a life-and-death conflict. The articles relating to prisoners of war cover a variety of topics. The personal property of captives is to be respected. They may be interned within given limits but they are not to be actually confined in prison except as an indispensable measure of safety. The govern- ment holding the prisoners must maintain them on the same basis as the regular troops of the government. Prisoners are subject to the laws in force in the Army of the state which has captured them; in- subordination may be punished according to such laws. They may be put to work, except in the case of officers; and their wages are to be applied to the amelioration of their condition, the balance to be turned over to them on liberation. Officers are to receive pay equal in amount 217 atment The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 reduced to a systematic Tres aptivesPrison Fare 218 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN paid to the corresponding rank in the Army of the state holding the prisoners, the amount of such payment to be refunded by the govern- ment of the prisoners. There is a provision for the admittance of relief societies to all places of internment. An information bureau must be provided by each belligerent country for the purpose of keep- ing an accurate account of each prisoner. All letters and parcels are to be transmitted to prisoners free of postal and custom duties. The sum and substance of such regulations is that prisoners are to be humanely treated and cared for by the state holding them on a basis equivalent to the army standard of that state. There appeared to be no disposition on the part of any of the principal belligerents directly to ignore the Hague agreement. But the literal fulfilment of the terms regarding prisoners of war would have caused trouble. Since the food supply was scarce everywhere, to have fed the prisoners on the same basis as the Army in certain cases might have put the prisoners far above the civilian scale of living. The civilian population was always afraid that this was being done and the Press in some countries kept alive the idea that captive alien enemies were actually living on the fat of the land. The officials did not dare to disregard the clamor ; they were compelled, no matter what their intentions, to avoid every appearance of “pampering” their prisoners. Thus the prisoners’ standard of living tended steadily toward the lowest civilian level. The prisoners, too, were the constant victims of reprisals and counter-reprisals. All sorts of stories of ill- treatment were circulated on both sides. Naturally, prisoners of war appeared as the readiest objects of retaliation. Such prisoners were not responsible for the alleged ill-treatment of the other prisoners, but they suffered because they were the only lever that could be used to move the situation in the enemy’s camps. Of course, counter- reprisal follows reprisal as naturally as night follows day. The prison fare fell off steadily as food became scarce in Europe. It is not necessary to take the much-advertised German prison camp menus of 1915 at their face value; but there is little question that the food units were there.2 There were good intentions everywhere, no *Consult Encyclopedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, Vol. rash ep, GHC TRE appears from the record of old controversies that the British have always main- tained that the chief responsibility for providing for prisoners should rest with the state whose men have been captured. The continental idea obtains jin the Hague regulations. In the World War the British were still somewhat under the influence of their old conviction. *Consult In the Prison Camps of Germany, Conrad Hoffman, New York, 1920, pp. 71, 72.BEHIND THE BARBED WIRE 219 doubt. But times became hard; and the prison rations, particularly in the territory of the Central Powers, began to fail in essential in- gredients and also became less and less appetizing. They fell below the requirement for full nourishment, so that prisoners had to depend upon supplementary supplies for a full meal. German, French, and British prisoners were the recipients of enormous quantities of food from their own people. The British people, partly on account of their fundamental conviction regarding prisoners of war, kept up a steady flow of food packages. In May, 1916, Camp Miinster, Germany, re- ceived 264,000 of these parcels for the 30,000 men imprisoned there.* But men of other nationalities were not so fortunate. The Russians in Germany, who represented by far the largest national group in 1m- prisonment, received entirely inadequate supplementary supplies. Their government did little for them, and the difficulty of transporta- tion combined with the ignorance of the folks at home denied them possible help from relatives. Other nations such as the Serbs and ‘Roumanians, having a population reduced to the verge of poverty and no effective national relief agencies, could do nothing for their own men in distant prisons. Hunger crept slowly but surely through the camps. It was a deep hunger, something more than a mere craving for so many caloric units. Searcity of food and the conditions of prison life threw the question of eating up into a central and unnatural position. In mod- ern civilized society meals are social functions; for all except the very poor a pleasant feature of the day’s activities. But when hungry men have nothing to do but wait for meals which are not satisfying nor such as can be eaten with relish, there is set up a most unwholesome complex. This condition is greatly intensified when the weather is cold and men’s clothing is insufficient and their housing conditions are inadequate. Over the whole war area local situations varied much, but through vast areas the constant impression of those who moved about the prison camps was that men were starving. Housing, sanitation, and clothing were other fundamental ele- ments in living conditions. Here also the local situations varied greatly even when unaffected by reprisal measures. In every country the disposition of the camp commandant and the resources at his dis- posal were modifying elements. One Y M CA secretary very decid- edly testified that in certain camps in England the prisoners were Conrad Hoffman, New York, Consult In the Prison Camps of Germany, 1920, p. 69, Scarcity of Food} 7 { | \ The Moods of the Soldier- prisoner 220 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN better cared for than are the students in Association summer con- ferences in America. On other situations the same man forbore to remark because of the delicate character of his own position. BARBED-WIRE DISEASE The physical sufferings of the prisoners of war must not be stressed to the exclusion of deeper difficulties. While in many cases the actual physical condition was desperate and in all cases the diffi- culties. of men were accentuated by under-feeding, the real problem was psychological rather than physical. If all the regulations of the Hague Conventions regarding maintenance had been faithfully carried out everywhere, the welfare needs of a prison camp would still have been urgent. The continued imprisonment of able-bodied and inno- cent men does violence to the very deepest sanctities of life. The pris- oner of war was shut in by a double wall—the physical barrier of the barbed wire, and the moral barrier of an atmosphere of hostility. It is not difficult to distinguish the successive stages in the experi- . ence of the fighting man captured in battle. His first feeling on reach- ing a prison camp was usually a sense of relaxation. The acute tension of battle was over. He slept and rested his fill. As soon as mind and body were rested, the natural curiosity of the normal male asserted itself. This was a new experience; he became interested in his guards, his fellow-prisoners, what he would eat. There were stories to tell and episodes to compare. Such a mood was wholesome but the pos- sibilities of the situation were soon exhausted. Then it was that his soul ran into the barbed wire. He grew terribly sensitive and usually threw up his own defenses to retire therein alone in misery.” Among prisoners of all nations there developed a distinct psycho- logical condition, pathological in its nature to a varying degree. Herded together as they were in forced confinement without normal occupation; believing themselves hated and ill-used; tortured by their uselessness in the hour of their country’s need and by anxiety regard- ing their own people at home; alternating between hope and despair till their numbed hearts could feel no more; fighting without adequate encouragement against approaching lethargy, with the blight of fu- tility on all that they did—it is little wonder that so many of them sank into a neurasthenia so well-marked in type and symptoms that it has been called ‘‘barbed-wire disease.” *Many observers state that for most of the men the last stage is already reached on arrival in the prison camp enclosure.BEHIND THE BARBED WIRE 221 The barbed wire was ever present to the prisoner. From morn-fruseed | onotony ing till night, and from day to day, throughout interminable weary months and years it was there. Through it he gained tantalizing glimpses of the great free world beyond; by it he was forever hurled back into his own drab and hated camp. ‘The mere presence of the guards was a persistent irritation. “We live in a kingdom of thorns,” writes one prisoner, ‘‘and the points that prick us on all sides are to us like a nightmare. Do you imagine that these thorny obstacles that penetrate on all sides are soothing to our spirits? Make the experiment and imagine the picture of a man pointing a formidable revolver at you, in such a way that, no matter from whatever angle you look at the picture, you stare down the black muzzle.” | In the intense emotional complexes centering around the idea of Emotiona the barbed wire that so effectually repressed desire we find the rea- son for the constant recurrence of this theme in their conversation, journals, letters, and in.their choice of woodwork designs. The barbed wire shut them out from the world of activity and satisfaction. It also shut them in with the herd of their fellow- prisoners. There was no privacy in a prison camp, and no solitude. “Tow well I understand,” cries a French prisoner, “the saying of Saint Bernard: ‘O beata solitudo, sola beatitudo’—we sleep, we dress, we eat, we play, we walk, we search for fleas in our hair—we dream, we fume, we grow tender, we caress the dear relics in our knapsacks—all this in public.” Again and again one finds words such as these: ‘Nota tiny place in the hut nor an inch of room where for a solitary moment one may be alone’. . . People are swarming everywhere. One cannot sleep at night because the neighbors snore. This is the camp-life of those of whom the world says ‘They have a really good time and they are the lucky ones.’ ” A secretary writes of Alexandria Palace, London: ‘Under the great glass roof of the huge hall about three thousand men find their home. A visitor is always immediately struck by the pathetic at- tempts of these men to obtain some small degree of privacy in their dormitories. Around each two beds, blankets are draped—a _ real sacrifice since they had none too mary—so as to form a small cubicle, with the result that the whole place looks like a Bedouin encampment. The inevitable result of this indiscriminate and unmitigated herd- ing was an intense irritability, a growing hatred of their fellow pris- oners and a confirmed habit of suspicion. The captive fresh from his experiences at the front, rejoicing in his safety, at first threw himselfThe Tragedy of Futility 222 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN with ardor into all the camp activities; but the final effect of prison life was a tendency to withdraw himself in a surly ill-humor. “The best of friends quarreled with each other and without cause .. . None of us were in a fit condition to argue good- temperedly . .. we spent most of the day wandering aimlessly about from cell to cell in quest of the congenial companion we so sel- dom found.” Such are the phrases with which the prisoner-of-war literature is filled. The hatred extends to the guard and even to the prisonersg’ re- lations and the home government. They believe themselves exploited, ill-treated, and betrayed by each other and by the whole world. All this was intensified as the War dragged on its weary length. Sustained effort became more and more difficult. These men did not know how long their confinement would last. Their hopes rose and fell with the varying fortunes of the armies. Rumors, too wild and baseless to be believed by normal men, found easy acceptance. They swept through the camp. In some mysterious way the same wild stories would be found in widely separated sections, in spite of the fact that there was no communication between them. ‘The prisoners, buoyed up by foolish hopes of early victory or impending exchange, would live for a brief while in the exaltation of unnatural and feverish expectancy only to fall to greater depths of hopelessness. ‘“The pris- oner knows only one word—and that: ‘When? The one cry always goes up from our tombs: ‘When shall we get away?’”’ The real tragedy was that all their efforts were infected with futility because they knew not the period of their sentence and could not plan with confidence. “Was it worth while to begin classes when any day might bring re- lease?” So they questioned in the days of hope; and, the next day, firmly persuaded that their captivity would endure for years, they would begin with forced energy, only to be tormented by the same doubts when the next epidemic of rumors swept the camp. Ruhleben has been called “The City of Futility.” To the experience of many fate added another horror— ill-health. For those who were really sick, there were hospitals; but for shattered nerves and the ordinary disabilities of life that create misery without disability, there could be no relief. Conditions of crowding, under- nourishment, and exposure imposed the most exquisite torture on the unfit. Depression tended always to add to the numbers of this unfor- tunate group. Epidemic diseases were not unknown in the camps andBEHIND THE BARBED WIRE 223 one can hardly imagine circumstances less favorable for a contest with infection. Where counteracting influences were not operative, the “barbed- Results of wire disease” eventually produced a state of utter listlessness. Visit- me ing workers found men passing most of the day in opium-like lethargy on their beds. A passing relief was sought in gambling—the only dissipation possible—and the day’s rations were most frequently the stake. Many even of the most buoyant lost hope in the end. The whole outside world dissolved into unreality. Like shades in a land of shades they lived out day after day. Only dull resentment, heartache, and a feeling of oppression were real. Is it any wonder that death and insanity took a frightful toll in these camps? Fortunately for a large number of prisoners, their captors found use for their services outside the camps. The policy of sending pris- oners out in small working detachments to farms and factories and other forms of service meant usually a heaven-sent release. It is true that sometimes there were increased physical privations connected with such work—though frequently, on the other hand, it meant more and better food—but it was relief from the wire, and employment for the hand and brain that was not just work for the sake of work. It was not possible, however, to use all prisoners in this manner; at the period of fullest development of the working-camp policy there were still tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, of men in the large camps whose health and sanity depended upon their own resources. Captured soldiers did not constitute the whole body of prisoners Civitan of war. Their fate was shared by the large number of interned civil- ians in every warring country. Nothing emphasized more clearly that the World War was a war of nations, indeed, than the demand for the internment of enemy aliens. The drag-nets were called upon to sweep ever deeper and deeper until every man regarding whom there was the shadow of a suspicion was shut up. There were thus swept up to- gether in the civilian internment camps men of every shade of opinion from the real alien through all the neutral shades to those who were actually thoroughly in sympathy with the country that interned them. Soldiers, in some cases even, left fathers in prison camps.’ 1This must be decidedly qualified with regard to certain forms of factory work, especially in Germany, where the suffering was very great. : For a sympathetic picture of some of the incongrulties of the situation, Ee the story, “The Bright Side,” in Tatterdemalion, John Galsworthy, New ork, 1920. .Varying Conditions 224 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN There were some striking differences in the two conditions, how- ever. The soldier understood his fate. He had been captured in arms and was therefore quite properly a prisoner of war. Most interned civilians, on the other hand, considered themselves the victims of great injustice. This was particularly true of those whose sympathies were whole-heartedly with the land where they were imprisoned, but all felt to a certain degree that such rigorous measures were unfair and unnecessary. Those who had families were compelled to leave them marked with shame in the midst of communities that grew more and more hostile as the war went on. Resentment against the families even of loyal men often resulted in actions that were practically equiva- lent to persecution. The realization of all this naturally increased the burden on the prisoner’s soul. If in addition, he had no financial resources, his anxiety for his loved ones increased ten-fold. In certain cases, the civilians were not even permitted to see their families; and even where such rigid rules were not in force, visits were of very brief duration. There was another difference growing out of previous conditions. While many, possibly most, of the soldiers after a spell of prison would have been glad to get back into the line again, the prison camp was a safer place than the battlefield. Even the most heroic may be glad to be safe; not all human beings are “gluttons for punishment.” The civilian, however, was taken from his home and his daily occupation and shut up where he had to endure hardships for which he had had no preparation. He was not seasoned like the fighting man; he was a soft civilian. Every hour of his life was set over against an exist- ence of reasonable comfort. There was no consolation in the im- prisonment. The civilians were a2 mixed group. All ages and all types were shut up together. Individual adjustments were excessively difficult in the heterogeneous mass and men fought hard to protect them- selves. On the other side there is something to be said, however. The diverse elements in the civilian group opened up richer resources for activities within the camps. The presence of older heads was a steadying influence. In many civilian camps there were some pris- oners of considerable wealth and many of more than moderate means. These were, as a rule, more than willing to bear a large share of the cost of improvements. When the difficult period of ‘“shaking-down”’ was over, the diversity of gifts unquestionably made for increased possibilities of contentment.BEHIND THE BARBED WIRE 225 The diversity of political opinion was a really serious matter; herein the civilians faced difficulties not generally met by the fighting men. In the famous internment camp at Ruhleben, near Berlin, for example, there were shut up with the loyal British a number of men whose sympathies were all with Germany in spite of their confine- ment. Sooner or later everyone had to take one side or the other, and thus there were two groups in the camp. No doubt, in all such cir- cumstances, a working arrangement was reached; but the confines of a prison enclosure do not provide the best atmosphere for stilling deep animosities. Both groups were bound to suffer. The interned civilian had a hard time. All his miseries were deepened by the rankling sense of injustice. It was an emotional con- viction that was probably beyond the volitional control of most of these men. It was increased by the treatment usually accorded their families and possibly by the actions of some of their guards. It was war—that is all there is to say about it. The dark side of the picture has been presented but we do not Herces of pias wish to give the exaggerated impression that all the prisoners suc- cumbed to their fate. One could not have been surprised if they had done so, but the real wonder is that so many struggled so valiantly to preserve their manhood and to keep their interests alive. All who have known the prisoners will agree with Captain Gilliland’s words: “T wonder if the people at home have ever realized that the prisoners in Germany number among their ranks some of the greatest heroes of this war. On the battlefields, the heroes, or at least some of them, are recognized and rewarded accordingly, but the exile is never known, though he fights against more hopeless odds : Fine deeds are done in the heat of action when the excitement of the moment gives the spur to many a noble act; but it takes a braver and more steadfast spirit to pass smiling and cheerful through the endless, stunted and hopeless days of a prisoner’s life, to cheer up those of our comrades who have for the moment fallen into the slough of despon- dency.” In every camp there were these unknown heroes who resisted the overmantling depression to the very death and put forth every effort to save themselves and their comrades. It was an inglorious and for the most part a thankless task. Courage and resourcefulness of the highest order were required and constant watchfulness alone could save what courage and resourcefulness set up. There were men who refused repatriation in order to continue their efforts to alleviate the lot of their fellow-prisoners. Such men were the cornerstones of these} { ] A +} | t } ; | i | 226 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN organizations that grew up within the camps, expressing in concrete terms the deliberate attempts of men to help themselves in a desperate situation. These resolute men gathered together in twos or threes, discovering each other out of the mass, and gradually drew into the center of power a united group ready for sacrifice in the common cause. Religiously minded men impelled by the inspiration of their inner conviction made superhuman efforts to spread the Christian spirit of hope and friendliness among their discouraged comrades. It was not a bad place in which to test the reality of religious faith. These heroes will hardly achieve fame. Still it is not probable that any of the American prisoners in Tuchel or Rastatt will forget the name of Sergeant Edward Halyburton, and there are others that are imprinted forever on the hearts of thousands of grateful comrades. Could one desire more? THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRISON CAMPS In order to understand the situation of the prisoners of war, some account must be taken of the problems of prisoner-of-war admin- istration. The mere physical care of prisoners of war was a heavy burden. Germany, for example, at the close of the war held about 2,800,000 prisoners—a group of men as large as the population of the city of Chicago. No other country held any such number, but in each case these were enough to cause serious embarrassment in the midst of pressing preoccupations.: The officials were greatly hampered in the discharge of their onerous duty by the uncertain disposition of public opinion; the slightest hint of “pampering” was enough to stir up an irresistible storm of popular protest. There existed an exaggerated fear of prisoners that is a little hard to understand; its nature and justification need not be examined here, it is sufficient to note the fact. Such fear accounts in part for the over-elaborate caution embodied in rules and regulations. The discipline of the camps proved in some cases a very difficult task. Some prisoner groups were docile as a rule but capable of baffling insubordination under what they consid- ered adequate justification. British prisoners frequently proved a handful for their captors; Anglo-Saxon individualism would not sit quietly under what was considered as a needless display of arrogance or unnecessary restriction. Every self-respecting prisoner felt that * Of course, it must be remembered that the service of the prisoners was of the greatest value to Germany in relieving labor shortage.BEHIND THE BARBED WIRE 227 he had rights that must be respected according to his own idea of what constituted respect. The management of these bodies of idle and generally irritable men was no sinecure. All these elements in the situation must be kept in mind in any estimate of the situation. It is not possible to institute national comparisons or to make any Treatment of general assertions regarding the treatment of prisoners of war. All that can be recorded is impressions. ‘The sum total of such impres- sions seems to indicate that the higher officials in all countries, with very few exceptions, were desirous of according the prisoners humane treatment. This spirit permeated most of the official organization. But there were commandants of domineering and brutal nature whose records appear in dark colors; and there were guards, particularly among the working parties, whose cowardly and beastly charac- ters led them to practice upon helpless prisoners the most inhuman cruelty. The proportion of ill-treated prisoners among a total of 6,000,000 men may have been comparatively small, but the actual amount of unnecessary human suffering directly due to carelessness or brutality was undoubtedly in the aggregate very extensive. It is a sad chapter in the history of human relationship. The civilian attitude was by no means always hostile. From the first there were groups in every country who were truly eager to miti- gate the hard lot of the prisoner in their midst. The motives of such worthy persons may have been complex, but there was in each case a certain basis of pure humanity. Several groups in Great Britain sought opportunities for service in the early months of the war. The just historian must record that these efforts proceeded, in the first instance, largely from the Christian forces in the various countries. The injunction, “Love your enemies,” was taken literally by sincere men and women. It is well to remember that, before any extensive international efforts were undertaken, a few civilians in every land were proving very clearly that war had not entirely obliterated the spirit of compassion. THE NEEDS OF THE PRISONERS If a list of the needs of prisoners be drawn up—food to supple- ment rations, recreation, entertainment, education, athletic equipment, | literature, social centers, facilities for religious exercises—it appears strangely similar to a catalogue such as might be prepared for the 1The student is referred to investigations made by the American Em- bassies in Berlin and Paris for further information on this subject.228 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN training camps. Indeed, the suggestion has been made that the pris- oner’s needs are just the fighting man’s needs intensified. Such a view is not very useful because it was the deep difference, not the superficial resemblance, that was significant. The chief difficulties arose just at the points of divergence. In the question of food, the prisoners lacked not only the “frills” of diet but the very essentials. The warring countries lacked an adequate supply of fats, of sugar, and of other prime elements; there- fore, the prisoners of war suffered not only from the monotony of diet but from its actual inadequacy. There was as much need for the tasty additions such as candy, fruit, nuts, and crackers; but it is a reasonable supply of the foundations of nourishment that gives point to the extras. The first need of the prisoner was for food. Without supplementary rations health and strength could not be maintained. In a dark moment one Y MCA secretary wrote to headquarters won- dering whether it was right to send so many talking machines and razors to men who needed food. The other needs were quite as real, however. At this point we encounter another contrast between the conditions of the prisoner and the fighting man. The prison camps were full of idle men. There was no dearth of workers. Prisoners of war were as a rule eager to help themselves. Their lack was equipment. With the best will in the world, work cannot be carried on without material. The welfare problem was to stimulate activity and to provide the material equip- ment necessary. A dramatic performance that meant occupation for a number of prisoners and at least temporary relief for all might be held up for want of small articles such as a few yards of cheese-cloth or a few pots of paint. The supply of a few hymn sheets and Bibles made it possible for the religiously minded to have services; a single football was a precious possession, yielding an immeasurable divi- dend in health and contentment. The whole width of infinity sepa- rated the possession of even a little to work with from having nothing at all. Many camps were thoroughly organized before any help appeared from outside. In others there was needed the stimulus of an outsider, not infected with the prison-virus, to get an organization on its feet and to keep it going through periods of discouragement. In all cases a man with ideas gathered from a wider experience could Consult In the Prison Camps of Germany, Conrad Hoffman, New York 1920, p. 73.BEHIND THE BARBED WIRE 229 make suggestions as to new activities or modifications of the old. The fresh point of view was invaluable. When it is remembered what these idle men lacked, the spiritual value of material equipment may be better comprehended. Books, stationery, musical instruments, educational text-books, artists’ supplies, tools, athletic equipment, lab- oratory apparatus, talking machines, games, Bibles and hymn sheets— these cannot be created in a prison camp; but what is idle life month after month without them? ‘The small working camps were not troubled with the difficulty of finding employment, but the hours of leisure were blank; to them games, books, and talking machines were a godsend, indeed. When any estimate is made of the efforts of relief and of welfare Limitations of | work for prisoners, full account must be taken of the conditions and the character of the needs. A large staff of workers would not have been permitted anywhere, nor was it at all necessary; though there were a thousand useful personal services that a worker might per- form, the essential demand was for help in self-help. Given the facili- ties, most camps could take care of themselves. This statement does require qualification, however. There were groups of prisoners who were ignorant and among whom were few leaders. Food and simple amusements could be furnished them but beyond such elementary help welfare work was powerless. With the strict limitations regarding numbers of workers little could be done to help the great mass of such prisoners. Still that little was a vast improvement on nothing at all. Here and there in the prison camps a triumphant conception took Intellectual possession of leaders among the imprisoned men. With reasonable Personal help from the outside, it appeared that prison life might be made bear- able. Then as the first determined efforts of men bore their inevitable fruit, it did not seem a remote possibility that some pleasure and at least a degree of contentment might be wrested from the hands of hard fate. The achievement of this second stage of mental progress opened up a new vista—some men saw that the period of internment could be made a time of growth and personal improvement. The opportunity of the prison camp—that was the thing. It was not alladream. With the establishment of lecture courses, educational classes, dramatic clubs, athletics, and regular religious services, there appeared in cer- tain of the camps a well-organized social life; and not a few men came out of the experience better than they were when they entered it. Such an achievement must be regarded as an outstanding triumph of the human spirit.CHAPTER XLV THE ORGANIZATION OF THE WAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS The terms of the Hague Convention regarding the admittance of agencies of relief are not very definite. Article XV provides that: “Relief societies for prisoners of war, which are regularly consti- tuted in accordance with the law of the country with the object of ser- ving as intermediary for charity, shall receive from the belligerents, for themselves and for their duly-accredited agents, every facility within the bounds of military requirements and administrative regu- lations, for the effective accomplishment of their humane task. Dele- gates of these societies may be admitted to the places of internment for the distribution of relief, if furnished with a personal permit by the military authorities and on giving an engagement in writing to comply with all their regulations for order by police.” No relief societies are specified and there is actually nothing im- perative in the clause. The injunction is largely nullified by the qualifications. “Military requirements and administrative regula- tions” developed an excessive rigidity in the World War, varying in degree but stiff enough everywhere. It was possible, however, to send money, food, and clothing to the prisoners. .The Red Cross societies of the various countries were able to forward large quanti- ties of material to their imprisoned nationals; and the American Red Cross aided very extensively both before and after America’s entrance into the war in 1917. Other organizations such as Dr. Markel’s committee and the Friends’ Emergency Committee in England, also distributed supplies. The Crown Princess of Sweden and her asso- ciates conducted a varied service of inestimable value in part directly and in part through the YMCA. For a time individuals were free to mail food packages to individual prisoners but this developed such difficulties that most of the governments took over the general re- sponsibility for the collection and despatch of food, which was then distributed on an equitable basis in the camps. A complete account of service for prisoners of war would include all these activities. This record is the story of the welfare work of the YMCA. The setting of the problem that lay before this organization can be 230WAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YMCA 231 exhibited most clearly by following the actual steps taken in estab- lishing this unique service. CLOSED DooRS Among the various projects of service which were surveyed in the autumn of 1914 by John R. Mott as the representative of the American branch of an institution devoted to the interests of young men, the possibility of work with prisoners of war appealed particu- larly, both because of the evident need and because it appeared that an American agency might venture into this difficult field when others would be shut out. Conferences with leaders of the YM CA in Europe seemed to indicate that there was a chance that America might succeed. The World’s Committee of Young Men’s Christian As- sociations was feeling its way into several fields of war work and hoping to have its own neutrality recognized in all service. But American neutrality at that time appeared more substantial than anything that existed on the continent of Europe, and the resources of this country were recognized as available ordinarily for purposes of humanitarian effort. Dr. Mott assured the European leaders that they could count on American cooperation. On his return he made a complete report to the International Committee in New York, and on the basis of this plain statement of need and opportunity, the Com- mittee immediately authorized the participation of the American or- ganization in this service. In January, 1915, the American Y M CA sent to Europe two Fitst Steps im men, C. V. Hibbard and Dr. A. C. Harte, charged particularly with Mission the task of developing the possibilities of service for prisoners of war. The negotiations necessary continued for months in the tense atmosphere of those early days of the war. Public opinion was in unstable equilibrium, and anyone endeavoring to maintain a neutral attitude was suspected alike in London, in Paris, and in Berlin. There was not much ready sympathy for the imprisoned alien. It is neces- sary, also, to bear in mind that at this time neither the relief nor the welfare agencies had at their command the large resources that were later placed in their hands by the American people. All the money for this prisoner of war work had to be raised privately—and very quietly; for there were many active prejudices 1n America.? i i ise funds for this 20h rcumstances connected with the first attempts to raise work ane ravenesting: Dr. Mott, on his return from Europe eee que secure ten subscriptions of $5,000 each toward launching the service. s a matter of fact, he appealed to eleven people; and not one declined.| | i | t Avenues of Approach in France and Germany Russian Difficulties 232 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The two American secretaries proceeded first to England. Certain relief agencies and the British Friends were beginning a partial ser- vice for prisoners and the British YMCA had one representative engaged in camp visitation. A general understanding was reached that America would be permitted to inaugurate prisoner of war ser- vice, supplying the workers and funds, provided the endorsement of the American Embassy was secured. The American Ambassador later secured authorization from the State Department for such endorse- ment; and the American embassies in Europe, throughout the course of the work, rendered the most cordial assistance. The work was finally organized under the auspices of the English National Council of Young Men’s Christian Associations. With so much accomplished Mr. Hibbard and Dr. Harte proceeded to Paris and Berlin to present the scheme of service to the French and German Governments. Dr. Harte immediately established con- tacts with the German National Council of Young Men’s Christian As- sociations, the German Student Movement, and other religious agen- cies interested in prisoners. After some weeks, he was joined by Christian Phildius of the World’s Committee. Every possible avenue of approach to the authorities was worked persistently. At first, the Germans were willing to permit only the sending in of books and supplies; but this arrangement did not suit the American representa- tive of the Y. The negotiations went on slowly through the month of February, but early in March a conditional permission was granted for real service. It was determined that the formal local responsibil- ity for the work should rest with a committee representing the German National Council; later, the German Student Movement was also rep- resented. Meanwhile, Mr. Hibbard was dealing with the supple genius of French diplomacy. The French YMCA was at this time in no position to offer active aid; in France, the negotiations were carried on in the name of the World’s Committee by the American representa- tive. A vague agreement was secured late in February in spite of the tensity of opinion in France. It was, of course, conditional on Ger- many’s action. It required many months to get a substantial arrange- ment. These two preliminary agreements were secured only in the face of intricate diplomatic difficulties. Even then, the agents of the Association regarded them only as marking the first steps of the negotiations. The next move was to bring Russia into the circle of reciprocity. Dr. Harte proceeded to Petrograd in May. There he found himself inWAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YMCA 233 a maze of difficulties. The cumbersome sluggishness of the Imperial bureaucracy was not the only obstacle. The YMCA in Russia be- fore the War was almost entirely German, therefore to be avoided. The World’s Committee because of its connection with these German societies was of no assistance. There were many reasons why the particular Russian enterprise furthered by the American Y M C A— the Mayak, in Petrograd—should be kept out of any kind of connec- tion with the war prisoner work. Further, several of the leading Russians who were friends of the American movement were suspected of pro-German sympathies. Still the unpromising situation was made to yield results. With the help of Russian friends and the effective assistance of H. R. H., the Crown Princess of Sweden, and the Allied ministers in Stockholm, Dr. Harte worked his way through the vari- ous government groups and finally succeeded in enlisting the sup- port of the Empress. Permission to enter the camps was at last secured. Darius §. Davis reached France in May, 1915. He and Mr. Hib-[alyand bard proceeded to Italy in June, and Mr. Davis returned to that coun- try again in October. There they succeeded in gaining admission to visit first the civilian internment camps and later the military prisons. In Austria-Hungary, Mr. Phildius had already secured a limited per- mission to work in two camps. On his return from Russia in the summer of 1915, Dr. Harte was invited to visit the camps in Austria- Hungary. He was able to demonstrate the successful arrangements made in other countries, particularly in Russia; the immediate result was the opening of a full opportunity for service. Throughout the summer of 1915 this curious diplomatic game went on; there were many small points to be cleared up, there was much repairing of shaky confidence to be earried out. In the end “The War Prisoners’ Aid of Young Men’s Christian Associations” was established in all the principal belligerent countries. With this brief sketch of the preliminary negotiations before him, the reader is in a position to appreciate the character of the enter- prise. The general theory of the American organizers was to work through local YMC A agencies as far as possible, but nearly all the funds and most of the workers were supplied from America and the fundamental responsibility rested on the American agents. In Eng- land, the national organization of the Y MCA was directly related to the work. In Russia, there was an independent committee. In France and Italy, organizations were built up somewhat loosely at-Official Association Direction 234 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN tached to the World’s Committee. In Austria-Hungary the service was under the auspices of the Austro-Hungarian Red Cross. In Ger- many, the first committee represented the German Y MCA and the German Student Christian Movement, but the Prussian War Minis- try undeviatingly held the American agents responsible for the con- duct of the work and dealt directly with them. The Russian General Staff was very strong in its insistence that both in Germany and Russia a committee of standing should assume responsibility for the work; and, in deference to this desire, the German service was finally placed under a representative committee with Prince Max von Baden at its head. Prince Constantin Constantinovitch was chairman of the Russian Committee. Mr. Hibbard returned te America in the summer of 1915 to as- sume general responsibility for the whole service of the American Association in Europe. Dr. Harte remained in Europe as a general agent of the International Committee with special responsibility for the work in the Central Powers and Russia. He opened an office in Copenhagen, Denmark, and later, another in Berne, Switzerland. THE PRINCIPLES OF CAMP SERVICE The particular object of the Y M C A in entering the prison camps was to attempt to meet the educational, recreational, moral, and relig- ious needs of the prisoners. The aim was to restore the captive to the world as little affected as possible by his imprisonment. The As- sociation was glad wherever it could to leave to other agencies the task of supplying the immediate material needs of the prisoners in order that it might devote its energies directly to its own special work. It never attempted to supply food, clothes, or money except in those cases where no supplies of this kind were being furnished. In this work the YMCA was but following the bent of its own genius. The prisoner was a young man in urgent and serious need, and as such appealed directly to an institution whose efforts are devoted to the well-being of men of all nations. The YMCA is fundamentally not superficially international; in its work everywhere, it has recognized the equal rights and equal powers of all those with whom it deals. Its principles were put to the test in the work for war prisoners. The American YMCA represented a neutral country in 1915, but_very few men were really neutral in those stirring years. Still, an even-handed service was measured out irrespective of nation- ality and in the name of one common humanity. In the various coun-WAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YMCA 235 tries there was, of course, national prejudice in the minds of local Y MCA men; their connection with the institution had not freed them from human limitations. For many, in the beginning it went decidedly against the grain to do anything for the enemy alien, but they did it. The Christian ideal triumphed. The entrance of America into the war did not change the spirit of the work. It is something to have kept alive even in a small degree the Christian spirit in a time of hatred as witness to the common humanity of men, deeper even though less intense than the hostilities that divided us. The aim of the Y MCA was to provide in each camp the neces- The Camp sary equipment for the conduct of the essential activities of civilized life and by the visits of secretaries to create or to stimulate local or- ganizations to take full control of welfare activities within the con- fines of the enclosure. Specially designed huts were erected in some camps and the funds provided for the remodeling of existing build- ings loaned by the authorities in others. The list of supplies furnished is endless: it included everything—footballs and baseballs, cinemas and musical instruments, books and artist’s supplies, stationery, church furniture, and hospital supplies, razors and false teeth, labora- tory apparatus and shoe-brushes—the whole gamut of the ordinary equipment of individual and social life. Recreation chests were de- signed for the smaller working camps. In addition to the visits of secretaries, the local organizations were assisted by literature on methods of the work. The World’s Committee issued a prisoners’ periodical in six different languages for circulation in the camp. The religious work was entirely unsectarian. Where no other Religious way was possible the secretaries themselves gave religious and moral talks, at which, usually, all the men were present. But wherever it could be done, the Y tried to provide and encourage services to all denominations by clergymen of their own faith. The huts were al- ways at the disposal of Protestants, Roman Catholics, Greeks, and Jews for their religious observances, absolutely without distinction. We quote from a letter, written to the London Times by the Rt. Rev. Herbert Bury, Anglican Bishop for North and Central Europe. “Will you allow me to offer my small tribute to the generosity of the American YMCA? In October, 1915, at the suggestion of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the War Office appointed me to superintend the social and religious work in the prisoners camps 1n Great Britain and Ireland, and, in all that work, important and responsible as it has been, I have had the unfailing support, financial and otherwise, of the| | | Appreciation of American Assistance Christmas Celebrations 236 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN American YMCA. . . . They have also financed noncomformist ministers and others who have applied to them for their expenses in the neighborhood of different camps, met the expenses of Roman Catholic clergy in poor neighborhoods, visiting their co-religionists, and have even found them the accessories of worship. It would be difficult to speak in too appreciative terms—as no funds have been available for such work from the War Office—of the modest, gener- ous and entirely unadvertising work of the American Y M C A.” The report of the Central Committee of the Alexandra Palace Internment camp, under the heading “Religion,” mentions specifically the thanks of the Catholic community for the use of the Hall, adding, “The fact that the large hall with its stage lent itself particularly well to the performance of the sacred rites of the Catholic faith, con- tributed to a large extent to the steadfast attendance at all the Mass rites,” and of the Jewish community, saying “Our large Jewish com- munity is no less appreciative than its sister communities of the great benefits it derived from the accommodation offered by the hut.” The writer of the report adds: “There were no irksome restrictions placed upon the men, the same largess presided over the facilities offered for religious and devotional services. . . Protestant, Catholic and Jew- ish religious gatherings were carried on side by side, harmoniously, under the same roof.” In England, from January to June, 1917, £1,000 were devoted to paying traveling expenses of Catholic priests and, in appreciation of this service, Archbishop Bourne wrote: “May I offer you my very deep thanks for the generous aid which has rendered possible an amount of spiritual work which otherwise would have been much more difficult to accomplish.” What was true of England was also true of the work in the other countries, particularly in Russia. In Austria, for example, the Y was the distributing agency for both Bibles and ikons. Churches were built according to the desire of the camp, as for instance, in Wiesel- burg where two churches were built, one for the Russian Orthodox community and one for the Roman Catholics. There were also prayer rooms for the Jews. It is an interesting fact to notice that the robes and accessories for the first Greek Orthodox service among the prison- ers in Austria were supplied by the Y. One universal feature of the Y program was the celebration of Christmas. Almost all the 6,000,000 war prisoners were natives of countries where religious hope and aspiration center in this festival.WAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YMCA 237 It is intimately connected not only with the ecclesiastical program but with inner sanctities of home life. As each year drew toward its end, the prisoners’ thoughts inevitably turned toward those from whom they were separated. To them the angels’ song came as a hope and prayer with a peculiarly poignant appeal. Peace, Goodwill—how these words sank into the souls of men taken in combat and held by enemies. In all countries a tremendous effort was put forth by the YMCA to have gifts for the prisoners. Where it was impossible to secure goods, small sums of money were distributed. Christmas trees were set up and sometimes it was possible to provide something like a Christmas dinner. Concerts and Christmas entertainments were fea- tured; Christmas dramas were put on in many camps. Everything was done to emphasize the spirit of the day, the spirit of Him whose birth was celebrated—Who came to loose the bonds of prisoners. In the Christmas services the highest note was struck and each year hundreds of thousands of prisoners assembled to join in hymns of adoration and take part in the celebrations of the Christian churches. It could not be ever a Merry Christmas. For most of the men, it was unquestionably a time of sadness that merged into acute pain. But even the sadness and the pain were healing, for the celebration of Christmas symbolizes the inauguration of an era when men shall put away their bitterness and bury their weapons of cruelty and “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Owing to its favorable position the Y M CA organization was Suppementary able to perform a variety of supplementary services. Information of prisoners’ conditions was secured for relatives. Misapprehensions regarding the treatment of prisoners were removed. The distribu- tion of relief was assisted or supplemented as the particular occasion required. The secretaries had frequent opportunity to act as media- tors between the prisoners and their guards. YMCA influence was largely responsible for securing the placing of all American prisoners in one camp in a good location and for the abolishment of the “block- system” in that camp. Much was done to facilitate the sale of articles made by prisoners. Individual secretaries were also able to render much personal service to disheartened, sick, and anxlous men. Di- rectly or indirectly the Y touched the whole round of camp life. There was one indirect service for prisoners that must not be overlooked. To a very large extent the well-being of prisoners de- pended upon the disposition of the camp guards. Guarding prison- ers is generally regarded as an odious duty, in spite of the fact thatLimitations of Service 238 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN it is a really important and arduous service. If prisoners are to be as little trouble as possible, their handling must be skilful. It was, however, not possible always to assign the fittest men to such work; and it frequently occurred that the number of guards in a post was inadequate, thus laying the burden of long hours on every man. Then, too, they represent a part of the national forces easily overlook- ed: in many cases, they were compelled to suffer quite unnecessary hardships. Both for the sake of the guards themselves and for the sake of the prisoners, the Y M C A endeavored to offer these wardens of captives the advantages of welfare service. It would be an anomaly, indeed, to have alien prisoners enjoying the benefits of social service while their guards were deprived of the means of ordinary recreation and spiritual refreshment. The restrictions under which the War Prisoners’ Aid was com- pelled to work were rigid in the extreme. Their character was clearly expressed in the warning injunction to workers in the camps to re- member that everything that was not specifically permitted must be regarded as specifically forbidden. Admittance to the camps at all was regarded as a great concession on the part of the authorities and a jealous eye was kept on the activities in enemy countries in order to make sure that exact reciprocity was being observed. The national war prisoners’ departments showed no disposition to override the local officers and so these latter had to be won over in each case. The military authorities at first were slow to recognize the necessity for the service; they felt they had trouble enough on their hands. Later, they welcomed the work as an aid to the maintenance of dis- cipline in the camp. Every new proposal had to make its way through the interminable corridors of the official structure. The delays were exasperating, but any attempt to hurry the delicate negotiations was almost sure to result in fresh restrictions. The number of workers permitted was fixed by the authorities; the absoluteness of such a limitation is obvious. In Germany, for example, thirteen secretaries from outside countries was the maximum: there were more than two and three-quarter millions of prisoners. In the camp, the secretary walked a tight-rope every moment of the time. There is every reason to believe that in some cases traps were laid for them deliberately in order to test their intentions. The official attitude was a reflection of public opinion. The prisoners could not be allowed too good a time, hence welfare efforts were to be kept within bounds. In Italy, where the population had foresworn amusements during the war, the pris-WAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YMCA 239 oners’ recreation was kept down rigidly. In Germany, the YMCA was never permitted to visit the working camps in the war zone. In France, the civilian internment camps of the Department of the In- terior were closed to the Association workers. The YMCA had to do what it was permitted to do, exactly so much and no more. Having negotiated the official barrier, the welfare worker was not yet in clear water. Among the prisoners the official permission that he had worked so hard to obtain very frequently made him the object of very decided suspicion.t The secretary who had felt as if he were regarded by all officials as a criminal of low origin and mean disposition was now suspected as a favorite of those same officials and a secret propaganda agent. There lay before him quite a puzzle—to convince the prisoners of his sincerity without stirring up new doubts in the minds of the authorities. When time was so valuable, it was ex- asperating to be compelled to waste it in patiently overcoming base- less suspicion on the right hand and on the left; but there was no other way. From beginning to end, the necessities of reciprocity occasioned much delay. Whatever may have been the motives of relief agents or welfare workers, the governments granted the privileges not for the sake of enemy prisoners but for their own men in enemy hands. Reciprocity was the only possible principle of operation. still the strict application of the principle necessitated much additional deli- cate negotiation, innumerable postponements, and many artificial limitations on the number of secretaries employed and upon the char- acter of the work in any particular country. When the total situation is considered, it is remarkable that so much headway was made in gaining the confidence of the various governments and in securing such liberal permits in so many countries. Though an unofficial organl- zation, the Y M C A was entrusted with great responsibility and often specifically authorized for important tasks. The entrance of America into the war had an immediate and serious effect upon the War Prisoners’ Aid. Though for the moment it appeared as if it might be allowed to maintain its small groups of workers undisturbed, the hope faded rapidly. Germany withdrew the permits of American secretaries and demanded that neutrals be substituted not only in Germany but also in the place of American such an extensive service, this re- : rdin ; 1 Like so many other statements rega g tatives were welcomed with open quires qualification; sometimes the Y represen arms. The Effect of American ParticipationDifficulty in Securing Neutral Workers in 1917 The Official Staff 240 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN secretaries working with German prisoners in Allied countries. In the end, exceptions were made of the two secretaries in general charge in each of the Central Powers, and the international rela- tionship of the American Y was approved for future service on the ex- isting basis. It proved an exceedingly difficult task to secure suitable and ac- ceptable workers from among the European neutrals, and there was much delay before the new arrangements were in working order. American support of the work was continued, however, after America became a belligerent; and this country received its reward in the service to American prisoners which the Y MC A was able to render till the end of the campaign. ESTIMATE OF SUCCESS In attempting to estimate the success of the work, taking into consideration, on the one hand, the vast number of prisoners, their wide distribution, their manifold needs, the difficulties inherent in all such work in time of war, and on the other hand, the actual accom- plishment, it is difficult to decide whether one should be more im- pressed by what was done or by what was left undone. It cannot be claimed that the Y M C A alone or in cooperation with all the agencies at work met the need adequately. As for the work of the Y, it was done with varying degrees of success in different countries. Very little was accomplished in Turkey and Egypt, at any rate until after the Armis- tice. The following chapters will attempt to give some idea of the work and of the varying degrees of success. At least something was accomplished in practically all of the countries engaged in the war. At the height of its development the list included not only England, Germany, Austria, France, Italy, and European and Siberian Russia, but also Bulgaria, Serbia, and Roumania. Finally this effort on be- half of the prisoners reached from prison camps of the United States and Canada across Europe and Siberia, south even to Tashkent in Turkestan and Ahmadnagar in India and on to Germans in Japan. The official staff of the War Prisoners’ Aid was strictly limited by regulation. At the peak, there were 65 American secretaries sup- plemented by a force of office and warehouse workers. These, of course, represented the organizing and supervising agents; the work in the camps was placed as far as possible in the hands of the prison- ers and organizations of prisoners. The camps were full of men eager for work; the Y tried to supply organization, personal sympathy,WAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YMCA 241 and necessary equipment. While the actual force of secretaries and the money available was certainly inadequate for the huge task ;* yet when all the difficulties, physical and moral, are taken into considera- tion, one can rightly marvel that so much was accomplished even when measured by statistics of camps visited, huts erected, and sup- plies furnished. As to the value of the service rendered it is more easily estimated jegreize" on its physical side than on the spiritual. There is abundant testi- mony that the huts and the activities they rendered possible made a real difference in the life of the camps. In one camp where there were huts in three of the four compounds, the commandant appealed for a fourth hut, stating that the difference between the one compound where the Y was not represented and the others was unbelievable, and that the men in this compound were “‘neurotic and half-mad.” The hut was often the one warm and comfortable place in the camp, the only place where the barbed-wire and its restrictions could be forgot- ten, where relief could be obtained from the terrible monotony of the barracks, where was light and beauty and comradeship. “The hut was the greatest of all boons bestowed on us during the whole of our captivity; almost everything beautiful and useful for the mind centered in it. “In the camps’ weary round of daily life the YMCA hut was for very many a veritable oasis where they found much needed rest- ful surroundings, an atmosphere of calm and quiet and food for their anxious minds.” Whole books made up of such passages could be quoted from pris- the Vale oners’ letters and reports. Even the very building of the hut made a difference. It was at least something to do; and in the organizing of work, planning committees, looking after property, the prisoners found saving employment. Even where the service was much less elaborate it must not be underestimated. A piano, a phonograph, a set of chess men, a cup of cocoa—how can their value be measured ? When men have nothing at all, a very little revolutionizes life. l fe isiti “reformed “A single mouth-organ,” reports a visiting secretary, “re the whole life of a camp. At the last camp where I pees ence ne (a very gloomy set of men to start with) I left behind me the guar and prisoners dancing together to the sound of the mouth orgar sup- plemented with pot and pans.” 1See Audited Financial Statement, Appendix III, Exhibit D, p. 538.aR Tasers la me Dl Paes die tarps cee mace ok etter enna een 242 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The greatest success—apart from religious activities—was real- ized in the field of education and handicrafts. The list of subjects taught, and seriously studied, is amazing, ranging as it does from the most elementary tuition for the totally illiterate to the most ab- struse branches of science and philosophy. The most lasting work was done in languages, commercial subjects, and other branches that were related to the after life of the prisoner. These were least assailed by the blighting doubt of value, the suspicion of “futility.” The same result was attained in those handicrafts that were distinctly “use- ful.” Prisoners tired of making endlessly inlaid cigaret boxes, but not of making boots or furniture. Diplomatic Besides these special benefits that can be measured in terms of material supplies, there were also the general successes—the “‘diploma- tic triumphs.” It meant much that an agent of the YMCA was per- mitted to travel from country to country, inspecting camp prisons, representing to each government a wider point of view with regard to prisoners, removing misapprehensions, and urging upon all govern- ments a policy of reciprocal welfare work rather than of reprisal and counter-reprisal. It meant a great deal, too, that there was an organi- zation distinctly interested in the prisoners themselves in terms of a wider humanitarianism. It remains a record of an impressive at- tempt to relieve real suffering. Its final success is to be measured in spiritual terms. Its greatest achievement was in the spirit that was manifested in real service for the “enemy alien.” Huts, books, food parcels, were only outward evidences of this. In going over the story one is struck most of all by its genuine “disinterestedness”—which means, of course, that it was actuated, not by love of glory, or military purpose, or personal gain, or nationalistic sentiment, nor, even in war time, for the furthering of miliary morale, but by the highest of all interests, the love of men. THE STORY OF THE PRISONERS pe pounce che It is the present purpose merely to exhibit the leading features of the prisoners of war service in the principal belligerent nations of Europe. Toa great extent the general methods of local work were the same in all countries, but here and there they were modified by national situations and national policy. Special stress is laid upon these modifying elements because they are of vital importance not | only to an understanding of the welfare effort but also to the compre- | hension of the real experiences of war prisoners. The work previousWAR PRISONERS’ AID OF YMCA 243 to the cessation of hostilities is treated geographically; but, in order to avoid repetition, leading problems are discussed only once and then in connection with those situations where they appeared in their most acute form. The service in internment camps in neutral coun- tries and in America and in the camps of India is not treated in de- tail. These efforts were extensive and successful but did not contri- bute unique features of special significance to the whole undertaking. It is sufficient to note that Y service was offered in these various centers outside the zone of conflict. | The War Prisoners’ Aid made one very serious effort to set up a separate supply system designed to bring goods from America for the canteens in the prison camps. Another agency cooperated in the pre- liminary stages of the negotiations and it appeared at first as if this promising and much-needed service would be established. But in the end the Allies refused to permit the plan to be carried out and the scheme was dropped. The final stage in the story—after the cessation of hostilities— represents a great movement which began in the spring of 1918 and lasted till 1921. Since at this point the prisoners for the most part ceased to be isolated groups and were caught in the march of external events, for the sake of clearness this stage has been treated as a whole.* 1 All statistical figures presented in Part IV of this book must be regarded as more or less accurate estimates, since precise figures are not obtainable. In every case the estimates are taken from the records of men actually on the ground. A Well-laid Plan FrustratedConditions in England Fraternization CHAPTER XLVI PRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN The prisoners of war were in a rather favorable situation in Great Britain. Their numbers were comparatively few, probably about 145,000. Housing facilities for such a number presented no great difficulty. There was a scarcity of food and materials, but the supply never fell to the low level of Germany or of Russia. The normal transportation facilities are excellent. Several agencies were actively interested in the well-being of prisoners ; and the British officials, on the whole, appear to have been desirous of assisting the service. The problem was compassable. The military prisoners were assembled at first in large camps of the same type as was used for soldiers in training. The men were housed in wooden huts in groups of from 30 to 60. In general the appointments were the same as for the soldiers, and all sanitary and other equipment was standard. In fact, several of the camps used were abandoned recruit training centers. Seventeen of these camps were established... There were a number of hospitals in addition. When, in 1916, the policy of putting prisoners to work was adopted, these large centers became the “parent”? camps around which were grouped the smaller working units. In January, 1917, there were 18 working camps, including in all about 3,000 prisoners. The plan was rapidly extended: in the autumn of 1917, 90 such camps were in opera- tion, and by March, 1918, over 25,000 men were at work in over 200 groups. A year later there were 600 such units. Working camps varied in size from the large construction camps of 1,000 to 3,000 men down to the agricultural units of four or five men. Some of the small groups were, of course, completely isolated. In other cases, they worked almost without any supervision and were on the friendliest terms with the people. A visiting Y M C A worker was astonished to find in one place that on Sundays the prisoners col- lected the young children of a village, took care of them until evening, and then escorted them home to their parents. ‘The total number of military prisoners in Great Britain at the time of the Armistice was approximately 108,000. 244PRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN 245 Civilians were at first interned with the military prisoners. The pressure of public opinion compelled the imprisonment of so many German-born residents that special provision seemed advisable; and a large civilian camp was established at Knockaloe in the Isle of Man. Here the majority of the 30,000 non-military prisoners were held. However, early in 1916, the British War Office adopted the humane policy of removing to the metropolitan area those of the married prisoners whose families were within easy reach of London. About 5,000 men were housed in the Alexandra Palace, a huge, glass-roofed exhibition building. It was thus possible for the families of prisoners to visit them regularly. The general conditions in the British prison camps were unques- Attitude of tionably as satisfactory as could be expected. The disposition of the commandants and guards is reported by very careful observers as be- ing over the whole area uniformly humane, considerate, and liberal. There was no doubt a good deal of friction, for neither the prisoners nor their guards were perfect men; but such a situation must be seen against the background of the conditions of the times—feelings of considerate humanity made their way through difficulties that were nothing short of appalling. ORGANIZATION AND COOPERATION Sir Arthur Yapp, General Secretary of the English National The “rivine Council of Young Men’s Christian Associations, made very definite proposals to the American YMCA with regard to prisoners of war work as early as October, 1914. A preliminary agreement was effected when Mr. Hibbard and Dr. Harte were in England in January, 1915. The first American worker arrived in May. In July, R. L. Ewing landed with the so-called “Flying Squadron” of eleven American war workers, and was placed in charge of the war prisoners effort under a special committee’ working as a department of the English National Council. The English YMCA at first expected to bear a part of the expense of this service, but the state of public opinion in Great Britain was such that it was feared that any attempt to raise funds for this purpose would not only jeopardize the prisoners of 1 i i i ; Rt. Rev. 1This committee included Sir T. F. Victor Buxton, M. A., J. P.; the Rt. R the Lord Bishop of London; Sir Henry Procter; Rev. F. B. Meyer, D. Ds; Navan Young; Rev. John W. Oman, D. D:; W. R. Hughes, of the Friends Commi ec Sir Arthur Yapp; Arthur S. Sutton; Ronald D. Rees; Rev. Wm. Paton; meer , Rey. Bishop Herbert Bury, D. D.; and H. H. Henriod. This list is as of Jan. 1 LOA:iii ah TS Ti RET VRE GOODIE A Oe TR RT GT perm SE Saad he ois Riad i ; } i | bo . | Three Cooperating Agencies 246 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN war work but also imperil the service in the British Army. In the end, America carried the total expense. The English National Coun- cil financed all work for the guards. When the prisoners of war work was extended to Scotland, the same relationship was established with the Scottish National Council. The English YMCA had had a certain access to the camps since the beginning of the war and definite work at a few points was opened up in the late spring of 1915. It was August of the same year, however, before the Association was officially recognized by the War Office, thus securing a definite standing. It was of course understood that all special activities must be approved by the Com- mander-in-Chief of each District. The Rt. Rev. Herbert Bury, Bishop of North and Central Europe, was intrusted by the War Office with special responsibility for the spiritual welfare of prisoners. Bishop Bury assisted the Y MC A in its negotiations with the Government and took a place on the Association Committee, thus securing the clos- est cooperation in this important phase of work. Among the three active agencies in the field, responsibility was divided as follows: the Friends’ War Emergency Committee cared for families of interned men and promoted arts, handicrafts, and indus- trial work; the Prisoners of War Relief Agency headed by Dr. K. E. Markel agreed to furnish clothes, tools, musical instruments, and gen- eral supplies, to remit money for general or individual distribution, to provide ambulance facilities, and to arrange for the sale of goods made by prisoners; the YMCA was charged with the erection and maintenance of huts or other social centers in the camps, the furnish- ing of permanent equipment, and the organization of activities within the camps. The Association also undertook to supply religious litera- ture. Upon the entrance of America into the war in 1917, the American Y MCA established in England a very extensive service for troops. Mr. Ewing was placed in charge of this organization. The prisoners of war work then became a regular department of the American enterprise. A cooperating committee headed by William Charles of London acted in an advisory capacity. CIVILIAN PRISONERS The Y M C A sought admission to the civilian camp at Knockaloe in the Isle of Man as soon as it was established. The government of * The personnel of this Committee remained, with the addition of Mr. Charles, practically the same as before.PRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN 247 this island has special rights within its own domain; and though the British War Office offered every facility for work at Knockaloe, the local authorities refused endorsement. Doubtless a permit could have been secured eventually ; but since the Friends’ War Emergency Com- mittee had entrance to the camp and were willing to assume entire responsibility for welfare work there, the question was not pressed. The aid given by the Association was limited to the supplying of lithographic presses, literature, stereopticon slides, and other minor equipment; the Friends directed an effective service to the end of the war. YMCA service to interned civilians was practically limited to the group in the Alexandra Palace, London. In this huge exhibition building was gathered a crowd represent- $in20""* ing all groups of society, from the humble German waiter in a Soho restaurant to the merchant prince; all professions from the Navy to the cubist artist; all degrees of education, from the absolutely illiterate to the holder of a university doctor’s degree; every degree of national sympathy from the man who had a son in the British Army to the most earnest German patriot. It was a society in miniature held to- gether by no spiritual bonds, not even those of nativity, but by the implacable barbed wire. It was a society shot through with discon- tent and a sense of injustice. Even those who had been interned to protect them from mob violence succumbed to the all-pervading senti- ment and came to regard themselves as victims of a cruel and un- necessary deprivation of liberty. Alexandra Palace from the physical point of view was satisfac- tory enough; but the huge glass-roofed building was a cheerless abode, mentally depressing to a high degree. cece The story of the building of the hut on the Alexandra Palace orthe Hat grounds reads like romance. At first the prisoners refused to help. They were sullen and suspicious, thinking that this was yet another attempt to propagandize them in the Allied interest. Even when the disinterestedness of the Y was demonstrated, the work proceeded slowly because of the constant bickering of men whose nerves were raw. But gradually enthusiasm was kindled and the doing of con- structive work in the common interest utterly changed the spirit of the camp. The plans were drawn up by a former vaudeville artist who showed no small genius in architecture and whose ingenious de- vices for the overcoming of difficulties were the admiration of all who saw the completed building. The whole building was a wonderful series of makeshifts and compromises. But the men worked with a| it The Varied Activities 248 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN will and at last the hall was opened. This building has been described by its builders as “the brain and heart of the camp.” Such indeed it soon became. It differed from all the other huts in that it was built on a steel frame with walls of hollow tile. It was carefully designed to meet the various needs of the composite population and to embrace every phase of their life. All the artistic talent of the camp was em- ployed in beautifying it and all the Y could do was freely done to make its equipment comfortable and complete. It contained a billiard room and library, a good gymnasium, a number of class rooms, a theater capable of accommodating six or seven hundred, a splendidly equipped handicraft room, fitted with full equipment for metal-working, shoe- making, wood-work, and a variety of other trades. During the winter it was the only warm and cheerful place in the whole camp, and on rainy days, during the hours when the men were unable to use the dormitories, it was the only sheltered spot where they could congre- gate. At such times, commodious as it was, every inch of space was filled. Here the orchestra performed, here were held Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish religious services, rendered the more impressive by the music of an excellent organ. The school had its home here. The well-appointed class rooms and carefully chosen ref- erence library made possible a great expansion of educational work. Classes were held in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Esperanto, Ancient Greek, Latin, shorthand, book- keeping, hotel accounting and management, economics, painting, sculpture; and lectures were delivered to appreciative audiences on an amazing range of subjects. In the handicrafts section book-binding, shoe-making, tailoring, theoretical and practical engraving and metal- work, truck-making, and general design were taught. The shoe- repairing class alone would have made the effort worth while. It can be imagined what a relief it must have been to these captives whose wives and children were often in circumstances of destitution, to have this opportunity of assisting their families. It made them feel that they were not entirely helpless and they found the only real j oy of their prison life in making shoes for their wives or repairing the boots of their children; indeed many of the little ones must have gone insuffi- ciently shod had it not been for these facilities. Then too, many of the prisoners learned new trades to fit them for new conditions after their release, and the poorer prisoners earned a little money by making’ clothes and other necessaries for their richer fellows, an economic interchange which humanized their relationships.PRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN 249 The management of the hut was in the hands of a central com- mittee with a number of sub-committees to supervise the various branches of activity. Material furnished to individuals was paid for at cost. The current expenses, such as payments for cleaning and minor repairs, were met from the receipts from the billiard table, and out of the money thus collected a contribution of £40 was given to the American YMCA. What this hut meant to the community at Alexandra Palace may be seen from the following quotation from the report of the chairman of Central Committee: “Tf this survey of the activities which the hut enabled us to carry on is of necessity incomplete, it will nevertheless convey some idea of the benefits conferred upon this camp by the YMCA to whose great good work, large-minded policy, well directed generosity, excel- lence of practical help, planning and general disposition, no better testimonial could be given than is furnished by the unfeigned grati- tude of every inmate of the camp, and by the sincerity of the regret with which all of them will learn that the hospitable doors of the YMCA will be closed. . . . Everything in and about the hut inspired to render the religious services more helpful, to give them a more devotional character than was possible within the camp itself. The religious life of the camp was maintained by these means, as was, on the other hand, the intellectual life strengthened and refreshed. . . Whoever has been enabled to witness the joy of wives and children at finding themselves united with their husbands and fathers under conditions approaching those of the home, will share our feeling of gratitude to the YMCA for the comfort and solace, the brightness and beneficent relaxation, that they, by and through the good work done in this camp, brought into our very hearts. THE MILITARY PRISON CAMPS Alexandra Palace was in a favorable situation as regards wel- fare work. It was within easy reach of the central office, there was no difficult problem of transportation ; and during the whole period of internment the population remained relatively permanent. The ideal of service there set up could not be realized in the military camps scattered over the whole country. The Committee of Management The Association program called for the establishment of a social The ion center in every large camp and the supplying of equipment to the smaller points. The social center, in charge of a local committee, was the rallying point for all activities. Y secretaries were to visit the camps regularly to assist in organization, to encourage the workers, to make the necessary arrangements for the forwarding of equipment, ProgramThe Social Center The Prisoners’ Cooperative Labor 250 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN and to render such personal services as time and opportunity per- mitted. The headquarters office in London, in addition to its duties of general supervision and service of supply, kept in touch with the various cooperating agencies and held itself ready to perform the supplementary services for which there was such a persistent demand. In some camps the commandant set aside a part of an existing building or even an entire building for welfare purposes; and the Y MCA supplied the decorations, pictures, partitions, or whatever else was necessary to transform the bare rooms into a cozy and home- like hall fitted for education and recreation.1. This was the most economical solution of the problem of providing a social center but by no means the most satisfactory. Permanency could not be assured, for at any time a new influx of prisoners might make it necessary to use such quarters for prison purposes. Further, such halls were too much like the rest of the camp and were never “owned” by the prisoners as their special place. Such an arrangement was better than nothing but certainly could never be entirely satisfactory. In the other camps, where such facilities were not obtainable, the Association built its own huts. At the beginning of the work, the policy was adopted of building only in camps where the men were will- ing to donate the necessary labor in erection. There was little diffi- culty in obtaining such labor. The prisoners were only too glad to work. Thus the building of the hut became a real part of the service even before it was ever opened for use. Attention was thus focussed on community problems and the camp was united in a constructive enterprise. Huts so built became in a peculiar sense the men’s own; interest was stimulated, and much latent talent brought to light. Usually the prisoners were told how much money could be spent and they cooperated joyfully in seeing that the best possible value was obtained for the money. At Shrewsbury, for instance, where only rough lumber was supplied, every board was smoothed down with small handplanes in order that the result might be as beautiful as possible. Six huts were built during the first year of the work and by the end of 1916, six others were either completed or nearing completion. In all, thirteen huts were provided at costs ranging from $150 to *It is indicative of the growth of official recognition both of prisoners’ needs and of the usefulness of the welfare service that when, in 1916, the largest camp, Oswestry, was planned, the commandant arranged for five social huts, and asked the aid of the Y M C A in equipping them and in furnishing the services of a visiting secretary.PRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN 251 £1,700. In addition eight converted barracks and two small rooms were fitted up. The huts at Stobs, in Scotland, at Feltham, and in Jersey in thett . Channel Islands were nearly as fine as that at Alexandra Palace. The Centers Jersey hut was handsomely decorated and well-adapted to the purposes of community life. At Feltham, Slavs, Poles, Danes, and prisoners from other border states were living under a régime de faveur. Men of ten different nationalities joined in the building. In this place, where there were so many small national groups separated by sus- picion, the Association was the only unifying element; and it was in recognition of this that a Dane placed over the door an oak tablet inscribed in golden letters with the words of the Apostle Paul: “God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” Acts 17:26. There was some type of Y building in each of the principal camps, which in every case was fully utilized. The chief item in the operating cost was heat and light. Coal was scarce toward the end of the war, and the prison camp supply was cut with all the rest; but the YMCA succeeded in securing fuel for its own huts, and through the damp and cheerless English winter the hut was the only warm place in the whole camp. The appreciation of the prisoners has been expressed in endles testimonies, but one prisoner summed it all up: “The hut was the centralization point for all our other-than-animal doings.” The several agencies in the field cooperated in supplying the large camps and the smaller posts with equipment for recreation and education, for handicraft and religious exercises, and with all the minor necessities of life. The Y MCA, in the furtherance of the policy of building up theythe Cane internal social structure of the camps, very naturally sought to estab- lish a contact with the more serious-minded group in every instance. As a rule the first point of contact was with those who were pro- fessedly Christian. The deeply religious men actually bore the priva- tions of the life better than others. The War Prisoners’ Aid was a rallying point for such and enabled them to exert a real influence. The encouragement of sharing the enterprise of a world-wide organ- ization of Christian young men gave them heart and courage, and made clear that religion was interpreted by some men in the world as something more than pietism and sentimentality. The skepticalCommon Laterests Handicraft 252 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN learned something of a faith that expressed itself in disinterested service. The material equipment was offered as expression of the Christian spirit and the non-religious man could see the import of such a demonstration. On the other hand, contact with the program had a broadening influence on the very earnest but sometimes narrow German evangelical, who came to see that even material instruments may be used for the service of God. This must not be interpreted to mean that the direction of the huts was ever in the hands solely of professed Christians. The policy was Christian and liberal: Every man—Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jew, or non-religious—was welcomed as an aid as long as he had community interests at heart. There was throughout an endeavor to avoid all hampering restrictions, and to allow the fullest liberty so long as it did not degenerate into license. It must be said to the credit of the men who directed the organizations in the camps that there is no recorded instance of any abuse of privilege. There was no gambling within the huts, no obscenity, and the entertain- ments were usually on a high level. PRISON CAMP ACTIVITIES It is not hard to suggest a group of activities that will fill up a few idle hours. The prison camp problem was, however, something very different from this. Provision had to be made both for a man’s work and for his play, for his whole life, with a clear understanding of the fact that that life was going its artificial round within the barbed wire for an indefinite period. Checkers and a football are allies of health and sanity in the case of men in confinement, but it does not require much imagination to perceive that a checkerboard after six months might come to be a loathsome sight and that the football “might in the end stir up only an ardent desire to kick it over the barrier once and for all. Plans for all activities had to take into account two active enemies—the sense of monotony and the sense of futility. The victory did not in every case rest with the well-wishers of the prisoners. The lack of articles for recreation and daily convenience probably supplied the first impulse toward handicraft in the camps. At Shrews- bury, for example, before the Association appeared, the men begged from the commandant an old cart-wheel. With the aid of various odds and ends they constructed a rough lathe, and produced chessmen. In another camp, eager music students constructed a practice clavier.PRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN 253 Their success encouraged them to proceed with the more ambitious scheme of constructing a spinet. Given time such determined men might have recapitulated the evolution of the piano and produced a baby grand; the Association eventually paid the larger part of the rent on about 60 pianos for the various camps. The welfare agencies were prompt in recognizing the need for tools, and handicrafts were encouraged everywhere. Not only were ordinary tools supplied, but artists’ materials, lithographic presses, and other equipment which was of the greatest social value in the en- campments. There was thus opened up, also, the possibility of artistic creation in addition to the production of daily necessities. At Knock- aloe, one particularly excellent feature was introduced. The Friends supplied standard designs and the materials for “knock-down” furni- ture and paid the prisoners for their work. This furniture was then sent out to France to be used in connection with the Friends’ recon- struction work. All sorts of handicraft were encouraged by exhibi- tions, and every attempt was made to find a market for prisoners’ products. The possibilities of sale were limited but a considerable result was accomplished. Recreational activities were, of course, promoted on a large Recreation scale. Quiet games and outdoor sports were encouraged everywhere. Athletic contests were organized to give point to the activities; and there are many former prisoners who hold diplomas of merit, designed by their fellow-prisoners and printed in the camp on lithographic presses, which record their prowess in the field. Gymnastic equipment was supplied to all points even to the smaller camps. Naturally the faithful phonograph served on all occasions, supported at times by the stereopticon and the moving pictures. Theatrical entertainments and concerts focussed the interest of the camps in a remarkable way, and every means was used to facilitate such activities. All that was required in this field was equipment and encouragement. The most remarkable feature of the whole story was the intense Education enthusiasm for education. This enthusiasm is easily understood ; because, of all the prisoners’ activities, this was the only one not damned from the outset by the sense of transitoriness and futility. In the civilian camp of Lofthouse Park, and afterwards at the Alexan- dra Palace, there was an approximation to a complete university curriculum. There were even laboratories for natural science studies. In the military camps, where there were fewer competent teachers and not so many naturally interested in intellectual pursuits, the edu-The University Extension Scheme Religion 254 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN cational scheme was not quite so ambitious, though at Stobs and Jer- sey there were schools of almost as wide a scope as in the civilian camps. But in all the camps the range of subjects was remarkable and the interest aroused almost beyond belief. Handforth, although it was a small camp and the Y was able to equip only one small room for school purposes, held 61 classes, taught by 35 men, with a total en- rollment of 1,950 students, almost equally divided between elementary grammar school subjects, modern languages, technical subjects, and the cultural fields. During the year lectures were given in the camps on every topic of human interest. Here again, the Association aided by supplying text books and placing stereopticons in fourteen camps and in arranging the exchange of lantern slides. Without this help many of the lectures could not have been given. The serious character of this educational activity—especially in the first half of the war—cannot be over-emphasized. It meant that much waste time was redeemed. Something was done which should bear fruit in after life. A large percentage of the men gained some new vision. In addition to the general work done there was one special phase that was particularly fruitful, the service of the Y in bringing the more advanced and earnest students into contact with English university professors who undertook voluntarily the work of guiding their studies. Largely under the inspiration of Dr. John Oman of Cambridge, the University Extension Scheme was inaugur- ated at the close of 1916. The Y acted as agent in seeking out students, finding sympathetic teachers, in the interchange of correspondence, and in the purchase of text-books where needed; in all 150 students were enabled to continue their researches with the help of 75 pro- fessors. Religious work was conducted through a variety of agencies. For a time local German pastors were permitted to visit the camps, but this permission was later withdrawn. Under the direction of Bishop Bury a group of volunteer ministers rendered valuable service. Two of the Bishop’s own staff were numbered among the visiting secretar- ies, and they held services and ministered to the sick in the hospitals. The traveling expenses of 35 Catholic priests were paid by the Asso- ciation to make possible more regular ministration to Catholics. A chief Rabbi was appointed to further the spiritual interest of the Jew- ish group; the Association stood ready to defray the expenses of visiting rabbis, but the number of Jews in the camps was so small that no special assistance was required. The Association as suchPRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN 255 undertook no direct responsibility for church services, though it co- operated in every possible manner and of course offered the facilities of the huts for services of all kinds. It confined its specific religious efforts to its own peculiar field, the organization of Bible study groups and the circulation of religious literature. CHANGING CONDITIONS This summary account of huts and of activities all too readily gives the impression that the War Prisoners’ Aid in England was engaged in meeting a static situation and in unraveling its difficulties one by one. The problem faced by the workers was not only com- plex but varying; from the very beginning its character changed month by month. It was not possible to put so much away every quar- ter and mark it: “Finished.” The first period of the work was distinguished by the efforts tital of the staff to resolve the doubts of ecommandants and the suspicions of the prisoners, and to set up the camp organizations on a firm basis. The difficulties in this stage varied greatly according to the camp in- volved, but they were very serious. The staff consisted of only about half a dozen American secretaries aided by English volunteers. The conditions were entirely new to them, the country was strange, their resources were not unlimited. They came, however, to be trusted by both the authorities and the prisoners and to represent in the local committees a fairly efficient organization. It is not difficult to understand the first enthusiasm of the prison- ers for the activities promoted by the War Prisoners’ Aid and by the Friends. Once their suspicion had been allayed, they welcomed any- thing that would help them out of their earlier stagnation. The spread of the “barbed-wire disease,” however, may be slow but it is none the less sure. The life was unnatural, confinement is not good for the normal man; and when their first energy was spent, they had to face the strong temptation to succumb to the pressure of circumstance. The increasing personal sensitiveness resulted in irritability and self- isolation and frequently passed over into that apathy whose slogan was, “What’s the use?” In the second lap, men fought hand to hand with the wild beasts of discouragement and despair. External conditions now entered to modify the situation. The establishment of the working camps in 1916 opened up a new phase of the prisoners’ experience. The personnel of all the camps changed from week to week and an increasing number of men were sent out) Removal of American Helpers 256 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN on the working detachments. The first months of the new policy left the parent camps disorganized and made continuous effort of any kind very difficult, even though the actual number of men drawn off was not large. The early enthusiasm for education dwindled rapidly ; it was maintained at certain points only by the most patient labor. There is little doubt that putting the prisoners to work was on the whole a very good thing for them. The hours of work reestab- lished a wholesome routine, which is the normal condition for most men. But the scattered groups could not be cared for as they were in the main camps. They were housed in schools, storehouses, old factories, breweries, distilleries, poorhouses, and asylums. When their day’s work was done they returned to their dreary quarters and to each other’s enforced company, and there were empty hours to pass over before the time of sleep. They were free of the barbed wire, a great blessing; but they were still prisoners and they were cut off from the recreation and education of the parent camps. New means of service were needed and the special recreation chests were devised containing a phonograph and records, a few books, and games. The secretaries were provided with Ford vans carrying supplies and a portable moving picture machine. An exchange of records and books was arranged. The number of camps grew so rapidly that each visitor was responsible for from 40 to 90 working points. His visits were brief, but in every case he endeavored to deliver goods and to render such personal service as lay in his power both to the prisoners and to their guards. The ideal aimed at was one visit a month to each detachment but even this moderate aim could never be attained. The force and the resources were too small. Then, in the summer of 1917, came the German demand for the removal of all Americans from direct contact with the prisoners. The Americans were removed and the work was halted everywhere. The replacement took time, the local experience of the American work- ers was lost, and much of the hard-won gain was swept away. The value of supervision now became plainly evident; for, as the en- couraging visits of the workers failed, activities dwindled in every direction. Only in places like Alexandra Palace where the popula- tion was constant, the organization highly developed, and a certain amount of regular assistance still available, did the prisoners keep up their regular industrial, educational, and recreational features. The waning of the effectiveness of the educational program was particu- larly deplorable, because in it lay the chief possibility of makingPRISONERS IN GREAT BRITAIN 257 the camp experience productive of real benefit. Here and there, de- termined men kept their courage and continued the classes; but the scattering of the working parties, the deepening gloom, and the with- drawal of the visitors played havoc with the school idea. The new neutral secretaries came in one at a time, and some of the lost ground was recovered; but it was never possible to regain the position of the spring of 1917. The disorganized condition continued up to the Armistice when there opened a new phase of experience to be recounted in its proper place.| | | CHAPTER XLVII THE WORKING PRISONERS OF FRANCE From the beginning the French pursued a very definite policy with regard to prisoners of war. Acting in accordance with the long established practice approved by the Hague Convention, this thrifty people put to work all military prisoners except such as were by gen- eral agreement exempt, and certain groups to whom it was desired to show special favor. The details of the prisoners of war organiza- tion are of little concern for the present purpose. The essential point is that each general commanding one of the eighteen regions of the country was authorized to make labor contracts with government de- partments or with private employers. The War Department received 1.37 frances per day for the maintenance of each man; and the prison- ers were paid in addition from 20 to 40 centimes for the day’s work. Frequently, when the service was good, the private employers were more generous. For the most part, then, the prisoners of war in France were organized as a great working force. THE CAMPS AND THEIR INHABITANTS There were in France at the end of the war probably over 400,000 prisoners. There were organized about 90 permanent camps. The working parties served in mines and stone quarries and forests, on railroads and docks, on farms and in gardens. A certain number were retained in the central depots, but the majority were out with the large parties engaged on one of the big jobs or were scattered over the countryside in small groups. Officers, both commissioned and non-commissioned, and prisoners selected for a régime de faveur were held at central camps. The living conditions of workers were usually fairly satisfactory. They were housed in barracks, factories, arsenals, and in some cases in camps specially erected for the purpose. The official instructions to commandants specifically forbade the housing of prisoners in dark or damp rooms and generally urged great care in securing wholesome conditions. With very few exceptions these mandates were observed. The food provided for working prisoners was usually plentiful and good even if the diet sometimes proved monotonous; usually those 258THE WORKING PRISONERS OF FRANCE 259 on the farms fared very well. Working parties were exempt from the operation of food reprisals. The regular routine, the freedom from the encircling barbed wire, the better health resulting from the physical exercise, all had a salutary effect upon the mental state of the prisoner. His ideal was to be drafted with a few comrades to some farm, where the food was good and the sentry’s bayonet less in evidence than elsewhere. It is quite evident that a man who from the beginning of his imprison- ment worked steadily in field or garden must have been spared much of the depression of the prisoner of war experience. The administration of the prisoners was almost uniformly hu- mane and wise. The exceptional cases were the result of individual temperament. Occasionally harsh punishments were imposed; but it is fair to say that in many cases the discipline was too lenient to suit many of the German non-commissioned camp captains. The YMCA records contain many requests from commandants indicating a rather extraordinary degree of personal interest in the true welfare of the alien enemy. In considering the attitude of camp administrators, of- ficial reprisals must be ignored; these acts of retaliation do not spring from personal animosity but from the imagined necessities of a com- plex situation. The scattering of prisoners in working parties among the civilians of France tended to produce two results quite different in character. The civil population, since it saw so much of the prisoners, realized the prisoner problem concretely. People were bound to give thought to it under the circumstances. There was the enemy alien—the man who was killing the sons of France, who had perpetrated the German atrocities. It was necessary for the military officials to study public opinion with much greater care than would have been the case had these men been shut away from view in concentration camps. Partic- ularly those who saw the prisoners without coming into direct con- tact with them were liable to create trouble. ae On the other hand, the people for whom the prisoners worked Catan almost always rose to a real sympathy with the unfortunate condition of men in the state of imprisonment. One little story sums it all up.? A French woman, watching German prisoners at work, is reported to have made some very vigorous remarks concerning the ‘““German beast.” She added: “They all ought to be shot; anyone ought to be ashamed to employ them.” As the prisoners worked away at their Camp Administration 1 Recounted by D. A. Davis in a letter, November 15, 1916.The Favored Prisoners 260 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN threshing, she made the further observation that ‘they work just like our boys.” One strong young prisoner, carrying heavy sacks of grain, attracted her attention. At last she cried: “The poor fellow! What heavy bags he lifts! See how hot and tired he is! I am going to get him some water!” Food packages, money, and clothing came through from Ger- many and other countries in the customary manner and the French permitted the establishment of cooperative canteens in the prison camps. Medical arrangements were thoroughly adequate. As far as the German prisoners were concerned, France had only a straightforward problem; but there were several other ele-. ments that served to complicate the situation. There were the Austro-Hungarian prisoners. These men had come through a harrowing experience. Most of them had been cap- tured by the Serbs and had shared the disastrous retreat through Albania. At first, there were 65,000 of them; but disease, starvation, and accident had reduced their number to about 20,000 by the time they had arrived in Italy. Many in a state of utter exhaustion had been killed by falling over precipices. The remnant was transferred to France after a time in the hope that they might be rehabilitated there. This body of men was a hopeless mixture of races: there were Germans and Magyars, loyal to the cause of the Central Powers, and in opposition to them Poles, Serbs, Slovaks, Roumanians, Croatians, Dalmatians, Czechs, and numbers of other small national groups un- willingly forced into the war. The French instituted a régime de faveur for these Austro-Hun- garians opposed to Germany and for Danes from Slesvig, men from Alsace-Lorraine, and the Bulgarians. They were placed in special camps or in separate barracks in camps where others were held. Though these favored groups were well off as far as the material con- ditions of their life were concerned, they passed through a very hard experience. They were abandoned by their own governments and so received neither food nor clothing from home. As long as they were in camps with Germans or Magyars, they suffered from secret persecu- tion. The Czechs were never put in separate camps; perhaps this partly accounts for their earnest desire to be permitted to bear arms with the French. The favored prisoners were mainly peasants with few intellectual and spiritual resources and little leadership. Though they received the best of care and were free from all measures of re- prisal, they were a lonely, miserable lot. Their conditions stirred theTHE WORKING PRISONERS OF FRANCE 261 sympathies of their guards to the depths; one of the officers, appealing . to the YMCA, said: “What I ask for them is that someone should take an interest in them. The smallest attention will make them happy.” Further to add to the complications, about 20,000 of the men Russians of the Russian Expeditionary Forces in France refused to fight after the peace between Germany and Russia had been concluded. These men—to their own surprise, no doubt—were very promptly interned. Their numbers were later augmented by over 45,000 Russians released from the prisons in the Rhineland. They were particularly unfortu- nate. Their action brought universal contempt down upon their heads. The civilian population scorned them and their guards had no patience with “such cowards.” It could not have been otherwise; this was an- other aspect of the tragedy of Russia. The Russians could not under- stand the reasons for the harsh attitude taken toward them; they suffered pitiably through a colossal mischance.* To complete the list of prisoners in France, there must be added the Turks, held with most of the Bulgarians in Corsica, and the two bodies of prisoners guarded by the British and American Armies in France. It was a very complex situation and taxed the wisdom and judgment of the French authorities to the full. There were two types of civilian camps in France. The fies byes type provided for the internment of old men, women, and children who happened to be in the country at the outbreak of the war. These camps were under the direction of the Ministry of the Interior. In the second type were imprisoned men of military age, the greater number of whom had been taken from ships on which they were en- deavoring to return to Germany from America. These were super- vised by the War Department. It is hardly necessary to comment in detail on these situations; they partook of the same general character as did all civilian camps. The inclusion of the old and very young of both sexes had, of course, a distinct effect on camp life, making it at once more difficult and yet in a certain sense happier. The intern- ment of civilians was an unfortunate necessity. THE PROBLEMS OF WELFARE ORGANIZATION The French Government was at the outset somewhat reluctant to extend privileges to the War Prisoners’ Aid. The tentative promises made to C. V. Hibbard in the early spring of 1915 remained in the air * Consult Chapter LII.The YMCA Organization The Swiss Red Cross 262 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN for many months. In the opinion of the officials, prisoners in France were well situated and really required no further services. There was some disposition to avoid the reciprocity issue and to suggest that if Germany did permit Association work for French prisoners it was no more than a just atonement for her many sins of commission. French priests and pastors were permitted to enter the camps to con- duct religious services and the delegates of the American Embassy had free access to the field. It did not at first appear wise to extend any further privileges. In May, 1915, the YMCA was granted special permission to distribute books and games without the privilege of visitation. Mean- while, work had begun in Germany; and there entered the situation the usual decisive element. All permits to visit French prisoners in Ger- many were to be withdrawn if similar permits were not forthcom- ing in France. Darius A. Davis, formerly Y M C A secretary in Con- stantinople, assumed direction of the work in France in July, 1915; and upon him fell the task of continuing the negotiations with skilled and courteous but highly elusive French officials. By the autumn the various difficulties were gradually worked through and permits were issued to YMCA secretaries by the War Department under the authority of General Verand, head of the war prisoners’ department. Of course, all such visits were made under the general supervision of the general commanding the region and with the permission of the local commandant. As the system of exchange of invalids to Switzerland was devel- oped, the medical and religious commissions of the Swiss Red Cross were granted the right of entry. The general treatment of the prisoners and the efforts of relief agencies like the Swiss Red Cross largely relieved the Association of any necessity for providing for physical wants and left it free to de- vote its energies to the organization of the intellectual, social, and religious life of the prisoners. Mr. Davis, who supervised the work in both France and Italy, was in direct charge of prisoners of war work in France until he trans- ferred his efforts to French Army service in 1916. He was succeeded by Alfred Lowry. The American secretarial staff was small; it varied from two or three to ten or eleven men steadily at work.2. On Amer- * Inspection Générale des Prisonniers de Guerre. * The language problem presented great difficulties in France, as elsewhere on the continent of Europe, for American workers.THE WORKING PRISONERS OF FRANCE 263 ica’s entrance into the war, about a dozen neutral workers were se- cured to fill the place of the retiring Americans. The French authorities came to place full confidence in the YMCA and to appreciate fully the value of welfare service. They made many requests of the organization for specific pieces of work. The American Embassy continued at all times to assist the Association both in its official negotiations and in the actual work. WELFARE WorK AMONG THE GERMAN PRISONERS The camps of the commissioned officers required little assistance Qfcers fromthe Y. The prisoners were well supplied with money and, being mostly educated men, were able to look after themselves in most eases. Such service as was offered them was of an incidental character. They were visited by secretaries from time to time as the most urgent needs of the camps of privates permitted. The YMCA shared in one experience that was very interesting and which indicated clearly the far-reaching influence of certain seemingly unimportant incidents. The officers’ camp at Fort Chateau- neuf acquired, by what means +s not known, a very bad name in Ger- many. Its existence was regarded, as just ground for reprisals against French officers in several camps in Germany. The American Ambas- © sador sent two officials to investigate ; they found the conditions ex- cellent and secured a statement to this effect from the ranking officer among the prisoners. In this statement the writer requested a con- cession regarding exercise and a social hall. Realizing fully the nec- essity of leaving no possible excuse for reprisals, the American Em- bassy asked the YMCA to provide a hut. A fully equipped bar- rack for recreational purposes was promptly erected by the Asso- ciation. It was of great service to the German prisoners ; it was of even greater service to the French prisoners in Germany. | The non-commissioned officers were exempt from work, but some Ae preferred labor to a life of inactivity and volunteered for service. For the most part, the non-commissioned officers were placed in camps with the rank and file, but one group of about 600 was confined on the island of St. Martin de Ré. As it happened over 70 per cent of this group were students, teachers, and professional men. Acting on the hint of the Y MCA, they organized their activities and set up a good educational system. These prisoners asked the Association for a hut in order that they might extend their educational work, and the com- mandant warmly seconded their request in a letter pointing out the264 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN unique opportunity afforded by “this group of six or seven hundred intellectuals.” The hut was erected. The main effort was exerted, of course, in aid of the really needy, the privates in the working camps. These groups were scattered over the length and breadth of the land, from the English Channel to the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean and from the western ports to the borders of Switzerland; and it was necessary to plan all work in view of this peculiar situation. There were no large concentration camps as in England and Germany, and from the first the small de- tachments were seen everywhere. With its limited resources, the War Prisoners’ Aid could not possibly expect to cover the whole field with systematic visitation. A first step taken was the sending of communications to all camps suggesting the possibilities of organization within the barbed wire. Naturally the response to such a suggestion was not uniformly vigor- ous action throughout the length and breadth of France, but the seed fell here and there upon fruitful ground. We have already noted that intelligent prisoners frequently organized before any outside help reached them; in many cases, the letter from the Association or the visit of a secretary was quite sufficient to set the internal forces in motion. The workers supplemented the written suggestions with as many visits as so few could possibly make. The extent of the visita- tion was a mere question of arithmetic: in a field of 90 parent depots and many hundreds of working detachments, a dozen workers—and this was a maximum not reached for many months after the work was inaugurated—could only touch the high spots. It was possible to help much with the materials for welfare work without visitation. 'The World’s Committee in Geneva worked out a very effective scheme of circulating libraries for France, the Amer- ican Y providing the money necessary to carry out the plan. By 1918, there were 1,600 boxes containing in all 45,000 volumes constantly in use. The prisoners of war magazine, The Messenger, was very widely distributed. As the work developed, a systematic arrangement for the distribution of supplies was inaugurated. Letters were sent to the camps offering to supply five classes of material: (1) musical instruments (other than brass) ; (2) sheet music; (3) text-books for study classes; (4) books for Protestant, Roman Catholic, or Jewish religious services; (5) games (lotto, halma, checkers, chess, foot- balls, volley-balls). Attention was called to the libraries, and special reference was made to the willingness of the Y also to send games andTHE WORKING PRISONERS OF FRANCE 265 books to the guards. Requests from the camps included many other articles which the Association furnished as promptly as possible. One of the chief duties of visiting workers was to make purchases for the prisoners of everything from actors’ wigs to altars for religious ser- vices. The requests from the camps came into the Paris Headquar- ters at the rate of more than a hundred a month. In order to prevent fraud, it was found necessary to have all requests countersigned by a special camp committee. There is recorded a rather amusing case where the Camp Committee withheld an illustrated French Dictionary from the illiterate man who had requested it because it was obvious that he proposed to auction off the attractive volume. The Y hut appeared also in the prison camps of France. In all Rticik. the War Prisoners’ Aid erected and furnished fifteen buildings, all of the regular French barrack type designed by General Adrian, who freely gave permission to use his plans. Their dimensions were 85 feet by 23 feet and they cost about $2,000 each. In two other camps, the authorities furnished barrack buildings for recreational purposes, and in six centers rooms were assigned. The Y MCA assisted in equipping, furnishing, and decorating these quarters. Thus out of 70 main depots of German prisoners, 23 were provided with social cen- ters. The need for a social center varied in different places depend- ing upon the character of the working arrangements. In those places where the men were not at contract labor, the hut was particularly appreciated and the prisoners spent much time in equipping and dec- orating it. These quarters were, of course, available for all recrea- tional purposes; and religious services of all types were held within their walls. : Mare The visitation work of the Association was of necessity limited but effective. It must be remembered that the camps were also visited by the local pastors and priests, by the delegates of the American Em- bassy, and by the commissioners of the Swiss Red Cross. These visitors were always ready to transmit requests and to render any personal service within their power. The Y MCA endeavored to facilitate the work of the pastors and priests by every means 1n its ower. re ; Sufficient description has already been given of typical activities at weitee in the prison camps. These were promoted in France. Religious ser- Activities vices and recreational features can be fitted in anywhere and their value was demonstrated as fully in France as in any other region of work. The long lists of musical instruments supplied on request sug-Civilian Camps The American Prison Camps in France 266 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN gest the central place of this form of recreation in the life of German prisoners. It was unquestionably, here as elsewhere, a feature of incalculable value in prison camps. It was a great thing for the per- formers and, in addition, created an interest for practically the entire personnel of the camp. German prisoners found an outlet for their energies in artistic and handicraft work, in which a large number of them were skilled; but, of course, there was less need for regularly organized efforts in this line in working camps. The day was a busy one for the laborers, and arts and crafts took their place as recreations —a very wholesome position—rather than extensive activities to em- ploy their time. The educational program in working camps was also limited and more or less of a side issue. Libraries assumed a posi- tion of large importance. At Chegnat, there were 6,000 volumes; and in the camp at Montfort-Sur-Meu, a library of 4,000 volumes was organized as thoroughly as in any university. Camp organization was not a difficult task in most cases. Indeed, YMCA workers frequently reported that there was little for them to do in this direction because there were many men in the camps skil- ful in social leadership. At one point, a former member of the Twenty-Third Street Y M C A in New York took charge of the athlet- ics and worked them out along the most approved lines. Where such expert leadership was available, the welfare worker had only to en- courage and to suggest. The civilian camps under the direction of the Ministry of the Interior were never opened to the War Prisoners’ Aid. They were, however, regularly visited by the priests and pastors andthe YMCA sent supplies on requests forwarded by these men. In the civilian camps under the direction of the War Department the Y MC A stood on the same basis as in other military camps and the service rendered was identical. The American Army in France undertook the care of its own prisoners; and, in November, 1918, the numbers had risen high enough to justify a special department of the War Prisoners’ Aid for the AEF. The American Commander approved the program of work submitted and an extensive service under eight secretaries was in- augurated immediately. These prisoners received the very best of care and their standard of living was exactly on a par with that of the AEF. The Y was well equipped for this branch of service and it. is doubtful if any group of captives in the war were as favorably situ- ated as those who were fortunate enough to fall into American hands.THE WORKING PRISONERS OF FRANCE 267 The historian treating of prison camps faces the constant diffi- culty of maintaining an even balance in the description of prison camp experience. Favorable elements when presented in detail tend to obscure the continuous gray background of the story. Estimates of conditions must always be regarded as comparative. Some prison- ers were very much better off than others, both because of circum- stances and because of their own inner resources; but it was prison life just the same. Three years’ imprisonment in his own home would probably become very burdensome to an able-bodied man. The work- ing prisoner, glad to be at work, yet realizes his position every hour of the day and sees the barbed wire and bayonets in his dreams. He cannot be enthusiastic over work that certainly helps the enemies of his country. The Germans in France, also, had to let themselves down from the heights of confidence in speedy victory to the dead level of deferred hope that ended in acute disappointment. In the best of circumstances they bore their own share of suffering that was re- lieved to no small extent by the efforts of agencies that took a direct and personal interest in their welfare. THE WAR PRISONERS’ AID AND THE FAVORED PRISONERS The Austro-Hungarians, Bulgarians, Poles, Danes, and Alsace- Lorrainers who enjoyed the benefits of the régime de faveur were not an important group in point of numbers but were interesting because of their strange position and the peculiar character of their needs. They were, in a sense, men “without a country,” well-treated by their captors but quite cut off from home. Their French guards were very kind to them and genuinely sorry for them, but could do little to help them in their special difficulties. For the most part these pris- oners were very homesick; yet, if the prison gates had been thrown open, they would not have gone home during the war. They were peasants with few mental or spiritual resources and they felt them- selves deserted. They were not peevish or discontented. Their danger was more serious. A Y worker reporting on one camp was utterly shocked at “the dull-eyed, listless men, moving about like sleep-walk- ers, consumed by the tortures of their long captivity.” The Prisoners’ Experience It was little enough the Association could do for most of these Mlementel men. Certain groups, such as Poles, were able to run activities and organize their camps. For the rest, occasional visits of encouragement and the forwarding of supplies could only touch the outer edge of the real need. The YMCA was here compelled to enter the field of| { j tl | | American Contributions 268 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN relief ; for these men, through the strange official interpretation which takes “clothes” to mean only outside clothes, were almost entirely destitute of underwear. Communication was opened with the Bulgar- ian Minister in Washington and he supplied some money for use among the Bulgarians. The International Committee added an appropriation for this purpose, and underwear and socks were forwarded to these needy fields. The resources at the disposal of the War Prisoners’ Aid fell very far short of meeting the need. Since the Austrian government had forbidden the exportation of books for these prisoners, it was necessary to secure them from America. The International Committee in New York gathered up all the literature it could find in America. Musical instruments, games, phonographs, and tobacco were distributed; and at certain needy points Y huts were erected. An American of Czech parentage, work- ing in Austria-Hungary, was secured to visit the Austro-Hungarians. He was able to give only a few months to this visitation; but he spoke to the men in their own tongue and discovered the real needs to which the Association might address its efforts. He also made suggestions as to general administration. His effort to secure the complete isola- tion of the Czechs was never successful. Various visitors entered these camps from time to time bearing the usual gifts and generally supported by their never-failing ally, the moving-picture machine. The effectiveness of the work in these detachments cannot be mea- sured with any degree of accuracy. One visit in three years from an outsider who could speak the prisoners’ language seems very little. One movie show during the whole period of imprisonment seems too insignificant for mention. But these slight services were expres- Sions of interest; and when they were followed by games, musical in- struments, books, and warm underwear, the prisoners were at least able to feel that someone was aware of their existence. One must ever bear in mind the oft-repeated statement of those who were fam- iliar with prison life that a very little is infinitely better than nothing at all. It is necessary to try to realize imaginatively what a couple of dozen books might mean in a camp where there had been no reading matter for two and a half years. A COMPLEX SERVICE The War Prisoners’ Aid in France faced a complex problem. The field was so extensive and so varied and the working force so limited that it was impossible to accomplish a complete piece of work. UnderTHE WORKING PRISONERS OF FRANCE 269 the circumstances it was natural that some aspects were far more suc- cessful than others. Very much depended upon local cooperation where supervision was so difficult. Correspondence and long-distance service generally was very useful wherever there were efficient local committees with whom to deal; it could not achieve much where the prisoners were ignorant and incapable.’ The general work in France passed through its period of depres- sion when the American secretaries were withdrawn, but a very cap- able group of neutrals filled their places very soon, the American Y continuing to finance the work. The accomplishment was far from insignificant. Beyond the The Ideal service to German prisoners, which may be regarded simply as a pre- Humanity requisite for service to French prisoners—though the Association took no such narrow view—the War Prisoners’ Aid touched many men of many different nationalities in such a way as to impress them with the fact that America, represented by an institution endeavoring to em- body the Christian spirit in service, was eager to help men in trouble, regardless of nationality, race, or religion. In the midst of hatred and confusion, the welfare workers kept the ideal of a united humanity before the minds of the prisoners. Their efforts are bearing fruit everywhere today. 1 An interesting account of this service is found in a thesis by Clarence R. Johnson, entitled: ‘Social Work Among the Prisoners of War in France.CHAPTER XLVIII RUSSIA The beginning of the work in Russia illustrates once more how essential was its reciprocal basis. Quite apart from the Association’s own international standpoint, the situation was such that the service had to be for all prisoners or for none. Scarcely had the first experi- mental work commenced in Germany when Dr. Harte encountered a new obstacle to its extension. “TI have not had the freedom,” states one of his letters, “that is needed really to help the 900,000 prisoners of war in Germany. In every official interview, I was asked what we were doing for the Ger- mans in Russia.” Since, at that time, the German policy was to congregate all the Allied prisoners in mixed camps, the Y service could not be confined to the British and French, and it soon became evident that the work already begun in Gottingen and elsewhere would be imperiled unless means could be found to enter the Russian field, where most of the captured Germans and Austrians were held. From the beginning of the war, the German nation was deeply concerned about the fate of their fellow countrymen in the hands of the Russians. Many wild stories of their sufferings in Siberia were current. Nothing too ter- rible could be imagined concerning those who were swallowed up in that vast, terrifying country of eternal snows, the land where so many political prisoners of the Czar had suffered and died. It is easy enough to understand this anxiety and to understand how Russia became the keystone of the arch that the Y was striving to build. Accordingly Dr. Harte in May, 1915, left Berlin for Petrograd to advocate extending the War Prisoners’ Aid in this new sphere. THE Y ENTERS RUSSIA For two weeks after his arrival in Petrograd, Dr. Harte was busy in securing the interest of influential persons, notably the As- sistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Procurator of the Holy Synod, the Empress, the Dowager Empress, and the British and Amer- ican Ambassadors. In early June he was finally able to secure per- mission to visit the prison camps in Siberia, and set out accompanied 270RUSSIA 271 by one of the YMCA secretaries. His report of this tour with its favorable tone and its entirely sympathetic and constructive sugges- tions had much to do with resolving Russian doubts and Russian sen- sitiveness to outside interference in her own responsibilities; so that on June 14th he was able to report official permission to establish YMCA service with two secretaries. A modest beginning was made at once at Moscow and at Kiev—the latter the point at which were entrained the thousands of captives sent into the Siberian expanse. By the end of August, American friends had enabled Dr. Mott to authorize the program for an extensive Russian service. Dr. Harte now went back to Berlin, to return to Petrograd in ?GSsiiny October bringing good news of further concessions in Germany. He carried with him three immense sacks of letters and post-cards to their Russian relations and friends from Russian war prisoners in Germany and boxes of gifts to prisoners in Russia from their rela- tives, a consignment of musical instruments and numerous other articles. Better still, he was able to take with him a Russian prisoner. This man, the nephew of a prominent official in Russia, was an officer who had lost a leg; and, in personal appreciation of Dr. Harte’s ser- vices, the head of the German War Prisoners’ Department turned him over to the Y representative in order to facilitate his work in Russia. In return, Dr. Harte secured an invalided German prisoner who was sent back to Germany. At once the Russians responded generously to the suggestion of reciprocity, so that Dr. Harte cabled to America for eight American secretaries to take charge of eight provincial cen- ters with a main office in Petrograd—this in addition to the two secretaries already on the ground. Dr. Harte had also brought with him 150,000 marks from Germany for prisoner relief and 100,000 marks from Austria, and had available 120,000 marks from America. He now made another trip to Vladivostok and on his return reported the formation of a strong committee of distinguished Russians au- thorized to give official and legal standing to the work of the War Prisoners’ Aid. As in other countries, this committee acted as a clearing house for all services between Germany and her nationals in Russia, and Russia and her nationals in Germany. The work in Russia was somewhat slow in gaining headway because of the extreme difficulty of getting suitable men in America willing and able to carry it on. By March, 1916, however, there were six secretaries, and by the end of the year, nineteen. The cen- tral office was at Petrograd and the men visited camps in the provincesThe Ground to Be Covered 272 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN and governments of Irkutsk, Kazan, Yeniseisk, Zabaikal, Tomsk, Akmolinsk, Bokhara, Ferghana, Kief, Orenburg, Perm, Primorsk, Primorskaya, Samara, Samarcand, Simbirsk, Syr-Darjinskaya, Tob- olsk, Tschernigorak, and Zakaspdeskaya. Hampered as they were by geographical, political, and especially language factors, they repre- sented the only disinterested agency for the alleviation of the lot of about 500,000 German and Austrian prisoners of of war then scat- tered through some 70 Russian and Siberian camps. WHAT THE Y FACED Let the reader bear in mind, however, that this was but a small part of the total number of war prisoners. What that number was we cannot be sure;! but we do know that in May, 1917, the number of camps which could be visited by the small force of American secre- taries was 68 out of a total of 891—-771 in Russia and 120 in Siberia; and that of these 68 but 52 were reported to have been effectively reached by the Association. Add to this the fact that every secretary had a territory many times the size of Great Britain—Turkestan, for instance, with 30 camps, having an area 16 times that of England; that these huge territories were in many cases inadequately provided with railway facilities, so that sometimes long journeys had to be made by horseback or sledge; that the interminable Siberian winter further curtailed travel and with the darkening of days must inevit- ably have darkened the spirits of the exiled war prisoners; that in many camps little attempt at sanitation could be made with insuffi- cient water even to wash hands and faces, no soap or towels, clothing so scanty that barracks could not possibly be ventilated and a man could not wash his shirt without freezing in the process; that in such camps the men were without exception infested with lice and vermin, the sick lying among the healthy—advanced cases of tuberculosis in- cluded—the latrines in disgusting condition, and epidemics an ever present menace; that the Russian soldiers lived in much the same way and the military authorities resented any determined effort to introduce new methods on a large scale; that food was poor and medi- cal supplies scarce—add these factors, and it becomes evident that, with the meager personnel] the Y could command, the problem of ade- quately caring for prisoners in Russia and Siberia was intrinsically impossible of solution. Large as the ultimate achievement appears in its totality, the surface only could be scratched. * Estimates place the total figure at 1,250,000 to 1,500,000.RUSSIA 973 This is not to say that Russia failed to comprehend the problem herself. On the contrary, Dr. Harte’s report of his first trip through the camps, even taking into account the fact that he was purposely writing of the good that he saw and not the bad, shows that they had accomplished much. Most of the difficulties outlined above are physical and geographical, or represent psychological factors that have grown through centuries of Czardom and bureaucracy with its peculiar attitude toward the masses wrought of sentimental paternal- ism and hard contempt. At the same time, undoubtedly an outstanding characteristic of the Russian is compassion, a singularly acute under- standing of the human heart and its needs; and through all the bureau- cratic inefficiency, through all the insurmountable physical difficulties, this compassion sent its fine influence carrying a certain balm for imprisoned men. All those Russians who understood—and they were many in high places and low—did much for the prisoners. What Russia Accomplished The facts that bear this out are among the most picturesque in In Siberian war prisoner history. In the early days, for example, Russia sent her prisoners to remote Siberian villages. Here they were quartered among the villagers or assigned separate houses as dwellings. The freedom of the village was theirs, and the peasants treated them as sons and brothers. They shopped in the village shop and bought milk and cream and fresh eggs, honey and butter and vegetables from the peasants’ wives; they bathed and swam in the river, and they lounged and told tales under the trees. They received 21 kopecks a day, or 80 kopecks if they worked in the fields and forests. Sometimes, near large towns, the municipality employed prisoners on public works, as at Tomsk where they were engaged in building new and higher banks for the river, and in the words of Dr. Harte, “enjoy the freedom, the fresh air, the river baths, and the good food and work somewhat leisurely.” In the towns, too, many prisoners were em- ployed by the bakers, confectioners, tailors, and cabinet-makers, and were paid accordingly. Often such prisoners lived freely in the city and were considerately treated on the streets and in public buildings. Musicians were especially favored ; instruments were furnished them, and they were paid for giving concerts in nearby towns. This habit of treating prisoners as the Russian soldiers them- selves were treated extended as well to the hospitals. Again and again during his first tour Dr. Harte remarked that in handling the wounded and ill everything was forgotten except their needs and everything Villages| | i [ 274 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN possible was done for their comfort and safe recovery. Russian sol- diers and German prisoners lay side by side on the cots, receiving the same zealous attention from doctors and nurses. In the larger cen- ters especially, the hospitals were clean, light, roomy, and efficient. In passing, it may be noted that many of them had been vodka ware- houses. Subsequently, however, Russia adopted the concentration-camp plan of the other warring countries, erecting camps to house 10,000 men each—a process that was going on at the time of Dr. Harte’s first visit. But even here, prisoners seemed to have been treated on the Same basis as Russian soldiers, housed in the same barracks, given the same food—a fact that implied equally bad conditions as well as equally good, it should be noted. In many camps, nevertheless, things were in astonishingly good shape, all factors considered. Wel- fare work was under way, music and recreation were encouraged, and above all the officers were patient, harbored no enmity, and worked hard in the interests of the men. THE WORK OF THE Y The Y secretaries were assigned to various military districts and governments, generally immense distances apart, with a central office at Petrograd to serve as directive agency, distribution point, and clearing house. There were two broad types of supervision: one where the secretary had many camps to visit and had to devote consider- able time to traveling, the other where he was located at one camp or spent his time between two or three. As elsewhere, the work in the camps was of the community type, aiming to develop the maximum of activity and volunteer service with the minimum of equipment and expense. For this reason, a large share of the responsibility was handed over to the camp associations, organized by the Y secretaries and operating through an efficient system of committees. By inten- sive work at the start, even the traveling secretaries were able to de- velop strong associations in camps which they could visit for only a few hours once every month or two. The plan of organization fol- lowed in the Irkutsk Military District will serve as a model. It in- cluded an Executive Committee, and committees directing activities of welfare, school, religion, music, library, and camp beautification. In Russia, it was not, as in other countries, necessary for the Y to build special huts. Only four of these, in fact, were erected; in most camps permission was readily obtained to take over vacatedRUSSIA 275 barracks, with a large resultant saving in energy, time, and money. These barracks were adapted, attractively decorated, and furnished by the Association. Partitions, often movable, were erected by the pris- oners to divide them into kitchens, buffets, class rooms, lecture halls, reception rooms, churches, reading rooms, music rooms, and shops. Sometimes, starting with a single room, the Y was able to take over in the same camp two, three, four, or more entire barracks. Much of the Y work, of course, consisted of exactly the same ele- ARES. ments as in other warring countries. There were the same recreational features—doubly necessary to the morale of the men during the long Siberian winter nights—consisting of games, plays, and operettas, for which both encouragement and material were supplied by the Y; the same indoor gymnastics and outdoor athletics, with skating an especially popular feature in winter and tennis in the summer; the same cultivation of vegetable and flower gardens, the same garden con- tests. As many of these activities, however, have features peculiar to their environment, it is necessary to describe some of them in greater detail to give an adequate picture of the Russian situation. It should be remembered throughout that the work of the Y was, as it were, in- tensified and broadened in Russia because of the fact that it was the only organization permitted within the camps, so that it became the agent for numerous other organizations. Whatever was done for the prisoners in Russia was perforce done through the YMCA. During the first year of imprisonment before the YMCA be- gan its activities the scarcity of reading material in the Russian pris- on camps was appalling. At Voenny Gorodok, for instance, when the educational work was begun in November, 1915, with 1,700 students and 35 teachers, but 15 textbooks could be secured. At Darnitza an American secretary reports bringing out a dozen language text- books and a score of dictionaries, the only books he happened to have on hand, for the entertainment of some 1,500 prisoner officers about to be entrained; he was as swamped with demands for them as though they had been popular novels. The solution of the problem of secur- ing books was long and difficult. The bookstores in Moscow and Petrograd were ransacked for everything that could in any way serve the prisoners, and books were bought from private citizens. The Libraries 1 At Beresovka during the winter of 1916-1917 three skating places were sbadh tain eas WN the eased broken, there were playing daily at this camay 25 football teams, 50 volley-ball teams, and 10 teams of baseball or rounders. : ats urally this activity had a large effect for good on the health and vitality o e participants.Schools 276 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN problems of censorship and transportation had to be dealt with in turn. Finally, with the cooperation of the Danish Book Commission, which was able to secure a large supply of books from Denmark, the situation was relieved. By the winter of 1916-1917 at least fifty libraries had been established containing from 100 to 4,000 volumes each, every library under the supervision of a competent librarian se- lected by the prisoners, and the majority of the libraries equipped with a book bindery. A special book department was added to the office at Petrograd in November, 1916. This had much to do with the efficient handling of the library problem. In addition to the libraries, hun- dreds of individual orders for books were received from prisoners and filled wherever possible, some coming from camps which were not visited by secretaries. Among the larger libraries were those at Omsk, with 533 volumes, Pieschanka with 1,444, Tomsk with 500, and Orenburg with 1,500. There were libraries in fifteen of the six- teen camps of the Irkutsk military district. What these libraries meant may be judged from the fact that in one of those in the Irkutsk district which opened for the drawing of books at 10 a.m., there were 20 to 50 men in line by 9.80 to make sure of a book, and every book was drawn every day, to be returned the same evening. Books in Russian were also furnished by the Y for the Russian guards, who ap- preciated them no less than the prisoners. One of the most remarkable features of the war prisoners’ work in Russia was the development of educational activities. In the year preceding May, 1917, there were at least 31 organized schools in 30 different camps, with an enrollment of over 20,000 students taught by more than 1,000 different teachers practically all of whom were pris- oners, many being well-known university professors, writers, lawyers, business and professional men. At Voenny Gorodok, within three weeks after the arrival of the secretary, there was a full-fledged “uni- versity” in operation with 1,700 students, 35 teachers, and 27 courses, and with classes running every hour of the day from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. At Tomsk there were 54 classes taking 23 different subjects; at Krasnoyarsk, 652 students, 25 courses, and classes from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; at Beresovka, 2,500 students and 60 teachers. Language studies predominated, then commercial subjects followed by legal, professional, cultural, and artistic branches. These classes were con- ducted in German, Hungarian, Czech, Ukranian, Italian, Polish, He- brew, Croatian, Serbian, and Roumanian. In one camp the teachers, unable to secure a primer, wrote one by hand and copied it on an im-RUSSIA O77 provised hectograph; these men had set as their ideal that no one willing to work should go home unable to read and write. At an- other camp, nine out of every ten officers learned or perfected one or more foreign languages during a period of eight months, and every German soldier in the camp was enrolled in an English class. From the beginning, an especially important activity of the YMCA in Russian and Siberian prison camps was the organization and assisting of orchestras, choirs, and choruses. Several factors brought this about: the positive craving of German, Austrian, and especially Hungarian prisoners for music, which was as necessary to their daily lives as food; the natural musical talent of these peoples ‘and the presence among them of distinguished directors and musicians of the Central Empires, especially among those from Vienna and Buda- pest; and the bent for music of the Russian authorities themselves, who looked with especial favor on this form of activity and often organized their own orchestras. In May, 1917, orchestras had been reported from 31 camps, with between 700 and 800 instruments in regular use, and there were choirs and choruses in practically as many camps—in many cases both German and Hungarian choruses. The ac- tivities of these musical organizations were largely concerts during the week, assisting with Sunday services, and providing entertain- ment for the hospitals. In numerous cases where a sufficient number of musical instruments could not be purchased or were not donated, those needed were made by the prisoners themselves. “I know not how many unfortunate Siberian horses,” wrote one secretary, “sacrificed their tails for (violin) bows.” In other cases, too, musical composli- tions could not be secured, and whole song-books were written down laboriously from memory. A Hungarian officer at Orenburg startled the camp by writing Schubert’s Mass from memory in preparation for the first Catholic service; later he made complete orchestrations for music the Y could secure for voice and piano only. Several prison- ers wrote original solo, orchestral, and even light operatic composl- tions which were publicly produced in the camp. One camp had two orchestras—one of 45 instruments—a stringed orchestra, a German maennerchor of 40 voices, and a Hungarian maennerchor of 38 voices. Although in some camps workshops had been started before the arrival of the Y, in many nothing of this kind had been done; and the Association at once organized carpenter shops, shoe shops, book- 1 i ‘ally needed to repair the well-thumbed library vol- He aes readin: ailor shops, blacksmith shops, umes—wood-carving departments, t Music Workshops and Factories278 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN basket-making shops, paint shops, and arts-and-crafts departments. In Russia, the War Prisoners’ Aid was particularly successful in com- bining work of this kind with relief work, thus helping to solve two problems at once as well as training men to a future life of wider usefulness. At Orenburg, for example, the shoe department repaired 1,300 pairs of shoes and made 300 new pairs. The tailoring shop, housed in two rooms, turned out several thousand garments a month, made partly from materials supplied by the Red Cross but mostly from old clothes cast off by men who were fortunate enough to re- ceive new clothing. Two old overcoats would be remade into one good one. Every scrap of cloth was saved to be made up into puttees. One particularly noteworthy development of this work was that completely equipped factories were established under the auspices of the Association, at Krasnoyarsk and several other places. This development was forced by the growing scarcity of soap and of leather. The soap factory was the first venture, and it soon supplied not only the camp laundry but also the Russian camp authorities with all the laundry soap they required, and had branched out into the manufac- ture of toilet soap, disinfecting soap, and shoe polish. Next a tannery was opened. By January, 1917, it was turning out excellent sole leather and uppers of horse hide, calf, and sheep skin, and was using about 800 hides per month. All the leather thus produced by the prisoners went to supply the needs of the various internment camps. An illuminating example of the ingenuity employed in enhancing the value of help from other agencies is seen in the invalid food kitchens established by the Y in the Yeniseisk, Irkutsk, and Trans- baikal Provinces, and at Orenburg and Tomsk. These kitchens, in- tended for prisoners who were weak, invalid, or convalescent, had a capacity each of from 100 to 2,200 meals a day, and were run on a Self-supporting plan which at the same time permitted those who had no money to obtain meals free. In March, 1917, for example, a train- load of dried.fruits, sugar, rice, and beans forwarded by the American Red Cross was received by the American Embassy and turned over to the Y for distribution. This food was then purchased by the kitchen committees of the various camps from the camp executive committees at a moderate valuation, the kitchen committees in turn reimbursing themselves by issuing tickets for each meal to prisoners at, say, a half-kopeck each over the cost. Both the half-kopeck profit —which in three weeks might amount to enough for the purchase of 75 meals—and the entire amount received in the first instance by theRUSSIA 279 executive committees would then be used to purchase mea! tickets for those sans kopecks of their own. A per capita allowance was also made by which the officers could purchase part of the provisions at the same price, this money likewise going into meal tickets for the penniless. At Werchne-Udinsk more than 66,300 meals were thus pro- vided up to the end of 1916; at Pieschanka, about 160,000 by the end of April, 1917. In 1916-1917 more than 5,000 per day were served from all these kitchens, and the average cost of the meals was 20-27 kopecks (18 to 18 cents). With food conditions as bad as they were in Russia at this time, it is impossible to estimate how many lives were saved by this additional nourishment furnished just where it was needed most. A Russian general who had seen something of the work at Pieschanka said that he would like the Y to establish similar kitch- ens in every camp; and the German government appreciated the ef- fort so thoroughly that they offered to continue their monthly con- tribution even after America had become an enemy nation. In view of the evil conditions as regards cleanliness in many Barnes ban districts, with the constant risk of the introduction and spread of Dental Service ravaging epidemics, the Y did what it could to supply bathing and laundry facilities. The need may be judged from the fact that at Oren- burg, where water for bathing and washing had at first been carried by hand, the new clean, warm baths and laundries with piped water, installed by the Y, were frankly more deeply appreciated even than the hut. Barber shops also were organized in numerous camps. One of the most important services rendered was the supplementing of the wretched dental facilities and the complete installation in many cases of adequate dental equipment and offices, with the consequent relief of thousands of sufferers. The YMCA in Russia and Siberia encouraged religious SeY- Religion vices impartially for all creeds and denominations. Rooms were equipped for the services of Greek Catholics, Roman Catholics, Protest- ants, Jews, and Mohammedans, the various articles used in the rituals, as well as Testaments and copies of the Koran, being furnished by or through the Y; pastors and priests to conduct services were found among the prisoners themselves, or in the cities without. Music was a highly prized accompaniment to these devotional exercises. In addition: to the services of various creeds, there were, of course, many Bible study classes, the secretaries sometimes being compelled to write their own courses because of the shortage of books. As one chairman of a camp committee remarked:At Orenburg f| Individual Relief 280 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN “You know many of us back home before the War had gotten out of the habit of Bible reading; but now we feel the need for the book and are hungry for it. Many a man will read the book the first time in years with an earnest endeavor to understand and apply it.” A typical report of this many-sided religious work comes from Orenburg: “We were fortunately located, since in this city of Orenburg lived Orthodox priests, a Lutheran pastor, rabbis, two Roman Catho- lic and several Mohammedan priests. Services have been held for all. The singing was always attractive, and the meetings, which were held outdoors during the warm weather, were attended by the majority of those interned in the camp. I shall never forget our first service, which was held early in July. I visited the priest several times, hop- ing to get his consent to come, but, as I could not guarantee him an undefiled building, it was hard to get the desired promise. We finally compromised on an open-air meeting. I had an organ sent in from the city and persuaded a fine old Polish count to make the necessary prep- arations. On the morning of the Mass, when we arrived, we were astonished to find that a high, attractive, evergreen altar, decorated with flowers and ikons, had been erected against the stone wall of the prison. The priest’s face fairly glowed, and it certainly was a beauti- ful sight. To this we added holy pictures, candles, silver altar cloth, communion service, a gold cross, etc. During the confession and com- munion service the men sat with staring eyes and seemed to be strange- ly touched. When the white-robed priest turned to begin the opening chant of the Mass, old and young sat with fixed faces, while the tears coursed down their cheeks as if, after two years’ absence, it was too much for them. ‘When the holy days of the Turks arrived, I hunted out a rich Tartar in the city and had him get a Koran and necessary holy food for our Mohammedan friends. We secured the church within the en- closure for them that they might pray to Allah and carry out their devotions as desired by the priest. “We secured religious books and pamphlets for the Jews and took the men into the city under guard when their holy days arrived. Until the Czechs and Poles were removed to other lagers, we held pe yodex services for them regularly in the Greek church within the enclosure.” Most of the enormous volume of individual relief and welfare work—much of it necessitated by the fact that the Y acted as agent in the camps for the Red Cross societies, the Embassies, and other organizations—was carried on in close cooperation with the camp wel- fare committees composed of prisoners. The Y secretary usually went to a camp loaded with money remittances for prisoners, gifts, food parcels, and clothing from relatives and other relief agencies to distrib-RUSSIA 281 ute, inquiries and replies to inquiries which had been forwarded from the Petrograd office; and this mass of material he turned over to the welfare committee to attend to and report on at his next visit. The welfare committees, under the direction of the secretaries, thus became the recognized agencies for the distribution of financial and other gifts where they would do the most good. As early as April, 1917, nearly 300 parcels a week were passing through the Petrograd office, more than 3,000 inquiries concerning prisoners being dealt with, more than 11,000 rubles a month being received for transmission to individuals. The list of such services, including the execution of the last wishes of the dying, the marking of graves, the procuring of books for special students, the changing of money, the arranging of marriages by proxy between distant sweethearts, the giving of a few rubles to thousands of soldiers setting out penniless for a long journey across the steppes—these could be extended to the length of Homer’s catalog of ships. No statistics would tell what they meant to lonely and de- pressed captives. One feature of this work deserves special mention. At the be- Borsond am ginning it became evident that some organized effort must be made Bureau to overcome the many difficulties in locating missing men, and for- warding mail, money, and parcels. With the hearty approval of the Chief of Staff, a central Post and Information Bureau was established at Irkutsk for the entire district, with an enormous eard catalog of names and addresses, on which 48 men were employed. Subsequently, on proving its value and efficiency the bureau was taken over by the General Staff of Irkutsk and maintained as the center for the sixteen smaller local bureaus. DISORGANIZATION AND REORGANIZATION Early in 1917 came the American break with Germany and the consequent demand from the latter country that American Y secre- taries in all fields be replaced by neutrals. In Russia, this was an es- pecially difficult task; it had been difficult enough to secure the Ameri- ean secretaries in the first instance. The demand, too, came just at the time when Dr. Harte was advising the reduction of expenditures for recreation and diversion in view of the increasingly poignant need for such elementary necessities as food and surgical dressings. In the face of repeated demands from Germany in April and May for the withdrawal of Americans, therefore, the Americans still hung on and as late as mid-July those who were still at their posts had determined282 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN not to abandon their work unless forced to do so by the American Goy- ernment itself; the need, they felt, was so desperately urgent. Mean- while, however, the replacement by neutral secretaries from Denmark and Sweden had been going on gradually, and as rapidly as they were relieved the Americans were transferred to service for the Russian soldiers. Then, in October, 1917, came the Bolshevik Revolution as a further disrupting influence. It did not immediately affect the work of the War Prisoners’ Aid except for troublesome investigations by the Soviet authorities; but as the revolution spread, many camps were thrown open and a general unorganized exodus began toward Petro- grad and Moscow. The work was now considered to be finished except for the salvaging of property, when suddenly a new situation arose with the Czechoslovak uprising, which cut off all rail communica- tion with Siberia. In this situation the need for the Y was greater than ever, for the prisoners had been worked up into a fever of ex- pectancy by the Brest-Litovsk Treaty and were in despair over this new obstacle to their early release. So once again the Association took up its burden. Secretaries were sent into Siberia and the work went on until well into 1919: These neutral secretaries braved the dangers of Russia in the throes of revolution. For months they were cut off from communication with Petrograd. Some of them were arrested by the Soviet authori- ties and were in grave danger; but they continued to work as long as possible and always to the extent of their ability. At Orenburg the factory system was extended and became self-supporting. In twenty- five camps visitation was maintained. But it was heartbreaking labor since these secretaries were continually hampered by the Bolshevists, by the lack of transport and communication, and by the frequent move- ment of the prisoners from camp to camp. What remained of the work was finally turned over to the German and Austrian Commis- sions.CHAPTER XLIX ITALY AND THE BALKAN STATES ITALY In Italy there existed certain conditions that affected peculiarly the experience of the war prisoners and modified the work of the War Prisoners’ Aid. Italy, after entering the war in May, 1915, was of course deeply Factors in the engrossed in making up deficiencies in war preparation. She had Prisons little time for extraneous considerations and her straitened resources offered no surplus for prisoner relief while her own people suffered so grievously. The feeling against the Austrians rose very high, for they represented the chief opponents of Italy in her struggle for unity and a place among the nations. The general in charge of the Prisoners’ Commission was rather harshly attacked in the press for his sup- posed leniency; and popular pressure caused the stopping of moving pictures for prisoners, since the Italian people were in the mood to forswear amusements even for themselves. It was an inhospitable atmosphere for welfare service. The labor and economic situation influenced the prisoners’ condi- tion to a marked degree. Italy is densely populated—131 to the square kilometer as against France’s 74—and actually permitted some of her men to work in France. Until February, 1917, there was solid popular opposition against the use of prisoners in any form of work lest they should actually displace Italians. Similarly, such articles as the pris- oners produced for sale could be neither sold in the local markets nor exported because of the actual or implied competition with Italian artisans. A plan for exportation to the native land of the prisoners was conceived but proved impossible of execution. However, the lot of prisoners in Italy was not so wholly bad as Italian. all this might imply. Many of them were interned on islands—notably the civilian enemy aliens on the island of Sardinia where they could be permitted an unusual degree of freedom. Many, at first the majority, were housed in old fortresses where from the start there were rooms that could be devoted to meetings and other activities. They were reasonably well fed and well treated by the authorities; an inter- est was shown in their physical welfare; there were excellent hosp!- 283The Y in Italian Prison Camps 284 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN tals; and the surroundings, especially in the large concentration camps erected later, were sanitary and comfortable. The small amount of work within the camps, too, was assigned to many men in turn to help relieve the monotony. General Spingardi, in charge of the han- dling of prisoners, evinced always an attitude of sympathetic and in- telligent interest in their welfare, and of openness to suggestions from extra-official sources, and readiness to cooperate. Naturally, the same obstacles that inhibited the development of a thoroughgoing prisoner-welfare program on the part of the Italians themselves also stood in the way of a similar development by the Y M CA. In addition, there was another very large factor which need not be minimized: namely, religion. Italy is the fountain-head of Roman Catholicism, with a population predominantly Roman Catho- lic in affiliation, and the Italian branch of the Y M C A, largely Protest- ant in character, had not been a vigorous organization prior to the war. The same elements that made for this weakness hampered the Y’s efforts after the war began; nor is it to be expected that the Ital- ian people, with a deeply ingrained religious bent, would throw off suddenly their natural suspicion of an organization that they con- sidered essentially Protestant even in view of the proved non-secta- rian character of the work of that organization and its extraordinary efforts to convince the Italians of the unalloyed humanitarianism of its motives. Many Italians, and especially many in high places, were so convinced, but an undercurrent of perfectly natural religious prej- udice always acted as a brake to slow down the momentum of the Y’s efforts in behalf of Italy’s war prisoners. Because of these diversified elements, Y work in this field was largely limited to the provision of books, musical instruments, games, and tools for wood-carving and the like, with the constant aim in view of lightening so far as possible the somber cloud of monotony and idleness that lay over prison camps. * Austro-Hungarian prisoners brought to Italy from Serbia after the Serbian retreat were especially well treated under a régime de faveur, but their case con- stitutes an exception. “The Italians,” a visitor reported, “with infinite pains and unmeasured kindness nursed these human wrecks, mere walking skeletons, back to health and hope,” and succeeded in saving about 15,000 of the original 20,000. For these men there was an extensive educational and recreational program, in- cluding painting, sculpture, pottery, music, and theatricals in a huge open-air amphitheater, and the Y was even asked to furnish fire-brick for a small glass factory. The prisoners in gratitude erected a monument dedicated “To Italy, Our Saviour.” Here, unhampered by adverse considerations of “policy,” the natural Italian kindliness operated without stint. Most of these prisoners were finally transferred to France,ITALY AND THE BALKAN STATES 285 A month after Italy cast in her lot with the Allies, that is, late in June, 1915, D. A. Davis and C. V. Hibbard visited the country, made a grant to the Italian branch of the Student Christian Movement for soldier or prisoner welfare, and through influential persons proffered the services of the Y for work among the prisoners. Mr. Davis again visited Italy late in October. At this time work was well under way in England, France, Germany, and Austria, and a promising begin- ning had been made in Russia. Through numerous introductions, Mr. Davis explained this work to officials of the War and Foreign Offices, the Red Cross, and the Departments of the Interior and of Finance. He was promptly granted permission by General Spingardi, head of the War Prisoners’ Commission, to visit the civilians interned on Sardinia, and after his report on the seventeen towns and villages he was able to reach there, was authorized to go to any of the military camps. Choosing Genoa, he found the prisoners well cared for as to food, clothing, and lodgment, with a beginning of educational work; but he wrote: “I have never realized so fully the awfulness of having nothing to do as after visiting some of the forts inItaly. . . .The schools will occupy a small percentage of the prisoners, but the great majority of them have to remain without anything to do. In one fortress, where there are 600 prisoners, there are only thirty book- lets of any description.” In view of this situation, and since there was not the same need for huts as in other countries, Mr. Davis re- quested permission from the International Committee to use the greater part of the money allotted to Italy for books, musical instru- ments, and games. Asa beginning, this sum amounted to $5,000; but the funds from America were delayed in transmission by war-time conditions, and this introduced a further element to hold back the progress that was already sufficiently slow in gaining headway. By the end of 1915 the work was still very limited in scope. Personnel and Activity After Mr. Davis’s departure for France, Dr. Walter Lowrie, of the te ere American Church at Rome, took charge in the spring of 1916 and Education undertook at the request of General Spingardi to visit all prison camps. All the books in Italy suitable for prisoners of war were bought up, and a shipment to the value of 14,340 francs was ordered from Austria through Geneva. These were to supply seventy-five camps; and it was necessary to secure them from the prisoners’ home- land because Italy did not have enough books in the varied tongues required: German, Hungarian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Ruthe-The First Hut 286 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN nian, Bohemian, Polish, Roumanian, and Turkish. Other services were rendered by Dr. Lowrie to the limit of the authority granted the Y. Four thousand franes were expended for games, musical instru- ments, and other supplies for the camps; and because of his cordial re- lations with government departments, he was able to bring consider- able influence to bear on local officials for ameliorating local hard- ships. As in other countries though it was no part of the visitor’s duty to inspect or report on the physical condition of the camps, the local commandants usually asked him for his opinion; and after a friendly talk with him, they were often ready to make desirable changes. At times they were glad to have the visitor take advantage of his peculiar position to ask for the authorization of special privileges from higher authorities. In some cases the bathing facilities were poor and the visitor’s report resulted in the installation of shower baths. It was possible to obtain for prisoners in many camps more liberty for walks than had been enjoyed. The fact that the Com- mission for Prisoners welcomed the Y MC A’s gifts of carving tools and the further effect that it carried with it permission to use sharp instruments in general, not only restored to the prisoners their knives, but opened the way for constructive work with tools. The Y also furnished text-books and other educational equipment. In one camp where there were only thirteen Protestants, Dr. Lowrie found that eight of them were preachers, and his report to headquarters brought about their transfer to other camps where there was no one qualified to minister to the Hungarian Protestants. In many places religious services were arranged for and large numbers of Testaments, Catholic prayer books, and other religious literature given away. There was the more need for such service in that no other agency was doing anything for these prisoners. “It is astonishing,” writes the visiting secretary, “how few pack- ages they receive from home. I got the impression that their families in Austria were too poor to succor their kinsmen in this way. There were no Austrian societies sending anything, whereas the compara- tively few Bavarian prisoners in Italy were well supplied by the Red Cross in Munich. The prisoners who came from the Balkan provinces of Austria could get nothing from home, rarely even a letter, and the Poles were hardly better off.” The first permission to erect a hut was given in July, 1916, as a result of Mr. Davis’s report on Ancona, but this building was not put up for some time. Further permissions, affecting two of the largestITALY AND THE BALKAN STATES 287 camps in Italy—Avezzano and Padua—were given in December. The long delay preceding the initiation of this work resulted in a serious crisis that threatened the very existence of the work in Italy and re- ciprocally the Italian camps of Austria, but catastrophe was happily averted by the new permits. The International Committee at once cabled the required $5,000 for these buildings, but even with the money and the permits, difficulties due to the scarcity of material, labor, and transportation caused further long delays before the huts were actual- ly built. The Association centers, with their prisoner committees and organized activities, never developed in Italy as in other countries. An American secretary, M. B. Rideout, succeeded Dr. Lowrie on November 1, 1916, and the work continued to the end in much the same manner. As has been said, it was largely a service of visitation— necessarily infrequent with only one man for the work—and the fill- ing of requests for books and games. Something was done to solve the problem of idleness through the furnishing of tools and materials for the skilled craftsmen who were found in every camp, but the grave difficulties in the way of disposing of their products hampered the effectiveness of such an activity. With the entrance of America into the War, there was not the same disruption of Y activities as elsewhere. For some time there was official doubt whether these activities should continue on account of the German attitude; but these were apparently solved, and the work went on without interruption. THE BALKANS A Service of Visitation Work for prisoners in Bulgaria was proposed in the spring of Bulzaria 1916 when an appropriation was made for the initiation of work in this field. The field was not entered until the end of the year. When the Y representative arrived there, he found the conditions appalling, and the War Ministry ready to give the heartiest welcome to his offers of service for both prisoners and Army. Since Bulgaria is an agricultural rather than industrial state, there was a great lack of all manufactured articles, especially clothing and blankets. The diet of the prisoners, even though it was occasionally better than that of the Bulgarian soldiers themselves, was below the accustomed stand- ards of the soldiers or prisoners of other nationalities. When the report of the situation reached the American Committee, it increased its appropriation to $20,000, half of which was to be spent on Prison- ers’ Aid and half on the Bulgarian soldiers.ne : ' i 288 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN This work also, although financed by the International Commit- tee, was done under the nominal auspices of the World’s Alliance. Within a year five huts had been built in the largest camps, in five others already existing barracks had been adapted, and in still other camps where buildings were not available reading rooms had been opened. Every camp had its orchestras, theaters, classes, and varied religious services—Protestant, Catholic, and Greek Orthodox. Some of the larger camps had workshops for shoemakers and tailors. An office was opened at Sophia through which the work could be coordi- nated, and to establish a center for inquiries for missing men. Much necessary relief work was done through this office, partly with YMCA funds and partly through the administration within the camps of funds furnished by other agencies. Food and clothing were the great needs. At first, with the per- mission of the camp authorities, food was bought. Then some land near each camp was leased and put under cultivation. Clothes pro- vided by the Italian, Greek, and Serbian Legations were distributed through the Y which in addition bought with its own funds clothing and food. The secretary, Mr. Phildius, had remarkable freedom in this work. He was allowed to travel freely to Switzerland to pur- chase supplies, and was able to come to the assistance of a Bulgarian general who, sent to Switzerland on the same mission, had found himself unable to get anything, and had to appeal to the secretary for aid. Roumania In June, 1916, Dr. Harte had visited Jassy, seeking an opportu- nity to extend the service of the Association to Roumania. The greater part of the territory was then occupied by the German Army, and there were great numbers of Roumanian prisoners in Germany and Bulgaria. The highest officials in the capital and the royal family manifested the deepest interest and every facility possible was given to Dr. Harte and another American secretary in his company to study the situation. A committee of patronage and advice was formed, and a building was assigned for headquarters in the capital as well as another for the first soldier hut. At this time the plight of the unoccupied portion of the country was so terrible that the efforts of the Association for the moment were limited to the soldiers and the suffering population. No work was undertaken for prisoners until the spring of the following year, when the Austrian Red Cross re- quested the initiation of service to Austrian prisoners in Roumania on the basis of reciprocal service to Roumanians in Austria.ITALY AND THE BALKAN STATES 289 Such was the work in these countries. While severely handicap- ped in many ways, yet service was carried, through visits, even into the small scattered working detachments, and to the prisoners of war in the Dobrudja, in the territory behind the Macedonian front, and in occupied Serbia. More than a hundred of the smaller camps were visited; and the secretaries, having a semi-official standing as dele- gates of the Legation, had much greater authority than usual to criticise the hygienic arrangements in the camps, and to suggest bene- ficial changes. The value of their services was enhanced by this uni- versal opportunity to secure improved conditions in lands where such improvements were sorely needed.Different Types of Camps CHAPTER L ALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY The war prisoner situation developed on a grand scale in Ger- many. At the maximum, Germany is said to have held approximately 2,800,000 prisoners, a total greater than the population of any of the German states except Prussia, Bavaria, and Saxony. Sceat- tered in 150 camps and eventually several thousand working detach- ments, the prisoners required a force for guarding and administra- tion of 300,000 men. These captives did not present a homogeneous group; they represented a score of nationalities from the highland Scot to the swart Moroccan, as many language groups, and most of the religions on the face of the globe. Of the Russians and Rouman- ians, probably 80 per cent were illiterate and a large proportion abys- mally ignorant, superstitious, and unversed in elementary cleanliness. In spite of the fact that these groups represented a tremendous labor asset the problem of their administration was no small one. A sharp intensification of the difficulty was caused by the increasingly effec- tive blockade of Germany. THE GERMAN PRISON CAMPS There were several classes of camps in Germany. First, there were the officers’ camps, for commissioned officers, who received a regular monthly payment, the bulk of which was withheld by the Ger- man government for maintenance.t Though the War Prisoners’ Aid conducted some striking pieces of service among the officers, the need for welfare work in this group of camps was not so great as in others. There were camps for privates, filled with the great mass of captives of all nationalities. There were reprisal camps, the nature of which is perfectly explained by the name. There were propaganda camps, in which were concentrated nationalities and classes considered espe- clally susceptible to German influence—the Ukrainians, for example, German and white Russians, and some of the Mohammedans. There were civilian camps for the internment of enemy aliens, many of whom were also scattered through the military camps. Finally, there ° "In the case of the American infantry officers, this payment was 60 marks a month, 52 of which were withheld. 290ALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY 291 were the working detachments which consisted of half a dozen to sev- eral thousand men each assigned to work on German farms, public works, or in important industries. These men received wages, were set to purposive work, and enjoyed a certain amount of freedom. On the other hand, they were widely scattered and frequently cut off from contact with their fellow countrymen, and were often exposed, particularly in the factories, to the ill-will of individual supervisors. Amcng the Allies, the public generally was under the impression Treatment of during the war—indeed, is to this day—that the prisoners in German prison camps were treated with great cruelty. There is much con- flicting testimony on this point and it is not the task of this history to resolve the difficulty. There are certain facts, however, upon which there is general agreement. The punishments inflicted by the Ger- mans in their own Army indicated a childish reliance on physical violence, flogging being a recognized and respected punitive measure. Flogging at the whipping-posts and similar practices were naturally applied to prisoners with what result among them and among their countrymen at home may be easily imagined. Also, prisoners in German hands unquestionably met Teuton arrogance in its most un- mitigated and trying form. In many instances, it emerged as cease- less nagging, which may become the worst form of torture. There were some brutal commandants; and there were some individual guards with the working detachments who could not resist the tempta- tion to abuse helpless men. Recognizing all this as true, certain ob- servers warn against the inevitable exaggeration and claim that, gen- erally speaking, there was a disposition to be humane in the conduct of the prisoners’ life. The testimony of prisoners themselves shows such disagreement as one would expect from varying individual ex- perience. It is quite impossible to reconcile sharply conflicting state- ments made by men who should have had no personal bias; one 1s tempted to draw the safe conclusion that there was much good and much evil in the situation. There we must leave it. The whole propaganda process carried on in the camps, the at- Propaganda tempt to impress the prisoners with the high state of German civiliza- tion—especially, as one professor naively put it, since these very cap- tives might one day be his fellow subjects—aroused in prisoners and neutral observers alike the deepest resentment. The Germans, of course, assumed from the beginning till the mid-summer of 1918 that there was not a shadow of doubt as to their winning the war and thus being answerable to no one.The Food Stringency Physical Conditions 292 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN There were, in any event, hardships enough and of a very trying nature. The food situation grew increasingly difficult as time went on. Technically speaking, the meals served the prisoners in 1915 may have contained adequate nourishment, but they could not have been ap- petizing as described by observers; and steadily lack of dietetic varia- tion was succeeded by actual lack of nourishment. The Y originally set out to eschew food relief, properly cared for by other agencies; but the alarming scarcity drove the workers to increased emphasis on this activity. Among the British, French, and Italians, who quite regular- ly received food parcels from home, conditions were not so bad; but the Russians, Roumanians, and Serbs suffered intensely. In 1917, a visitor to one camp found 600 to 700 men, none weighing over 75 pounds, lying listlessly on their cots all day, too exhausted by hunger to do anything else, while 10 to 40 of them were carried to the grave- yard each day. For those who had no supplementary resources, the system of working detachments, where a more adequate food allow- ance was received, proved the only salvation. The physical conditions of the prisoners varied greatly, as might have been expected in the case of so many centers scattered over such a wide area. They ranged all the way from well-organized camps such as Darmstadt—orderly, fully equipped, with a splendid hospital —to the unspeakable dug-outs in East and West Prussia. Most of the larger camps were equipped with delousing plants and bathing facilities, especially required in the case of certain groups of pris- oners who were utter strangers to habits of personal cleanliness. German efficiency was markedly present in some cases but conspicuous by its absence in others. There was, as might have been expected, an official rigidity that frequently blocked proper and reasonable im- provements. On the other hand, there were commandants whose gen- erous efforts are gratefully remembered. The first policy of the Germans was of the “let-alone” type. As time went on there developed a more wholesome point of view— stimulated, probably, in considerable measure by pressure both from within and from without—and added facilities of social life were granted the prisoners. There are reports of camps where “each com- pound . . had its own kitchen, canteen, reading room, playground, and theater, here and there a workshop such as a shoe, tailor, or carpenter shop, and in some eases an art studio. Usually one barrack was re- served for church purposes for the entire camp.” In many cases there “In the Prison Camps of Germany, Conrad Hoffman, New York, 1920, p. 36.ALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY 293 existed among the camp officials a keen sense of pride in maintaining everything in the best possible order. Many camps had flower and vegetable gardens, the advantage of which to prisoners is obvious. It is hardly necessary to add that in the propaganda camps everything was made as comfortable as possible. For the whole body of prison- ers, there was established, under the auspices of the Foreign Depart- ment, a committee charged with the spiritual welfare of prisoners. To the American Ambassador, James W. Gerard, a very large The Assistance measure of credit must be given for his persistent and successful ef- Ambassador forts to secure better facilities for prisoners of war in Germany. This service is little known in America, but was deeply appreciated by the many thousands of men who profited by it. THE Y ENTERS GERMANY Dr. Harte’s visit to Berlin in February, 1915, in his endeavor to bring into the German prison camps the sympathy and service of the Y, inaugurated a series of sharp conflicts with the German officials that persisted through the course of the work and extended in some cases even to the local civilian supporters. Behind every record of achieve- ment there lies the story of long and patient negotiation. The Prus- sian War Ministry? was willing to permit the War Prisoners’ Aid to send in supplies for distribution but held back on the real Y service. This, of course, did not satisfy the Association representative, and he persisted, playing the string of reciprocity, with the aid of the Ameri- can Ambassador. By March 6th, he succeeded in eliciting a note addressed to Dr. Schreiber, a German who had been actively endeavor- ing to further the religious welfare of war prisoners, stating that: “The War Ministry welcomes the commendable cooperation. of the Young Men’s Christian Association, and will render every assist- ance so that it may speedily achieve its aims. It will only be neces- sary, therefore, to select the prisoners of war camp in which activities may conveniently begin.” Early Two camps were selected for the initiation of the enterprise. £4ry. ... At Gottingen the first Y hut for prisoners of war in the world was opened on April 15, 1915. Tt included a large hall and reading room, erard to the British Government, ‘The various reports made by Ambassador’ & f the American Embassy, throw including many camp investigations by members 0 much light on this situation. ‘ ds 2 There was one German General Staff, but each State had its OE istry. To a certain extent the Prussian War Ministry set the pace ut Be all ity of the other ministries was very definite and had to be recxone times.Developments Increasing Difficulties 294 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN a small hall, and three class rooms. Dr. Harte made his first journey to Russia in the spring, returning to Germany in the summer to direct the establishment of work in several other camps. The future success of the War Prisoners’ Aid in Germany depended so entirely upon the parallel expansion of work in Russia that Dr. Harte found it neces- sary to make a second trip to Russia in October. Conrad Hoffman, a member of the Flying Squadron, who had been working for German prisoners in England came to Germany at this time to supervise the war prisoner work in that area. From this time forward the work gained in momentum and addi- tional secretaries were secured until the allotted total of thirteen was reached. Mr. Hoffman’s first permit, signed by General Friedrichs, in charge of prisoners of war, was very liberal in its terms, including even permission to take photographs. Prince Max of Baden, who on request of the American representatives consented to stand as patron of the work, assisted in securing these liberal privileges. Of course, it must be borne in mind that such a permit did not eliminate red tape: there were the Army Corps Commander, and the inspector of the Army Corps, and the camp commander all to be dealt with for their approval, and in Bavaria, Saxony, and Wiirttemberg a special permit was required from the separate war ministries. Further, the regulations were altered continually and from time to time limita- tions were introduced that threatened the very life of the work. The secretary walked in daily peril from diverse dangers. Transgression of some nice rule of etiquette might end the service at one stroke. The authorities were suspicious on the one hand; sometimes it was the prisoner who doubted the secretary’s intentions. There was the sectarian problem: it was necessary so to act that neither Roman Catholics, nor Greek Catholics, nor Jews, nor Mohammedans, nor Protestants could have just grounds for charging the War Prisoners’ Aid with conducting sectarian propaganda. The small force of the Y worked steadily in the face of an en- larging problem and increasing difficulties. The terrible seriousness of the need weighed upon the little group of workers bound by exas- perating restrictions. Mr. Hoffman said: __, ._ whe efforts put forth and the results accomplished were so infinitesimal in the light of the need that discouragement was ever present. . . . It was impossible, with the resources and men avail- able and permitted, to do anything at all commensurate with the needs and demands.” *In the Prison Camps of Germany, Conrad Hoffman, 1920, pp. vii, viii. ,ALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY 295 However, the actual results certainly more than justified the service. Work proceeded on the lines that had first been laid down until $m) sion April 8, 1916, when a meeting was called by the War Prisoners’ De- partment of the War Ministry at the request of Dr. Harte, based on Russia’s demand for a representative committee, to establish a definitive basis and a more efficient plan for future procedure in both Germany and Russia. Those present at this meeting included Prince Max of Baden, chairman; Count Pourtales, vice-chairman; General von Pfuel and Dr. von Studt of the Red Cross; Count von Spitzenberg, Privy-Counselor of the Empress; General-Major Friedrichs, Lieut.- Colonel Bauer, and Captain Count von Boenigk, of the War Ministry; American Exchange Professor T. C. Hall; A. C. Harte; Dr. Gerhard Niedermeyer, National Secretary of the German Student Movement; Dr. Michaelis, Chairman of the Student Movement; Conrad Hoffman; and Messrs. Rosenkranz and Meyer, of the German National Commit- tee of the YMCA. A special Executive Committee was appointed which consisted of Professor Hall, chairman; Prince Max of Baden, honorary chairman; Captain Count von Boenigk; Dr. Niedermeyer ; and Conrad Hoffman. A careful statement of Y activities was drawn up which included the supplying of huts and equipment, the furnishing of all kinds of supplies, distribution of food parcels, the extension or erection of canteen facilities, and the transmission of money. A new form of permit was drawn up, which on its face appeared to intro- duce no new restrictions except that the Y secretaries’ privilege of conversing alone with prisoners was made conditional on the con- sent of the Army Corps Commanders. This actually worked out as a very severe limitation. Each secretary was assigned to cover one or more of the eighteen army corps. At first it was possible to cover only a third of all the camps each month; but as the work became established shorter visits were possible, and at times a secretary touched 25 centers in a month. A list of the outstanding features of four months’ work of oneAlistof secretary may give some insight into daily experiences: 1. Completion and dedication of a large YMCA church building. 2. Construction and opening of a small church building and ar- rangements completed for another of the same type. 3. Addresses to prisoners in four camps each month. 4. Collection of 840 handicraft articles for the prisoners-of-war bazaar in Stockholm.296 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN 5. Supplying musical instruments to four camps, to be paid for on the instalment plan. 6. Furnishing handicraft tools or materials to three hospitals and five camps. 7. Furnishing athletic equipment to three hospitals and five camps. 8. Purchasing stereopticon equipment for one camp and radiop- ticon for another, and a second radiopticon for use in a circuit of camps. 9. Securing books or school supplies for seven camps and one hospital. 10. Making up lists of prisoners who desired news or parcels from home in all except three camps—not including officers. 11. Ordering crosses, special religious books, candles, or holy meal for Russian Orthodox priests, Roman Catholic priests, or English Church leaders in six camps. 12. Conducting and arranging chess tournaments in three camps. Such a list by no means covers the whole day’s work, but it does suggest something of the variety of the demands made upon the worker of the War Prisoners’ Aid. It takes no account of the most significant thing of all, the personal service bringing sympathy and encouragement to disheartened men; yet if one has but the imagina- tion, it is possible to see the spiritual significance of each item in the list and what it meant to the prisoner shut inside the barbed wire. THE CAMPS Rt It would be quite impossible to deal in detail with the vast range i of local activities of the War Prisoners’ Aid. Perhaps a few concrete examples will visualize the picture. Rublchen The camp at Ruhleben, where over 5,000 British civilians were confined, has become more or less famous. While the group interned there, a mixture of every class of society, was exceptional, its history exhibits many important features of the experience of prisoners of war in Germany. Ruhleben is a fashionable race-course near Berlin; the prisoners were accommodated in the boxstalls. Observers have not been able to discover any single adequate reason for choosing the place as an internment camp. The living quarters were bad and the Ger- man authorities made no effort to improve them. What was accom- plished in this camp was due entirely to leadership among the prison- ers themselves, assisted by Ambassador Gerard and the War Prison- *Consult The Ruhleben Prison Camp, Israel Cohen, London, 1917.ALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY 297 ers’ Aid. The situation was not improved by the presence of a2 group of pro-Germans among the prisoners. There developed here exceedingly bad feeling between the pris- ee oners and the authorities. The Germans attempted to impose rigid military discipline upon the prisoners and the guard system was ob- trusive and exasperating. Several of the leaders among the prisoners managed to secure the privilege of self-government within the camp. In spite of the fact that even this government suffered somewhat from the disease of politics, the arrangement worked well and the first Y visitors in 1915 found a better feeling between guards and prisoners growing up. The influence of Ambassador Gerard prevailed to secure many facilities including an athletic field. Dr. Harte made an effort to secure permission to erect a hut at the time of his first visit to the camp but met sharp opposition. Conrad Hoffman, in October, 1915, found the camp well organized— historical club, a music club, a science club, two or three theatrical societies, schools, religious organizations, a “Bond Street” lined with shops, and the growing “Grand Stand University.” . The urgent need was for better facilities to house the various activities and an earnest appeal was made to the Y. ea oan The German authorities made every possible objection to the runteben erection of the Ruhleben Hut; and, even when permission was granted after long negotiation, they refused to assist in arranging for the erection. It was finally built by a German contractor assisted by the prisoners. The work was begun only four weeks before Christmas but the hut was dedicated on Christmas Day, 1915. A thousand men stood within the hall with as many more outside, while this building, decorated with pine branches and the two immense Christmas trees given by the camp commandant, was dedicated to the service of God and the social needs of the camp and presented to the men as a Christ- mas gift from the YMCA. This hut was used throughout the whole day by the many students within the camp. The reference library, art studio, Italian seminary, and club room were housed here. Entertainments, physical education, and Bible study classes were carried on under its roof. Each Sunday morning from 7 to 9 o’clock, Holy Communion was celebrated by the Church of England; from 9.30 to 11, the Roman Catholics had the hut for the celebration of the mass. On Sunday afternoon Anglican Vespers and a German Evangelical service were held, and the day was ended with a brief Catholic evensong. During the week there wereY Work in Military Camps 298 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Anglican and German Evangelical morning prayers, evening prayer meetings, Bible classes, and prayer meetings. In February, 1916, a four-day series of special religious services was held under the aus- pices of the Y which resulted in 300 decisions and renewals for the Christian life. A further result was the formation of acamp YMCA with 285 members and a special department for boys’ work, and also a large increase in the attendance at all religious services. The activities in this camp progressed remarkably after 1915. Still, the other side of the picture must be kept in mind. Over one hundred men went insane there, and the whole experience was a night- mare to a very large group of men. Ruhleben—literally, perhaps iron- ically, “peaceful life’”—nhas been called “The City of Futility.” In the military camps the huts served a similar variety of pur- poses, and around them though perhaps on a somewhat less elaborate scale—especially after the men began to be drafted into working parties—centered the educational and social life of the community. In one officers’ camp 500 out of the 735 officers were enrolled in the school; in another, 1,100 Frenchmen were organized for study; in still another, eleven different languages, including Hebrew and Swahili, were taught. In cooperation with various university laboratories, ap- paratus such as telescopes and microscopes and other valuable labora- tory instruments were procured for ambitious students. Special privileges were obtained for students, some of whom were, through the intervention of the Y secretary, released from manual labor in order that they might continue their studies. In one case, release from the prison camp was granted to a biologist on condition that the Y secretary should assume responsibility for him, so that he might continue research work in Frankfort; the results of his investigations were published in an English scientific journal. Arrangements were also made with university libraries such as that of Heidelberg and the Royal Library at Berlin to supply reference books to prisoners. Special attention was given to elementary education for the Russians and the Italians when it was discovered that from 75 to 80 per cent of these were illiterate. Early in 1916, since no Russian primers could be purchased in Germany, the Y in cooperation with the German and Swiss branches began the publication of reading texts in Russian and later in Italian. Editions of several hundred thousand A BC books were thus printed and circulated. Besides these, thousands of *In accordance with international agreement, this should have been done with- out outside intervention, but it appears to have been a custom honored as much in the breach as in the observance.ALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY 299 other books were given to the camps—some specially printed by the Association. From August to November, 1917, nearly 100,000 books and pamphlets were shipped from the Berlin office, including books in Tartar, Turkish, Flemish, Finnish, Esthonian, English, French, Russian, Roumanian, Serbian, Armenian, and five other languages. Up to March, 1918, the figures reached 653,747 books and other pub- lications, and more than 715,000 copies of the Messenger, a prison- camp paper. All camps were supplied with libraries of 20 to 100 vol- umes, and more than 17,000 individual orders for books were filled. The list of supplies furnished is long and varied. Up to June, 1917, more than 20,000 marks had been expended for the purchase and hire of musical instruments. Other articles furnished were cod- liver oil, underwear, clothing for 350 recently captured seamen, punch- ing bags, boxing gloves, darning wool, sole leather, beads, a spectro- scope, electrical installation for laboratory, linen for the hospitals, films, lantern slides, physico-medical apparatus, theatrical costumes. These are only a few of the articles given for relief or the encourage- ment of camp activities. While the secretaries made no attempt to conduct sectarian relig- ious service, some did give wholly non-sectarian religious and moral talks on Sundays or occasionally during the week. The stimulation of Bible-study groups was an important feature of their work, and in many camps good leaders of study circles were discovered. The regular religious services were arranged in cooperation with a Ger- man committee which had been organized for the purpose before the Y entered the field. Sometimes permission was secured for the men to attend the village churches. It is interesting to note that the first mass for Russians in a German camp was arranged by a Y Secretary, who also managed to procure the appropriate supplies for the cele- bration. Wheat flour for Holy Communion, incense, altar candles, prayer and hymn books, church music, oil, communion Wine, and priests’ robes were among the articles furnished. Some three hundred thousand crosses and ikons, a gift from the Empress of Russia, were distributed among the Russian prisoners. Religious Services x : : a 1 i e, A Unique In this connection there is one especially interesting episod aang Among the essentials for worship in the Greek Catholic ritual are the antimensia (a special form of altar cloth), which, to be of value, must be blessed by the Bishop of the Greek Church at Petrograd. saa could not be procured in Germany, and it was impossible to 1mpor them in the ordinary way since, once they have been consecrated, they300 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN must not be touched by any lay person. The German authorities naturally insisted that all packages coming from Russia must be thoroughly examined by customs and censor officials. This problem was solved when a dozen of these cloths, contributed by the Rus- sian Synod through the efforts of the YMCA, were blessed and delivered in a carefully sealed package to a Red Cross sister who was met at the frontier by Mr. Hoffman, accompanied by a priest attached to the Greek Embassy: the sealed package was there opened by the priest in the presence of the censors. The priest held up the cloths one by one for examination, carefully keeping them at a distance from the examiners that the sacred articles might not be defiled. Religious services for the many thousands of Russian prisoners in Germany were thus made possible. The relief of the suffering caused by the food shortage was not strictly a part of the Association’s special field of activity, but it would have been impossible to withhold help in the face of conditions so distressing. As early as May, 1915, Dr. Harte made a special journey to Denmark to procure food parcels for 297 recently captured Cana- dians and English, and to arrange for a regular supply.1. This was the beginning of the food parcel system, which was afterwards developed in England and France to such an extent that these governments were virtually feeding their own subjects in enemy hands. As has been already pointed out, however, the Russians, Serbians, and Rou- manians suffered intensely from scarcity of food. Quite early in the war the Y made an effort to relieve these conditions, in part by the local purchase of food for specially needy cases reported by the visit- ing secretaries, but still more by arranging for the importation of parcels from Denmark, Holland, and Sweden. Relatives and friends ordered parcels and these were purchased in Copenhagen and distrib- uted from the Berlin headquarters. Lists of names of prisoners not receiving aid from any other source were forwarded to the Crown Princess of Sweden, under whose direction regular monthly ship- ments were sent in from the Swedish women; and the Y also solicited similar aid from America and from Russia. In this way, sometimes as many as 30,000 parcels per month were distributed. As the need became still greater, after 1917 it was realized that the first and most important problem was the saving of these men from starvation. It was impossible to buy food in the local markets, and the Association *Some had been sent in earlier by the Crown Princess of Sweden and some through the mails. eALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY 301 planned on a large scale the importation of food, clothing, medical supplies, and blankets from the neutral countries and America. It is an instance of the ruthless exigencies of war that, when all arrange- ments had been made in America, Denmark, Sweden, and Holland, the Allied Powers refused to sanction the scheme. To a certain extent, too, the Y became an agent for the transmis- sion of money for the relief of prisoners. Up to June 1, 1917, 627,426.- 20 marks (including 300,000 marks from the German government, 100,000 marks from the Austrian government, and 187,426.20 marks from relatives of prisoners, beside 40,000 marks from other sources) were distributed among Germans and Austrians in Russia, and 108,- 000 marks (of which 98,000 marks were from funds secured by the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and 10,300 marks from prisoners’ relatives) had been administered for Russians in Germany and Aus- tria. In addition, money was received from the Polish commission and from other governments. In many cases a receipt was the first sign relatives received that their loved ones were still alive. Each Christmas, of course, was a time of special activity, when, gsm by distributing games, books, entertainment boxes, and gift packages, and arranging for concerts, organ recitals, songs, and illustrated lectures on religious or other subjects the endeavor was made to bring some Christmas cheer to the imprisoned soldiers and the civil- ians with their wives and children. Nor were the guards forgotten. In one district, for instance, the guardrooms of all the camps were given the same packages of games as the prisoners; indeed, on more than one occasion the guards and officers expressed gratitude to the Y for its share in lightening their difficulties, as when a German camp commander said: “Your visit brings a most welcome break into the lives of these officers. It also makes them fee] that they are not forgotten. Don’t think you can come too often nor that your visit is ever valueless.” Perhaps the whole nature of the situation faced by the Y, its fundamental hopelessness and the nature and measure of its alleviation, cannot be better expressed than in the words of Hoffman concerning these Christmas activities : “Nothing seemed more desolate than these attempts at good cheer at Christmas time, for one was aware that the longing to be at home was uppermost in the heart and mind of every man. One could not but feel how artificial and forced all the attempts at cheerfulness were, and yet how much more desolate would the lot of these men have been had not such attempts at cheerfulness been bravely made. In the Prison Camps of Germany, Conrad Hoffman, New York, 1920, p. 93.The Coming of American Prisoners Concentration of Americans 302 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN AFTER AMERICA’S ENTRY On America’s entry into the war, Germany insisted upon the ex- clusion of American workers from all prison camps in all countries. It is unnecessary to recount the several negotiations that led to the securing of permission for Mr. Hoffman to remain in Germany. His position was insecure from month to month but he did stay to the end. There was much difficulty in securing neutral workers; the Germans wanted only Danes, and it was almost impossible to secure agreement on individuals. Later, Swiss, Swedes, and Norwegians were included. New restrictions were devised and the American representative was denied direct access to the camp. The whole service was thus threat- ened at a time when the food shortage was becoming desperate. “‘Bring us bread,” the prisoners cried, ‘and we will organize the activities you propose.” The feature of the last stage of the work of greatest interest to Americans was the contact with American prisoners. The first were captured in November, 1917, and by the spring of 1918 they came in increasing numbers reaching a total of about 2,600. Special ar- rangements were made at the beginning to secure and transmit through the Copenhagen office of the War Prisoners’ Aid the names of American captives, so that Y lists antedated those transmitted through the regular official channels. At first these prisoners were scattered. Mr. Hoffman made an application in February to be allowed to visit the camps where Ameri- cans were held, but it was June before he made the trip. In these pre- liminary visits as much as possible was done to relieve the immediate needs of the men. On the basis of observations made in the course of this trip, the American secretary drew up certain recommendations for an agree- ment regarding American prisoners.2 Several of these were brought about; possibly the most important one was the concentration of all Americans in one camp. Unfortunately, the Germans chose Tuchel, in East Prussia, where the prisoners were housed in damp dug-outs and root cellars. The persistent efforts of the American secretary secured their transfer, in August, 1918, to Rastatt. This had been *Dr. Harte, as representing the American Y, insisted that the War Prisoners’ Aid must maintain direct control of the Berlin office if the work was to continue on the reciprocal basis. *See In the Prison Camps of Germany, Conrad Hoffman, New York, 1920, pp. 153, 154. ,ALLIED PRISONERS IN GERMANY 303 a propaganda camp so the arrangements were much more satisfactory. At the secretary’s instigation the “block system” of confining prison- ers in separate compounds was abolished. Once or twice a month until the signing of the Armistice a visit {cuviuss was made to Rastatt, and a good deal was accomplished to make the 4™*ticans life of the men bearable. Through cooperation with Berne and Copen- hagen, a complete athletic equipment was provided; a piano and musi- cal instruments were furnished and a band organized; books were sent through the Swiss office, a camp newspaper was started. Regularly on Sunday mornings church services were held, with an attendance at times of 500 men. The appearance and spirit of the camp on sub- sequent visits differed radically from the early melancholy days— baseball games, football matches, band practice, chess, checkers, and dominoes, reading and studying all going forward simultaneously to make a kaleidoscopic pattern of activity made possible by the fur- nishing of YMCA supplies. The gratitude of the men, too, was no less sincere than vociferous; and, as one observer remarked, those who had contributed to the Student Friendship Fund would have been warmed to the heart could they have witnessed the good cheer, occupa- tion for mind, body, and soul, and salvation from the maddening monotony of camp life that these contributions made possible. This brief account of the American prisoners in Germany would Serecant __.. not be complete without some mention of the outstanding figure of Werk Sergeant Halyburton, the ranking non-commissioned officer at Rastatt who was placed in complete charge of the camp. With as many as 2,600 men under him, Sergeant Halyburton accomplished a task in the maintenance of morale and discipline and the securing of coopera- tion, respect, and affection that might have taxed the abilities of a staff officer. Not only did he keep up the spirits of his men and hold them in order; he also successfully resisted the extraordinary efforts the Germans put forth to propagandize the Americans, refusing to tolerate, for example, the circulation of the German propaganda news- paper, America and Hurope, among his fellow-prisoners. For this stiff opposition he was eventually transferred to another camp; but on the vigorous protest of Hoffman, the authorities finally returned him to Rastatt. Such was the situation when the German Revolu- tion and the Armistice intervened. The chief characteristics of the period before the Armistice were The Character the growing scarcity of food and the deterioration of the equipment Period and management of the camps. The supervision of the prisoners was304 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN amply repaid to the Germans by the work the prisoners accomplished on the farms and in workshops. They were of material assistance in consideration of the depletion of man power and were fully used. The prisoners’ lot grew steadily worse toward the end in spite of all that could be done.CHAPTER LI THE CAMPS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY The general character of the prisoners of war situation in Aus- The Boy tria-Hungary was the same as that in Germany: very large numbers of prisoners—about 1,750,000 in all—were held in concentration camps. These were mostly Russians, Italians, Serbs, and Rouman- ians. They were for the most part ignorant and very poor. Among the Russians, about 90 per cent were quite illiterate. The nations represented by these men were all too poor to send supplies regularly and in sufficient quantity and they were compelled to depend upon the Prisoners of War ration that decreased steadily as the blockade shut in the Central : Empires. One of the most interesting and pitiful features of this situation was the presence of groups of boys among the prisoners of war. Some of these were Russians or Roumanians, but most were Serbs who, in the general disaster, had followed their fathers into the battle and been captured along with the rest. The opinion of observers appears to indicate a really generous attitude on the part of the prison officials. The French from the beginning were con- vinced that Austria-Hungary treated prisoners better than did Ger- many. The stubborn realities of the situation proved, of course, more powerful than good intentions; the scarcity of food and fuel meant that prisoners did go hungry and cold and there was no way to help them. YMCA ORGANIZATION IN AUSTRIA-HUNGARY The first opening in Austria-Hungary was secured by Christian Reciprocal Phildius of the World’s Committee. In May, 1915, permission was given to enter two camps, working only through Austrian Secretaries. The effort of Mr. Phildius was undertaken as a part of the work suggested by Dr. Mott and was carried on with funds supplied from America. The Austro-Hungarian authorities were, of course, follow- ing Germany’s lead and thinking of reciprocity; and they regarded all arrangements as tentative. In the autumn of 1915, Mr. Harte visited Austria at the request of the Austrian military authorities, after he had been in Russia. There was by this time a general agree- ment regarding reciprocal service everywhere; and some weeks later 305306 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the YMCA was permitted to erect its huts and to offer a full pro- gram of service. Mr. Phildius remained in Austria until the summer of 1916. The work was then placed in charge of Edgar F. MacNaughten, an American secretary, who remained by special permission even after America had been drawn into the war. The working force was re- placed by neutrals; and in October, 1917, Mr. MacNaughten was transferred to the work in Russia, though against the wishes of the Austro-Hungarian government. The American Y M C A supplied all the funds necessary for the conduct of this work, but it was carried on throughout with cooperation with the World’s Committee. Between October, 1917, and November, 1918, the World’s Committee assumed the administrative responsibility within Austria-Hungary, which re- verted again to the International Committee in New York, after the Armistice. In the spring of 1916, the War Prisoners’ Aid became recognized as a definite part of the general welfare service of the Austrian Red Cross. The senior secretary of the YMCA was a member of both the Austrian and the Hungarian Red Cross Committees. The object of this arrangement was, of course, the identification of the work with the established official agency. Baron von Spiegelfeld, in his annual report (1916) as president of the Information Bureau and Relief Committee of the Austrian Red Cross, makes particular refer- ence to the YMCA, commends its various activities, and offers a word of thanks for service both in Austria and in enemy countries. The War Prisoners’ Aid thus acquired a rather definite official status. The privileges accorded secretaries in Austria-Hungary were exceed- ingly liberal and regular and seldom interfered with; among these privileges they enjoyed the rather extraordinary one of being allowed to reside in the camps. This gave them unrestricted right of entrance and they were thus not limited to visits of a few hours’ duration. It is not on record that these additional privileges ever caused any trouble and it is certainly true that they greatly improved the ser- vice to the prisoners. WELFARE WORK In their early visits to the camps of Austria-Hungary the wel- fare workers were made vividly aware of the distinctive features of their difficult task. It was not a mere repetition of the activities in England, in France, and in Germany. 7THE CAMPS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 307 The material privations of these poor and ignorant prisoners Privations, were the first essential facts of the difficult situation. Insufficient help was received from the Russian, Roumanian, or Serbian govern- ments, and even Italy had little surplus to devote to the well-being of prisoners. As the prison rations decreased, these caged men were reduced to the eternal cabbage or beef soup and a quarter loaf of black bread each day, varied by an occasional small portion of meat. Most of these sufferers were insufficiently clad, and coal became un- obtainable. The conditions that obtained through many German prison camps were the rule in practically every concentration center in Austria-Hungary. Relief was not the business of the Association, but the need was so great that the Y MC A workers bent every effort to aid the established agencies and to supplement them as far as resources would permit. It was a primary obligation. The War Prisoners’ Aid acted as distributing agent everywhere, and cooper- ating with all agencies and particularly with the Crown Princess of Sweden, supplied large quantities of food and clothing and other necessities throughout Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Germany. The Russian Red Cross was, of course, active throughout this area. The regulations of the government regarding the purchase of Felief food were very strict. No food parcel was forwarded unless it was addressed to an individual and no agency was permitted to send money out of the country for food for war prisoners. The local mar- kets were able to supply comparatively little, so even the prisoners who had money were unable to purchase under the official regulations. The War Prisoners’ Aid devised a method of helping the situation. Food parcels were purchased by the YMCA in Denmark and in Switzerland and sent to the Austro-Hungarian camps in the name of designated individuals. They were handed over to the representa- tives of cooperative societies organized by the Y M C A in the camps, and the food was then sold. The cost of most of the parcels was re- funded to the Y M C A and this money was used for the conduct of the prisoner of war service. Thus the regulations were observed to the letter. Five per cent was added to the cost of the articles by the a committee and the profits were spent for the relief of the sick an for the establishment of tea-rooms. These cooperative enterprises proved very useful; they were able to render much service, and at same time they provided an outlet for the energies of a large ea of men engaged in the administration of the business. The Y offered its help at all times to the local committees.308 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN It is necessary again to emphasize that the relief measures of all agencies combined fell far short of meeting the needs. It requires a huge stock of material to keep a million and three quarters of men well-clothed and well-fed. The total amounts available for relief are small when compared with the number of prisoners. Arithmet- ical calculations are sometimes misleading but it is well to remember that ten cents per day for two millions of men totals $73,000,000 for a year. The War Prisoners’ Aid developed steadily from its beginnings in the spring of 1915. The work could be extended only by the most careful procedure. The raising of funds was no more difficult than the securing of competent and acceptable workers, and the danger of over- stepping the bounds of prudence was present in Austria-Hungary as everywhere else. The staff increased till by the later months of 1916 there were a dozen workers, providing a force sufficient to permit each man to devote his attention to three iarge camps. In the 28 main de- pots there were YMCA social centers, either special buildings or barracks allotted by the military authorities. In many camps there were barracks set aside for church services, and here and there a special building for theater and moving pictures. At Heinrichsgrun, for example, there were separate barracks for the Russian church, the school, and the moving pictures, all of which were adapted and equipped by the YMCA. At Wieselburg, there were a Russian Orthodox church, a Roman Catholic church, three school buildings (one especially for invalids), a work-shop, a theater, four tea-rooms, and two buildings remodeled as quarters for the Russian boys. The welfare workers were compelled to labor with difficult ma- terial in building up their local organizations; but, of course, there was no other method of work open to them. It was exceedingly fortunate that they were able to live in the camps; otherwise, they would have been much hampered in setting up the organizations. Committees were appointed and held together by main force and sometimes a most effective social machine was put in running order. The record of the camp at Grédig, for example, shows a cabinet representing ten committees in charge of welfare, school, library, reading room, music, theater, moving pictures, athletics and recrea- tion, arts, wood-carving, handicrafts, and religion (Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, and Jewish). The War Prisoners’ Aid sent in the material and the secretaries nursed the delicate organizations into something like maturity. The appreciations of this service reflect BisTHE CAMPS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 309 the pathos of the hard life. They are indications too of what might have been done for all had the resources and privileges been equal to the occasion. Here is a paragraph from a letter written by the prisoners at Thanes: “The will of fate placed us in a difficult position; with fear we looked around, timid and helpless; we did not know what to do with ourselves. It seemed as if our years of youth, the best years of our lives, were passing away useless. Our intellectual strength was being wasted: perhaps, complete atrophy awaited us. Just then your Asso- ciation, through you, reached to us a helping hand, and led us out of this helpless situation, showing us a new way, the way of intellectual and spiritual life. Through your interest and your warm sympathy, schools were opened, dramatic societies started, libraries provided, lectures and courses organized. As the Queen Bee directs the whole life of the hive, so you have led us tirelessly upon the noble way of wisdom and knowledge and directed the whole intellectual and spirit- ual life of the camps.” These quaint words may be taken to represent the very genius and the ideal of the War Prisoners’ Aid—a high ideal, well above the power of perfect attainment; they certainly reflect accurately the needs of the prisoners and their appreciation of welfare work. The educational work was extremely varied owing to the hetero- Fducation geneous character of the prisoners. At the one extreme, in the Italian camp at Mauthausen in Austria, the school, under the leadership of an Italian professor, did work of such a high standard that credit was given by the Italian Educational Board for subjects in the fourteen different courses offered in this camp. The original Y hut was soon outgrown and a new school house had to be built. Similar University Extension work was carried on amongst the various officer groups. At the other extreme were the numerous classes for illiterates learn- ing to read and write from text books printed for their use on YM CA presses in the camps. The eagerness of the uneducated to utilize the opportunity of acquiring some degree of education was most impres- sive. Many of the pupils were over forty years of age; but in spite of adverse conditions, cold rooms and half empty stomachs, they strove to master the mysteries of elementary reading, writing and eee In seven months, more than 2,000 Russians 1n Wieselburg ee ! through the schools: the night school for workers, the invalids school, and the officers’ school. In the Serbian camp at Pee ee there were five different schools, one for boys, one for cripples, one si Mohammedans, a hospital school and an evening school for those a‘ if { ™, | 310 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN work during the day. At Heinrichsgriin, special work was done amongst the illiterate in the two hospitals. The teacher went from bed to bed helping the sick in their effort to learn reading and writing. All of this work, of which these are but a few random examples, was done under directors chosen by the prisoners themselves and through teachers selected from the more intelligent men in the camps. Be- sides all this the Y provided lectures, supplied libraries, and circulated small libraries in the working camps. Music The Y also did much to encourage the formation of orchestras, through the purchase of instruments and the supply of music. Through its efforts some kind of music was introduced in all the large camps. In Braunau, there was an orchestra of fourteen pieces, at Grédig a military band of twenty-nine pieces, and balalaika orches- tra, playing Saturday and Sunday evenings for the theater and cinema program. Every evening the music committee gave an hour’s concert in the Y hut. At Nagymegger a gypsy orchestra was found which played in the afternoon and evening in the coffee house where the Serbians congregated. Many more instances could be given but the mere enumeration of statistics does not convey the most important fact—the power of even the simplest musical instrument to enliven the monotony of camp life. That must be realized by an effort of imagina- tion. Music was a real necessity to these men. “The gramophone is the most used and abused apparatus we have,” writes a secretary. “It is on the go day and night and it is hard to keep track of it, as it is sent from ward to ward, and from hospital to hospital. We loaned it to Estegrom where they have nine hospitals and they wanted it to go the rounds of all.” eeuuiOn Baron von Spiegelfeld in his annual report for 1916—to which reference has been made—referred to the War Prisoners’ Aid as strictly avoiding all religious propaganda. This statement is at once just and yet unfair. The YMCA did not carry on proselytizing propaganda of any kind, but did most definitely and energetically endeavor to provide opportunities for the prisoners to worship accord- ing to their ordinary custom. The prisoners in Austria-Hungary, with only an occasional exception, represented branches of Christian- ity and other religions with which the YMCA is not ordinarily associated. In its work for these men, the Association regarded itself as an agent of humanity in the broadest sense and gave every assist- ance to all of the various religious leaders who had access to the camps. Bibles and prayer books in many languages were given freely.THE CAMPS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 311 The workers distributed religious literature, ikons, and pictures for Russian and Serbian prisoners. Churches were built according to the desires of the camp; often two or more had to be erected and to render them more attractive the Association furnished altars, sta- tues, pictures, candles, music, priests’ vestments and utensils. It was a time when every man needed the sustaining power of the religion to which he was accustomed and the YMCA made every effort to open up the spiritual channels to the hearts of men. The prisoners in Austria-Hungry were particularly appealed to by the celebration of Christmas. The Christmas committees provided gifts for the prisoners in the hospitals, an act that brought cheer both to recipient and to the giver. Christmas services were held out of doors because there were no buildings large enough to hold the crowds. At Wieselburg 5,000 men gathered around the Christmas trees. Greek Mass was celebrated and Russian Christmas hymns were sung. In the Serbian boys’ camp, boys dressed as kings and shepherds recited the Christmas story and carried around a model of a church with figures representing a scene from the life of Christ. Trained choirs and orchestras gave Christmas concerts in the camps and in the hospi- tals. Christmas decorations were set up in the great courts of the camps, in the churches, in the Y huts, in the sleeping barracks, and in the hospitals. The military authorities made special presents to the prisoners and the Y MC A distributed individual gifts of choco- late and fruit in most of the camps. The preparation for the festival, participation in its activities, and the little extra presents, all em- phasized the season of goodwill and pushed into the background for the moment at least the quarrels and suspicions and hardships of prison existence. The boys were the most deeply affected; they marched around the camps hugging their little gift bags to their hearts, their eyes shining with surprise and delight. In one camp, the YMCA secretary was borne about on the shoulders of a group of sturdy Russians amid a scene of joyous enthusiasm. It was Merry Christmas in spite of everything. Christmas Celebrations The YMCA made a special appeal to the authorities for the The Boys’ boy prisoners and offered a plan for segregation and training. As a result the boys of the different nationalities were gradually concen- trated in special camps and entrusted officially to the care of the YMCA. The first effort was inaugurated at Braunau, where a large sum of money was given by the Y to establish a boys’ home. Eight of the existing barracks were adapted; four were used for livingThe Boys’ Schools A Poignant Appeal 312 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN quarters, two as dining halls, and the other two equipped for teach- ing trades, such as shoemaking, tailoring, blacksmithing, bookbind- ing. In addition, the Association built a church, primarily for relig- ious purposes but used also for practical service as a school, recrea- tion hall, and gymnasium. Eventually a school house with eight rooms was added to the equipment. In this camp under a teaching staff of twenty-four men, nearly 500 boys received instruction daily. Courses were given in hygiene, printing, sculpture, and many other subjects. The commercial school created unusual interest. The miscellaneous activities included physi- eal training in a gymnasium, a dental parlor, a band and choir, and gardens. Similar specialized boys’ work was done at Wieselburg and at Boldogasszony. A vivid picture of one of these boys’ camps is given in the reports: “The term ‘Prison Group’ is scarcely applicable to a place where school is in session from eight in the morning until five in the after- noon; where melodious harmonies from the music hall can be heard at almost any hour of the day; where scores of happy shoemakers bring cheer, not only through making the feet warmer, but also by accom- panying southland melodies; where the sewing machines are humming like an old country saw mill; where busy carpenter boys are sawing and pounding with delight; where hundreds are in the play house in a mental bustle over some puzzle or game; where they can attend a first class theater performance, a band concert or a movie nearly any evening; and where a big brother comes nearly every day with candy in his pockets or food parcels in his arms.” THE CHALLENGE The vivid impression that remains with those Americans who served in the prison camps of Germany and of Austria-Hungary is one of the dire need of the people represented by these prisoners from Russia, the Balkans, and even those from Italy. They were the embodi- ment of a poignant appeal to western Europe and to America. Their sufferings in prison camps were but the accentuation of the age-old hardships that they must endure in their own lands as long as poverty, ignorance, and dissension run riot. For the most part they were ignorant not only of letters and of the common facts of the world but of every fundamental principle of hygiene and ordinary cleanli- ness. The appalling need was burnt deep into the very souls of the workers. By {THE CAMPS OF AUSTRIA-HUNGARY 313 But there was another phase of this experience. The welfare Slav workers saw and appreciated the tremendous human powers that lie practically dormant particularly in the Slav character of Russia. Indications of its capability in the handicrafts, in the arts, in music, in religious feeling, in patient and sustained effort and enduring loyalty made the American secretaries feel that after all those travel- ers are not speaking in dreams who say that the greatest storehouse of energy in the world lies between the Baltic and Vladivostok. These workers gained some vision of what might happen if some miracle of human friendliness could release that power in the life of mankind and bring to our somewhat barren modern civilization the color and richness of the Slav imagination. They saw, too, that what is needed is not a superimposition of western ideas and ideals as the perfect model for all the earth, but a drawing out of the inherent qualities of the East to supplement our marked deficiencies. The Y MCA offered American help at a time of pressing need. It was little enough in terms of statistics, and the word its workers brought back was that a greater and more serious need lies beyond. The motive of human sympathy should be enough to move us, but there is no doubt in the minds of these observers who lived among the prisoners—ate with them, played with them, rejoiced with them, wept with them—that the very salvation of the world depends upon the salvation of Russia. It is not beyond the range of possibility that America may some day welcome a helping hand outstretched from the East.The First Exodus CHAPTER LII THE LAST ACT For the prisoner of war, there was only one really important date—the end of the war. His spirits rose and fell as that day ap- peared to advance or recede; his mental attitude toward his surround- ings changed with the shifting hope. The unfortunate part of it was that each imagined that the immediate sequel to the ending of hostilities would be his return to home and country. Of course, the more thoughtful men knew well enough that there were many diffi- culties to be overcome before complete repatriation could be accom- plished; but in the extremity of longing, human beings seldom recon- cile themselves beforehand to long delays and discouragements. As it actually worked out, the close of the fighting was the beginning of a period of special suffering for war prisoners. Even the most favored groups did not escape entirely, and those children of misfortune, the Russians, passed through a variety of tortures that continued year after year actually into 1921. The final act in the prisoners of war drama is a complicated one. The first phase was inaugurated by the Peace of Brest-Litovsk when the first movement of prisoners between Russia and the Central Powers began. The second phase began with the Armistice; the re- patriation of Allied prisoners was accomplished during this period and the movement between Russia and the Central Powers was temporar- ily checked. The last phase saw the. repatriation of the Central Powers’ prisoners in Allied hands and of the last of the Russians. The phases overlapped but each is marked by a quite distinctive character. THE PEACE OF BREST-LITOVSK AND ITS CONSEQUENCES The peace concluded between the Central Powers and Bolshevik Russia on March 3, 1918, provided for the repatriation of prisoners by the signatories. From Central Europe the movement began in a methodical manner with the forwarding of the sick and severely in- jured. There were over 2,000,000 Russian prisoners in the hands of the Central Powers. Austria-Hungary and Germany had still a great deal of fighting on their hands—the final drive in France was about to begin—and the transportation system in the area between the 314 » ae mncncmmmae Race ccico mee inetTHE LAST ACT 315 old fighting lines was completely destroyed; so that it was not possible before the Armistice to move more than a fraction of this great host. On the Russian side, the prison gates were flung open and the Ger- man and Austro-Hungarian prisoners were free to go wherever and however they chose, with serious consequences for the Russian nation. Those in Russia proper managed fairly well and large numbers of them reached home through privations that can hardly be imagined. Russia was utterly disorganized and there was little food anywhere. The prisoners who were held in Siberia faced a different situation. The Russian map—which must be kept continually before the eyes of anyone who would understand the situation—furnishes in itself all the required elaboration of this point. “Beating one’s way” across three thousand miles of a poverty-stricken and disorganized land possessed of one line of railroad is something of an adventure. This returning - movement encountered a further obstacle. In the spring of 1918 the Czechoslovaks began their spectacular progress through Siberia As these crusaders appeared in May on the border between Russia and Siberia, they blocked the line of advance; and German and Austrian prisoners were cut off from their own countries for the time. The actual ending of hostilities between Russia and the Central Hussio0aae Powers at the Armistice of December 15, 1917, produced an immedi- ate effect in France. About 20,000 men of the Russian Expeditionary Forces came to the conclusion that their country was at peace and that therefore they could not continue in arms against the Central Powers. From the point of view of these men, the decision was quite just and reasonable; naturally it did not appear to the French in quite the same light. The Russians were promptly interned and generally classed as cowards and traitors. We are not called upon to pass judg- ment upon either the prisoners or the French in this case; it is only necessary to note carefully that this was another of those complicated situations whose proper handling at any time requires the very nicest sense of discrimination and unlimited human tolerance—which are not always forthcoming in the midst of a tremendous death-grapple. The Russian prisoners who returned from Central Europe in the Weta ee spring and summer of 1918 drifted into the country almost unnoticed. In the place of enthusiastic welcome, they were offered expositions of the glories of communism, of which they had heard very little before. Most of them were sick. They were placed in hospitals in Moscow and Petrograd, and very little attention was paid to them by anyone. 1See Chapter LVIII.Work for Russians in France 316 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The more fit found their way about and were lost in the civilian population. The YMCA in March, 1918, had in all Russia about 50 men available for service.t They were assigned to various tasks scattered over the whole country. Seven or eight men began a definite work for the returning prisoners in Moscow and Petrograd. In coopera- tion with the American Red Cross, work was begun for the ailing and half-starved men in the hospitals. Supplementary food was distrib- uted and a regular program of activities instituted. For a few months this work progressed; and the invalid enjoyed the benefits of relief, entertainment, and libraries, besides the large amount of personal service possible under the circumstances. The curious isolation of these men, who surely deserved something at the hands of their own nation, presented an appeal of peculiar poignancy to which the Ameri- can relief and welfare agencies responded to the best of their abili-. ties. It was not long, however, before the new government made up its mind about the YMCA; the welfare workers’ position became untenable and by October, 1918, the last man left Russia. The newly interned Russians in France drew the attention of the Y MCA forces at once. Their condition was pitiable. ‘‘My ex- perience,’ wrote a secretary, ‘“‘is that the Russian soldiers are the most misunderstood of all types of mankind that have been here dur- ing the last four years. The civilian population in every village is bitterly hostile. The guard in many cases is brutally insolent.” Such antagonism is easily understood. With the full support of the French Government, the Association, in order to lighten the lot of these men, organized a Russian Relief Department. Workers were drawn from a group of men who had been engaged in work in Russia and men who were familiar with the Rus- sian language in charge of George M. Day, a YMCA secretary who had seen a decade of service in Russia. Two experimental huts were opened in February, 1918, in villages where the Russian soldiers were working. The success of the effort was immediate and proved to be of such value that the Y MCA was asked to extend its service to all working camps. Centers were promptly opened in a score of villages. Canteens, reading rooms, and recreation rooms were made available; and a program of religious, educational, athletic, and recreational activities instituted. Theaters were built and plays were given by companies organized by the Russians themselves. *See Chapter LVIII.THE LAST ACT 317 This service was of immediate and direct benefit to the prisoners ; Efects of it also brought about a very much better relationship between the prisoners and their guards. “Within a week after we opened,” stated one report, “I found a new spirit. The French were beginning to warm up to the Russians in fine French style.” There are several reasons for this. The guards unquestionably were affected by the attitude of the American workers; if these YMCA secretaries con- sidered the Russians important enough to bother about at such a time, surely they must be entitled to some consideration after all. And the guards themselves greatly benefited by the new arrange- ment. They were not overlooked in the work. They enjoyed the “movies” and other recreational features, and naturally attributed their new blessings to the presence of the Russians. The ice once broken, a more liberal disposition immediately came to the surface. . Before the work opened, the Russians were gloomy and despond- ent. They had been long away from home; they were disappointed deeply over their treatment in France and felt keenly the hostility of all who surrounded them. They had lost heart and were lapsing into physical filth and moral degeneracy. The new hope engendered by the interest of workers, the growing good feeling of their guards, the huts and their social activities arrested the progress of disintegra- tion. The authorities welcomed the work doubly on account of its great value in lessening the spirit of mutiny and drunkenness. These disgruntled men were, of course, exceedingly hard to handle. When a degree of contentment replaced the restlessness it was better for everyone concerned. In certain cases the withholding of the service was used as an effective form of punishment, so popular had the work become. This first experience with the Russians in France prepared the way for a larger effort which became necessary immediately after the Armistice. THE ARMISTICE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES The Armistice, November 11, 1918, provided for the immediate ie= the Termsiot patriation of all Allied prisoners, civilian and military; the term of repatriation was fixed at “fourteen days,” an impossible mark evidently intended merely to emphasize immediacy for it was prac- tically recognized as impossible in a special provision. No promise was made, of course, regarding the repatriation of prisoners in Allied hands. The Russians appear not to have come within the scope of the terms of the agreement. As the situation worked itself out,The Extended Sentence The Central Empires 318 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the Allied prisoners with the exception of the very sick were repatri- ated by the end of January, 1919, those held by the Allies were nearly all kept till the terms of peace were concluded; while the Russians and the Germans and Austro-Hungarians in Russia shared a highly diver- sified experience as might have been expected. The imprisoned citizens of the Central Powers in Allied countries were naturally disappointed and disheartened over the turn of affairs. During 1918, such information as they received pointed to an early victory for their nations. They came out of their dreams to realize that they were to share a stupendous defeat and to remain in prison for a period that seemed to them indefinite. There appeared to them, of course, to be no real reason why they should not be repatriated. The feeling of resentment hitherto confined principally to civilian prisoners extended to the military and it grew day by day as the period of peace negotiations lengthened. They lost their heart for all kinds of activi- ties; it did not seem worth while to start anything new. There spread a depression hardly equalled in any other phase of imprisonment. There was only one real cure for such depression—release; it came at last but only after many months of painful waiting. The Armistice did clear the way for an extended welfare program. The difficult though necessary restrictions that had so hampered the work were largely set aside and the Y M C A in the general rejoicing did not forget the prisoners. Service was extended in every direction, backed now by adequate funds and a more sufficient supply of workers. A determined effort was made to rouse men from their lethargy and keep before them the need for resolution in the face of this new but surely final trial. The work did achieve success. The report of the work in England records the constant repetition of such extravagant expressions as: “We have never needed the activities of the Y MC A so much as now. Itis the one thing that keeps us all from going mad.” In the terms of the peace, signed June 28, 1919, provision was made for repatriation ‘“‘as soon as possible.” This movement was car- ried out at the convenience of the Allies but was accomplished within a very few months after the Treaty came into effect. The end of hostilities found Austria-Hungary—Government, Army, and transportation system—in chaos, and Germany in the throes of a popular revolution. The Austro-Hungarian guards simply threw open the prisons and left the prisoners to their own devices. To a large extent Germany did the same. When Conrad Hoffman 1 Articles 214 to 224. Fj hemeuareapsmapaer a macamanmees co gmat natalTHE LAST ACT 319 visited the Americans at Rastatt after the outbreak of the German Revolution but before the Armistice, he found the streets of the town full of doughboys released by the Soldiers’ and Workmen’s Council. Men on working detachments hurried to the parent camps, thousands drifted to the larger cities, and many started for the border without waiting for any other arrangements. A very difficult and highly dangerous situation was created ; it was not long before urgent appeals were made for troops to protect civilian communities. The prisoners, left without guards and so without food, were out foraging for them- selves. It was a sad fact that medical service was interrupted. The new spirit of comradeship expressed by the Germans was scant pro- tection. The various military missions of the Allies arrived in Germany #iied promptly after the Armistice. One of the first duties was the repatri- ation of the prisoners. The large number of men who were not eontent to wait for the wheels of the official machinery to turn and started to repatriate themselves really suffered very severe hardship. Their last months of imprisonment had been marked by an increasing scarcity of food, emphasized by the lack of supervision of the camps during the days just before and just after the Armistice, and the overland journey on foot was an arduous adventure for men far below par physically. The advancing armies of occupation day by day met a very weary and worn crowd of returning prisoners. It is easy to understand the reports of Americans regarding the serious condi- tions of the men who came down through the Toul area. They drifted up to the north and down through Switzerland; they went any- where to be free. Hundreds of thousands of Italians freed in Austria made their way to the Italian front and met the advancing troops. They also met the forces of the YMCA with the Italian Army and such service as was possible was extended to them en route. The Y met all trains of prisoners passing through Switzerland and provided refreshments or supplemented the regular rations. Because of its relationship to the prisoners the Y MC A was able yeuic to be of great assistance to the military missions by furnishing 1n- formation regarding the location and organization of camps, by help- ing to distribute relief, and in some cases the welfare secretaries were called upon to assist in arranging transportation. A Y Foyer was opened in Berlin; and through the courtesy of the Allied officials, it was possible to offer open hospitality and tea, coffee, and biscuits to all comers. The relief agencies were prompt in coming to theThe Russians The German Attitude 320 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN rescue and the YMCA workers cooperated eagerly, particularly to help the invalids, who suffered most from the disorganization of the camps. Influenza was rife at this time. The prisoners were gathered in the north for transportation by way of Denmark and in the south to be forwarded through Switzer- land. In both these countries the YMCA set up emergency ser- vice. The effort of the Danish National Council, assisted by the American Y MC A, was a model of rapid organization to meet an urgent need. There was considerable delay in providing transporta- tion from Denmark, so there was much need for the regular welfare services of the YMCA. The time between the Armistice and February, 1919, was a try- ing one for these prisoners; but the ordeal was soon over. Before spring, British, French, Italian, and Belgian able-bodied prisoners were all at home. The sick followed as rapidly as they were able to move. The Russians in Austria-Hungary, turned loose from the camps, made for the border. They took what they could get and in some cases seized trains. They were a mob hurrying to get home. In the eastern part of Germany the same conditions obtained to a large extent. A large number got over the border and began their tramp across the ruined areas while others were stopped at the border by the new Russian forces and turned back into Germany. The disorganization in this section was complete. Marauding bands of prisoners marched about the countryside in search of food. Ina number of cases Y M C A secretaries were called in by guards and the better men among the prisoners to assist in instituting some kind of control. In other parts of Germany, the prisoners swamped the par- ent camps. Food supplies ran out. There seemed to be nobody who cared what happened to the Russians. The authorities, both German and Allied, had their hands full at this time in keeping the Allied prisoners contented during the period of delay and had little time to help the Russians. The Germans were frankly anxious to get rid of the Russians; and, as soon as they could take the matter in hand, they forwarded the prisoners to the border, gave them a supply of food, and bade them a relieved farewell. Bolshevik propagandists were in every group of prisoners. The Allied commissioners finally took the whole affair into their own hands, stopped the movement.back to Russia, and, since the Germans could not furnish supplies, assumed control ofTHE LAST ACT 321 the prison camps of Russians on February 15,1919. It was exceeding- ly difficult for these Allied authorities to decide just what should be done with these men. They were a menace to Germany as they were; if they were returned to Russia, they might join the Red forces; yet the men themselves had fought on the Allied side in the war and were comrades. Every record of this period reflects the confusion of this whole question. The Russians now became prisoners of their former Allies. The phe Russian YMCA offered its services, which were gladly accepted but were Situation held up till certain diplomatic forms were fulfilled. With all the former restrictions removed, a full program of activities was rapidly established and accomplished. remarkable results. But the point was the Russians did not desire benevolence but a ticket home. Some expressed their willingness to join anti-Bolshe- vik forces and were released at once, but most of them were not sure. They became a group exceedingly difficult to handle, and without the welfare activities might have been much more dangerous. Here was a new and interesting phase of welfare work. For the British and American guards an extensive service was also developed at this time. They faced a very tiresome job and social recreation was a necessity. 1The following letter from Brigadier General George H. Harries, Chief of the American Mission at Berlin, is significant as indicating appreciation of all for the service which the Association endeavored to render: “Now that the career of this Mission approaches its termination I am survey- ing the achievements of the faithful—among whom are those who followed the leadership of Mr. Hoffman and yourself. “Never was there better or more work by few workers than that done by the American Y M C A, whether for our prisoners in German hands, for the Russian prisoners, or for the force of this Mission in Berlin or in the camps. “Particularly effective were your efforts with respect to the improvement of Russian morale. Prisoners for more than four years, ill fed, half clad, home- sick, and rebellious, they were almost desperate when the Inter-Allied Commission came into control. Every available agency was called upon to assist—save the American YMCA. It volunteered before anyone could ask for its active inter- est. Many difficulties confronted Mr. Hoffman, but we managed to push them aside so that you and your staff were then free to accomplish—and you neve wrought—miracles. Football, baseball, and other athletic sports, libraries, schools, theaters, and orchestras came to the rescue of hundreds of thousands of those in captivity. “The combination of the increase ions } greatly accelerated physical and mental activity ind the prisoners out of dangerous despondency and u Meer istant d to the Associa “Mv hearty thanks to you, to each one of your assistants, and to the - tion itself coed priceless eee on to the work of this Mission.’ eee In the Prison Camps of Germany, Conrad Hoffman, New York, 1920, pp. 261-262. d rations provided by the Entente and the uced by your little corps lifted pset many a threatening con-Old Prisoners and New 322 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The Allied commissioners withdrew in August, 1919. They offered no particular objection to the repatriation of the Russians but a new difficulty had arisen. The Poles and Russian Reds had started another war on the ground between Russia and Germany. It was impossible to send men across by land. Germany had given up so many ships that there were none left for the transportation of pris- oners. So there was another long delay until about May, 1920. These men were now called ‘‘old” prisoners because a “new” group of Russian prisoners had come into existence. The Poles pushed about 100,000 Russian Reds over into East Prussia. The German border guards, comparatively few in number, disarmed these forces but could only get about half of them into internment camps. This new factor further complicated the situation. On the opening of the Rhineland camps, some 50,000 Russians found their way into France. They certainly expected a warm welcome from their former allies; they were interned without delay. It is as little to be wondered at that they resented this treatment as that the French could find nothing else to do with them. France was actively supporting anti-Bolshevik enterprises. The radical virus had spread far and wide and anti-Bolshevik forces appeared strangely weak. The idea seems to have been to keep these men isolated as far as possible and recruit from among them soldiers to fight the Reds. As a matter of fact comparatively few of them were willing to enter such a military enterprise. The Russian Department of the YMCA in France extended its service to cover these newcomers. More than 60 canteens were established and 190 different points in France, Belgium, Algiers, and Egypt were served. At one time fourteen workers were employed in this service. Some of the special features of this work were a Russian newspaper (issued three times a week), a school for cripples, English classes for men preparing to emigrate to America, and the discovery of openings in America for students and technical experts. The American Red Cross supplied funds for relief, which were distrib- uted through the YMCA. This work resembled that undertaken at the same time in Ger- many. There is no doubt that some of the military leaders expected political results from Y service, but the YMCA itself began such work long before there was any question of politics with the distinct purpose of aiding these needy men. This was an opportunity to set a few Russians on the pathway of mental and spiritual enlightenment,THE LAST ACT 323 a definite step, however insignificant, toward bringing Russia into the circle of international cooperation. The central office of the War Pris- oners’ Aid in Switzerland issued a large number of text books and works of inspiration for this service. It was impossible to secure Rus- sian books from Russia; without this supply created rapidly by the need, the Russian work developed in France and Germany in 1918 and 1919 would have been very greatly hampered. On the map of Russia, it may be observed that the cities of Eka- Qn the | terinburg, Chelyabinsk, and Omsk lie on the main route between Rus- Border sia and Siberia. YMCA workers forced out of Russia in the late summer and fall of 1918 moved to these cities, which were also for the time being centers of other Y MC A operations. As the winter closed in the prisoners who had been released from Austria-Hungary and Germany began to pour through these cities. They had crossed the ruined areas between Germany and Russia on foot for the most part; with much difficulty, they had secured train transportation as far as Samara, which is about 450 miles east of Chelyabinsk; from Samara they had walked forward, frequently mak- ing wide detours, and while some were able to get on trains beyond the Bolshevik lines others completed their journey on foot. From the German border to Samara the distance is more than a thousand miles; there were only three organized feeding points along the line. On their various detours the men found practically no food. With the weather frequently 40° below zero (Fahrenheit), these men came into these border cities all of them half-clothed and three-quarters of them provided with no other foot-wear than the German burlap or rope boots. All were starved and many were carried from the trains in a half-frozen condition. The YMCA gathered what food it could find and purchased clothing and supplies which were distributed to these needy men. The Omsk government finally organized a feeding station at Chelyabinsk; and the American Red Cross, under conditions of the greatest difficulty, opened a hospital for the many sick. The Y MCA service touched in all about 80,000 men at these points. The term “touched” is accurate. After receiving the little gifts and other service each group of men passed on to Siberia. i. The events of 1918 and 1919 opened up the Siberian prison camps pnt i eimps where Germans, Austro-Hungarians, and Turks were still awaiting repatriation. The YMCA was at this time better equipped ponte had been at any previous period and a new program was possible in spite of the many complications affecting the situation.The Exchange of Prisoners in the West 324 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN THE LAST STAGE The period immediately following the Armistice was character- ized by a general stabilizing of the prisoner of war situation. The prisoners in Allied countries were held pending the close of the peace negotiations. The Russians in Germany and France were also held by the Allies “for further consideration.” In Siberia, Germans and Austro-Hungarians were blocked by the Czechoslovak movement and the Allied forces in the Vladivostok region. Toward the end of 1919, things began to move again. Prisoners in the Allied countries were returned systematically. Some of the Russians in France were released late in the year. In the spring of 1920 the French finally decided to repatriate the rest; and these were landed in South Russia, all being cleared out by Janu- ary, 1921. Russia and Germany were anxious to get their affairs wound up, so arrangements were made in the spring of 1920 to com- plete the exchange. Since the Russo-Polish affair dragged on inter- minably, overland repatriation was impossible. The Allies lent ships and the transfer was effected primarily through the Baltic ports. Lastly, a considerable number of Russians were carried by ship around to Vladivostok, and Germans, Austro-Hungarians, and Turks brought back by the same route. The spring of 1921 found practically all at home once more. The Y MCA during this last period conducted an extensive wel- fare service in both Riga and Vladivostok while maintaining the camp service for the men who awaited repatriation. The colorful story of the traffic that was set up between Stettin and the eastern Baltic ports is largely outside the scope of the pres- ent narrative. The vessels plied back and forth, crowded not only with prisoners but with families which the prisoners had somehow or other acquired during the period of captivity, and numberless refu- gees. This movement, begun slowly in the spring of 1920, continued in, varying volume month after month. Train service from Germany was resumed later on. The total progress was slow on account of the lack of facilities both in ships and in train service in Russia. The stream continued through 1920 and 1921. Y MCA work at the ports! consisted of a variety of personal ser- vices such as might be appreciated by travelers journeying under un- comfortable circumstances. There were tea, coffee, cocoa, and biscuits +A group of Rhodes scholars from Oxford were enlisted for this service in the long vacation period.THE LAST ACT 325 ready for everyone; and little gift packages were handed to the men on the trains. Social gatherings were arranged for the women and children. The lay-over at the ports was usually short; but, particu- larly in the case of those entering Russia, it offered the last opportun- ity for a hot drink until the end of a very long journey. Early in 1921, Riga was made the exchange port. The YMCA set upa large work in connection with the camp in which those returning from Rus- sia passed through the disinfecting process. It was significant that during this last period all prisoners coming out of Germany were familiar with the work of the YMCA and eagerly welcomed its further service. At Vladivostok in 1920 the YMCA was well-equipped for ser- Vladivostok vice. The International Hut was a great rendezvous for fighting men of about fifteen different nationalities The various forces were evacuated gradually, among them the Czechoslovaks to the number of 53,026. After them came the prisoners of war from Siberia—Ger- mans, Austrians, and Turks—and the Russians who were sent back home by way of Vladivostok. Again, there ensued another scene full of color and life as these strange groups passed to and fro through one of the strangest of all cities. There was little possibility of orderly procedure in the repa- triation of prisoners. They came almost unannounced from Siberia and frequently boat-loads of Russian prisoners were in port before anyone knew of their existence. A vivid scene out of the midst of the active period of 1920 appears in one report. The motor cars and trucks of the YMCA were busy racing about in all directions assisting in the disposal of a group of Austro-Hungarians coming down from the interior. A big program of three days of special recreational events was in progress, and all welfare workers were busy from early morning till the small hours of the next. Word came in suddenly that nearly 500 Russians had come inona steamer. The YMCA secretary in charge of War Pris- oners’ Work hurried to the dock. These returned soldiers, in ragged clothing and almost barefoot, were standing silent on a barge at a dock waiting to be towed over to Russian Island. There was no welcome for them—not a soul in sight to raise even the ghost of a cheer for these survivors of battle, prison, and a long sea voyage. These same men had seen returning German prisoners march over flower-strewn streets. They had been placed on the barge at six o’clock 1 See Chapter LVIII.a The Russians’ Homecoming 326 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN in the morning: at six at night nothing had yet happened. A repre- sentative of the German Red Cross delayed the sailing of their steamer in order that they might have some food. It was late when the Y secretary discovered them. While he and his helpers were off in the city rounding up provisions for some kind of a Supper, Someone came along and towed the barge laden with hungry, disappointed, ex- hausted men out into the dark bay. The next day YMCA workers started out with supplies to find these men. No information could be secured, so a launch was bor- rowed from a U. S. cruiser and search began. Fifty of the group were found in one of the hospitals and supplies landed there. Then the hunt continued till at 4.30 o’clock in the afternoon the location of the prisoners was discovered. As the YMCA workers came into this dismal barracks—there were iron beds but no mattresses or blankets—the men were finishing their first meager meal in 30 hours. They had spent the previous night on the shore. Each man received from the Y in the cold and gloomy hall, two packages of cigarets, two packages of matches, four beef cubes, one bar of milk chocolate, and a quarter of a pound of sardines. The workers ate their own supper with the good-hearted commandant who had been a prisoner himself. When they rose to go out they suddenly discovered, in the shadows of the hall where they had eaten, four hundred men standing in line holding their gifts in their hands, courteously waiting for their bene- factors to depart. Such was the homecoming of the Russian prisoners. This was the daily life of the War Prisoners’ Aid in Vladivostok. There is little need to labor the details. These were the fag ends of the six million imprisoned men of the nations. Some of them had been away from their homes for seven years and some had been in prison throughout the whole period. The YMCA had these men in its range only a few days, perhaps only a few hours. During this brief period the attempt was made to bring a little friendship into the lives of those who had come out of great suffering and who had be- fore them long hard journeys at whose end in too many cases were only poverty and sorrow. THE HUMAN MOTIVE In the early days of the struggle, it was the prisoners of war who drew deepest upon the sympathies of the leaders of the American Y M CA. They were not effectives on the front, they were non-combatants,THE LAST ACT O27 just men. Considerations of military policy did not then aftect the 2mercen attitude of American welfare workers, for there were no American prisoners to benefit by reciprocity: the YMCA put forth its first effort because these men were in trouble and it appealed, not in vain, to the heart of America in the interest of human need apart from all question of winning the war. British, French, German, Turkish, Bol- shevik—as prisoners they were all treated alike. From the very first days, through the period of America’s active participation, and on into days long after the fighting was ended the work continued without in- terruption. There were over 6,000,000 prisoners. Some never heard of the Y MC A; yet indirectly the lives of nearly all of them were af- fected in some degree by the activities set in motion by the secretaries of the American YMCA. It was not that the American Association workers did it all. They had the vision; they conceived the idea of -organizing the prisoners of war to help themselves. The prisoners carried on the activities; it thus became their work throughout. But it was American goodwill and leadership and financial backing that made it possible. American goodwill, manifested to friend and enemy alike, was, in the case of countless numbers of prisoners, the first thing that met them inside the barbed wire and the last thing they saw as they set their faces toward home.PART V WITH THE ALLIED ARMIESCHAPTER LIII THE INTERNATIONAL SERVICE OF THE AMERICAN YMCA The motive that took the American Y M C A into a varied service The Alt ee in Europe during 1914-1917 was the same motive that has inspired its America work for nearly three generations. The Association movement was international in character long before it became a significant enter- prise in any one nation; and of all its various national branches, none has been more energetic than the American in extending help to the young men of foreign nations. The first war effort was genuinely and exclusively humanitarian, including both fighting men and prisoners on both sides of the conflict. The American outreach comprised the supplying of funds and workers to various Association agencies abroad and also the assumption of direct responsibility for the wide- spread service in behalf of prisoners of war. The YMCA was and remains an unofficial organization yet throughout this early period it was entrusted with considerable responsibility by a number of gov- ernments and in its War Prisoners’ Aid Work received the recognition and assistance of the State Department of the United States and of its representatives in Europe. To other nations the American Y M CA, in its many contacts with young men in need, represented quite un- officially but very directly the altruistic spirit of America and her capacity to help at a time of serious crisis. Owing to the very intimate relationship that had existed for so long between the American and European leaders, the YM C A was in a position to note, with a sense of pride and a feeling of humility, to what extent in their heart of hearts the relief and welfare workers were counting on America’s effective generosity. The large funds necessary for this European work (1914-1917) were raised from the YMCA constituency through the regular or- 1The contributions received by the YMCA Committee on Work for Allied Armies and Prisoners of War, were as follows: TOWA hb poet oe cen cea ok SL Ob een oe $ 42,300.00 1916 Ree Ee ee oo cee eee 237,262.21 TOT GW Re Re ee Ce RN So ee ae 887,678.65 TOUT ee hE Gok eh kitts Oo 1,113,065.32 Mote es ee oe A oui b> coos ou taaraers $2,280,306.18A New Situation 332 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ganization of the Association. The American YMCA had at this time assumed no public function and extensive popular campaigns were neither possible nor desirable. The sharp difference of opinion over the responsibility for letting loose the powers of destruction af- fected our viewpoint toward all questions and an excessively embar- _rassing situation might easily have arisen over the disposition of funds _ raised at large. It was therefore necessary to secure these consider- able amounts of money by very cautious means. Direct personal ap- peals were made largely to Association supporters and the Student Friendship Fund was promoted by the Student Young Men’s Christian Association in the colleges of the country. Similarly the personnel of this early service of necessity was recruited with the very greatest care. The leaders were fully aware of the fact that misunderstand- ings—there would be from Americans no fundamental opposition to such service—might easily arise, and that such misunderstandings if they became a matter of public discussion would certainly tend to hinder prompt action in a situation where prompt action was an essen- tial requirement. With America’s entry into the war, the situation changed some- what. The American Y M C A assumed a public position as an arm of the forces of the United States and was supplied with funds raised by popular subscription. It was of course out of the question to continue support for service to men actually in the field as enemies of America or of the nations with which America was associated in the war. The Y MC A’s offer of service to the American fighting men was accepted by the American Government both on the grounds of military expedi- ency and upon the grounds of the conservation of American ideals in American manhood. Military and naval officers of course were com- pelled to consider the question of expediency first of allt The revision of the program of the American Y MCA under the altered situation called for the continuance of the prisoners of war service, and, in addi- tion to the work for American fighting men, a very large increase in the effort for soldiers of the Allied Armies. This part of the program was made clear in the appeals for funds addressed to the American people. The American Y MC A in no sense changed its attitude toward the men whom it strove to serve but it was in a new situation involv- ing new responsibilities. It had accepted a definite commission from *See the broad attitude of the American Government as illustrated in Chapter XXVII. 1 eames accneeacmmenep saben 1 7 ey ccamaaaaTHE INTERNATIONAL SERVICE OF THE AMERICAN YMCA 3338 the Government of the United States. Therefore, its efforts had to be considered not alone from the humanitarian standpoint but also from the point of view of assisting in the winning of the war with a pri- mary responsibility in connection with the welfare of the American civilian soldiers. That service for men in the Allied forces not only helped the (pev3isva cause for which America was fighting but was actually of value to our **"""e men is plain when all the elements are considered. If the French Army work be taken as an example, the illustration will serve for all such service. Marshal Foch has unequivocally stated that the work of the Foyers du Soldat decidedly affected the staying power of the French soldiers in the last lap of the war. He has said what no welfare worker would dare to claim.1 Granted that such an appreci- ation was all too generous, still it remains that everything that helped to keep the French Army fit meant that there was just so much less burden to be borne by the American forces. Had this great force given way seriously America would have had to send certainly twice 2,000,000 men to the Western Front. Every YMCA effort for every Ally, in so far as it contributed in even the remotest degree to the ultimate success, was of just so much service to American men. But further America became part and parcel of the Allied cause. America aided with material equipment and men at every important point. It was therefore eminently just and fitting that the benefits of its wel- fare service, which in spite of all deficiencies was by far the most comprehensive service ever rendered to fighting men, should be ex- tended far and wide wherever it would do the most good. The continuation of the prisoners of war work was also a sound decision. It was necessary to work for both sides if any work for the Allied prisoners was to be maintained, for all privileges of access to the camps were granted on a reciprocal basis. Had this work ceased on America’s entry a very large number of Allies would have felt a measurable increase in their sufferings. In the case of Ameri- can fighting men, it was fortunate that the war ended before any large number were put behind the barbed wire; but there were over 2,500 American prisoners in Germany who had every reason to be thank- ful that Y service was continued to the end. Surely the welfare of even such a small group was alone worth all the effort put into this work during the previous years. Consult Chapter LIV.334 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Beyond the work for men in the fighting forces and the prison- ers during the period of actual conflict, the YMCA in the name of the American people joined with other American agencies in special work here and there with distressed civilian communities and with new nations struggling to establish upon wreck of the past a new and stable national life. There are higher motives for inter- national service than that of selfish advantage, but it is well to keep always in mind that the world is one and will remain one through its period of existence and that America is deeply involved everywhere on the globe. The assistance rendered by America through the Y M CA to such nations as Greece and Roumania and Russia in the hour of need and to Poland and Czechoslovakia in their time of aspira- tion will prove in the end of the greatest advantage to the interests of America and has already opened what all true Americans desire above all else, an unlimited opportunity for a continuing humanitarian service.CHAPTER LIV LES FOYERS DU SOLDAT France was the protagonist of the Allied cause. At the first rush, the German Army entered her borders to stay until the end. It was her fields that were ploughed by shells, her villages and towns that were drenched with poison gas and battered into dust.. The world watched the sufferings of her refugees and the resolution of her soldiers with sympathy and admiration equalled only by the emotions inspired by martyred Belgium. Ina peculiar sense, the fate of France was the fate of the world and in her fluctuating fortunes the nations saw the alternatives which awaited all. Within, one purpose concen- trated the thought and will of the entire nation. Civilians as well as soldiers divested life of every gratification that diverted energy or material resources from the sheer maintenance of national exist- ence. With home and liberty and every human sanctity at stake, even the things regarded as necessary to normal living were renounced as trivial luxuries. France stripped and hardened herself for her fight for life. So it was not strange that the physical comfort of soldiers; thein hele er enjoyment of petty luxuries, their recreation and amusement were Welfare Service dismissed as meriting no share of the national attention. But the war modified many conceptions and brought its own readjustment of relative values. Comfort, contentment, even play, were found to have a vital relation to fighting efficiency. The welfare work estab- lished in the American Army, at the moment of our entry into the war, owed much of its welcome by authorities to observation and ex- perience of similar work in European armies, as well as to previous work in our Civil and Spanish Wars. Hardly had the first American contingents appeared in France, accompanied by welfare organiza- tions, when request was made for American assistance in extending welfare work, already begun among French soldiers. Supported by the hearty approval of General Pershing, the American YMCA entered into a cooperative arrangement with the French Government and civilian agencies, to enlarge the operations of the Foyers du Soldat, whose share in stimulating and reviving the spirit of war- . weary France was generously recognized and appreciated. 335336 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The story of the Foyers is not a mere repetition of familiar wel- fare operations; it has many distinctive features, and particularly provides an illuminating demonstration of the morale-promoting value of welfare service. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOYERS Welfare work with the French armies owed its inception to M. Emmanuel Sautter of the Société Chrétienne des Jeunes Gens or French Y MCA and General Secretary of the World’s Committee of National Young Men’s Christian Associations. “From the beginning of the war, Great Britain and her Domin- ions had undertaken the operation of huts for their soldiers,’ M. Sautter writes!, ‘‘and their sympathy and their help for the French work were shown on several occasions and in many ways. But, it was especially from America that immediate and complete help came. Financial assistance began with an important contribution in Octo- ber, 1914, followed by other continually increasing sums. ‘You can go ahead’, wrote the General Secretary, ‘we will always be behind you.’ Before becoming our Allies and entering the war, the Ameri- cans showed themselves faithful and generous friends.” Inasmuch as the general mobilization had absorbed most of the membership of the French YMCA, Mr. Sautter was obliged to act in his private capacity. Before the war, reading and writing rooms with some club features had been established in French garrisons; and in August, 1914, Mr. Sautter proposed to the Service du Santé, the Health Department, that these be extended to soldiers in the field. His suggestion met with no response, and he did not feel warranted in approaching the high command. In August, 1914, invaded France had other concerns than the :omfort of soldiers. In October, Dr. John R. Mott visited Europe to investigate needs and opportunities for service to the belligerent armies and peoples. Encouraged by his promises of financial aid from America, Mr. Saut- ter renewed his efforts. Gaining access to General Putz, then com- manding in the Vosges sector, he secured permission to establish one or more Foyers with his troops. This permission was temporarily cancelled by superior authority on the ground that military interest forbade the presence of civilians in the camps. A few weeks later *Une Oeuvre de Guerre. Les Foyers du Soldat de l’Union Franco-Américaine. Emmanuel Sautter. Préface du Maréchal Pétain. Paris, 1919. *“The safety of the camps and the secrecy of operations definitely demands that no person outside the army shall be informed of tactical arrangements or of the interior life of the cantonments, any more than of troop movements and changes in the location of cantonments.” The same, p. 13.LES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 337 Hit it was renewed and on January 16, 1915, the first Foyer was opened ae in the village of La Voivre, near St. Dié. Shortly thereafter Foyers i | ii were opened at Baccarat and Gerardmer. a These forward Foyers had to cope with the conditions and dif- ee ae ficulties in the combat area—bombardments, the German drives, the constant movement of troops, and the sudden changes of encamp- ments. The original Foyer of La Voivre was demolished in bombard- ment; its successors were established in changing localities, its per- sonnel adapting themselves as best they could to the necessities of ° each movement, but never failing in their service to the soldiers. “C’est la guerre” was their watchword, too, whenever forced by cir- cumstances to leave hurriedly, remove, or rebuild elsewhere. At the same time, other fields for welfare work presented them- selves. An offer to establish a Foyer at the great military camp of Valbonne, 30 kilometers from Lyons, was warmly welcomed by the military governor. A knock-down hut was loaned; and the Foyer of La Valbonne, which thus modestly made its début, met with such success that an extension was immediately necessary. “The Foyer is excellent,” said the general, commanding the camp, “but your Com- mittee must furnish something considerably larger.” An enormous hall, with several annexes, was built adjoining the first location. Twelve to fifteen hundred men used the building daily, from morning to night. In the early months of 1915, leading men in Lyons asked the assistance of the Committee to install two Foyers in the city; one among a vast camp of convalescents, the other on the quays of the Rhone River, where the municipality placed at their service an ex- tensive location in the heart of the city. The first efforts of the work- ers had been directed toward securing access to the forward areas as the French workers felt that their service would count for more in those positions. While they never changed their judgment as to relative value, the great need and extensive possibilities in the rear areas were freely recognized. By May 1, 1915, six Foyers were thus organized in the front and eee rear lines. The work accomplished was but a preface to the work that was to follow. The Committee had achieved its aim in con- tributing to an appreciation and understanding of the value of the welfare work for the French “poilus.” one Mr. Sautter’s account of the beginnings thus outlined, indicates a wide skepticism among French military and Government authori- ties: that welfare work would or could play any significant part inFurther American Cooperation Invited 338 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the life of a fighting army was inconceivable. He was told that “ravi- taillement moral,” or moral support of the spirits of the soldiers, which he urged as of equal importance with material support, was purely a concern of the General Headquarters, and was referred to certain hospitals where there might be a possibility of relief work for convalescent wounded. ‘The expression—maintenance of morale —so popular later, was then ignored,” wrote Mr. Sautter, “and the idea which it expressed did not seem to correspond to any urgent needs in a war of movement.” The complete reversal of this mental atti- tude was perhaps the most striking proof of the military value of welfare work which the war produced. Late in November, 1915, a Committee of Patronage was formed under the chairmanship of General de la Croix, who had preceded Marshal Joffre as Commander-in-Chief. By the end of that year, 20 Foyers were in operation. In the following spring, the Minister of War was sufficiently persuaded by demonstrated results to grant a general permission to open Foyers in such places as commanders might approve. Not until September, 1916, did Mr. Sautter succeed in presenting his plans to General Headquarters, and secure permis- sion to open negotiations with generals commanding the various ar- mies. He secured interviews with the commanders of the 2d, 4th, 5th, and 7th Armies, covering the front from Amiens to Verdun. General Pétain, then commanding at Verdun, requested that 100 Foyers be provided for his soldiers. Ee oe:LES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 341 of the Union Franco-Américaine Y M C A into General Pétain’s mili- tary organization was marked by the issuance in January, 1918, of the “Réglémentation Générale des Oeuvres de Guerre aux Armées.” All necessary information concerning the movement of troops was supplied to the headquarters of the Foyers and the army telephone service was placed at the disposal of the workers. The military or- ganization had not handed over authority to the welfare society; on the contrary, the Foyers became an integral part of the service. The change of attitude on the part of the French authorities had, PP of course, a cause which is not far to seek. In the spring and summer of 1917 of 1917 the spirit of the fighting forces of France, worn down by the long strain of the war, depressed by the extremely dubious pros- pects of the Allied cause, dealt a crippling blow by the disappearance of Russia as a combatant, was seriously impaired. How high that fighting spirit had mounted, all the world knows. The resourceful- ness and dashing valor which crumpled the triumphant German ad- vance to the Marne in 1914 had not only shattered the enemy’s vain- glorious certainty of a quick and easy victory, but had taught him cau- tion in trying apparently inviting opportunities in the succeeding months. The grim resolution of the defenders of Verdun—never weakened in four months of incessant furious fighting against greatly superior numbers of men and weight of guns, and followed by a brilliant counter-offensive that rewon the outworks temporarily lost— stands unsurpassed in history. In the Second Battle of the Marne and the following Allied offensive of 1918 that culminated in victory, the French Army played a part second to none. If, therefore, the historian notes that French morale suffered a temporary decline, it is not to make derogatory comparisons, nor to diminish the glory of France; the point is stressed precisely because it illuminates an element of victorious strength which must be given a weight and at- tention never before conceded. If such an Army as that of France could be weakened by intangible foes, then no army Can ever be im- mune; and no responsible military authority can be excused if it neg- lect the means and agencies that promote and maintain morale. Creat as were the rejoicings over the successful defense of Ver- dun there was no escaping the reaction which ensued as France realized the cost. Losses on both sides were enormous and left the two armies well-nigh exhausted. There is no way of determining how far these losses were responsible for the pacifist tendencies that ap- peared, but undoubtedly they were an important factor.The Effects of the Champagne Offensive 342 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN France was dragging out her third year of war with no end in sight. Practically all her able-bodied men were mobilized. No one who has not experienced it can realize how the cold, darkness, wet and mud of the trenches wear down resolution, and how the great ideals that inspire heroic patriotism are dimmed and lost in the dreary monotony of physical suffering. The desperate fighting made it impossible to grant many leaves and men were separated from their families and private affairs for months at a time. Many from the invaded regions knew only that their homes were destroyed and their families were dead, made refugees, or deported. The army was flooded with syndicalist and defeatist literature in spite of the watch- fulness of commanders. News, not always veracious, of strikes and sabotage in war industries was energetically spread. Soldiers on leave crowded into meetings where they were told that the war was a capitalist conspiracy, that victory was impossible, and that their lives were being squandered uselessly. Then came the tragic Champagne offensive of April, 1917. France had been led to expect a great success, the smashing of the German lines and early victory. Instead the armies met a bloody check, with enormous losses. A great despondency ensued. To the stirring battle cry, “They shall not pass,” was added, “But neither shall we.” “This will end only when we are all dead.” Reviews of the battle operations led to recrimination and open feuds. Infantry commanders charged that artillery preparation had been incompetent, failing to destroy the German first-line defenses, so that advancing troops were mowed down from undamaged machine-gun nests. Artillery men blamed aviators for imperfect observation. The different services refused to fraternize. Whole units collectively refused to obey their officers, and some regiments voted to march, armed, to Paris to overthrow the Government. Such conditions made clear the urgent necessity of providing for “ravitaillement moral.” General Pétain, who had just succeeded to the chief command, was convinced from his observations of Foyer Service among his troops at Verdun, that the Foyers offered one very useful means of restoring the spirit and confidence of the troops. The resulting conferences with General Pershing and with Mr. Saut- ter and representatives of the American YMCA have been noted. *For elaborate details, see A Survey of the War, 1914-18. Intelligence Section (G2-A1) General Staff, American E. F.; also La Vérité sur 1’Offensive du 16 April, 1917. Official statement by Premier Paul Painlevé, published in La Renaissance, Special Number, November, 1919, Paris. Do ip apecaaaageameauaecencmacrmminmcperecs nis ec oreganceniaialsLES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 343 Out of them came the formation of the organization with the formi- dable title, “Les Foyers du Soldat, Union Franco-Américaine Y M C A,” and the order that Foyer service should be extended to every part of the fighting forces. France took a grip upon herself again. There is no doubt that external means were of great service. The mere presence of Ameri- ean Red Cross and YMCA workers among civilians and troops helped to make clear to the hard-pressed fighters that American as- sistance was on the way; and the direct benefits of the relief and welfare work were, on the testimony of the French themselves, of a very decided character. Such things were positive elements of encouragement; but, it must be emphasized, at whatever risk of tire- someness in reiteration, that the French fighters of course “saved” themselves. Whatever part these external influences played in the process—and they did play a significant part—the fundamental change in morale that was made so evident in the determined French assaults of the fall of 1917 was born of a new determination of France and her fighting men to see the affair through to the end. Because of the fact that religious and sectarian differences are fovernmen® complicated with political partisanship in France, it was rightly con- sidered necessary that the work be administered by an organization having no specific religious or political character. In the new or- ganization, therefore, large participation was provided, both in the directorate and in the service ranks, for Roman Catholics and men of no professed creed as well as Protestant Christians, and all relig- ious or political activities were strictly prohibited. Inasmuch as the work was to be done in French military areas, and the Government was to supply building, equipment, transportation, and other facili- ties, it was properly determined that the director should be a French- man; and Mr. Sautter was appointed in that capacity. The large American contributions of money, personnel, and ideas were rec- ognized by the appointment of two Americans, D. A Davis and W. 5. Coffin, as Associate Directors. Each Foyer was managed by a French director or directress, aided, so far as Americans were available, by an American associate director. Numerically, Americans constituted about one-third of the working staff. After full conference, a care- fully defined program of activities was authorized by the Ministry of War, embodied in the set of regulations officially issued February 23, 1918. This entered into such details as fixing the price of hot drinks and other canteen supplies, forbidding free distribution except inThe Thousandth Foyer 344 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN special cases, limiting libraries to books approved by the Minister of War, and prescribing the types of building, equipment, lighting, and the like as well as the methods of requisitioning them from the proper military officers. The mode of militarizing workers, and the form of local, regional, and national organization, were defined. The em- ployment of women, even as directresses of Foyers, was specifically authorized. The maximum independence of the Foyers as a private enterprise compatible with close cooperation with the military estab- lishment was secured. THE EXTENSION OF THE FOYERS Up to June, 1917, 78 Foyers had been opened. From that date to the Armistice, centers were established at the approximate rate of five every two days, or an average each month almost equal to the entire number opened during the first three years of the war. The establishment of the thousandth Foyer at Saint Mihiel, forty-eight hours after the recapture of the village by American and French troops, was fittingly celebrated, September 23, 1918, at the inaugura- tion of the great Foyer of the Camp des Cercottes, near Orleans. From the beginning of the work in January, 1915, till the signing of peace in June, 1919, 1,584 Foyers for French soldiers and sailors were opened, distributed as follows :+ ZONE (OMRUNCMAT MICS, 66.066 sc ces ccs cae 1,091 INtCHTORSERCSTONSWI hr ea ce ee 206 AISA CCSIOGRDINCGH cae oo 6 o's cle che eee a eee oe 92 OCCUPIECGMECEEILOTY a4 5 oe cc es ce toes 65 AEM OPM CROGICNED ch slevecb.0: 5 sieve « Wa peeie 25 Morocco (each with approximately 4 an- MOXOS) MMM oie ciel ies als a 0.0 op ere w oie ens 54 Russia (Murmansk, with 6 annexes) ...... 1 MOUDGRME Te boc e Os SE RAE 1,534 Of the Foyers in France, 130 were captured, 50 transferred to the American Y MC A, and 434 were closed on account of the depar- ture of troops. The maximum number operated at any one time was about 850. “Consult Une Oeuvre de Guerre, Les Foyers du Soldat de Union Franco- Américaine, Emmanuel Sautter. Préface du Maréchal Pétain. 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BASSES - PYRENEES Ce f $ ¢ WwW —-AMERICAINE | eo > iE \ Rope: Nw. ae . yore < Bry ze ward Rta x SRN S SRegeee 6 8 LORRAIN ‘/ : " ia WOMp T= AUDE eh eae iia 5 ROG rd ARIEGE mS Nani Nos 7~~~ PYRENEES E ORIENTALES Lets eo* eres \ ALGERIA MOROCCO 7 A French Army Zones | 09! PNT Interior France 206 Alsace Lorraine 92 Occupied Territory 65 Sel Morocco 54 1508 Note large proper tien of Foyers alang battle line PLATE XVIILES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 345 A personnel of 1,682 men and women secretaries, not including employes, was engaged in the work. The personnel comprised the following: Hyrench men secretaries <2 3%. 6..-- soe 700 Hrench women secretaries <©...-.....0.0- 288 american men Secretaries ... 6... 1... 6 were 611 American women secretaries .......----- 719 GSS EV OIA Sireiceas sucpenciess cles) ciele ee eile) erent 4 MOuD er re es oe cance sea 1,682 The founders of the Foyers desired positions in the forward areas, as near the actual lines as possible, because of the need. There was no “period of preparation” in France; the armies were on the field of battle within a few days of the declaration of war. A study of the distribution of the Foyers! indicates to what extent the ideal was realized. The fact that about twelve per cent of those in the zone of the armies were captured indicates clearly enough their exposed position. Of the first thirteen centers established, nine were at the front. Of one of these a report states: “Our tent having been struck by the bursting of a shell, the Foyer has been transferred for a while to a large cellar.’’ Early letters from American secretaries recount send-offs to raid- ing parties. One woman secretary writes deploring the necessity of leaving her Foyer at Soissons to the mercy of the enemy. In the citadel of Verdun an underground Foyer was established early in 1917. The German shells fell ceaselessly upon the position ; but safe from their fire was this deep shelter, lighted with electricity and furnished with games, a library, and a piano. There was warmth and quiet there—and as much contentment as could be snatched from hard circumstances. Representatives of the War Work Council from New York were able to visit this safe shelter during a bombardment in the company of the commander who regarded it as one of his show places. There was somewhat less of security in the Foyers located in the “holed” banks of the Aisne. There the soldiers lived the lives of cavemen. A man remarked of one dugout: : : ine “Tt cannot be said that this Foyer 1s not. sufficiently near the front. A few steps further and you'll be right in the fighting lines. 19 Plate XVII facing p. 344. 2 Millions of Men, New York, 1917, No. 5, p. 30. Within Sound of the GunsIn the Rear Areas 346 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN In the period of trench warfare, up to the spring drives of 1918, it was also possible for the workers of the Foyers to extend occasional services into the trenches themselves. Equipment, particularly small, portable libraries, was designed for this work, which was carried on under varying conditions in many sectors. When the fixed lines broke up in the summer and fall of 1918, field conditions became very difficult. Many corps commanders, how- ever, unhesitatingly set apart the necessary transportation to keep the Foyers with their troops. In balancing one advantage against another, the leaders were unwilling to lose the moral effect of the welfare service; and the so-called ‘‘Foyers volants” came into being to meet the need. The extension of such service depended, of course, entirely upon the judgment of the commander in a particular situa- tion. General Gouraud—who cannot be accused of any lack of fight- ing spirit—made the maximum use of the Foyers possible under the circumstances of the last hard year. In the rapid advance preceding the Armistice, Foyers were estab- lished in the ruins of the reoccupied villages wherever four walls— the roof was immaterial—were available. The Foyers took possession of the comfortable “Soldatenheim” of the Germans at Ham, and also at Nesles, a fair turn-about considering the number of Foyer huts that had been lost. In the occupied territory of the Rhine bridgeheads and in Alsace-Lorraine similar “Soldatenheime,” the most luxurious of which was that located in Metz, provided a home for the French. At all points proper quarters were assigned by the military command. In the rear areas it was possible at many points to secure quar- ters in which a varied service could be developed. The general fea- tures of such work are quite familiar. There were some Foyers that had a distinctive character. One of the most interesting was a very popular Foyer, which can hardly be called a “center.”” A sloop sunk early in the war was raised, transformed into a floating ‘“‘fireside,’”’ and moored in the River Aisne at Soissons, where it naturally was in much danger of again return- ing to the bottom. However, when the German drives swept for- ward, its faithful friends pulled it back to Vic-sur-Aisne and then to Pontoise; and it finally found its way to the River Marne where it continued its career. In 1918, Dr. Mott, at the close of his third visit to France during the war, urged work for the French sailors. A naval department of the Foyers was organized and centers were established at naval O. :::2eeparamnemepemenmermerncoe: Ra ieeaueiiaaaeLES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 347 ports, patrol stations, and naval aviation camps, covering the greater part of the French Navy. It was in this department that the finest Foyer of all was established, the Foyer du Marin at Toulon. This magnificent center contained every facility—a winter garden, canteen, souvenir shop, lounge, billiard-parlors, shower baths, library, class rooms, assembly hall and gymnasium; the building was attractively decorated and the walls were covered with fine scenic paintings. Two other important Foyers for sailors were located at Corfu and Cattaro. The Foyers did not find all their constituency within the borders of France. Toward the end of the winter of 1917, centers were estab- lished for the “Armée d’Orient” at Saloniki and on the Macedonian Front. Later, Foyers were opened for the Army of Occupation on the Danube, and four in Constantinople and in the cantonments on the Sea of Marmora. In 1918, Rabat, in Morocco, became headquar- ters for 54 Foyers and over 200 annexes, established in the regional subdivisions of the North African Protectorate. Finally, there was the center in the Murmansk district in North Russia. The much-used word, cooperation, hardly covers the relationship that existed between the French and American agencies united in this service. The work of the Foyers was French in origin and in conception: it became “officially” French by the arrangement of 1917. No attempt was ever made to “Americanize” it, although the financial support came almost wholly from America. The budget of the Foyers du Soldat rose to the total of over 20,000,000 francs in 1918. The French Government supplied build- ings, equipment, and transportation, and permitted the purchase of supplies from the Quartermaster at cost. Military subventions and considerable sums were generously contributed by the French people; but, as Mr. Sautter gratefully acknowledges, “These would have been absolutely insufficient if they had not been supplemented by enormous American contributions. With a fidelity and a regularity which never failed, the War Work Council of the YMCA of the United States sent us month after month, checks of several hundreds of thousands of dollars, in so much that our treasury never ran dry, and we were always enabled to go ahead without being delayed a single day on the question of money. The resources which our New York friends so liberally placed at our disposal came from funds received in two vast collections made throughout the en- tire extent of the immense territory of the Republic and which fur- nished harvests respectively of $50,000,000 and more than $100,000,- 000, sums which appear fantastic to Europeans, Overseas American Cooperationi it 348 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The financial support furnished by the American YMCA to the specific work of the Foyers du Soldat for the French armies, amounted to $7,600,000. It should be borne in mind that concurrently from 1917, in addi- tion to more than 1,500 Foyers opened for French soldiers and sailors, the American YMCA operated in France thousands of additional centers—rented buildings, tents and huts—for American soldiers and Sailors, more than 150 in the United Kingdom, and after the Armistice over 500 in Germany. Among other dispositions made of these Foyer huts when the war was over, a considerable number went to provide housing for homeless people in the devastated region. A French woman worker in reporting on the final arrangements remarks in passing, ‘So you see, the Foyers have come to a glorious end.” ene Under these arrangements the expansion of the service already indicated was speedily accomplished, with the anticipated results. Upon the transfer from a war to a peace basis, which occurred in September, 1919, letters of appreciation and gratitude were received from practically all the generals who had held active command during the last eighteen months of the war, most of whom explicitly referred to the beneficial influence on morale which had proceeded from the Foyers. During the period of demobilization and reconstruction, 300 Foyers were continued, of which many were for the benefit of civilians in devastated areas. Others were established in industrial cities. Features of the work introduced by American workers, especially games and athletic sports, were permanently established in the offi- cers’ training schools and in the public schools. On June 6, 1919, the enterprise, with greatly extended outlook, was taken over by a per- manent organization, under the name ‘Société des Foyers de l’Union Franco-Américaine,” with General de la Croix as President. Its con- stitution pledged it to “work, through the education of individuals, for the moral and social progress of France, inspired by the Christian ideal of fraternity in the largest.sense of the word.” Work was at once undertaken in four principal fields: military, including the Army of Occupation and permanent garrisons; naval; devastated regions, and industrial and urban centers. Perpetuating in its titles recogni- tion of American aid, which, however, will be needed in decreasing degrees, the Society, supported by the leading personalities in French military, industrial, professional, and government circles, has become a permanent and influential force in the life of France. aLES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 349 THE METHOD AND INFLUENCE OF THE FOYERS What the extensive development of Foyer service meant to the Baychoneice) French fighting man can be understood only with reference to the Foyer Service experience of those men and especially the psychological state into which the French had come in the third year of the war. There had been no cessation of combat. They were tired-out, worn by long- endured hardships and discomfort, depressed by heavy losses and by uncertainty as to the future of France, devastated and shorn of one- sixth of her able man-power. They had come, perhaps, to feel that they were regarded as just so much war material, food for cannon. Tangible evidence that they were cared for as individuals, that their private anxieties were of real importance, that their well-being as men was a matter of concern, was lacking in any large degree. One searches in vain for words that describe adequately a state of mind arising from so many complex causes and complicated by so many unusual elements of circumstance. ‘“War-weariness” conveys only a suggestion to American minds. The French leaders recognized what was needed. Superficial critics of French culture have made much of the alleged fact that the language contains no equivalent for the English “home.” They have overlooked the word, “foyer,” whose primary meaning is “hearth” or “fireside.” The use of the happily-chosen name, “Foyers du Soldat,” suggested at once the need and the remedy. The French fighter, under the conditions, desired primarily not excitement nor things to eat but a center of warmth and refuge, a place of his own where he could have some peace and rest. These men were Europeans and, on the average, older than the Americans in service. They were satisfied with much less of the mechanism of diversion; they required no elab- orate equipment and did not want much “done for them.” In so far as the Foyers offered shelter, warmth, and a spirit of friendliness, they were reasonably content. To read, to write, to smoke, to talk, away from the insistent reminders of conflict—that was the real thing. At first, battle-pictures were used among the decorations; this was a mistake soon realized and immediately rectified. A popular motto was supplied by General Malleterre: “The Foyer du Soldat is the link between the battle front and the home. It helps us to live, to fight, to hope. A soldier in one camp wrote in the “Golden Book” provided for uncensored comments, that the assurance of warm, dry, light Foyers,The Hut The Program The Women Workers 2. aamagamneem merc senses etree epee 350 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN with hot coffee and chocolate, removed the greatest dread of entering another winter at the front. The Foyers came into the lives of tired and hard-pressed men as an unexpected but utterly welcome ray of warm sunlight. The typical Foyer consisted of two “Adrian” barracks connected by acorridor. One of these was equipped as a club room with writing facilities, a library of 200 books, besides illustrated magazines in con- siderable quantities, phonograph, and games such as dominoes and checkers. On the walls were posters designed by some of the best French and American artists, with moral and patriotic appeals. Light and warmth made sharp contrast with trenches and barracks. This room could easily be arranged with benches as an entertainment hall. The second barrack was used as a canteen for hot drinks and minor articles of common personal use. Alcoholic beverages and gambling were forbidden. Tobacco in its various forms by agree- ment was supplied only when it was otherwise unobtainable by the men. Whenever circumstances made it possible, the ground around the Foyers was prepared for croquet, bowling, and quoits, all exceed- ingly popular with the “poilus.” The program of activities was simple and direct. First and most important was the friendly attention of the director and his associate, who, owing to the limited character of the canteen, had much more time than in the American huts to mingle with the men. His readiness to listen to their private anxieties, and to give help, counsel or sympathy was continually called upon. The presence of women, especially, contributed to this prime service. Carefully chosen for gifts of sympathy as well as poise and good judgment, they became the confidantes of the men and reestab- lished the reality of normal life which had become a memory or a dream, as nothing else could have done. Among other results, the World War proved, both in American and French huts, the practica- bility and usefulness of the presence of good women with soldiers. Although there was a general provision that women should not be sent to dangerous posts, the women themselves scorned such protective restraint and uniformly sought the posts where need was greatest. One American secretary, Miss Marion Crandall, was struck by a shell at Ste. Menehould. Her body was buried under the tricolor, with military honors, by the French. This question of employing women secretaries was long discussed by the French Committee. The precedent of nurses in the militaryLES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 351 hospitals was not precisely a parallel service because there is a dis- tinction between wounded men, incurables, convalescents on the one hand, and healthy men, on the other. Would the directresses meet with the requisite regard? Would they be respected? The material conditions of life in the Foyers at the front, the inevitable promis- cuities, would they not often create delicate and sometimes intolerable situations? The principle was established to send out directresses in pairs; whenever possible, an elder and a younger one. The fact remained, however, that these two women had to live alone amid an exclusively masculine population. Experience happily proved that the preliminary fears were groundless. It is hardly necessary to point out that the disposition of the Thej Lm ponanee soldiers and their expectations regarding the Foyers imposed a special responsibility upon the workers, both men and women. Character became a matter of prime importance where mechanism was inci- dental. If the director was able to fill the part of the courteous and genial father of the family all was well; otherwise there might be difficulty even among such tolerant children. It was very often a mixed family, too. The French colonials were accepted by their European comrades on a basis of equality and the Foyers took them all in. Vivid pictures appear in casual sen- tences in the correspondence of directors. At one time it is a woman secretary endeavoring to impart the elementary principles of reading and writing to a little group of Arabs. Again, it may be a director engaged in forcibly ejecting an obstreperous member of the same race from a moving-picture show—not the least appreciated part of the performance we may be sure. On another occasion, a Moroccan is discovered earnestly trying to point out to a young Frenchman the error of his dissolute ways. In the Foyers, the art of hut decoration took its place as one of Hut ion the leading features of the program. While it may be true that beau- tiful surroundings have their subconscious effect even upon those who appear to appreciate them least, it is discouraging work to decorate without encouragement. American workers coming into the Foyers discovered that the French soldiers and sailors were highly sensitive to artistic values in their environment, that they were not afraid to show their love of color and harmony. The Foyers for this quite suffi- cient reason paid much attention to the matter of decoration. The furnishings were made as attractive as possible. Flags of the Allied nations, good prints, and colored travel posters were used everywhere.The Epigrammatic Motto Education Entertainment 352 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Many of the huts were embellished with mural paintings, executed by French and American artists, real works of art whose contemplation brought to many a French soldier a sense of relief and refreshment more enduring than that ministered by bodily comforts. The artistic sense, of course, does not demand only pure lyric harmony; it has a large place in its heart for the bizarre and the grotesque. Humor, manifested in subject or in treatment or in both, was the theme of many a painting—and was thoroughly appreciated. Anything, any- thing that would lift the mind out of the war environment was wel- comed by these hard-pressed men. No simple effort to beautify the huts was wasted on the French: its spiritual value was immeasurable. The peculiar circumstances of welfare work, especially in for- ward areas, gave the inspiring motto a real place in the Foyers. These were prepared, in general, so that they were part of the adorn- ment of the huts. It is quite possible to overdo this method of moral suggestion in ordinary life; but in war all experience is sharp and vivid, and the epigrammatic sentence, often repeated, does arrest the minds when other approaches fail. Such a sentiment as, ‘““When you talk of womanhood, think of your mother, your sister, your betrothed, and you will never utter base thoughts,” served to remind all men that the Foyers were endeavoring to keep firm the link between home and the front. Educational work consisted mostly of lectures; purity, health, temperance, and the great issues for which France was fighting fur- nishing the predominating subjects. When there were American workers, classes in English were popular, some directors spending ten to twenty hours a week in teaching the language. The library of 200 volumes contained 100 of general literature, 60 of industrial education and 40 of information concerning the Allies and the causes and issues of the war. The entertainment features of the Foyers were not essentially different from those in the AE F-Y MCA, except that the French soldiers ran true to form in rather preferring the exhibitions of “local talent” to any other show. Of the movies, the dramas, and the vaude- ville shows they were appreciative enough; but what they really enjoyed to the full were their own productions. In the ranks were many professional entertainers. “To mention among several evenings,” a secretary reports, “one where Zoto and Bombone, the clowns of the Circus of Paris, passing through as members of a battalion of chasseurs, met with a greatLES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 353 reception. I cannot enumerate the reciters, story-tellers, military comics, instrumentalists or singers, many of them professionals, who appeared upon the stage. I was astonished by the variety of talent found in the Army. Often it was simply necessary to raise the cur- tain and call for volunteers, to organize in less time than it takes to write, one of those impromptu, pleasant evenings, of which the trooper is so fond.” The audience of course maintained at all times its sacred right Appreciation of of criticism. No performer was granted immunity. The amateur who ventured out upon the difficult ground of the stage had to be pre- pared for a very decided expression of approval or disapproval. The fact that the unskilful were continually boo-ed appears not to have redueed in the slightest degree the number of candidates willing to try their luck. Yet the apparently merciless audience was true at the core. One American secretary reports that a little man whose brain had evidently fainted by the wayside in early youth was always listened to with the greatest courtesy as night after night he rendered his interminable ballads before the gathering in the Foyer. The Tactful Anyone familiar with soldiering in any of its phases will recog- $75,52¢ nize at once that these impromptu entertainments set the directors of the Foyers—and the directresses, too—a very delicate and difficult problem. The Foyers had no desire to exercise annoying restraint over the men whom they were endeavoring to serve, but they had been promoted in the French Army, and were expected by the authorities, to function as an elevating influence. There was no desire to be prudish; but it remains a fact that what we call the “home atmos- phere’”—which the Foyers strove to recreate—is not an atmosphere of pruriency. Though there may be great difference of opinion as to the exact line between good fun and indecency, there are limits; and the Foyers positively urged the necessity for. observance of the decencies. The visiting artist who was stopped by the director in the midst of his career would express extreme surprise: “T had been told that this was not a Catholic club. Then why, between soldiers rag The director would then endeavor to explain, as tactfully as possible, the general attitude of the Foyers. There were difficulties and some dissatisfaction, but there grew up among the men a decided disposi- tion to protect the character of these popular gatherings. One Inci- dent is typical of this disposition. At the Foyer de La Valbonne one evening a soldier who had raised the first notes of a familiar plece was354 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN stopped by the unanimous cry: “That song is not wanted in the Foyer.” American participation stimulated athletic sports to a high degree. As compared with Americans, the French people in general play few games although many individuals are expert in boxing, fencing, soccer, and competitive sports combining speed and skill. The accuracy and range displayed by Americans in throwing hand grenades was ascribed, in part, to general proficiency in baseball. In consequence, orders were issued from the Ministry of War that base- ball should be promoted throughout the French Army. Officers reported distinct improvement in the use of grenades by men who received baseball training under expert American coaches. Basket ball was enthusiastically welcomed. Its effect in developing the upper body made it particularly beneficial, and its features of speed, excite- ment and open play caught the fancy of participants and spectators. When American and French soldiers were neighbors, Franco-Ameri- can basket ball games became popular events. Mass games and exer- cises also were introduced. In numerous camps the American ath- letic director was appointed by the commander as athletic officer; athletics were made obligatory at stated times when the entire unit, officers and men, were placed under his direction. In preparation for the Inter-Allied Games, American athletic directors were supplied as trainers and coaches for French contestants, whose success in the contests has been noted elsewhere. Not least important was the attention paid by Americans, in intervals of duty with soldiers, to the boys and girls of the villages, teaching them new games and organ- izing sports for them. In all these ways the seeds were sown of con- viction that athletics and play—‘“play for everybody’’—is not only a natural, wholesome diversion but a constructive force for good citi- zenship. The mere presence of Americans in the Foyers resulted, during 1917 and the early months of 1918, in a contribution to the Allied cause which cannot be measured. It was no less than tangible evi- dence to French soldiers that the United States, with its immense resources of men and material, was really coming to reinforce the out- numbered forces of France. Propaganda had sowed broadcast doubts of American aid. Assertions that America would supply money and munitions but would send no soldiers to fight and be killed, were "Consult Chapter VI, Morals and Military Efficiency.LES FOYERS DU SOLDAT 300 freely made and gained increasing belief as months passed without the appearance of Americans in the fighting lines. The American Foyer director was, for countless Frenchmen, the first real sign of our actual participation in the war. Headquarters kept them informed of developments in the United States, and they told of the troops mobiliz- ing in the great cantonments, of the shipbuilding and all of the rest of the strenuous activity that showed that America was in deadly earnest. The news spread along the front, and companies and regi- ments sent delegates to see the Americans with their own eyes. Skepticism gave way to hope and conviction. As American soldiers in increasing numbers began to confirm these promises, and it was seen that numerical superiority was at last being won by the Allies, the spirit of France rose to belief that her enormous sacrifice had not been in vain. For months, however, the American secretaries in the Foyers were the only prophecy and sign of what was to come. The American secretaries endeavored at all times to remember that they were part and parcel of a French enterprise. It is easy to exaggerate racial differences; it is quite true that sincerity and friend- liness will in the end win through all artificial barriers. But the old adage suggests that they actually did things in Rome a little differ- ently: to “do as the Romans do” meant at least some slight change of program. An American woman worker in the Foyer offered a little advice to new recruits: “Never ask anybody to do anything that will make him late for meals. Never hurry people; never forget to say ‘S’il vous plait, or ‘Merci’; add ‘Mon ami’ to all soldiers, ‘Mon colonel’ or ‘Mon capitaine’ to the officers, ‘Monsieur’ or ‘Madame’ to civilians; take plenty of time and keep on smiling 1 Externals are external, but their due observance saves time in the end; adaptability in this case meant efficiency. Needless to add, many an American worker came to like the French ways; and, almost without exception, the Americans fell into line—earning thereby a gratitude that far sur- passed anything that could have been won by the unfettering of the impulse to “improve.” A DISTINCTIVE SERVICE It was the business of Foyers to “chasser le cafard”—to drive away the blues—to assist in curing the homesickness, hypochondria, and boredom which are always present in war experience and which had so deeply affected the hard-pressed armies of France. ! Millions of Men, New York, 1918, No. 14, p. 9. Courtesy and SincerityThe Official Status of the Foyers 356 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN There were distinctive features that distinguished the Foyers from the welfare work for the A E F. First of all, the canteen, which absorbed so much of the energy of the secretaries in the American work, and which complicated wel- fare service by introducing a commercial enterprise, was minimized in the Foyers, leaving the director free for personal service to the men. The running of the post exchange is not a true function of welfare work. It was undertaken in the A E F because it appeared to be the thing most needed under the circumstances, and the YMCA was present in France not to fulfil a formal program but to serve where required. The little stores in the Foyers were supplementary and were always regarded as such. Further, the Foyers were actually a part of the French official organizations and were regarded as such by the men. Prices and regulations regarding sale were fixed by the authorities. Some of these regulations were very strict,1 but the men understood that the director was simply obeying orders. Asa part of the military organ- ization, the Foyers had certain clearly defined rights; requisitions upon officers for assistance could not be refused if within the limits of possibility. On the other hand, buildings and transportation in the zone of the armies were entirely furnished by the Government; and if buildings were not provided by the Army or transportation broke down, the Foyers were not blamed. American soldiers widely assumed that welfare organizations in France had general permission to be with the Army everywhere, forgetting that under the American arrangement requisitions were requests which might be granted or refused. The American Army did not assume primary responsibility as in the case of the French. The complete absence in the Foyers, by strict orders, of specifi- cally religious activities removed a fruitful source of friction. This is not the point at which to discuss either the propriety of the French arrangement or the values of the religious work in the American huts. The religious question was never raised in the Foyers and the actual conduct of the general work was just so much easier. Further, it must be remembered that the Foyers came to the poilu at a time of great need, almost as a complete surprise. He was extraordinarily appreciative. He expected nothing and was grateful 1For example, the sale of American tobacco to French soldiers in the Foyers was positively forbidden. Frequently, the director had in hand a supply of Amer- ican tobacco which he could sell to an American in the Foyer, but which he was compelled to withhold from a French soldier in the same room.LES FOYERS DU SOLDAT oot when he received the slightest service or the most casual attention. His smiling, “Tant pis,’ when told that something he desired was not to be had, was the measure both of his tolerance and his sense of humor. Lastly, the Foyers enjoyed the great advantage of being able to go quietly about their business without any necessity for advertise- ment. The funds necessary for the work were supplied from Amer- ica; there was no need to publish to France the achievements of the service—a process which involves the greatest risk of misunderstand- ing. This burden was borne by others in this case. The outstanding values of the work were clearly established in the minds of all who knew it at first hand. That a great number of tired, discouraged men, who had borne and were bearing frightful hardships, received a measure of physical comfort was unquestion- able. Out of this purely humanitarian service grew a spiritual result, the reviving of confidence and devotion to the cause of France and of humanity. Innumerable new individual friendships—the threads that, woven together form the web of international friendship —were created, and a better mutual understanding of national char- acteristics leading to respect and liking. An idea, ignored at the beginning by all but a few far-seeing minds, developed into a potent force for the social betterment of France in peace as well as war. Such results are always worth what they cost. It is only fair to leave to a citizen of France the final word in summing up the value of the Foyers. In response to greetings extended by the YMCA at a dinner in his honor at Washington, D. C., Nov. 21, 1921, Marshal Foch said: “There is no greater eulogy to be made of your Y MCA work on behalf of the Allied Armies than to enumerate in figures, the services that were rendered. There are no words that speak better than these figures. I cannot better them. But I must say here, 1n my capacity as Chief of the French Armies, how greatly we have appreciated the services that you were able to render us. In 1914, led by the great principle of humanity, you started to aid, to relieve the prisoners of war; and shortly after we asked you: Come and help us to uplift our soldiers. “The French soldier, it is known, is brave, full of initiative; he is full of impulse, he is full of that spirit which 1s called the peauc fury.’ But, would it last? The world doubted it; Would it oi out? Would hebe steadfast? Would he last inalong war? All the world asked that question. The AppreciationUnselfish Service the Principle of Humanity 358 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN “Well! Yes! To the great astonishment of the whole world this soldier was seen to endure, to hold out during battles lasting more than twenty days, under continuous fire, persistent, without any shelter, having very often for cover, only the bodies of his comrades who had fallen; during four winters he was seen maintaining his trench warfare, a war in mud and mire, having for roof but the sky of winter, with its clouds and its rigors, and his only shelter a hole in the ground. “In this effort, all moral support seemed sure to break under a bombardment which never ceased. What man was there whose nerves were sufficiently strong to endure for entire years? Above all, the loneliness, the reaction, the depression, the melancholy, that which was recently and very judiciously called the ‘blues’, invaded the minds and seemed as if they must turn the soldiers away from facing the enemy. “Well! This morale, we have been able to sustain, thanks to your powerful help, thanks to the Foyers du Soldat Union Franco-Améri- caine Y MCA, into which the tired soldier came for new strength, and to find a touch of that family life, or at least that familiar con- tact which seemed to him an infinite comfort. This was the means by which resistance was maintained, and when we wished to advance, we found energies much better revitalized and much better prepared because these soldiers who had felt and proved in themselves the con- tact of this goodwill, placed entirely at their disposal, believed them- selves obliged to pay once again with their life-blood—and advance. ‘When we definitely launched our final offensive, they were driven forward by the inspiration of the forces behind, and the soldiers marched ahead with resolute step determined and conscience-bound to go to the very limit. “From this direction came that magnificent blast which, driving our sails and our flags, carried them forward in an irresistible assault, to that moment on November 11, 1918, when the enemy cried, ‘Halt! Enough! Yes! Our flags blending with each other, we forged reso- lutely ahead, driven by that impulse, not only of soldiers who felt themselves supported by the organization behind them, but above all, by their faith, their religious belief and their absolute self-sacrifice. “Then, let me, gentlemen, attribute a great part of our success to you, as much in the defensive as in the offensive by that support which you gave us, and because you sheltered all that work in the shadow of the finest of ideals, the principle of humanity—unselfish service. “I would never conclude, gentlemen, if I attempted to tell you all the sentiments that inspire me in the presence of such results, but I must tender to you the greatest “Thank you!’ that I find in the depths of my heart, for all the work you have undertaken—and realized.”CHAPTER LV WITH THE ALLIES IN FRANCE Among the smaller groups of Allied soldiers in France, the Amer- ican Y MC A rendered a service which, though small in extent as com- pared with American and French Army work, was in every case inter- esting and significant. There was no Serbian force fighting as a unit in France, but sev- the Association took over the management of a hostel for these men, the “Maison Serbe,” which a generous French woman had been oper- ating at her own expense. Some work was also done in a Serb hos- pital in Paris. After July, 1917, a stream of sturdy Siamese trickled into France. Though the Siamese Government was opposed to the introduction of Y service, the officers on the field requested it; and the Siamese Minister to France formally expressed his appreciation. A Czechoslovak unit was assigned a few secretaries; and as a result the Czechoslovak authorities asked that the work be continued among the troops on their return home.t Work for Indian troops in France is discussed in another place.? The service for the Portuguese, Poles, Russians, and Chinese, with the many difficulties arising from linguistic differences, must be considered in more detail. WITH THE ARMIES OF PORTUGAL In accordance with a long-standing treaty with England, Portu- gal did not declare neutrality in 1914. Casting her lot with the Allied cause, she entered the war in March, 1916. She seized German ships in home and colonial ports, helped the Belgians and British to drive the Germans from Africa; finally she sent 60,000 troops to the British front in France, and suffered a hard pounding in the 1918 offensive. The chairman of the Portuguese National Y MCA, Don Alfredo da Silva, noting the work with the British troops in the fall of 1917, ‘Consult Chapter LXIX for the complete story of the work that developed from this small beginning. ? Consult Chapter LVII. 359 and Czechoslovak eral hundred Serb students were stranded in Paris. Early in 1919 ServicepS { d | | | ! i The Internationalism of Y Secretaries 360 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN asked Dr. Mott for American cooperation in service for the Portu- guese troops. The Portuguese were welcomed in the British Y huts, but linguistic difficulties led to the request that Portuguese-speaking secretaries enter the field. This emergency was met in 1918 by an American, Myron A. Clark, a YMCA secretary who had served for many years in Brazil and had inaugurated Association work in the University of Portugal, Coimbra, Portugal, in 1915. In February, 1918, Mr. Clark went to France to take charge of the work and was assigned to the Headquarters Staff of the British Y at Abbeville. The work was operated under British secretaries at first, but later Ameri- cans who knew Portuguese came in. The supplies, funds, and accounts, however, were handled through the British Association, which furnished tents and canteen equipment but no great financial support. Financial aid could not be expected from Portugal. The Americans appropriated funds, secured personnel, and plunged into the work with the Portuguese Army at Brest, at the front in Flanders, and in the rest zone near the Channel ports. There was also a Paris Bureau at 29 Rue Montholon, with a dormitory and canteen to care for Portuguese officers and men when passing through the city. Dur- ing the six months preceding the Armistice, some 50,000 frances were expended on the Portuguese work. After the Armistice and during demobilization, service was again rendered at Brest, and for a time in Portugal itself. At Cherbourg, this special work continued until the middle of summer of 1919. The work with the Portuguese was interesting from several points of view. The personnel of 23 secretaries was international. The greater part were Americans, and the others British, Portuguese, and Brazilians. They had to grapple with an acute morale problem. The troops were composed of illiterate peasant boys and men from under-privileged groups in the cities, who had no such motive for fighting and enduring the hardships of war as animated Frenchmen, Englishmen, and Americans. Their officers, largely drawn from the Portuguese aristocracy which as a class was opposed to entering the war on behalf of Great Britain, were in many cases quite uncertain in their loyalty to the Allied cause. For this reason, if for no other, relations were often strained between the British and the Portuguese. Thus American workers were more acceptable than British. The Portuguese looked to them for help in their difficulties and their joy at hearing their own language spoken by American secretaries was almost pathetic.WITH THE ALLIES IN FRANCE 361 1} The Association followed its regular athletic and social program, and helped the Portuguese troops personally in many ways. By acts of kindness the secretaries endeared themselves to thousands of Portu- guese soldiers who were very ill at ease at war in a foreign land. Sev- eral of them were cited by the Portuguese Command, and four were made officers of the Order of Christ (Ordem de Cristo). Their dem- onstration of the Christianity of service rather than of creed left a deep impression. WITH THE POLISH AUTONOMOUS ARMY Among the most interesting of the minor units fighting in the Work witha Allied cause was the Polish Legion, recruited largely from Polish Americans before the United States entered the war and later includ- ing those Poles in the United States who wanted to fight for a liber- ated Poland but who were not eligible to military service in American armies. This force, originally about 60,000 strong, became known as the Polish Autonomous Army, and was later increased to 75,000 by additions in France of former Austro-German war prisoners of Polish birth. With this force the Association served, first through the Foyers du Soldat, and later under purely American direction. When this army under General Haller returned in triumph to Poland, sec- retaries accompanied it by express request of the commander and were able to inaugurate work there. Y MCA work was commenced with the Polish Autonomous Army in France under the auspices of the Foyers du Soldat in January, 1918. A request for Y MC A aid was made to Mr. Carter by a Polish soldier who came with other Polish troops on a ship from New York, on which YMCA secretaries, both men and women, served the troops. Walter S. Schutz, who had an indefinite appointment in the Foyers, was sent to Laval in the department of Mayenne by D. A. Davis in response to this request. The first hut was opened on January 21st at Laval for the benefit of the First Regiment of Polish Chasseurs. A canteen was also opened here and a few weeks later two American women Well to Laval to operate this canteen. A little later, small huts or foyers were opened in other training camps of Polish troops at Mayenne, illé-le-Guillaume, and Mamers. ; ed ee Beh Keni rapidly as new contingents of the Army arrived from America and were sent to French training camps in the Depart- ments of Mayenne, Sarthe, Calvados, La Manche, and along theKt | | i" Essential American Service 362 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Loire. In all about fifty men and women secretaries served with these Polish soldiers in France, following the regiments from one training area to another. On March 1, 1918, the two pioneer secre- taries accompanied the Ist Regiment of Polish chasseurs into the Champagne area and opened their canteen at Sainte-Tanche in the Mailly district. In early June the first regiment went into the lines between Chalons and Rheims with General Gouraud’s French Army, and gave an excellent account of themselves. The Y followed them in camionettes. Later the First Division, composed of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Regiments, held the lines in the Vosges sector first occupied by the United States Army. Here there were huts between the first and sec- ond line trenches whose service also reached out to the men in the out- posts. One of the secretaries was decorated with the Croix de Guerre for his bravery under fire. After the Armistice, the First Division continued in the Nancy area preparatory to its departure for Poland, secretaries serving them in the various camps and towns where they were billeted. As about 80 per cent of the soldiers composing the Polish Army were recruited in and came from America, their needs and prefer- ences were American rather than French, although they were equipped and rationed by the French military authorities. It was decided, therefore, to transfer the Polish Army Work from the Foyers du Soldat tothe American YMCA. This had been suggested as early as June, 1918, and the transfer was effected as of August 1, 1918. From that time the work was entirely under the auspices of the American YMCA. Secretaries were privileged to participate in three epoch- making events in the history of the Polish Army in France; May 8, 1918, the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of 1791 (corresponding to our Fourth of July) ; June 22, 1918, the presenta- tion of the Polish flags to the 1st, 2d and 3d Regiments by President Poincaré near Brienne-le-Chateau—this was the first time that an independent Polish Army had fought under its own colors in more than a hundred years; and October 6, 1918, when General Joseph Haller, the Polish patriot, assumed command of the entire Polish Army in France, near Nancy in Lorraine. In March, 1918, General Haller officially requested the YMCA to accompany his army to Poland, and promised it every facility pos- sible in carrying on its work, which he said had become almost a necessity to his men. Five secretaries accompanied General Haller’s staff to Poland, leaving Paris on April 16, 1919, and reaching WarsawWITH THE ALLIES IN FRANCE 363 on April 21st. On April 29th, these secretaries were present at the meeting between General Haller and the Chief of State, Josef Pilsud- ski, on his return from the recapture of Vilna; and they also shared in the magnificently impressive celebration of the 3d of May—the first since Poland became free and independent. While the YMCA went to Poland at the invitation of General Haller and with only suf- ficient equipment to serve his Army, Commander in Chief Pilsudski and his officers urged the extension of its work to all the Polish troops and especially the young, new recruits. The Ministry of War officially requested the YMCA to serve the Polish Army, promising full cooperation. WITH THE RUSSIAN LEGION The Russian Expeditionary Force, which in the spring of 1916 had numbered about 60,000, had dwindled by the spring of 1918 toa small body of 2,000 men, known as the Russian Legion. Casualties, sickness, and particularly the disaffection arising after the conclusion of the Peace of Brest-Litovsk, had accounted for the diminution. The rest of the fit men, at least 20,000, were virtually prisoners of war under the control of the French. The Legion was, of course, abso- lutely cut off from communication with home and the Russian Gov- ernment of the day ignored its existence. It was attached to the famous Moroccan Division and fought in the defense of Allied lines against the German attacks of March and April, 1918. The little troop was terribly cut up in this fighting, but replacements were found among the men in the labor battalions; and the Legion was thus able to uphold its honor to the end of the war. As a recognition of its services, it was included in the French Army of Occupation. The YMCA obtained permission to work with this Russian fighting force. The work was conducted by the Russian Department, organized in France by the American Y for the purpose of serving all Russians. ‘The workers marched with the troops through storm and mud, supplied them with extra rations of bacon and bread en route, distributed American chocolate and cigarets before action, fol- lowed them into the trenches with supplies, and visited the wounded in the hospitals after the fighting. These men, separated from their people and from their disaffected comrades, found a great barrier in their difficult language, and felt very isolated. A Russian officer thus summed up the chief values of the Y service: * Consult Chapter LXIX for the story of Y work in Poland. A Difficult Situation| | a | | i | } it } 364 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN “You will never fully understand how much we Russians appre- ciate the goodwill of you Americans in accompanying us to battle. This proof that someone actually cares for us has touched our hearts more deeply than we can express to you.” When the fighting troops and invalids returned to Russia, the Association had the good fortune to know of their intended departure in time to send secretaries to the docks to brighten the homegoing with stores of chocolates, biscuits, cigarets, games, books, and papers, and with phonographs and records. When a volunteer body of fight- ing troops was recruited in France for service in Russia, two of the Association secretaries accompanied them to Marseilles, where they were sent on their way with the usual gifts. Letters from Constan- tinople and South Russia record the appreciation of these services. WITH THE CHINESE LABOR CORPS IN FRANCE One of the most interesting and significant phases of the war was the importation of Chinese Labor into France. The Chinese Govern- ment, thoroughly in sympathy with the Allied cause but unable to aid it by means of troops, gave the British and French permission to recruit workmen under contract which included their transportation from China to France and return, and wages in cash for the period agreed upon. In 1916, the British and the French opened recruiting offices in Puhow, Weihaiwei, Tsingtao, and other points and in the course of the war enlisted between 150,000 and 200,000 Chinese work- men for service in France. The British used by far the greater part of these in their base area from Havre to Dunkirk and in the army zone between Cambrai and Ypres. The French used some 30,000 in ports from Brest to Marseilles and at munition works in the interior, while 10,000 were loaned to the Americans for use in the Services of Supply. They were engaged in the handling of military supplies at ports and bases, in repairing roads and building railways, handling munitions, and even digging trenches. After the Armistice, they were sent up to the devastated areas in large numbers where they were engaged in reconstruction and salvage. The maintenance of the morale of these Orientals suddenly trans- ported from their homes and set to unfamiliar tasks in a foreign and war-ridden land was imperative. The efficiency of the Chinese as laborers depended largely on their contentedness and on the degree of understanding between themWITH THE ALLIES IN FRANCE 365 and the Westerners directing their work. Very few Westerners understand Chinese; but the Y M C A was able to secure the services of missionaries to China, at home on furlough, to work as secretaries. Before these secretaries arrived, there had been riots and strikes every few days. These were, in most cases, largely due to lack of understanding. No one could speak both Chinese and English. The food was insufficient and not suited to Chinese. No boiled water or tea was provided, whereas Chinese drink only hot water or tea. Much sickness and discontent resulted. Since the doctors could not under- stand Chinese, diseases were improperly treated, if attended to at all. There were misunderstandings concerning hours and wages, SuUSs- picions and resentment resulted, and occasionally mistreatment by the officers in charge. All these and numerous other difficulties the Mandarin-speaking secretary was able to remove, for the commanding officer was always willing to remedy any trouble when the situation was understood. Even so the entire group would sometimes strike, and it was the business of the secretary to get them back on the job. The English National Council of the YM CA immediately With the offered to aid in a recreational program for these men but the mili- tary authorities were opposed to any outside influence which might tend to lessen discipline, and no official sanction was given to such work. Although no formal permission had been granted, the British National Council, by the end of 1917, had opened work in thirty cen- ters and military men had come to see its value in keeping up the morale of these working men. The British Association with the help of Colonel Fairfax, in command of these labor battalions, at last suc- ceeded in getting the work officially sanctioned and in March, 1918, the British National Council was formally invited by the General Headquarters to establish canteen and recreational service in all the Chinese labor units. By the end of 1918, there were 80 centers serv- ing more than half of the 194 companies under British command The personnel included 38 Chinese students and a score of mis sionaries provided by the International Committee of North America. oe Simultaneously, in the fall of 1917, the International Committee Wa aS undertook work for the Chinese under French command; and a Chi- nese student from Harvard, Mr. Hsi, started the first hut for ae workmen in Feysin, a suburb of Lyons. There were soon nearly ae centers with secretaries, the Chinese personnel being twice Cae the American. In the spring of 1918, the work was ene eat Chinese workmen under American command. In 1919, the bri os - ——_—_+-—366 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN staff included over a hundred, nearly half of whom were Chinese. The funds for all this work were furnished by the International Com- mittee of North America, and the English National Council. One of the strongest elements in the whole work was the thor- ough and cordial cooperation of the Chinese Government. When the Director-General of the United War Work Campaign cabled the Y MCA of China suggesting that China provide $100,000 toward the welfare work in Europe, a committee of 52 Chinese political and commercial leaders, associated with the Y M C A, was organized, and secured not $100,000 but over $1,400,000. It is not too much to say that the fact that the Association was actively associated with this work immensely stimulated the interest of the Chinese. The American National War Work Council eventually appropriated for work among Chinese in France and elsewhere, its proportion of this total sum. The President of China headed the fund with a contribution of $5,000, and gave this characteristically sound Chinese testimonial: “If an old man like me goes wrong, it doesn’t matter much. If a middle-aged man goes wrong, that is a most serious loss, but if a young man goes wrong, he goes on destroying character all the rest of his life, and for that reason I believe we ought to sustain such a work as that being done by the Young Men’s Christian Association.” One of the first forms of service was to bring the Chinese into touch with their people at home. Many had written letters but had received no replies. They did not realize that during the war six months’ time was required for a reply from China, and it was rumored that Chinese, employed by the French Government as interpreters, appropriated the stamps and burned the letters. To remove this dif- ficulty permission of the American base censor was secured for the Chinese mail to go through the American Army Post Office, the secre- tary assuming responsibility for censoring the same. To make sure that the replies from China would reach the men in France each laborer was provided with several return envelopes, the return address being printed both in French and Chinese. As only a small percentage of the Chinese can write, the secretary prepared a letter for them in Chinese. Two thousand were printed and distributed. The laborer had but to fill in his name and the date. These letters told of the general good conditions surrounding them—which had been secured by that time, and included friendly messages. An edu- cated Chinese, detailed by the Government to help the secretary inWITH THE ALLIES IN FRANCE 367 the canteen, was at the tent on Sundays to assist in correspondence. | YMCA stationery, printed in English and in Chinese, was provided ea free. } A Paris bank agreed to transmit funds to China for these men, Home oes but when some never heard from the money they had sent, many grew suspicious and would not risk remitting money in this way. After the secretary had gained their confidence in himself and in the Y MCA, the Association headquarters in Paris were prevailed upon to transmit funds to China by the same method our soldiers used in sending money to America. The Paris Office agreed to make the experiment. More than 15,000 francs (about $3,000) was col- lected to go to several hundred needy families in China. Some had been carefully saving this money for three years, others had lost or gambled away much that could have been sent to their families had there been a ready means of transmission. The Chinese readily took advantage of this opportunity and showed real appreciation. The temperament of the Chinese, even the lowest class, responds Lestesnis to mental diversion before it takes to games. So classes in the Chi- nese language were established with trained secretaries brought from China. An intensive course was given in the meaning of the war, the geography and social conditions of Europe, and especially in the significance of the environment in which they found themselves. This led to classes for the better educated in English, French, geography, history, mathematics, and a course of study which put within their reach something like that of the common schools in America. A Chinese weekly newspaper was published in Paris, edited by a Chi- nese graduate of Yale University. This education proved among all these Chinese volunteers a key to the understanding of our Western world. : The transplanting of this army of Chinese citizen laborers into Athletics the heart of European civilization opened a new field for creative wel- fare work. Every Chinese camp had not only its social and educa- tional centers, but a sports program which kept the men fit and active and which taught many of them for the first time the European mode of enjoying outdoor life. Soccer, football, volley ball, basket ball, running, and even baseball were enthusiastically indulged in by the young and active Chinese. The Army organization had a compul- sory physical program of its own, and men were given calisthenic drills; but the Y secretaries made the most of Chinese games and Chi- nese forms of physical exercise from the start. The result was that| | The Largest Nation in the World 368 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN kite flying, throwing the stone lock, lifting the double stone wheels, and the extremely dexterous battledore and shuttlecock game, which in some parts of China is a national sport, brought a spontaneous response of the native sport instinct. The Y MCA was ina position to conduct such work successfully because of its contact with missionaries, Chinese students in America, and Chinese agencies in China. Some of the Chinese secretaries gave up scholarships in American universities in order to undertake this service. There is no doubt of the value of the work. A marked improvement in morale followed its introduction at every local point. It was also another opportunity for America to offer a friendly hand to the great Republic of China, which, be it remembered, is the largest nation in the world.CHAPTER LVI ITALY AND THE BALKANS ITALY It is easy to overlook the part played by Italy in the World War. During the period between the declaration of war against Austria on May 24, 1915, and the fall of 1917, her men held a very difficult front of 480 miles; and while they achieved no decisive success, they kept a large Austrian army from the western front at a time when such rein- forcement might have turned the scales in favor of the Central Pow- ers. Even the unfortunate disaster of October, 1917, did not actually work much harm to the Allied cause; for its accomplishment drew heavily on the power of the German divisions, and the lines on the Piave were stabilized without much actual loss’of power on the west- ern front. During 1918, the Italian Army acquitted itself well, con- tributing in no small degree to make the final victory sure. The position of the Italian soldier was extremely difficult. Italy The italien is a country of limited resources, that have been much depleted by the many struggles in which her people have been engaged for a cen- tury. The soldier at the front, during the early days of the World War was not very well equipped and rather poorly supplied; and the forces were probably much inferior to the enemy in artillery in nearly every engagement. The continuous fighting in the mountains was difficult and discouraging. Transportation was a most serious problem in the high Alps. Besides all this, the fighting man as 2 . rule lived in constant anxiety regarding the family he had left behind. With the drafting of the bread-winner, many thousands of families were left in dire want. Neither government allowances nor private beneficence could meet the situation with adequate relief, for the main- tenance of the forces at the front practically exhausted the surplus resources and energy of the nation. France and Great Britain had not very much to spare during those first three years. The first definite effort to alleviate the hardships of the Italians Se eae was made by a young Catholic priest-professor, Don Giovannl Minozzi, a chaplain of the Knights of Malta, who went to the front with the second hospital train sent forward by the Order. He opened 369Increasing Needs 370 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN reading and writing rooms—Case del Soldato—in the rugged Cadore. The Italian High Command in 1916 officially requested Don Giovanni to extend his service to the entire front. The Army requisitioned buildings, and private funds were secured for maintenance and equip- ment. ‘The leader of the work experienced the usual difficulties in extending such an enterprise but by the autumn of 1917 there were some 200 centers in operation, carrying on a program much like that in Y huts. These Case were all in the forward zone. In June, 1915, just as the first Case were being established, C. V. Hibbard and D. A. Davis of the American YMCA visited Italy to offer assistance in service both for prisoners of war and for soldiers. Mr. Davis at this time inspected Don Minozzi’s work as well as cer- tain Protestant efforts. Some proposals were made for work to be conducted by the Italian YMCA and support was promised for one center in Naples to be operated by the Student Christian Movement. The American YMC A, in prisoner of war work, confined its efforts during this first period to contributions toward the support of a score of centers in the rear area largely under the direction of the Italian Y. By midsummer of 1917, the value of Don Minozzi’s work was universally recognized and the need for its rapid extension appeared everywhere. His resources were, however, quite insufficient for such an extension; and he and his friends made a definite appeal to the Y MCA for men and money. Both the American and the British Associations had their hands full at the moment. The American forces were coming into France and Generals Pershing and Pétain were urging a big program for the French, and under the circum- Stances these were regarded as primary obligations. Prominent Italians had meanwhile become interested in Y work as carried on in the British Army; and an invitation was extended by the Italian Insti- tute in Paris for the visit of a mixed commission of American and British secretaries! to the Italian Front. This mission, proceeding to Italy in September, inspected the fighting armies and returned with high admiration both for the conduct of the military operations and the excellent work of Don Minozzi. As a result of the negotiations, the Association’s offer of service was accepted by the Italian high com- mand, the terms of acceptance asking “maximum cooperation.” To meet this situation the Y stood ready to provide $1,000,000 and 200 secretaries for the first year. It was hoped by the Americans that The invitation was originally extended to the British, at whose suggestion the Americans were included,ITALY AND THE BALKANS 371 experienced British leaders might be set aside for this service; but the British Association could spare neither men nor funds at this critical time, so the American Y assumed the responsibility of leader- ship and support. The demands upon the American Y in France caused a most unfortunate delay in establishing work in Italy. The leaders in Paris were face to face with the serious situation of 1917 and experi- enced leadership was in demand everywhere. It was nothing short of tragic that the institution of American cooperation was held over till January, 1918. For meanwhile the terrible disaster of Caporetto befell the forces Caporetto of Italy. The combination of war weariness, astute propaganda, and skilful attack that wrought this catastrophe has been described too often to require elaboration here. Disaffected troops in the Second Army gave way at a critical point, involving that army in almost total disaster thus forcing a desperate retreat all along the line. For a time it looked as if Italy were utterly defeated but the heroic stand of exhausted veterans aided by practically untrained boy recruits held up the advance at last; while two British and one French division backed up the final stabilization of the lines in December. The Brit- ish General, the Earl of Cavan, declared that this recovery of the Italians was unparalleled in the history of warfare. Needless to say, the morale situation was very serious. The chief cause of the reverse was such as to spread consternation far and wide. Re-establishment of confidence was an immediate necessity. The value set upon welfare work at this juncture is best appreciated in connection with the statement of Prince Borghese that the institu- tion of Y work a year earlier would have prevented the invasion of Italy. Of course, the Case del Soldato had suffered with the armies; its 200 centers were all lost in the retreat. The American Y M CA National War Work Council, a Protestant organization, however, ap- propriated 500,000 lire to replace the buildings of the Roman Catholic Case del Soldato. The demand of the previous summer upon the American Y now became doubly imperative. In January, 1918, the American Y was able to move; Dr. John S. The Ameren Nollen arrived with ten secretaries at the Army headquarters at Bologna—next month American cooperation became an actual fact. The work: took the name of Opera di Fratellanza Universale Amer1- cana YMCA, Case del Soldato—abbreviated everywhere to La Fra- *Consult Chapter XXVII.| } j } } | f ] } Pt 372 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN tellanza, the Brotherhood, or L’IMCA. Under the same arrangement as in the case of the Foyers, it was understood that there was to be no religious propaganda, either Protestant or Roman Catholic. No distinction in insignia was made between the American and Italian Case. The American workers had no reason to complain of their wel- come. Every facility was placed at their disposal. Goods were admitted free of duty; transportation of men and materials was not charged for; buildings were requisitioned wherever needed; even the personal comfort of Americans was a matter of solicitude on the part of the military; and the most competent liaison officers, subalterns, and soldiers were detailed to facilitate the welfare program. Certain restrictions imposed in regard to initiation of service at new points on the front soon yielded to pressure from officers of the line, and thenceforward there were never any hindrances. When Dr. Mott was on a tour of inspection in the spring of 1918, the King of Italy expressed to him the earnest desire that the service be expanded to the maximum as soon as possible. Individual soldiers and civilians rendered direct assistance of the very greatest value at all times and officers and officials tried uniformly to smooth the way of the Ameri- can workers. The Italian personnel in the service at all times out- numbered the force of foreign directors. During the period of hard fighting in the summer of 1918, the Y had 150 huts in operation, 50 of these being in the forward area. At the time of the Armistice there were about 200 huts, while work was being carried on in 318 hospitals, 127 military barracks, and in connection with all the principal railroad stations. In addition, there were 20 camion and launch routes. At this time there were 220 American secretaries, which number increased to over 270 at the peak of the service, with over 500 Italians assisting. Over 400 Americans altogether served in the work for Italian fighting men. That the Italian work never received either the personnel or sup- plies that were needed was due to the critical difficulties faced by the YMCA in France both in 1917 and particularly in the spring of 1918 when the German drives upset all programs. The overseas forces of the Association were compelled to regard the work for the AEF as primary, with the Foyers enterprise a close second. The great struggle was decided in France and Flanders during the very months when the Italian need for service was so urgent. Under the circumstances, it is hard to see how it would have been possible toITALY AND THE BALKANS 373 divert any more energy from the principal services while both were undermanned in the days of supreme crisis. The first opportunity for service lay very close at hand. In the Rebabilitation Bologna district there were more than 10,000 wounded whose recov- ery was slow in spite of the best efforts of the medical corps. A YMCA director immediately offered to arrange a demonstration in corrective gymnastics. The character of the exercises and the spirit in which they were carried out produced both moral and physical results of the highest value. One observer remarked that it was the first time he had seen the men smile since Caporetto. Before the end of March, young officers specially coached were carrying the program to other hospitals. The demonstration at Bologna brought invitations from other centers; and the officers’ school at Modena, after such an exhibition, weleomed a resident secretary who could train officers in athletics. The general result of these demonstrations was a bulletin issued by the Minister of War commending such activities to all mili- tary units. The director of military hospitals for North’ Italy re- quested service for the convalescent areas of five armies. This physi- cal service—whose guiding motive was recreational, a fostering of the spirit of play—was supplemented by the use of games and puzzles, phonograph concerts, movies, music, and dramatic entertainments. The plans for the armies were pushed forward as rapidly as poS- Recreation and sible during the early spring months. The American Y forces were still very few in number but energetic effort backed by splendid local cooperation developed a really impressive program. The first two locations were assigned on the lower Piave close to the line. From these centers all the program that could be made to travel by camion or launch was carried to the scattered units along the river. These could be reached with magazines, newspapers, sta- tionery, phonographs, and moving pictures. Regular activities were opened in the huts. A field meet was held on April 30, 1918, and squad prizes were given to encourage team play. This event led to a discussion with the Duke of Aosta, resulting in an invitation to carry the athletic program to the whole army. The need for this program of recreation was felt everywhere and became a leading feature of the work when the Fratellanza was extended to the Second Army, west of the first huts. On May 10, a few miles from the trenches, 12,000 gathered for an athletic tournament on a field gay with flags while airplanes dropped patriotic handbills among the con- testants. Other armies asked for an extension of this recreation.| City Work The Last Austrian Attack 374 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The entertainment department was set up at Y M CA headquar- ters to promote this feature of a welfare program so vital under the circumstances. The moving picture machines were, of course, kept on the road continuously. A dramatic company was organized; and soon afterward, through the efforts of an Italian well known in oper- atic circles, abundant musical talent was secured. The first singers at the front after Caporetto were his troupe, which sang for the Third Army in May. In June another troupe visited the Second Army. A favorite woman singer from unredeemed Trieste sang popular airs in many dialects while the boys joined in the choruses. In the Second Army area, a company was organized at Montebelluna—just in the rear of Montello, a critical point in the line—which gave numerous performances to which soldiers were brought directly from the trenches. The need of athletics and diversion in the cities was also im- pressed upon the Y leaders at an early date. American Consul Car- roll urged the need at Venice, and the director of an American hospital emphasized the claim of Florence and the surrounding districts with their numerous barracks and 43,000 wounded men. In March, two secretaries reached Florence and in April a single American began work in Venice. From Bologna, secretaries were stationed at neigh- boring towns to open Case and to direct athletics and entertainment in barracks, camps, and hospitals. Everywhere the flag, the uniform, the games, music, pictures, and plays met the same response. A local paper declared the service “truly beyond praise—simply American.” In a short time, centers had been organized in a dozen cities, where the workers divided their attention between the wounded and the able- bodied. At the railroad station in Florence a Casa del Soldato was established to serve the crowds of men who passed to and fro through that center of transportation. Throughout this period, let it be again emphasized, the American workers were laboring under a great shortage of men and of sup- plies. They were enabled to conduct so much work solely because of the assistance of detailed soldiers and other Italian workers. The Austrians began, June 16th, an offensive planned to complete the disaster of Caporetto and overrun central Italy. The thrust was quickly parried in the mountains; but the enemy bridged the Piave at many points and crossed in force. The fighting was bloody for many days. Determined resistance and counter attacks at length drove the invaders back across the river. The Italians recovered territoryITALY AND THE BALKANS 375 held by the enemy since the previous autumn, a constant threat to Venice. Depression in Austrian morale was accompanied by corres- ponding elation among the victorious troops, and the way was pre- pared for the decisive defeat of Austria in the short and sharp autumn campaign which soon followed. The main fighting was in the sectors of the Second and Third Armies, and the farthest enemy advance in the region of the first American “soldiers’ houses.” One was wrecked; the second abandoned in the temporary Italian retirement. Thus, by chance, all Americans at the front were so situated as to render vital service to troops in action. They had anticipated important activities. Just before the battle Pmerzency every American with the Second Army had volunteered to serve troops in the first trenches. In both armies, emergency stations were set up—posti di ristoro—where numbers of wounded men would pass, and here the Americans served day and night hot drinks, hard bread, chocolate bars, and cigarets to wounded and exhausted soldiers—to more than 1,000 at a single point in one day. Hot Fratellanza coffee and American cigarets had to serve in place of unobtainable anaes- thetics for field hospital operations. When the Italians recaptured the bloody triangle between the Piave and the Sile Canal, and the wounded were picked from among the dead over the marsh battlefield, all were brought, after first aid, to the Y stations for restoratives. Secretaries operated a motor boat on the Sile Canal for weeks, distributing restor- atives and food to wounded men brought from the last actions of the counter-offensive. The Americans admired the heroism of Italian medical officers, and Italians were equally generous in their praise of the “activity and intelligence” with which “the humanitarian task had been accom- plished even in times of greatest difficulty,”’ as General Caviglia wrote. This welfare service to men in action was a striking novelty. Formal inquiry was made at Bologna, and assurances given, that in future emergencies similar service would be undertaken. Hence, before the final offensive in October, complete information was entrusted to national and regional headquarters in order that plans might be per- fected for the fullest emergency service. The Fourth of July, coinciding with the assurance of victory 1n this second Battle of Piave, was enthusiastically celebrated through- out Italy. Wherever there were Fratellanza men, they were guests of honor.After the Battle The Mountain Huts 376 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN After the battle, demands for the vitalizing service of physical welfare, sports, music and drama, ran continually in advance of the possible supply until numbers of new men began arriving in late August and the autumn. More than 100 came in September and a substantial number in October. Throughout the summer, however, there was steady development. By the end of July, the stimulation of the new moral factor was being felt in 360 hospitals, barracks, and Case del Soldato. The propaganda officers at the front were com- bining their efforts with those of the Americans to see that music and drama reached all American and Italian centers. Regional physical directors traveled along two army fronts setting thousands of men weekly to playing games. Phonographs journeying on six or more camion routes, and later on nineteen, played airs from “Rigoletto,” “Aida,” “Il Trovatore,” or American ragtime within reach of the Austrian guns, sometimes in dugouts in hearing of the enemy. The American line of service gradually stretched westward to Mount Grappa and then to the Asiago plateau, on to Lake Garda and around the lake to the vast Adamello glacier among the Alpine snows. Some of the “soldiers’ houses” were in desolate places in the hills. To one or more the men descended daily from the peak-top artillery and observation posts by wire cables, the teleferica. One appeared at the foot of Mount Grappa. Before the next battle began, there was a Casa on the very summit, just outside the rock gallery from which the big guns shelled Mount Pertica. In such places, light and a little warmth of oil stoves meant much even in a barren village house. Let- ters to the family gave a new sort of ease of mind, and the shows and music and games were a spur to both flesh and spirit. Men recover- ing in the field hospitals, only to go into the lines and be wounded again, felt that their hospital stay was a bit more like a leave of absence. The proprietor of a theater who opened his building for a show to 2,000 soldiers was astonished that nothing was smashed. He did not understand the psychology of contentment and appreciation for a little kindness. He may not have wondered where the soldiers and officers had written their letters before they began using a thousand lire worth of stamps daily in the Casa at Venice. But understanding was widespread. Great enthusiasm marked the opening of new centers in towns in the war zone. In one district in Lombardy a theater, a school, and a hotel became each a Casa del Soldato; at one of these the townspeople gave the opening program, and for another they fur-ITALY AND THE BALKANS 317 nished the seats. As to the soldiers themselves, their appreciation was far beyond American deserts, and their homes everywhere learned of their satisfaction. From one army region, 230,000 sheets of paper in one month and 138,000 picture cards carried greetings to the mothers and wives under the strange symbol of the Red Triangle. Abundance of talent was available for entertainment. Italian directors were found in most of the large centers to train troupes of singers and players. Increasing numbers of concerts were given at theaters and “soldiers’ houses” and more singers appeared in hos- pitals. Jugglers, burratini—puppet show artists—hypnotists, vaude- ville companies, famous musicians, all entered the ranks of the Fratel- lanza reserve and helped to hearten the fighters and win the war. An experienced director of entertainment work arrived in September and another for movie shows a month later. Soon thereafter Bologna was supplying films to fourteen subordinate centers and pictures were diverting 8,000 soldiers daily. When the autumn offensive opened, the friendly intervention of the Imca had reached 580 hospitals, bar- racks, camps, and Case del Soldato, and 19 camions and a launch were going to those who could not come to the sign of the Red Triangle. The great Italian offensive opened on the night of October 23d, teWicorcus with the Austrians superior by twelve divisions and twenty per cent in artillery. There were two British divisions and one French in the Italian line. Heavy rains flooded the Piave, rendering the bridging of the stream exceedingly difficult. The fighting was extremely.sharp for several days. But, within less than a week, the Italian Army had driven the Austrians back at every point and the enemy forces were in complete collapse. More than 450,000 prisoners, 250,000 horses, and 7,000 cannon had been captured before the battle ceased. The Fratellanza relief work had been thoroughly organized beforehand. National and regional headquarters had full informa- tion, and supplies were previously provided for emergency relief to six of the Italian armies. Approximately 100 Americans took part in this battle service. Points had been selected at which many wounded men would return from the battle, and they were served at these points as in the June fighting. In the Fourth Army alone, 51,000 persons were directly served; in the Eighth, 74,000. After the first few days, conditions were entirely different from those in June, and required quick readjustments. The Italians were advancing rapidly, and the Americans had to follow them with emer- gency supplies under great difficulties of congested traffic.| | t Prisoners of War After the Armistice 3718 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Moreover in the midst of the service to wounded men, a new field of operations was opened. The population beyond the Piave was found to be practically starving. The whole region had been swept bare by the Austrians. In this situation, the Fratellanza temporarily supplemented the efforts of the relief organizations, using all its cam- ions for the distribution to the starving of emergency food supplies provided in part by the Red Cross. The camions of a single regional headquarters made eleven trips beyond the river, distributing cocoa, coffee, sugar, condensed milk, oil stoves and fuel oil, as well as fruit drops, chocolate bars and cigarets. The fruit drops and condensed milk are pathetic reminders of the thousands of mothers who had no milk for their babies, and of little children starved for sweets. The ordinary supplies for use of the soldiers were distributed in greater quantities than usual during the same period. Discipline disappeared in Austria with the collapse of the army, and some 500,000 Italian prisoners left the prison camps and returned into Italy by every possible means of travel. Coming in with the army of newly captured Austrians, these hundreds of thousands of men, many in a pitiable condition, rendered the task of the govern- ment almost impossible. The Fratellanza assisted as extensively as practicable, organizing emergency relief stations at many concentra- tion centers, where food and restoratives were provided, followed by games, music, picture shows, mass singing, and other means for stim- ulating the exhausted men. When the Italian Army moved far to the north and east to hold the armistice line, the Fratellanza accompanied the troops. Head- quarters were established close to all the army headquarters. With the increased American personnel, a largely increased service became possible. Military leaders declared this fully as necessary during the gradual demobilization as it had been in the time of fighting. When it was about to be closed, in October, 1919, they urgently pressed for its further continuance, and the closing date was postponed to the end of the year. The maximum volume of service was reached in the late summer. The entertainment department actually touched more than 1,500,000 men a month with its many concerts, plays, and programs of mass singing, in which the Italian soldiers showed the greatest enthusiasm. Educational work reached considerable development at a number of important centers. Motion pictures, which entertained nearly 500,000 soldiers in January, were reaching more than 1,000,000 by September. The Americans conducted hundreds of Case del Sol-ITALY AND THE BALKANS 379 dato and supplied everything to many hundreds conducted by Italians. A single army zone will illustrate the scope of the work.. When the temporary strain in relationship occurred in May at the Peace Confer- ence, the Americans were serving the soldiers and thus maintaining an active spirit of goodwill, at 144 localities in the Ninth Army alone. Certain very interesting developments occurred. By request of the military, the Fratellanza took over the buffet at the railway sta- tion, Florence, where bad food was being sold to soldiers at high prices, and for many months served daily hundreds of gallons of soup and coffee and quantities of good food at absurdly low figures. Teams of boy scouts were trained at many points by American secretaries for a great field meet in Rome. Playground activities in the capital city were directed by American secretaries in cooperation with the Italo- American Society. Highly competent physical directors were sta- tioned for weeks at several of the most important officers’ training schools. American athletics left a permanent impression in Italy, where the military authorities have to some extent modified their physical training of soldiers as a result. The Fratellanza program was extended to Naples, Palermo, Durazzo in Albania, and to Tripoli. By special request it was con- tinued in Albania until May, 1920. Did the welfare program help to maintain and heighten the Ths Eiecct morale of the severely tried Italian army? The officers believed that it did. In asking for the extension of this program to the Genoa dis- trict, General Spinelli, director of the Propaganda Office of an army corps, wrote: “Brom the sectional offices dependent upon the office of Press and Propaganda, and from numerous units and commands, there con- fine to) come. to me .. = .. reports containing the most fervent praise and appreciation for the magnificent work which is being developed among us for the purpose of resistance and victory. - - - For a long time I have recognized . .- > the many meritorious services which the American Mission. YMC A in a generous spirit of humanity has been able to achieve in talyems) wx The reports . . - impress upon me constantly the ever-increasing scale of achievement and the fruitfulness of the labor so diligently undertaken by this mission in the province of this army Corps, and convince me of my opinion that, among the many manifestations O generous aid and fraternal collaboration which are coming rn every day from our great Ally, America, the work of the ay! ice is among those destined to leave the most profound and beneficent impression in the minds of Italians.”Diversified Work 380 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN THE BALKANS The work of the American YMCA in the Balkans and Asia Minor was developed principally in Roumania, Greece, Constanti- nople, and various centers in Asia Minor and Northern Syria. Asso- ciation work was undertaken in Roumania during 1917-1918, but after the German occupation, American agencies had perforce to retire. No American work was extended to Bulgaria or Serbia. In the spring of 1918, at the request of the military authorities, the British YMCA inaugurated work in the Serbian camps. This work developed until there were centers in Belgrade and in many of the principal Serbian towns. The British also had 35 centers at Saloniki and various base ports in the Mediterranean and the Adriatic. In January, 1919, a request came from Montenegro for the American Y M C A to organize work there, but nothing could be begun because of the obligations of the Association in countries where work had been already started. In a few instances effective relief work at different points in Mace- donia and Albania was accomplished by individual secretaries from Greece and Italy. Definite work in Roumania, Greece and Turkey was undertaken after the Armistice. This work was directed from Russia, and strictly speaking forms a chapter in the story of the Association’s experience between the Bolsheviks and the advancing Germans on the Eastern front. The work in Greece was entirely with the Army. The work in Turkey was of a post-war emergency character and was directed largely toward the welfare of the civilian refugee population. This service in the Balkans was carried on in increasing volume during 1920, on account of the very great need. None of it could be kept up indefinitely by the War Work Council, and liquidation was begun under a general plan that a National Council in each country would be formed to take over eventually the responsibility for the work while American support and personnel would be gradually withdrawn. Welfare work with armies has come to stay. It is inconceivable that any army that has shared in the common experience of the World War will be content to remain mobilized for long without the customary soldiers’ hut or home, with its programs of athletic games, education and recreation to look after his physical, mental and moral needs. Yet practically every soldier in Europe who enjoyed these privileges wants the same on his return to civilian life; so the experiences of war have started a demand for civilian associations.ITALY AND THE BALKANS 381 ROUMANIA Roumania entered the war on the side of the Allies by a declara- tion of war on Austria on August 27, 1916, and undertook an immedi- ate but unsuccessful advance into Transylvania. By the end of Sep- tember the retreat began. The Germans advanced into Roumania and occupied Bucharest, December 6, 1916. During 1917 Roumania was at the mercy of German exploitation and as a result there was great suffering on the part of the civilian refugee population. Relief work was undertaken by various agencies including the Association, but on March 9, 1918, Roumania signed a separate peace with Ger- many, and American agencies had to be withdrawn. After the Armis- tice, however, plans were made to reopen work in Roumania and from 1919 on there has been a new and fairly successful beginning of per- manent work. Thus the story falls into two parts, one dealing with attempts to work for the Roumanian Army during the war, the other with a post-Armistice program of army and civilian work. The earlier Roumanian work was the sequel to a visit to Rou- Betore toc mania by the secretary in charge of work for war prisoners. As a result of this visit, two American secretaries arrived in Jassy in May, 1917, to distribute supplies for the Rockefeller Foundation. By July they began receiving their goods by way of Odessa, Roumania being cut off from the west. Very soon they became engaged in army work also and opened a hut in Jassy on September 12, 1917; but this point had to be closed within three weeks on account of the advance of the German troops. This hut was opened again on December 12, 1917, and various attempts were made by the YMC A in Russia to estab- lish service in this area; but the whole situation was so unstable that very little could be accomplished but some relief work. The work was definitely placed under the direction of the YMC A forces in Russia in the spring of 1918, and Jerome Lansing was put in charge. The preliminary peace signed by Roumania and the Central Powers meant the demobilization of the Roumanian army; so army work died a natural death by June, 1918. From the first the undertaking had been under the patronage of the Queen of Roumania, and Prince Carol, who was President of the committee in charge. He had urged the Association to stay in the field as long as possible, even after the army work ceased. At the request of the queen, a relief train was sent on June 17, 1918, to ald some soldiers who were supposed to be cut off and in dire distress, butThe New Enterprise 382 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN they were found to be reasonably well fed and not in need of shelter at that time of the year. The relief workers provided one meal and then went back. The Association had the help and cooperation of several able and devoted Roumanians as well as the continual support and sympathy of the royal family. During this summer of 1918 it was planned to do relief work during the winter and an attempt was made to gather supplies for this purpose, but hardly enough could be scraped together for the single canteen which was opened and operated for ashorttime. The work having practically collapsed, Mr. Lansing left for America January 1, 1919, to report on conditions in Roumania and to make suggestions for the future. In his report he said: “Our presence in Roumania has been a promise to those people that we would do something for them. Through no fault of our own we have been able to do only a very little in the past. Now a large opportunity is presented to us to fill a long-felt need. I earnestly hope that work will be undertaken on a scale comparable with the importance of the need.” As may be inferred from the foregoing account, the bulk of the work in Roumania was small and the difficulties to be overcome were very great. The secretaries in charge did their best in a heroic fight against the disintegrating forces of war and revolution. In November, 1919, another start was made, and four workers were sent to Roumania to begin work with the army. Political con- ditions were still very unsettled, and there were many difficulties of an official character. Had it not been for the kind offices of the Queen, it is doubtful if arrangements to start the work could have been con- summated with the military authorities. As it was, the first hut was not opened till March 19, 1920, but it was an especially good one. Shortly after the opening of this hut, and as a result of a change in the ministry, the War Department issued an order to the effect that buildings, equipment and every facility be granted for the opening of a model center in every army corps and province. The Government appropriated the necessary funds. In addition a general army order was issued giving the Association official status, buildings, equipment, rail and motor transportation, details of soldiers, and other facilities. The work has been so useful that the Association has been urged quite generally, and especially by the Queen, to continue this emergency army work through 1921 and to begin civilian work as soon as pos- sible. The Prefect of Police of Bucharest even urged the addition of an outdoor summer athletic program for workingmen.ITALY AND THE BALKANS 383 The most important phase of the work is the aid lent by the national Y Physical Director to Colonel Badulescu, in charge of the Department of Physical Education in the Roumanian Army. There is promise of a permanent development of thoroughgoing physical training in the Army from the officers’ schools down, and if the pro- jected system of army huts is realized this movement will spread rapidly. The general in command reports that officers have noted an improvement in the morale of the troops because of the spirit and activities of the Association. It cannot be said, however, that the Roumanian work shows the same certainty of success as that inaugurated in Poland, Czechoslo- vakia or Greece. Political conditions are perpetually in flux and activities are of necessity in the nature of such emergency work as can become permanent only when political and social conditions permit. With the assured support of the Queen, and of certain mili- tary, civil, and ecclesiastical authorities, the Association will continue to play a salutary role in toning up the morale of the Army, especially through its athletic program, and will afford the Roumanian Govern- ment and people some indication of the goodwill which many persons in the United States feel toward their country. GREECE Greece had a very varied history during the war. Neutral, but Fluctuating with a tendency to pro-Germanism while under the influence of King Constantine until July, 1917, the Greek Government at length was forced to take sides under the leadership of President Venizelos, the friend of the Allies. The Greek Army became the pivot of the offen- sive that overwhelmed Bulgaria in 1918 and marked the beginning of Germany’s defeat. Asa result of the Allied victory, to which Greece contributed in no small degree, the national dream of a greater Greece has begun to be realized, and Greece has found herself for a time by far the most powerful state in the Balkans. The recall of King Con- stantine and the possible revision of the Treaty of Sévres has affected the future of Greece adversely for the time being, but it is fairly cer- tain that Greece will retain much of her influence and territory. The peace and prosperity of the Near East depend very largely on a healthy and progressive Greece. Non-political agencies have long been at work creating good feeling between nationals of the two countries. Thousands of Greeks have returned to their native land, after several years’ sojourn 1n the ConditionsAcceptance of the Y Program 384 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN United States, enthusiastically pro-American. In educational matters Americans have had a profound influence there, especially through Robert College, Constantinople, alumni of which form a distin- guished and influential group in Athens. During the war it so hap- pened that the American Y MC A, which hitherto had enjoyed little or no credit in Greece, was able to extend its morale-building service to the Greek Army and bids fair to continue to do so. When Dr. Mott visited Greece in 1910 on his world wide trip to ascertain world con- ditions and the prospects for Y M C A work, the Y MCA was known and appreciated by but few persons in Greece. In 1920 it was virtu- ally as well known as in any other part of Europe or even in the United States. Hardly a Greek soldier had escaped its influence and the military, civil, and ecclesiastical authorities were enthusiastic for its increase and continuance. The initiation of army work in Greece was due to the interest of Harvey A. Henderson, an American educator and business man, who had lived there for years. When offering his services for war work, he suggested that he be assigned to Greece. He succeeded in interest- ing another worker in this field and together they made preliminary arrangements in London and Paris with Government and Association officials. Mr. Henderson proceeded to Greece under the authority of Mr. Sautter of the Foyers du Soldat, to work for the Greek and Ser- bian Armies. Arriving in Athens August 6, 1918, he was presented to Venizelos, who welcomed the idea of Association work in the Greek Army and agreed to act as Honorary President of a committee to cooperate in establishing the work. Through his influence a com- mittee of prominent Athenians was formed, and relations established with a woman’s organization for welfare work, known as “The Sol- diers’ Sisters,” and with the Alumni Association of Robert College, which was composed of prominent young men of Athens who had first-hand contact with American institutions and were sympathetic toward the Association. Armed with letters of introduction, Mr. Henderson proceeded to Saloniki, the military center of Greece at that time, and with the con- currence of the military authorities there opened a hut and canteen. By September the first three huts were in action, one in Saloniki, one at the Toumba Camp, a large permanent military reservation, and one on the Struma front. A fine piece of relief work at Serres, Mace- donia, was accomplished in improvising soup kitchens and feeding a needy refugee population. Other secretaries arrived but the work didITALY AND THE BALKANS 385 not have the hoped-for rapid development. This was partly on account of a misunderstanding with the authorities of the Foyers du Soldat. After the middle of November, the work was put under purely Greco-American auspices, under the direct supervision of Mr. Henderson as representing the American YMCA. In December a hut was opened at Athens and several more in the Saloniki region, and by January, 1919, nine of them were in full operation. In March, Mr. Henderson went to Odessa to open a club for the Greek soldiers with forces of occupation, but this club had to be evacuated when the city was surrendered to the Bolsheviks, April 6th. The American hut at Corfu was turned over to Greek workers, and other huts were opened in. Saloniki, Larissa and Piraeus. Later the work was extended to several centers in Asia Minor, especially to Smyrna, where in March, 1920, there were eight buildings; to Aidin, Magnesia, and other centers, to serve the Greek Army of Occupation; and although the American personnel was never large, varying only from five to ten, the service has been extended to a score of centers with the aid of nearly 100 Greek soldier helpers and is still going on. The Associa- tion has become not only an integral part of the life of the Greek sol- diers, but even a necessity. For that reason the attitude of the Gov- ernment is very favorable to the Association. The work in Greece has been a typical example of the attempt to nother More meet an acute morale situation. The Greek troops on the Balkan Front observed the activity of the British Y and the French Foyers du Soldat with the Allied troops and coveted similar benefits. The Greek Government, even with the help of the Allies, was unable to provide its troops with the equipment, rations, and canteen facilities that Allied troops enjoyed. Greece was almost impoverished and war-weary. Some of the troops had been mobilized for seven years. Their pay was small. In many places their barracks were unheated, unlighted, infested with vermin, evil smelling, with earthen floors on which the men slept often without blankets. They found their only rest and recreation in cafés where they were exploited. The first duty of the Y seemed to be the establishment of a canteen service where the soldier could enjoy his coffee and political discussion at a reasonable price in wholesome surroundings. So the canteen phase of the work was stressed, especially at first, and the hut was thought of simply as a coffee house. Gradually more emphasis was put upon athletic, edu- cational, and religious work and a regular program developed. _The ideal was to provide the Greek soldier with the same home environ-Official Support of Y Program The Social Program 386 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ment that he might enjoy in a fully organized city Association. That this ideal was actually realized in several huts cannot be questioned. In fact the most outstanding result of the work for the Greek Army has been a unanimous appeal from all elements of Greek society that permanent work be started as soon as possible. The official support of the Greek military, civil, and ecclesiastical authorities has been unqualified. From the day Venizelos first lent his aid to the Y it has received the cordial backing of all. The Greek Government early passed a special law permitting the Association to be organized. Prominent Athenian citizens, many of them graduates of Robert College, were willing to provide whatever money was nec- essary for starting the Y on a permanent basis. Leading Greeks of Saloniki in April, 1919, petitioned the Association for an extension of its work. Venizelos himself, although not a wealthy man, had a per- manent Y building erected at his own expense. In February, 1920, a large appropriation was made for the build- ing of an athletic school, and in March, A. E. Marriott, an American physical director who had been appointed to coach the Olympic Team, was named by royal decree Director of Athletics for the Greek Army and attached to a newly created National Military Department of Athletics. Greece was one of the ten nations that decorated the American athletic directors because of their services to physical edu- cation in the armies. The athletic appeal of the Y is very strong in Greece. The Greeks pride themselves on the athletic prowess of their ancestors and the tradition of the Olympic games. Yet their athletic activity has been limited, according to western notions, for the play instinct is not highly developed. The unique contribution of the American Y MCA athletic program is that of scientific and syste- matic physical training in the development of games. The spread of the American sport idea to the nations of the Near East can be a pow- erful factor in promoting their national health and morale. The social program of the Association will not have in Greece the same development that it has had in the west. The Greek, who is semi-Oriental, must have his coffee and political discussion at all costs and can find plenty of opportunity for this outside of the Y. Nor does he care so much to be amused by movies and entertainments. He is, however, quick to learn. A popular educational program, such as is already in force in army huts and required by the military authorities for illiterates, can do much to reduce the percentage of illiteracy, now rather high in Greece. Many young men returning from the Army toITALY AND THE BALKANS 387 civilian life have had years of continuous military service with a cor- responding deprivation of educational advantages. A widespread elementary educational program can become one of the most valuable features of the work. Curiously enough there has been a much larger development of Religion religious work in the Greek Army huts than any one unfamiliar with the Eastern Church might suppose. It almost seems as though there were a kind of revival of religious life in Greece. The Metropolitan of Athens in a published interview said: “Tt is therefore our duty, in the first place, to dispel the erroneous opinions of foreigners regarding us, and in the second place to improve our religious life, teaching the people the essence of the orthodox faith, cleansing our Church’s life of the rust engendered by the slavery and ignorance of the past and ridding it of its load of dead forms, in order that our Church’s life-giving spirit may shine forth anew. I cherish the belief that we already stand on the threshold of this new religious life.” The Metropolitan is much interested in a revival of preaching and encourages that religious activity in which Greece excelled in the days of John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nanzianzen, and Photius. He preaches simple, direct sermons of an ethical rather than dogmatic import and promotes religious work in the huts by appointing the most eloquent priests to preach regularly. Other Metropolitans, especially in Saloniki and Smyrna, have followed a similar course, and the general attitude of the Greek Church toward the Christian Broth- erhood of Young Men, the Greek name for the Y, has been decidedly cordial. Commenting on Association work, the Metropolitan of Ath- ens furthermore said: “In former days, for lack of information, the YMCA organiza- tions were viewed in Athens, Constantinople and Smyrna as danger- ous to the religious convictions of the Orthodox Greeks, who, having suffered much in the past from religious propagandists of the West, always looked suspiciously upon every foreign movement that had a religious character. Today, however, because of the fine 1mpression made by the marvelous war work of the Y M C A on every front, and particularly the Greek front, the old hesitations no longer have any ground. The Church, after investigation that no conversion from dogma to dogma is intended, has decided to give full and hearty sup- port to similar organizations in Greece.” Individual The Y idea made such headway that one Greek colonel put up agi hut in Athens on his own initiative and responsibility, raising fundsThe Turkish Situation Constantinople 388 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN among his own command and asking only for the aid and supervision of the American Y. Other officers have either contemplated or engaged in similar action. The Government has sent a representative to America to study Y methods and seems to be committed to a pro- gram in behalf of the young men of Greece. One Greek expressed the significance of the Red Triangle in almost classic form, as sym- bolizing the development of the body, the elevation of the mind, and the ennobling of the soul. What the Y MC A began in war work bids fair to become a permanent feature of Greek life. TURKEY AND ASIA MINOR In 1920, no part of the world was in a more chaotic state than that which formerly was included in the Turkish Empire. The war had hardly finished in the Near East. There were still armies in the field and refugees in the towns. Allied forces of occupation and military authority were the only guaranties of order in many localities. There was the same chaos of antagonistic races and religions that had long made that part of the world the most hopeless from the point of view of ordered peace and prosperity. In fact, since the Turko-Italian War of 1911, open warfare had hardly ceased. Hardly had the Balkan Wars of 1912-13 ended before the Great War began, which fought over again the ever-pressing Eastern question. Because of this aftermath of the War in the East, it was decided to allot an emergency appropriation from the funds of the War Work Council to tide over the very difficult time of social readjustment for the thousands of Armenians and others who found themselves without home or country. It was understood at the time that such emer- gency work would be criticized by many as unnecessary and that relief work alone was justifiable. But these people were in despair and the constructive work of the Y might well be expected to have a tonic effect upon civilians as well as upon men in uniform. In every sense this was real war work. The event proved that much could be done to raise the morale of Armenian and Greek refugees who for years had been deprived of everything that most people consider makes life worth living. _ This emergency or temporary work in Constantinople took sev- eralforms. There was a Foyer du Soldat for French troops; a typical city Association for young men in Constantinople; a special club for American sailors of which there was an average of 1,000 in port in need of wholesome entertainment; and a summer camp for ArmenianITALY AND THE BALKANS 389 refugee children in cooperation with the American Committee for Relief in the Near East. Wy The Foyer work soon came under French management. The Activitics | city Association, formally opened November 14, 1919, grew and pros- pered for a long time without a proper gymnasium or boys’ depart- ment. By January, 1920, it had a membership of 700, of whom 500 were in classes, and it became a center for education and moral train- ing for the youth of Constantinople. The Sailors’ Club was a great success. It offered excellent canteen and restaurant facilities and a touch of home through the ministrations of several American women and the secretary in charge, who arranged dances, sight-seeing trips, picnics, entertainments, and the like for sailors. In July, 1920, the club moved into larger quarters of eighteen rooms and increased daily in effectiveness and popularity. The importance of providing whole- some entertainment for American sailors on shore leave in an Oriental port such as Constantinople cannot be over-emphasized. The summer camp for refugee children was opened in May, 1919, Fr een at Derindje on the Gulf of Ismid not far from Constantinople. This was an interesting innovation. The phenomenon of thousands of young children, quite without home and parents, trying to make their own way in the world amid the chaotic conditions of a war-ridden country has been a common experience of welfare workers, especially in Eastern Europe. The idea of giving refugee children the advan- tages of an American boys’ summer camp was a new one. The Amer- ican Committee for the Relief of the Near East offered equipment and food and the Association furnished or enlisted the personnel. An athletic director and student helpers from Robert College were of ‘nvaluable assistance. The camp was magnificently located on the Gulf of Ismid. It included the shaded gardens of an old Imperial Palace where the boys attended classes much in the fashion of Plato’s Academy. They lived in the open air under tents, had nourishing food, and enjoyed systematic exercise and games. Over 500 boys who had formerly picked up a bare living as best they could inven: OVET= crowded and demoralizing city were given the opportunity to build up morally and physically. At the end of the season they were sent to agricultural schools or provided with work in factories. This was done with the full permission and under the patronage of their eccle- siastical leaders, who in the absence of a national Armenian govern- ment performed the functions of the state as well as the church. Curiously enough this excellent work, which appeals at once to anyRussian Refugees Asia Minor 390 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN American acquainted with our admirable boys’ camps, raised a storm of criticism among Orientals who had a horror of fresh air and the sea, and who felt that the boys were not being properly clothed and cared for. They expected orphans in the care of an American wel- fare organization to be provided with the finest American clothing and shoes, and the camp idea with its informal dress and domestic arrangements was new and strange to them. After seeing the effects of such a summer on hundreds of boys who had come to the camp liv- ing skeletons, with the distended stomachs of the under-nourished, and who left it solid, shapely, and browned by the sun, their opinion changed. The camp was such a success that the idea spread; plans were made for many such camps for the summer of 1920, and several were put in operation, notably one at Soudanie by the Sea, near Con- stantinople, and others in the vicinity of Smyrna and Adana. It is to be hoped that the idea will grow. Nothing would be more beneficial to the youth of the Near East than the camping habit. The climate is favorable and wholesome contact with out-of-doors can do much to wean boys and young men from the enervating and vicious amuse- ments of the cities. Mention should also be made of work for Russian refugees both on the Island of Halki and in Constantinople. In the latter place a large house serves as a social center for homeless Russians of ali classes. On occasions, such as a concert by refugee artists from the Imperial Opera, many refugees formerly of the nobility would appear in evening dress in an assemblage which reminded one of better days in Petrograd. At another time they might be found behind a can- teen counter or in the restaurant thankful to have the opportunity to earn something working for the Y. From the homeless Armenian waif to the Russian nobleman, the Y reached all classes of society in its emergency work in Constantinople. Work was started in Smyrna during the summer of 1919 when one regular Association center was opened for Allied soldiers and sailors, especially Americans. In addition to this, service to the Greek Army of Occupation in several other centers was administered from Athens. In the summer of 1920 a boys’ garden-camp, carried on with the coop- eration of the Greek Metropolitan and helpers from the American International College, was operated near Smyrna with a fair degree of success. The second center in the establishment of Y work in Asia Minor was at Adana, where an exceptionally fine city and refugee programITALY AND THE BALKANS 391 was carried out eventually in three centers. The daily attendance here totaled 1,500. A boys’ camp was also operated with the help of students from St. Paul’s College, Tarsus. In February, 1920, during the massacres at Marash a very able piece of refugee work was done for the Armenians through cooperation with the Near Hast Relief. At Adana at least the full emergency Y program as laid out seemed to be realized. The Y gave real help to a disheartened and demor- alized population living in conditions of brutality and bestiality, deprived of all those cultural, recreational and spiritual influences which we have come to accept as indispensable to life itself. The relief agencies were frankly unable to meet these needs, and it remained for the Association to raise their morale by a practical dem- onstration of American energy and idealism. America is the only popular nation in the Near East, and the Y M CA was often accepted as the embodiment of all that is best in America. Work was started in Konia late in 1919 but did not make great headway; for Konia is almost entirely a Moslem and Turkish city, and a foreign and Christian organization in the heart of a Moslem country is in an especially difficult position. From the Moslem point of view it is “hard to swallow,” as one Turk expressed it. The Associ- ation had cooperation, however, from the Mevlevi Dervishes, a very liberal Mohammedan sect, whose interpretation of Islam differs so widely from that of many Moslems, that they are sometimes called “Christian” by their Mohammedan opponents. The son of the Grand Chelebee promised his active support and help in organizing and car- rying forward the work in Konia; and it may prove possible for the Association to work successfully in this district if the religious convic- tions of Moslems continue to be respected and no attempt is made to proselyte. ' Work was going well in Aleppo and Aintab in Northern Syria by the beginning of 1920, when on February 1st two workers, James Perry and Frank L. Johnson, were brutally murdered fifteen miles south of Aintab by reputed brigands. These were probably none other than local Turks who either mistook them for Allied military officers, or else were simply bent on plunder. Ina very real sense, Mr. Perry and Mr. Johnson were martyrs to the cause. They were both prom- nent and widely-known Y workers in the Near East, and a untimely loss cast a gloom over the whole American colony. ne American sailors of their own volition held a meeting in their club in Constantinople in memory of these men who had served them so Assassination of Y Secretaries392 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN unselfishly and had lost their lives in the line of duty. It may be that again the blood of the martyrs will prove the seed of the Church. In spite of this disaster, in the vicinity of this tragedy the workers felt that the Association should continue its work in the Near East; for it was clear to them that it was laying a bed-rock foundation of inter- religious toleration, inter-racial harmony, and international peace.CHAPTER LVII IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST Welfare work in the Near East presented a series of contrasts stimulating to the imagination. From dugouts on the bullet-swept beaches of Gallipoli, where cakes baked in Imbros were served daily, to palm leaf and mat huts in tropical East Africa, where native porters squatted to watch over and over again the mysterious moving pic- tures; from oases in the Sahara, when the monotony of endless days under a blazing sun drove men toward madness, to the motley crowds that filled Jerusalem at Christmas, and were guided to the places of holy tradition by Association workers; from the Esbekieh Gardens of Cairo, turned into a great pleasure resort for soldiers, to the muddy banks of Shat-el-Arab; in the desert of Sinai; and Bagdad, the city of the Caliph Haroun al Rashid—wherever the great war machine car- ried the soldiers of the Allies, the YMCA accompanied them. Its workers furnished cooling drinks and American ice cream for parched throats, tents where men could find shadow from the heat, a great swimming pool, theaters, hotels, and restaurants, in Egyptian cities. They cleaned out the cesspools of Jerusalem; and combated the vice of Port Said and Alexandria with clean entertainment, sport and the influence of Christian character and teachings. This work was done largely under the auspices of English and Australian organizations, and received special financial backing from the Australian Red Cross in Egypt; but a share fell to the American organization, which con- tributed a large part of the personnel and funds. Strictly speaking it is a British story, but the participation of Americans was suffi- ciently extensive to warrant its inclusion in this book. The attention of America was so concentrated on the Western Significance front and Russia that the significance of operations in the Near East Campaigns has been little realized. Three outstanding events sum up all that most people can readily recall to mind—the disastrous British cam- paign in Gallipoli, the surrender of General Townshend’s force at Kut- el-Amara, and General Allenby’s capture of J erusalem. But from the beginning to the end of the war Egypt, Palestine, and Mesopotamia were scenes of fighting that had vital influence upon the final outcome. 393Mesopotamia 394 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN In order to keep open the lines of communication between Britain and her Far Eastern Empire, immense forces were detained in the Near East whose presence on the Western Front would have meant early numerical superiority, and perhaps victory for the Allies. When Turkey and Bulgaria were put out of the fight, October, 1918, the whole German scheme of Mittel Europa collapsed. A brief review of the strategic importance of the Near East and the military opera- tions carried on from 1914 is therefore the necessary preliminary to an account of the welfare work done in those parts of the world. Turkey in control of the Bosphorus, Palestine, and Mesopotamia separated southern Russia from the western powers, controlled the land route to India, and was in a position, by attacking from the Pal- estine base, to threaten the sea route from England through the Suez Canal to the Indian Empire, whence Great Britain drew more troops than from all her other overseas dominions put together. Hers was an advantageous situation and she endeavored to improve it by intrigue among the Mohammedans, aiming to incite a holy war, which produced a general uncertainty among the peoples of Asia Minor, Egypt, and the Sudan. The British were bound to protect the Suez Canal and to block the head of the Persian Gulf to prevent egress in that direction. The assault on the Dardanelles was ventured because its success would have cleared the way to Russia, cut the Turk off from his allies, and steadied the whole situation. It would probably have brought in Greece. The campaign against German East Africa was designed to deprive Germany of a valuable asset and remove a barrier between Egypt and the South African Union. Offensive operations, begun early in Mesopotamia, proceeded with varying fortunes to a complete victory. A British force from India landed on the shores of the Shat-el-Arab, the estuary at the head of the Persian Gulf, in November, 1914, and in the course of a month’s fighting, established themselves securely in Basra and Kurna, thus barricading India against attack by the Central Powers, and provid- ing a local base for offensive operations against the Turks. This offensive developed very slowly, received a severe check in the forced surrender of General Townshend at Kut-el-Amara, in April, 1916; but, after a year of preparation, it was renewed, the British recapturing Kut-el-Amara on February 24, 1917, and occupying Bagdad two weeks later. The Russian Revolution, occurring just at this time, prevented the expected cooperation from Erzerum. Fighting was intermittent during the summer, the Turks occupying Russian Armenia and North-IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST 395 ern Persia and fighting their way to Baku. In October, 1918, Gen- eral Marshall inaugurated a swift and decisive campaign ending with the capture of the Turkish Army in Mesopotamia and the occupation of Mosul. The one German colony not seized by the Allies within a few German weeks of the beginning of war, was German East Africa, a territory larger than Germany itself, lying between British East Africa to the north and Portuguese East Africa and Northeast Rhodesia to the south. The fact that it lies directly in the path of the Cape to Cairo railroad gives it great strategic significance, and its wealth of tropical products, accessible by 1,100 miles of railway, makes it economically and commercially of enormous value. For three years German troops maintained obstinate resistance to its conquest by British, Colonial, and Belgian forces. During 1915 and 1916, General Smuts drove the Germans from the railroad and principal towns, through the jungle toward the border of Portuguese East Africa. There they took up positions from which they could not be dislodged during the heavy tropical floods of the early months of 1917. Not until the end of 1917 were the gradually reduced German forces driven across the River Rovuma into Portuguese East Africa, and even through most of 1918 a guerilla warfare was carried on. The Allied camps in conquered territory were gradually discontinued, but a large army of occupation remained, scattered over strategic areas. East Africa The Turks, whose active sympathy with Germany was shown 10 geypt connection with the cruisers Goeben and Breslau, and by a torpedo boat bombardment of Odessa, were forced into open belligerency No- vember 1, 1914. Early in January they launched an ambitious attack from Palestine against Egypt. If successful it would have prevented the use of the Suez Canal by the Allies and effectively cut off support coming to the Eastern Front from India, Australia, and New Zealand. The much desired Egyptian revolt might have followed. Although the Turks advanced to the very bank of the canal, they were outgen- eraled and driven back into the desert by British, Australian, and Egyptian troops. Both the military and political hopes of the Central Powers were completely disappointed. It was necessary, of Been for the British to continue guarding Egypt, which served throughout as an intermediate base for supplies and troops. Large bodies e Indian troops were trained there, and Australians and New Zealand- ers were there in considerable numbers. Egypt was also used as a rest and hospital area.: ! | . Gallipoli Palestine 396 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Two offensive campaigns were launched from Egypt by the Brit- ish. The Gallipoli Expedition is too well remembered to require description. It occupied nearly the whole of the year 1915, and its complete failure neutralized the political effect of the repulse of the Turks from Egypt. The heroism and suffering of the men who shared in it marked a high tide of the human spirit in war. That the Y MCA was able to alleviate their suffering in some degree is due to workers who shrank no more from danger and hardship than the sol- diers they served. The brilliant Allied offensive in Palestine, which thrilled the Christian world by the capture of Jerusalem in December, 1917, was preceded by a long and wearisome preparation. For fifteen months from August, 1916, British forces pushed across the Sinai Desert, building a railroad and water pipe line as they went. The program was to drive the Turks out of well prepared and stoutly defended posi- tions, establish the line and wait for the railroad to catch up; then repeat. Not until November, 1917, did the railroad reach Gaza, and make possible the successful operations in Palestine, signalized by the capture of Jerusalem in December. A series of victories in the late summer of 1918, the Navy cooperating, swept the Turks out of the Syrian seaports. Aleppo, the junction of the railroads from Con- stantinople and the Mediterranean with that to Bagdad, was taken October 27th. This victory, coinciding with General Marshall’s in Mesopotamia, completely destroyed the Turkish military power. An armistice was granted on very severe terms, October 31, 1918. The Y MCA was everywhere represented in these Oriental cam- paigns. It is no easy task to picture in a few pages the diversified work which filled a period of five years and stretched from the oases of Sahara to the valleys of Mesopotamia and from sub-tropical East Africa to Syria and Gallipoli. A unifying element, however, is found in the fact that, geographically, activities radiated mainly from two centers. The first was India. Attention has already been called to the large forces contributed by India to the Allied Cause. Indian soldiers were the first to arrive in France from British dominions. They formed an important part of the Expeditionary Force in Meso- potamia and in Palestine, helped guard the Suez Canal and shared to some extent in the East African campaigns. Work for all these troops was initiated by the Indian National Council of the Young Men’s Christian Association, which from its beginning had been under American leadership and liberally aided by contributions of moneyIN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST 397 and personnel from the American International Committee. The General Secretary was E. C. Carter, who later became Chief Secretary for the AEF. A résumé of the work of the Indian National Council will introduce the reader to the beginning of welfare work in the World War. Egypt also was the hub of a wheel, whose spokes radiated into ee the western oases, where the Senussi were met and repulsed, into Gallipoli, across the Sinai Desert into Palestine and Syria, and south to Aden and the Sudan. It was the great rest and recreation center for troops of the Gallipoli and Palestine campaigns. The beginning of the war found William Jessop, British by nationality, but with American Association training, directing a small city YMCA at Cairo under the auspices of the American International Committee. He became Chief Secretary for Egypt and promoted activities in every direction from that base. From these centers the story of welfare work may now be fol- lowed, first from India to Mesopotamia and Hast Africa, then from Egypt to Gallipoli and Palestine. The reader is reminded that the same period of time must be repeatedly traversed, and that forces were constantly shifting, so that secretaries from India must be followed to France and troops from Britain or Australia found them- selves served now by one, and again by another staff of secretaries. The limitations of this narrative inevitably appear to overempha- size America’s part in these services. It is necessary to keep clearly in mind that this work was within the zone of British YMC A respon- sibility. At the same time, the whole practice of the Association as an international institution is of such a character that there was nothing extraordinary in an extensive cooperation between the Amer- ican and other national branches. They work together over the whole world at all times. INDIA One of the most illuminating developments of the war politically British was the enthusiasm with which citizens of the British dominions sprang to the aid of the Mother Country. It was not surprising 1n Canada or Australia, the majority of whose people had direct English antecedents. But that South Africa, only recently conquered in war, should have given its notably enthusiastic support, and that India, sup- posedly still held by military force, should have furnished more than a million native volunteers, while her Maharajahs opened their treasureWork in India 398 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN chests for war loans, is deeply significant. Only ten weeks after the outbreak of war, 47 troop ships sailed from Bombay for France. More than a million and a quarter of native Indians served in various thea- ters of the war; and when, shortly before the Armistice, the Indian Government called for 700,000 additional, more than 500,000 volun- teered from the Punjab province alone. In preceding years, YMCA work in India had been limited largely to civilians. Although giving cordial support and valuable privileges to the city Associations, the Government had faithfully ad- hered to its policy of non-interference with the religious beliefs of the people, and had excluded from the army anything that might furnish an excuse for the charge of religious propaganda or proselyting. Only when proved by actual demonstration in many fields, that YMCA service, though springing from a deeply religious motive, was scrupu- lously respectful of spiritual rights and reserves, was the way opened. Official general permission came late, and only here and there through the favor of troop commanders were beginnings made. One policy of the Indian National Council was undoubtedly help- ful. In the belief that permanent YMCA service must depend in India upon the ultimate responsibility and leadership of native In- dians, the practice of recruiting and training Indian secretaries had been emphasized for some years. In 1915, half the 190 secretaries in service were Indians, as compared with 51 British and 41 Americans; and when in 1916 the General Secretary left India for service on the Western Front, he was able to install an Indian, K. T. Paul, as his successor. These men, knowing the intricacies of Indian social and religious life, were better able to avoid the accidental affronts which might prove harmful or dangerous. Service for British Territorials from England represented, of course, a different type of work. Starting with four army centers in the summer of 1914, there were more than 50 in 1918 in India, besides the large number in Egypt, East Africa, Mesopotamia, and France. From 190 secretaries in September, 1915, the numbers increased to 295 in 1917 and nearly 400 at the end of 1918. The distribution was roughly: East Africa, 2; Egypt, 15; France, 21; Mesopotamia, 100; India, 260. A special attempt was made, in addition to typical Y activities, to acquaint the Territorials with the political and racial conditions and problems of India. The Y also served the troops in the lonely hills of India, “back o’ beyond,” where there was as great a need of keeping up the morale of Englishmen in India as of Indians in France.IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST 399 The frontiers of India are always well guarded; and occasionally, even in peace time, the wild hill tribesmen have to be quelled by a British expeditionary force. German intrigue extended to the Orient, and it was found necessary to keep a large army in readiness to pro- tect India from invasion. At fifteen different points the Association provided for these men in the monotonous life of garrison duty, be- sides accompanying them on occasional expeditions and maneuvers, much emphasis being laid upon vocational education. The work for the Indian Army was one of the most important undertakings of the Association in this area. The northern provinces were more extensively recruited than any other section of the coun- try; and in training depots and practice camps the secretary carried on his ministry of friendship, entertainment, and instruction. Lec- tures given in the vernacular on “European History and the War” were specially encouraged by the military authorities. Indian Infantry Divisions arrived in France, September, 1914. France The last Indian troops did not leave France until April, 1920. The Y was with them all the time. As soon aS war was declared, it seemed to occur to several leaders in the Indian work almost simultaneously that the Indian National Council should immediately offer its services to the Empire. Asa result twelve Y secretaries, of whom seven were Europeans and five Indians, left Bombay with the great flotilla of 47 troop ships, two cruisers, and two battleships, that sailed for France on October 16, 1914. At that early period of the war the possibility of soldier huts had scarcely occurred to these secretaries; but they knew that the Indian troops in France would be lonely and homesick, and apt to get into mischief unless some amusements could be pro- vided in their camps and they could be kept in touch with home by means of correspondence. Hence they featured games, the phono- graph playing the songs of home, classes, books and letter writing, the burden of which fell on the secretaries as the majority of the troops were illiterate. The great Indian rest camp was at Bordeaux, where there were at one time seven Y centers. There were also some camps and hospitals in Flanders, especially in the vicinity of Boulogne-sur- Mer, where the Indian troops were in the line and saw heavy fighting. It was found, however, that Indian troops could not stand exposure to the climate of northern France; and after one winter of war they were withdrawn to southern France and employed in labor battalions, OF returned to India. By 1916 their numbers had been considerably reduced.British and Indian Appreciation 400 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN In March, 1915, the Y personnel numbered eighteen, and in Sep- tember thirty. One English colonel addressing his Indian troops in their own language said that two things were necessary in order to be great in battle, a strong body and a stout heart. He explained that the military drill and exercises provided for the first and the Y for the second, and highly praised the Y secretaries. “They came of their own accord,” he said, “without any orders from the Sircar (general) to make the Sipahis (Sepoys) cheerful and happy. I wonder how they could have got on without them. For forty years I have been in the Indian Army and I have never seen or expected such a bandobast (demonstration) as they have made. They have put up this building, they are giving you every night these edu- cational and amusing pictures, they are teaching you French, they are writing your letters, they are doing many things for you that the Sircar does not provide. There is nothing you need that you can’t find here. I shall write a report to the Sircar that these Sahibtogs (Y M C A men) have made you all pleased and have producd a good tone in the camp.” . Sir Walter Laurence said, “The Y M C A shed is a godsend to the soldiers in Marseilles.” In fact, the work was widely appreciated by British officers. One English major said, “The extent to which the YMCA adds to the efficiency of the Indian reinforcements by keep- ing the men happy and contented under trying circumstances is in- calculable.” What the Indians thought may be indicated by the following trans- lation of a poem in the Urdu dialect, found pinned to the door of a hut: “Oh God, do good to him who has founded this Association; may it remain established in the world forever. Every moment those who are in charge give to any of us who need them, paper and envelopes, pen and ink. For those who are ignorant or illiterate and cannot write themselves, they write letters, and this they do without cost. Lo! on the ground the Sepoys sit around as they listen to the music of the gramophone. They provide us with much-needed soap and razor and brush and machine with which they cut our hair and clip our beards. In the evening they all join with us in football and hockey, and at night they show us moving pictures. The secretaries of this Association are sympathetic because they ‘consider everyone as their brothers. How can I tell of our'praise and admiration for this Association. And this, too, is the prayer of Maula for this Association, that it may ever abide under God’s protection.”IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST A401 The Y was not permitted to work among Indian troops in Egypt Eeynt for two and a half years after the beginning of the war, for reasons of a religious and political character. In April, 1917, however, permis- sion was granted and toward the end of June the first Indian secretary arrived in the country. Work was started at Suez, the site of the Indian base depot, the Indian hospitals and the first place where new arrivals from India landed. The hut was provided with canteen service and facilities for indoor games and letter writing. From the beginning the place was swamped, as the nearest town was out of bounds because of the plague. The secretary in charge also visited the hospitals. The work increased rapidly in Egypt and filled a long-felt need. Twelve out of 50 of the Egyptian personnel were working for Indians. In Mesopotamia the work which began for British soldiers was soon extended to Indian soldiers, who eventually were in the vast ma- jority. In 1919 there were 30,000 British and 75,000 Indian troops in Mesopotamia. Y work in Mesopotamia was under the direction of the Indian National Council from which its personnel was in a large part derived. Work was also extended to Indian troops in Palestine and Syria, as well as to the upper reaches of Mesopotamia and into Persia. The effect of this great extension of the work of the Indian Na- Significance of tional Council during the war is bound to be far-reaching in India. It is said that as a result of the experiences of Indian soldiers overseas, there has developed among them a new sense of nationality and a new desire for education. There was a new revelation of the appreciation of the true character of Christian service, that spirit of true brother- hood which leads men to minister to real needs without thought of personal dignity and which offers service regardless of race or creed. MESOPOTAMIA A Tommy on leaving England for Mesopotamia said to his pal: The Garden “We're in for it now, Bill. We’ve left the bloomin’ Y in Blighty.” One day, as a new draft marched into the largest rest camp, another Tommy, spotting the Red Triangle, was heard to call out: “What! the Y M in this God-forsaken country? This is too good to be true! A British soldier arriving in Basra was sent to one of the three rest camps, when he was quickly disillusionized of any romantic ideas he might have had about the Garden of Eden or the Arabian Nights. Kurna, situated at the junction of the Tigris and Euphrates, 1s theIn the Valley of the Euphrates A402 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN traditional site of the Garden of Eden. Early one December morn- ing, when it was cold and felt like rain, a Tommy from London, a “pukka Cockney,” shivering all over, looking around at the bleak landscape, with nothing but dirt and a little mud to be seen, kicked a chum who was sleeping on the ground at his feet, and gave utter- ance to this bit of wisdom: “S’y! Call this the Garden of Heden? If this was the blumin’ perden of Heden, hi don’t blame the twelve hapostles for gittin’ out of it. As a contrast, during one fortnight in July, 1917, the daily maxi- mum shade temperature averaged 118.6 degrees in Basra, and at times it passed 125 degrees. A cup of hot tea or a glass of cold lime juice, equally good thirst quenchers in a hot climate, and a little sponge cake, called a “wad,” that started the flow of saliva, seemed like salva- tion to men after a hot march, smothered in dust and parched with a thirst peculiar to the salt desert wastes of Mesopotamia. On account of causes beyond its control, the Y M C A was unable to start work in Mesopotamia for six months after the first expedition- ary force from India landed at the head of the Persian Gulf and fought its way as far as Kurna and Mezera. In June, 1915, one secretary, who had been working in India for the International Committee, ar- rived in Basra. For the rest of the year the staff consisted of four men, and work was carried on in Basra and Amara for British soldiers exclusively. During the fall, General Townshend made his fruitless expedition against Bagdad, and in December was besieged in Kut. The desperate efforts of the relieving force were vain, and Townshend surrendered at the end of April, 1916. This winter campaign was marked with terrible hardships, from floods, storms, and cold; and inadequate transport on the river prevented supply of all but absolute necessities. By the end of 1916, the military authorities became very much alive to the need and value of welfare work; and influential support and financial aid was given by people in India and elsewhere, which made possible a large expansion. At the end of 1916, there were 48 workers in 47 centers, 21 of which were for Indian troops exclusively. Going up the river, as the vast majority did, the first port of call was Amara. Here transports tied up for the night and the troops were allowed ashore. Just across from the landing and bearing a huge electric sign was the YMCA, a big place, well-equipped and *To Bagdad With the British, A. T. Clark, New York, 1918, p. 36.IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST 403 furnished, brightly lighted, hospitable, friendly, the center of life for the Amara garrison. On many a night, late-comers could not find even standing room. Further up the river in the vicinity of Sheik-Saad, a city of tents near the seat of operations before Kut, was a marquee on the river bank called the “Lloyd Hut,” the contribution of a patri- otic business man in India. But in this zone of the advance there was a great difference in the tents; all they had was boxes for tables, sand- bags for seats, empty pineapple tins for cups, and so on. Outside on the river bank thousands watched the movies at night; a concert or lecture followed the pictures; after that came informal evening prayers, a fitting close to the day’s activities. Even at the very front amid the heat and dust storms Y outposts were maintained for months almost within sight of the Turkish trenches. Cold lime-juice or hot tea, writing material, reading matter or a sing, anything to make life a little easier, was the informal pro- gram in these centers. Work was also carried on among the wounded in clearing stations, on hospital boats going down stream, and base hospitals, twelve of which were visited every week. In all of these places the Y workers were the deputies of many agencies in India and England and of various war gift funds for supplying the troops with comforts. The same services were rendered the Indian Sepoy as the British Tommy. In many cases he needed them more, arriving in Basra, seasick, lonesome, homesick, a stranger in a strange land. The Indian troops suffered just as severely as the British troops from the rigors of the climate and the ravages of disease, and the Indian hos- pitals were full. The history of the Y in Mesopotamia in late 1916 and throughout Bagdad 1917 is the history of the victorious army. The recapture of Kut-el- Amara, the great advance up the Tigris, the capture of Bagdad and the occupation of the vilayet of Bagdad constituted the setting of its labors. The “push” began about the middle of December, 1916. With the opening of hostilities the character of the entire Y work changed in the advanced area. When the final advance came toward the end of February, 1917, some Y secretaries in the front lines went right through to Bagdad. Hospital work increased and work for Indians at Sheik-Saad grew enormously. Bagdad was occupied March 11, 1917. Work was begun immedi- ately in three centers; in the Central, or “Princeton” hut, so called be- cause of the unit of Princeton men who, with Harvard units, had vol- unteered for service in Mesopotamia long before America entered the% ele: | * whidt 404 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN war; in the Karada or “Madras” hut; and in connection with a large Indian hospital. The Princeton Hut was started on a big scale and grew to be one of the largest centers in Mesopotamia. It was housed in a large building with open courts on the river front in the middle of the city and had formerly been, in succession, the British residency, a Turkish hotel, and a Red Crescent Hospital. It was fully equipped with canteen, recreation hall, soda fountain, spacious table accommo- dations, officers’ rest and tea rooms, guest rooms, and housing accom- modation for a considerable number of officers and men passing through the city. It proved a haven of refuge for large numbers of men continually coming into the city from outlying points. One in- novation in Bagdad and in the British Army was the introduction of ice cream cones by an energetic young American college man. He managed to get cream, freezers, and ice, but found that Bagdad did not afford enough spoons; so he conceived the brilliant idea of getting a local baker to bake something that passed for cones and then posted a sign, “Ice Cream Cones for sale at the Y M.” Soon they became as popular as at Coney Island. After the occupation of Bagdad, troops moved out in four direc- tions and the Y followed each column with the help of a few transport carts and a long train of Arab donkeys. Buildings were provided here and there by the garrisons, and fighting troops were served with re- freshing drinks and the ever popular “wads.” At the request of the Inspector General of Communications, work Uh was opened in Kurna in May, 1917, for the benefit of the thousands of Pit} troops passing through at that time. At Basra the number of Y centers increased to twenty; and canteens, for which there was a Tat crying need, increased also. Ga orions During 1918, the British forces which, by the end of 1917, were fifty or seventy-five miles above Bagdad, pressed on and occupied the Turkish bases at Ana, Tikrit, and Kifri. The road to Persia was thus laid open and outposts were pushed beyond Khanakin to Kirmanshah and subsequently to the Caspian Sea and Baku. The Y pushed on 300 miles with the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force to Hamadhan, whence secretaries made reconnaissance trips to Kasvin, Teheran, Enzeli, and Baku. In October, the remnant of the Turkish Army sur- rendered to General Marshall and Mosul was occupied. Almost simul- [ taneously, General Allenby cut the main Turkish line of communica- Bil tions by his advance on Aleppo in Northern Syria. On October 30, 1918, an Armistice was signed with the Turks.IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST 405 Even by the time of the Armistice the British occupation of i Mesopotamia had brought great changes in the country. Extensive I | docks had been built at Basra, roads and bridges had been constructed, telegraphic communications had been established, hundreds of miles of railway had been laid, a fine fleet of river steamers was in operation, and the rivers had been dyked and dammed to prevent further disas- trous floods. Extensive work had been done on the irrigation system which some day will equal, if not excel, that of Egypt. Schools and courts were opened, hundreds of tons of grain were distributed, and land, which three years before was a barren desert, bore a bounteous harvest. Modern agricultural science and machinery were being in- troduced and were working wonders. Fair-minded persons, least sympathetic with the British Imperial idea, were bound to admit that Britain’s colossal program of reconstructive, administrative, and humanitarian effort in Mesopotamia was conceived on a magnanimous scale and was a great work of civilization in a country that has suf- fered the unprogressive rule of the Turk. During the year, the Y M C A accompanying the troops that made all this possible increased its work among them, helping to maintain good spirits, offsetting the evils of idleness and boredom, and seeking to keep the men cheerful, contented and clean. Thus it could be said that the Y and its supporters have had no mean share in the liberation of Mesopotamia. In October, 1917, there was a total staff of 52. A year later, at the time of the Armistice, there were 100. While the work of the lines of communication was greatly consolidated and in- tensified, the expansion was chiefly in the brigades in the zone of the advance and among Indian troops. By the middle of the year, 1918, there were centers in every British brigade and ten Indian secretaries were attached to as many Indian brigades. During this year at the suggestion of the Commander-in-Chief, the YMCA took over the supervision and management of the Soldiers’ Recreation Clubs that were being established and equipped by the several Comfort Funds in India. The attitude of the military toward the Association had changed noticeably since 1915, when the institution was just tolerated. There was a great increase in canteen service, entertainment, edu- A teeta EP cational, and religious work as the troops settled down in advanced positions after the Armistice; and although it was supposed to close down late in 1919, an American secretary was still in charge in 1920. As the centers in the north, such as Mosul, Kirkut, Makina, and Hillsh, were occupied, and the men settled down to the humdrum of garrisonA Tropical Campaign A406 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN life, activities were increased. Educational classes attended by hun- dreds, athletic entertainments (especially Oriental jugglers), movies, plays, boat trips on the Tigris, varied the monotony of existence for thousands. Up to the middle of 1919, 269 secretaries had been work- ing in Mesopotamia and there were still 80 there working in 65 centers in June, 1919, with 100,000 troops, two-thirds of them Indians. The work even extended into Persia, where there were six centers in 1919. It was not without good reason that the British workers claimed a real if modest part in maintaining the spirit of those who accom- plished these great things. GERMAN EAST AFRICA The campaign in German East Africa was conducted under most trying circumstances, both men and horses suffering greatly from tropical diseases peculiar to the country. Several mounted regiments lost all their horses through the deadly tsetse fly pest, and the British lost more men through malaria, dysentery, and black-water fever than by enemy bullets. During 1916 the British learned by bitter experi- ence that white men suffered excessively from the hardships of cam- paigning in this climate; and the Army shortly became composed largely of natives, except for the forces from the Union of South Africa, several regiments of Indian Sepoys and the white personnel of departmental services such as Supply, Transport, Medical, and Aviation. Thirty battalions of the King’s African Rifles were raised in British East Africa and native regiments were gathered from Nigeria, Somaliland, Zanzibar, Mpaland, Cameroon, South Africa, the Gold Coast of West Africa, and even the British West Indies. Besides the fighting units, nearly 200,000 porters or carriers were em- ployed in manual labor in camps, railway construction, and as carriers in Swampy country, inaccessible to motor and animal transport, where troops were absolutely dependent on them for food and munitions. The mobilization of these hordes of African natives who had never been out of the jungle was unique in the history of the world and fraught with far-reaching consequences. Before the war the military value of such men was not realized. With proper discipline and train- ing they have become a very great adjunct in the hands of European powers controlling Africa and conceivably might take their future into their own hands and prove a serious menace to the Union of South Africa. On the other hand, the natives, through mobilization,IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST A07 came into contact with civilization such as it was. They learned something of order and discipline, and saw some of the wonders of the world. Fortunately the Y could give them certain contacts with European civilization that the Army alone could not. So far as Y work for natives was concerned the emphasis was Work for as put on work for East Africans in the hope that permanent work might result. An important consideration was that Christian colored stu- dents from the United States were available for the work. Five col- ored American secretaries were on the field in 1917 and did excellent service. Provided with portable cinemas, lantern slides, and phono- graphs, these secretaries opened the minds of thousands of African natives to new things. One learned Swahali, which enabled him to talk directly to the natives in their own language. Another devel- oped night schools. One secretary stated that it was almost pitiful to see the eagerness of these African carriers who after a hard day’s work were anxious to learn the rudiments of the white man’s speech or arithmetic. A good deal was done with the “boss boys” or inter- preters, who had already enjoyed the advantage of a mission educa- tion, by teaching them business correspondence and arithmetic of a simple character, thus making them more efficient in their handling and checking of supplies and in their relations with white officers. The reading feature of the ordinary hut found a substitute in pictures from the illustrated magazines, which the secretaries cut out and fastened on the walls, where the natives never tired of gathering in groups to point out and discuss the strange things represented. Ath- letics, too, had a place, and the native sports of spear throwing, tree climbing, as well as foot races and jumping, were promoted and organ- ized by the Y men. In a former German beer garden in Dar-es-Salaam, an Associa- Work for tion center was established for educated Indian troops of the medical, telegraph, and other departmental services. Indian civilians in East Africa, who form ninety per cent of the foreign population, requested a similar service after the close of the war. An interesting feature of this situation was the willingness of educated Indians, both Hindu and Mohammedan, to help their less fortunate fellow countrymen. Caste was overlooked; volunteer Indian workers visited hospitals, distributed gifts, and wrote letters for illiterate and wounded Sepoys. In almost every camp there were settlers, officials and missionaries who were ready to do something for the natives; and the Y provided the natural outlet for their efforts. Native mission boys acted asert om ‘ . 1 Tateat shy i 408 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN assistants and teachers, and the opportunities were limited only by the inadequacy of the staff. It was the hope of those concerned that this work might be carried on by the Indian National Council after the war to tone up this Indian community on the East Coast of Africa and keep it in touch with its homeland and traditions. eee, i A regular Y program was put on in the camps for British soldiers. A senior officer of a South African regiment said: “During the long trek back to the railway, many of our poorly fed, fever-stricken men would never have been able to do the march only that we were able to assure them that the YMCA was waiting for them.” Y huts served the troops in every way possible and were occasion- ally under fire. At the request of the military authorities, the Asso- ciation undertook the supervision of the army canteens, the expendi- ture involved in the construction of huts and providing recreation for the troops being chargeable against profits. In this way the Na- tional Council of India was saved considerable outlay and the Associa- tion had practically unlimited resources upon which to draw for the management of the canteens. Every possible facility was given, and the Association used Government transport ships, railways, motors, and telegraphs, free of charge. Supplies of canned goods were in- dispensable in this climate; and sales of fruit, fish, biscuits, chocolate, iH and lime juice, considerably lessened the hardships of campaigning. i The total receipts amounted to more than a million dollars, which rep- | resented a considerable business when it is remembered that pur- chases in the field were made in small quantities. A staff of 63 ac- countants, inspectors, and clerks was employed, many of whom had been selected from military units for the Association work because of their social and business qualifications. The Y work in general was necessarily of a very mobile charac- ter and followed the troops with marquees and stores in order to alleviate the hardships of campaigning. It had the cooperation of ‘the military authorities, missionary societies, chaplains, and medical officers. It included centers in the training camps of the King’s African Rifles in the British Protectorate at Nairobi, carriers’ depots in Dar-es-Salaam in German East Africa, and centers for Indians and British. There were some thirty centers in all in which the regular Y program of entertainment, educational, athletic, and—in cases where circumstances permitted—religious features was carriedIN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST A409 on. Religious work was always possible among British troops and the English-speaking West Indians and colored Cape Corps. From all concerned directly or indirectly came expressions of appreciation of the Y work. The military authorities placed the highest valuation on the general plan and methods of carrying out the Association’s message and ministry to the troops. When the two International secretaries in the field were compelled to leave their work temporarily because of the prevalent fever, a cable was sent from Headquarters to the Commander-in-Chief in India as follows: “VY MCA recreational and canteen work in this force is in im- minent danger of collapse owing to sickness amongst the stati. I request that you make urgent representations to the Y MC A Council to despatch immediately four secretaries, and thus enable this ex- cellent work to be continued.” The senior secretary, Major C. R. Webster, was mentioned in despatches to the War Office, and General Smuts stated: “T am particularly indebted to the representatives of the Young Men’s Christian Association in India and South Africa who have not only been untiring in their efforts for the welfare of the troops, but have also worked the field force canteens which have been of so much value to them.” As a result of the withdrawal of troops in 1918 the Association Szanster te work was considerably reduced, and the National Council of South Africa became responsible for the branches in Portuguese Hast Africa. The fine, large hut at Port Amelia and two other branches, therefore, were taken over by South African secretaries early in 1918, the Indian National Council maintaining the work in German East Africa and the British Protectorate. The British troops were greatly reduced in number and those who remained were chiefly in the medical, rail- way, telegraph and other department services. They formed a more permanent constituency than men in fighting units, and the oppor- tunities for constructive Y work were greater. The men were al- most entirely dependent on the Association for the use of their leisure time and in no theater of war were men more appreciative of what was done in their behalf. The Indian work was also considerably re- duced by the departure of most of the Indian troops, Indians as well as native British bearing climatic conditions with difficulty. ie The feature of the work in East Africa was the efforts in behalt eee an of native troops and carriers. There were seven colored secretaries410 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN sent from America. Of the seven two were drowned, two were ship- wrecked, but saved, and one was permanently shaken by the African fever. Only two of them, in fact, came back but little the worse in health. Toward the end of 1918 at the request of the Railway Depart- ment, the Association assumed control of an industrial school, and here the beginning of permanent work for African natives was made with the help of several colored secretaries from the United States. The aim was to train clerks, typists, telegraphists, signalers, and station masters. The railways provided school buildings, quarters, and the budget of two secretaries, besides assigning several of their own employes as instructors in the more technical subjects. The Di- rector of Railways stated that while his department could provide a course of instruction and the necessary material equipment, it could not provide for the moral safeguards of the boys, nor profitably occupy their leisure time, and that he knew of no organization which could do this so well as the Young Men’s Christian Association. A signifi- cant feature of this scheme was the field provided for educational work for the colored Christian students of North America. The pic- ture of the patient, persevering students, seventy in number, sitting at the feet of their American Negro teachers, removed from them by one hundred years of civilization, certainly gives food for thought. It is quite possible that East Africa like so many other portions of the Oriental world is to be wakened from its lethargy by the shock of the war, and the educational and morale-building activities of the Association may play an important role in the development of African civilization. EGYPT Bee taniig For a short time, just before the war, there had been in Egypt a single city YMCA, at Cairo, under William Jessop, acting for the American International Committee. Shortly after the beginning of the war, there was a great influx of troops into Egypt. Twenty thousand territorials reached Egypt in the latter part of September, 1914, and were stationed in Cairo. All the barracks were overflow- ing; about five thousand men had to encamp in the desert near Heli- opolis, with no place to go for amusement. Emergency work was undertaken by Mr. Jessop in addition to his other work without any regular Y personnel or funds. Within four days the Y erected | a large marquee which was filled with men seated on the ground ) writing letters. before tables and benches could be procured. A cir-IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST | All culating library was collected, games were provided, and a piano in- stalled. Public-spirited persons rose to the occasion, funds were raised by private subscription, and a few workers arrived from England. During the first month £120 was contributed in Cairo and £40 came from England in response to a letter written for the Lancashire papers by a Lancashire woman resident in Cairo. Later a grant was made by the English National Council. Money also came from Amer- ica, New Zealand, and other sources. By January 1915, 30,000 troops came from Australia and New Zealand. Four Australian secretaries arrived with these troops but the New Zealanders had no secretaries with them. Work was opened in their camp. Later more Australians arrived who were served by the Egyptian Y and work kept increasing. The work soon fell into several distinct classes: the regular Hut or Soldiers’ Club work, in marquees or Egyptian mat huts; work in the training camp where the general social, athletic, and religious pro- gram was carried out with more emphasis, it would seem, on the religious side than was the case among the Americans in France; and work in rest camps among convalescents and men on leave. During the spring of 1915, Egypt was swamped with the wounded ©ire from Gallipoli. Men incapacitated or convalescent were concentrated in rest camps where the great enemy was boredom. Here the work of the secretary was to invigorate and cheer. Under the circumstances there was a tendency to hard drinking and sexual indulgence with disastrous results to the health and efficiency of the men. The bulk of the troops passed through the port of Alexandria and were quar- tered in and about Cairo, one of the most vicious cities in the Orient. The majority of the men were Australians or New Zealanders, vigor- ous, undisciplined men of the frontier, for the first time in contact with a degenerate Oriental civilization. The venereal problem developed at an alarming rate. A conference of military officers, Y M C A workers, and Austra- lian Red Cross representatives decided on the establishment of sol- diers’ clubs. The management was entrusted to the YMCA, whose funds were supplemented by grants from the Government and British and Australian Red Cross. A soldiers’ club was built on the quay at Alexandria; and the beautiful Esbekieh Gardens, a park in the very center of Cairo, were leased. Here were an open air theater, a restaurant, and later, an outdoor swimming pool, a gift from Amer- ica. Cinema, concerts, plays, billiards, roller skating, and a variety of games made this spot the gathering place of soldiers in Cairo. Eng-Physical Reconstruction 412 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN lish women presided at the tea counter. The Esbekieh became famous throughout the East. As an Australian journalist expressed it, describing the months of idleness on return from Gallipoli to Cairo: “There were our troops in the perfection of physical fitness, well-fed, and stout of limb, the very pick of the manhood of our young countries. The sign of the Red Triangle became the rallying point for the young men who had a grip upon themselves, and would not let go 3) Referring to the Alexandria Club and the Esbekieh Gardens, Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Barrett, Assistant Director of the Medical Service, Australian Force in Egypt, wrote, ‘““They were both immedi- ately successful and have played a most important part in the further limitation of the amount of venereal disease.”! ‘‘The exact extent to which these clubs have contributed to the limitation of venereal disease cannot be accurately measured, but there is no doubt what- ever in the mind of anyone acquainted with the facts, respecting their salutary and healthy influence.”? The Esbekieh Gardens have been made a permanent center for soldiers’ work by the government. The other great Y institution of Cairo was the Anzac Hostel which opened in March, 1916. This house could normally accommodate some three or four hundred men a night but as many as seven hundred were taken care of on occasions. It was formerly the building of the Cairo Bourse. Its use as a hotel where men on leave could get a clean bed and good food in wholesome surroundings was a great success. The Anzac Hostel was open day and night for three and a half years, not closing until late in 1919. Beside work in training and rest camps of the character indicated above in the vicinity of Cairo and Alexan- dria and later in the Suez region, the Y undertook a great deal of hospital work at the Citadel, Bulac Dacrour, the hospitals, and other centers where the wounded and convalescents were gathered. Y work increased in Egypt by leaps and bounds. At Alexandria there were nine centers when the war ended, at Kantara on the the Suez Canal, and at every point where large numbers of troops were concen- trated for training, rest and reorganization. Later a very significant piece of physical reconstruction work was done by an American, Dr. Gilbert Deaver, and his assistants at Hel- * Australian Army Medical Corps in Egypt, Barrett and Deane, London, LOTS) ps L2G; *The same, p. 168,IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST 413 ouan and other centers in Egypt. This scientific plan for rehabilitat- ing the wounded was also extended to other countries, and proved to be a great constructive service. The problem was one of improving the condition of convalescents whose bodies had become soft from long inaction, and the suppling of joints and muscles stiffened from wounds and disease. This American scientist adapted calisthenic drills of the type of the Swedish and Roberts systems, modifying them to meet the immediate need. The drills were given to selected classes and were set to music. Games, social dancing, and other means were used to get the men limbered up. Both the immediate and permanent benefits were so decided that this work received considerable attention from medical authorities throughout the armies, and Dr. Deaver was put at their disposal. It is estimated that 150,000 men passed through this system of restoration. The work continued into 1920. The extent of the work in Egypt cannot easily be recorded) be- fhe ex ene eause it was so fluctuating. Starting in 1914 without money, men or Egypt equipment, it was firmly established in 1915. Twenty-five centers were opened in the first twelve months. Two years later only four of these original service points were operating. During 1916, the influx of troops from Gallipoli, for reorganization and rest filled up huge camps where service was given. Attacks by the Senussi on the west and the Turks from the east spread the troops over a large area, occupying all strategic points from the Oasis of Kharga to the sea and along the canal. Wherever there was a camp of any size, the Red Triangle was displayed. Canteen rights were assigned to the Association along the Canal. More than 50 new centers were opened during the second year, and as many as 70 were operated at one time. The next year, 1917, brought many changes. Camps sprang up like mushrooms and as suddenly disappeared. Of the 50 new centers opened in 1916, only 15 remained, but 37 new ones had been added. During the three years, 120 centers had been opened, 56 of which were operated during the third year by aS many secre- taries, most of them British, with 19 Australians. Centering in Cairo for the first year, the work spread to the Canal Zone, crossed Sinai to Southern Palestine and in the fourth year the trail wound north well into Syria. In 1915 the Senussi, a Mohammedan tribe living in the Western Onthe Desert and Tripoli, attacked Egypt. Accordingly small detached units were placed in the oases, and men stationed in the towns of Upper Egypt. The enemy was completely defeated and dispersed in Novem-h Centers of Work 414 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ber, 1915. The occupation was limited to Sollam, Mersa Matruh, Shenka, and Siwa. About 150 miles west of Alexandria, on the shores of the Mediterranean, and among the sand of the Lybian Desert, lies Mersa Matruh where there was a British garrison. The nearest city was over a hundred miles away. For the soldier there was nothing visible but the sea before him, the desert behind him, and above a pitiless sun. The mail came only once a week—and not always then. No wonder that each successive garrison sank into a state of dull apathy. Here the Y played the good Samaritan. Potent factors in relieving this dreariness were cinema films, mostly comic, and phono- graph records, mostly ragtime. The canteen proved a popular resort; it was near the beach and the men dropped in for refreshments after bathing. One of the Y secretaries toured the camps along the coast from Alexandria to the Tripoli frontier. He made no addresses, sold no refreshments, distributed no gifts, yet everywhere he brought good cheer and enjoyment. Charlie Chaplin did most of it, and other film favorites did the rest. A compact portable projector, a storage bat- tery for light and some 12,000 feet of film comprised the means. SUDAN Work was started among British troops in the Sudan during 1917, and proved such a boon to the men that since the war the Gov- ernment has sponsored the continuation of it. For eight or nine months during the year, the Sudan has perhaps the worst climate in the world. There are practically no military duties for troops sta- tioned there except the necessary guard and fatigues. Moral stand- ards tend to be extremely lax in tropical countries where white meets black. The combination of a trying climate, lack of occupation, and a low standard of morality is enough to break the morale of the finest troops. It was absolutely essential that the men should be provided with bodily comforts and some wholesome occupation for mind and body if they were to be kept from the demoralizing influences of the native quarters of these towns. There were four main centers of work in the Sudan: Khartoum, Port Sudan, Atbara, Gebeit, with a Summer Hill station opened part of the year. These places were hundreds of miles apart; a secretary making the rounds had to travel a thousand miles or more. The characteristic phases of work were stressed. The canteens specialized in cooling drinks, the cinema proved a counter attraction to the dives, and incentive and power were added by strong emphasis on the religious life.IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST 415 “The Soldiers’ Clubs,” wrote Lieutenant Colonel Barrett, “were rendered possiblé by an alliance between the Y MC A and the Austra- lian Branch British Red Cross. To the YMCA who managed them, the best thanks of Australia should be given, for Australians will never fully know what they owe to Mr. Jessop and his assistants.” GALLIPOLI The Gallipoli campaign will go down as one of the"most) murder- (Gees ous in the history of warfare. That it was disastrous does not make it the less heroic on the part of the men who found themselves on the firing line before they left their transports. They landed under fire, amid barbed-wire entanglements under water and were cut down by the thousands before they reached the shore. Once landed they were constantly under fire on the beaches, which they held for months, although never able to dislodge the Turks from the heights and ef- feetively to cooperate with the fleet in forcing the Dardanelles. To the continuous rain of shells and bullets were added almost unbear- able climatic conditions. Blazing heat and dust, with no drinking water except what was brought by ship from Imbros and distributed by carriers, alternated with cold at night so severe that frost bites were common. For ten months the troops maintained their foot- hold, expecting reinforcements. Late in the summer it was decided to withdraw the expedition. During the spring and early summer of 1915, the wounded and disabled from Gallipoli had been pouring into Egypt, swamping all the hospital facilities and straining to the breaking point the energy of the various Red Cross agencies and the Association. In August, Mr. Jessop himself went with supplies to the island of Lemnos, on to Imbros, to Cape Helles, Suvla Bay, and Anzac at the very height of the fighting. As a result of his visit and recommendation, a shipload of provisions, especially pickles, sauces, and tinned citrous fruit, was sent from England to Gallipoli to assuage the terrible craving of the men for something that would take the curse off their monotonous meat rations in that almost tropical climate. Unfortunately this ship did not arrive before the expedition was withdrawn; and its stock was diverted to Egypt. A secretary who was stationed at Kephalos, however, opened a bakery and served cakes and coffee— when ue could get the water—on the beaches at Gallipoli. The arrival 1 Australian Army Medical Corps in Egypt, Barrett and Deane, London, 1919, p. 138.fl . = i : 416 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN of a trawler bearing the day’s baking was the event of the day on the beaches. Late in August, Imbros became a Y center with its bakery and marquee, fitted out with a piano brought from Egypt, crowded with men en repos from the beaches. By September another hut was going full swing in Mudros and crowded night after night with men coming back for a “‘spell” from the terrible fighting of August. The work was not confined to the base island but was extended during the fall to Anzac and Cape Helles. At Anzac, where one stepped out of the boat into the firing line and where bullets were the most promi- nent feature of the landscape, there were 40,000 men. The “hut” was located in a gulley, as well protected as any place on the beaches could be, in a shack built of sand bags, wood, and corrugated iron picked up here and there on nearby Egean Islands. The little bakery at Imbros was the only base of supply for the comforts which were in tremendous demand. There was great difficulty in getting coffee, cocoa, or even fuel with which to cook them. The shack was constant- ly under fire and some military authorities opposed the Y’s being there. Higher authority permitted, however, so the secretaries went on baking their cakes, transporting them thirteen miles by trawler and serving them under fire on the beaches to men of all ranks, in- cluding Lord Kitchener, then on a visit of inspection. neues In November a secretary with 130 cases of equipment arrived at Cape Helles where three marquees were eventually set up. These tents were hit several times and one destroyed by an eight inch high explo- sive, fortunately without loss of life. Coffee and buns were served the evening of the explosion, another tent was procured, and everything went on as usual. Here again the secretaries were under daily shell fire, and one of the orderlies was wounded. Thirty thousand men were served at Cape Helles. The religious side of the work seemed to make a great appeal; there were daily evening prayers and services Wednesday and Sunday. After a month’s preparation for a winter program, the Y was ordered to leave December 15, 1915. The expedi- tion was withdrawn shortly afterward. PALESTINE In sharp contrast to the Gallipoli disaster was the outcome of the Palestine campaign, one of the most absolute victories in the history of war, a battle without a morrow. Many of the troops were Austra- lians and New Zealanders who had been at Gallipoli. As in that campaign, they fought thirst as well as shells. ‘Water,’ wrote Gen-IN THE NEAR AND MIDDLE EAST A417 eral Allenby, “is the determining factor in fighting here. You fight for water, then develop the supply; then, based on that, fight for water again. Wedrag a pipe line from Egypt for our main supply; but that is not mobile, though it follows on bravely behind us.’ This advance was strenuously resisted by the Turks, and the con- stant desultory fighting was punctuated by several fierce battles. The mainstay was the Australian lighthorseman, a sort of modern Centaur. The Y served these magnificent men all the way. Eighteen out of 80 centers were in dugouts in the sand among the advanced troops. Marquees were riddled with bullets; in one case the Turks advanced within twenty yards of the Red Triangle; in another the canvas was left hanging in ribbons after an aeroplane attack. Each month about £400 worth of cocoa was served free. The second phase was the push to Jaffa and Jerusalem late in Poe 1917. Here the chief business of the Y at General Allenby’s request was to look after the wounded and disabled and give them what com- forts were possible. The fighting was very heavy and there were thousands of men needing attention. Sixty soldiers were detailed for duty with 30 Y men at clearing stations in the Palestinian advance. At Christmas, 1917, the Dinkums (Australians) were given each one tin of sausage, three mince pies, two boxes of locoum (Turkish de- light), and four cigars. As the Australians said, in their own pecu- liar army slang. “It was dinkum, square dinkum, and dinkum again.” They felt that they were being treated like “blinkin’ kings” and ex- pressed their appreciation in such phrases as “Thanks, Cobber, that was bonzer,” “Good old Y M, we score. This excels excelsior.” All of which means that they were pleased with what was done for them. The Y entered Jerusalem with General Allenby where it was called upon by the military authorities to help clean up the disease- breeding cesspools of the city. It imported pumps, hose, and sealed cars from Egypt, and gave the town the first flushing out it has had in centuries. Work on a large scale was opened in a three-story build- ing in Jerusalem. A special feature was accompanying the men on visits to the holy places. So much fraud has been practised and so many superstitions have gathered around these places that a reaction of violent disgust is very common, which in many men even shakes the foundations of religious faith. In guiding the men, there was always an effort to help them distinguish between the real and the >The First World War, 1914-1918. Lieut. Col. C. a C. Repington, Boston, 1920. Vol lly pseilii.ak i) mae te | } A18 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN superficial, so that the trips would be not merely sightseeing but have a religious value. Jerusalem became the center for an Associa- tion work in Palestine that eventually included twenty centers. = cross the The third phase of the work was the advance across Jordan to the east of Jericho. It was warfare of movement in the largest sense, detachments going out in every direction to dislodge and capture Turkish and German units. Lorries pushed along bearing cigarets, chocolate, and various comforts. Never did the ever-desired lime juice taste better than in the Dead Sea region, a thousand feet below sea level, with a climate not unlike that of the Imperial Valley.. The men hardly expected the Y to follow them on these “stunts,” as they called their expeditions, and expressions of surprise and appreciation in the picturesque Australian slang were numerous. Victory Finally, late in 1918, came the last fighting phase. The troops advanced up the coast from Jaffa and Jerusalem to Beirut, Damascus, and Aleppo, over the Plain of Sharon where Richard Coeur de Lion de- feated Saladin in 1191. It was the victorious reaping of the results of the long, wearisome preparation. Secretaries moved with their bri- gades, generally attached to the ambulance sections. Supplies were distributed free. Service to the walking wounded and in the casualty clearing stations was emphasized, but no less effort was expended for the fighting men—to keep fit and to help the disabled. In 1918, there were several service points in each of the principal military centers— Jaffa, Jerusalem, Ludd, and Jericho, and 21 mobile outfits attached to troop units. After the Armistice the work continued with occupying troops. An unprecedented emergency came in February, 1920, when a bliz- zard brought thirty inches of snow in Jerusalem. Buildings collapsed under the weight, and the inhabitants were paralyzed with terror and cold. Soldiers and civilians whose quarters were wrecked crowded into the Y buildings, when for several days the secretaries worked night and day, serving hot drinks, and doing everything possible to relieve the suffering. It was a specimen of the practical service for | which western energy and resourcefulness are needed among these peoples whose long repression has bred apathetic resignation rather than resistance to conditions that take heavy toll of life and efficiency. As in Mesopotamia, the new era opening before the peoples of Pales- tine calls for help and leadership, and in that birthland of Christianity, there is a large place for an institution which has learned the principle of service that gives practical expression to Christian faith.CHAPTER LVIII WARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA The story of the Association’s wartime activities in Russia re- flects the social maelstrom in which it had its setting. It is an epic of individuals laboring under adverse political, economic, and military conditions in the breakdown and smashup of that once mighty empire. Always the immense geographical extent of European and Asiatic Russia must be kept in mind. Service points were scattered from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea, from Roumania to the Pacific. Limita- tions of narrative space force the grouping in a single paragraph of Tashkent and Irkutsk, cities farther apart than New York and Den- ver. Secretaries accompanied the Czechoslovaks in their anabasis from Kiev to Vladivostok, a distance of more than 6,000 miles, and then recrossed Siberia three or four times with those enthusiastic pro- Allies fighting to keep open the Trans-Siberian Railway. Frequent reference to the map is essential, therefore, to comprehension of the story. Political events made a kaleidoscopic background. The Russians came Revolution occurred March 11, 1917. Less than a month later, the United States entered the war. The first effect of this was the forced withdrawal, at Germany’s insistence, of Americans working with prisoners of war in the Russian camps. These secretaries then started a short-lived work for Russian soldiers at widely separated points. After recognition of the Kerensky Government, the United States, in June 1917, sent a mission to Russia headed by Elihu Root. Dr. John R. Mott was a member. Through his activity, arrangements were made to start welfare work on a large scale with the Russian Army. By successive acts the Kerensky Government granted larger privileges than any other Government had afforded to the Association. Strenuous efforts were made to recruit more workers in America. When some 50 of these arrived the next fall they found that the Bolshevik Revolution of November 7th had seriously altered the situa- tion. The Soviet Government was anxious for a general peace and was about to make a separate peace with the Central Powers. Sol- diers had abandoned the front in great numbers. Workers stayed 419- y ne 420 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN with the troops on sufferance and the position of Americans intent on war work was almost untenable. Some went home, others entered the service of the U.S. Government. The rest retired to Samara for con- ference. Army work was out of the question for the time being. Those who remained engaged in civilian relief work, city or rural, or in service for prisoners. This condition continued from March until September, 1918. Meanwhile a great change was preparing. In July and August, 1918, Allied troops, including an American force, were sent to Mur- mansk and Archangel. In August, the United States Government an- nounced its intention of cooperating with Japan in military support of the Czechoslovaks, in keeping open the Trans-Siberian Railway, and in protection of war materials at Vladivostok. This intervention constituted an international complication which forced the ultimate withdrawal of all Americans from Soviet Russia. Thenceforward the work was with the various Allied units and with civilians in Siberia and North Russia. pal naalt Seldom, if ever, has the Association found itself in a more diffi- cult position. It was, of course, enthusiastically loyal to the Allied cause yet, on principle, desired to abstain from all partisanship in the midst of a welter of parties. This very non-partisanship made all partisans suspicious, and it is remarkable that the secretaries suffered no more than they did from the inevitable resentment aroused in many Russians by Allied intervention. The story thus divides itself into periods corresponding to the successive political situations. First came scattered and short-lived attempts under the provisional government; then vigorous but quickly frustrated efforts, extending into the Soviet régime, to sustain the morale of the Revolutionary Army; then an interlude of civilian and relief work; finally, Allied intervention set a new task with distinct fields of work. Measured by the huge bulk of seething Russia, the total achieve- ment was not large. Considering the conditions, and comparing the number of workers to the millions to be served, the efforts appear as substantial achievements. The first aim—to help Russian fighting men in the war— could not be attained. The second—to make easier the hard life of thousands of soldiers in Arctic snows and on Siberian steppes and to relieve civilian distress—was successful so far as condi- tions permitted. The ultimate hope awaits fulfilment—that a demon- stration of human fellowship and American helpfulness might restoreof Ny © cae i é oH i AS 5 ne \om 2 AK gap a Lig 352 7 OD AX ) ag e j Vise Ys aT op ees Caner No Ge eS ee aad a ~ Mt "aS 1 YR at : DTI NGAP IE 4 Sve}, C \ ge te a a Pe, Be Yuan? an eee tan sg re : See oe V/ : - LE ARGH ; Oe” hiker 4 KZ MAP OF EUROPEAN AND ASIATIC RUSSIA SHOWING WAR ACTIVITIES OF THE AMERICAN YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS 2 English Miles Sx pean a : S <= i = = eS a = 0 5O 100 200 «4300 = 400 500 5 700° 800 900.1000 Kilometres % ne F 7 ; eget aie ' \ : - —— a | 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 Oy 80 j ys Solitude, Pave, |. / | Lrusevite 15) ¢ \e } zhe e CU g.at so Vay? CS] \ Georgievsh \ } 7 slg Peet PP 2 Danske oes) foie 0 é Ea d 2 foxe 1° Lk meh . | bay Khro i Per Tipe 7 i oe) Yay, Yn i Crh Wdar CEH p & ig HY 2 yankhanste ve PR A paky Ol ie i | - e hs, — , Ro: ‘Ca > GE a aa] eee A SAE | \ oy \_~ Wexe_, Moh, Noy Fe ie KL s,! ama” ” { vs di LPritan SF ae ; Ris Tardy Ss lamin ce Se eres ay “ep, Fmen m =a aN Fontes 9Le Country, 2. \° || Pra e \ Eel Ne ape ardkeeas < 09% ‘| GP Ven ry 4507, \\: 30 aN h V4 OR a aN R . SNe ‘Tanny = ¢ of ots GO; : ore S BCE, Pe 7 Ust Ray AAT 4 Sherratt YOY, Byalinkae am T PATATINSK SOQ eee Ee pe ia ons vapor PRR LZakgert | ~/ Be ee, e < I Bela och Dae — | ORE | Re SuchowSefanchow 2 a, mings fone OR, S “eat hy 2 © ———— ce REFERENCE NOTE | —= | | Work with Prisoners of War... | | Were withA E Ri ee 0 ae ee L Work with Allied Armies and Relief Work v Longitude East. 90 of Greenwich epared and Published for ASSOCIATION PRESS by John Bartholomew & Son, Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland.WARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA 421 or inspire in some Russians a faith now submerged by the hates, fears, ambitions and cruelties of war, and so aid them in finding the way to an ordered peaceful life. WELFARE WoRK BEFORE THE SUMMER OF 1917 In 1900 there had been founded in Petrograd, the Mayak, or TRe rouse” “Lighthouse,” under the direction of Franklin A. Gaylord, with the in Petrograd aid of some other American secretaries, generously supported by James Stokes of New York. This was virtually a city Association on the American model with a membership of several thousand. It was a local organization, which did not adopt the Paris basis and become officially a Young Men’s Christian Association until the winter of 1917. The only other group of American secretaries in Russia was an organization of ten or fifteen men especially recruited in the United States for the work of the War Prisoners’ Aid Their headquarters were in Petrograd, but their service points were at the prisoner camps in places as widely separated as Petrograd, Kazan, Orenburg, Tashkent, Omsk, Tomsk, Irkutsk, and Chita. In these towns they promoted, in addition to work for prisoners, the organization of sol- diers’ clubs on a small scale, cooperating with committees of Russian officers and men, or with civilian committees of the Zemstvos. In the spring of 1917, requests came from several regiments for the establishment of clubs. When the United States became a belligerent, Germany insisted that Americans should cease work among prisoners of the Central Powers. Then the secretaries gave their whole at- tention to Russian soldiers’ clubs. The undertakings ended with the recall of all secretaries to Moscow in the summer of 1917. The American secretary of the War Prisoners’ Aid in Turkestan Turkestan shortly after his arrival perceived the possibility of YMCA work for Russian soldiers. After a period of unsuccessful effort on Janu- ary 15, 1917, General Kuropatkin, Governor-General of Turkestan, gave permission to start specimen work in the Second Siberian Regi- ment at Tashkent. Very shortly a large barrack was secured for moving pictures, Movies were given three evenings a week laika orchestra was teur theatri: lectures, and concerts. wi, an attendance of over a thousand, a bala organized and instruments provided. There were ama Consult Chapter XLVIII.Peter and Paul Fortress, Petrograd Extension of Service 422 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN cals, officers and soldiers working together. Special entertainments were given for units leaving for the front. On the first Sunday in April a reading and tea room was opened officially in the presence of representatives of the Army and the Church. This little club had a daily attendance of several hundred. Athletic and educational work was started and religious work was conducted in cooperation with the Orthodox chaplain of the regiment. Gifts of musical instruments, books, and writing materials were made to regiments going to the front. This work had the full cooperation of Russian soldier com- mittees and the general public. Shortly afterwards permission was granted to work with the First Siberian Regiment at Troitzkoe, an isolated spot some thirty miles from the railroad. Even before the revolution, a moving pic- ture machine was installed there, and classes in reading and writing and other activities were started. Later a reading and tea room was opened and the educational and athletic activities increased. This work was on the way toa large expansion when the Y sec- retary was called to Petrograd in J une, 1917. The work left in the hands of the Russian committees did not last long. Especially inter- esting and significant is the enthusiasm that these activities stimulated in Russian officers and soldiers, who cooperated in it even before the revolution of March 11, 1917. Compared with the difficulties en- countered later, the accounts of these short-lived attempts read like the record of an earlier, happier time, a period of great hopes—des- tined, however, to cruel disappointment. About the same time, work of a similar character was being started for the garrison of the Fortress of Peter and Paul, Petrograd, the Mayak secretaries cooperating with the Prisoners’ Aid workers. On March 5, 1917, permission was granted to open a tea room. Classes and lectures were started then, and after Easter were well organized. Later a library of several thousand books was collected and frequent lectures were given. In May, 1917, 69 classes were in Session, meeting three times a week for two hours each. Lectures on agricultural subjects were well attended and the daily count in the tea room was several hundred. When the Americans left Petrograd in the fall of 1918, this work was continued by Russian secretaries. After August, it was reported that the Mayak had been nationalized by the new officials, with the same Russian staff in charge. Work of a similar character was undertaken in the Kazan mili- tary district. An American secretary arrived in Kazan April 27,WARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA A423 1917, and tried to secure permits for the work, which was hardly started when the secretary was recalled to Moscow. Another secre- tary arrived in Orenburg in the spring of 1917 to start work of the same character. By June he had ten tents established for letter writ- ing, and an athletic field and schools in operation. Further east along the line of the Trans-Siberian Railway were found early attempts at the same sort of work. A Y secretary in charge of war prisoners’ work in Tomsk, found local Russians interested and started work for soldiers in April and May, 1917. After much persistence in over- coming the idea that he might be engaged in anti-socialistic propa- ganda, he won their confidence and was able to direct activities. There was an auditorium and an athletic field. On June 4, 1917, the first baseball game was played. The secretary gota Russian carpenter to turn out some bats and bases. The bats resembled canoe paddles, and the bases milking stools; but by shortening the legs of the bases and driving them into the ground, they were made to serve, and some novel, if not strictly official, games of baseball followed. In June, 1917, the secretary of the War Prisoners’ Aid in the Offcial Omsk military district found great interest in the work for Rus- sian soldiers, but there is no record of activities getting started under his direction at this time. The essential point in reference to this matter is the kindly attitude of official classes towards the work of the Y MCA and the general desire and willingness of various groups to cooperate. Still further east in Irkutsk and Chita, service to Rus- sian soldiers was undertaken somewhat earlier and with better results, under the direction of the secretary of the War Prisoners’ Aid for the Transbaikalia Military district. Unlike the instances reviewed above, this kept on during the summer of 1917 and was only inter- rupted by the Bolshevik movement of the fall and winter. Much of the most successful work here was of an athletic character. A large area for athletics had been provided in the main square of the city and American sports became very popular. The Cossacks did not always understand American ways. Their idea of playing volley ball was to slash at the ball with their swords. When a difference of opinion arose in football, instead of resorting to slugging, they chased each other around the field, brandishing their trusty swords. The populace invaded the field and held a political meeting which for a time broke up the athletic meet. They were especially nonchalant about the bicycle races, and many of them were bowled over by the cyclists on the track. AttitudeEffects of the Bolshevik Revolution 424 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN By May, 1917, soldiers at the Voenni-Gorodok and other military centers near Irkutsk were trying to start schools and clubs for them- selves. By summer this movement was well under way, organized by the Association in three centers, the 22d Battery, the 718th Regiment, and the 715th Regiment. Here and there officers were starting clubs for soldiers; there was a large gymnasium in the city, widely patron- ized by civilians, especially the youngsters, by the soldiers, and by the military staff. The work was very popular; and on one occasion an American secretary heard a Russian priest; while preaching on a revival of the moral and religious life of the city, strongly commend the Y MCA and prophesy better days for the city because of it. But, by September, 1917, the Bolshevist agitation began to appear along with anarchistic propaganda in the form of leaflets and speeches to soldiers. Russian officers who had helped the Association became marked men. The Bolsheviks tried to get the Y committees under their control; the schools were discontinued, the library was closed. The workers on the building began to demand more pay and agitators induced the men to refuse to work. Y officials were accused of being bourgeois. The clouds gathered till the revolution broke in December, 1917. Activities then ceased and the secretary and his family escaped from Irkutsk as best they could. Y WORK IN GARRISON CITIES AND ON THE FRONTS When the American Mission to Russia arrived in Petrograd in June, 1917, therefore, the YMCA had already made several prac- tical demonstrations of successful activity among Russian soldiers. After several conferences with Prince Lvoff, the former Premier, Kerensky, then Minister of War, Terestchenko, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other Russian leaders, it was evident that Russians of all classes would unite in welcoming a widespread activity among soldiers of the Russian Army by representatives of the American YMCA. Messages were cabled to America calling upon the Association to put forth a special effort to assist. It was decided to undertake the work without delay. To that end all the available YMCA secretaries in Russia were summoned to Petrograd to receive new assignments and instructions. In June and July, 1917, two men were sent to Minsk, the principal base behind the West Front in Russia, two to Moscow, two to Odessa, one to Kazan, one to Irkutsk, and one was assigned to Petrograd. These men had at their disposal nothing but their own personality and goodwill, for | . | ' | aWARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA 425 the Association had no suitable supplies. Moreover, official endorse- ments and recommendations had not then been obtained from the Pro- visional Government. Official permits came in the course of the sum- mer and fall; but by the time they were received they were worthless in many cases, because the authority that issued them was no longer actually functioning. Kerensky became premier July 20,1917. From the very first his authority was questioned by the soldiers’ and work- men’s deputies, and by November 6th his government was definitely overthrown. These political and social changes hampered the secre- taries severely, while the army that they were supposed to serve was rapidly vanishing as a result of enemy and Bolshevik propaganda. During the early days of 1918 Russia was negotiating a separate peace with Germany. The Brest-Litovsk Treaty was signed in March. This eventually put an end to Y work for the Russian Army. Such is the political background of the work now to be described. The first Red Triangle Hut was set in operation at the Hodinka abe peainee Camp, near Moscow, on July 28, 1917, just a day and a half after the — building had been turned over to the Association representatives. Thousands of Russian recruits passing through this camp prepara- tory to their dispatch to the various fronts used the facilities of the Y MCA during the months of August and September, 1917. As each regiment went to the front from its encampment, the Y had a special meeting for them, and sent them musical instruments, books and a quantity of writing paper and pencils; sometimes a football or two. The secretary gave them a message of encouragement and friendship from America in his broken Russian, and his appearance was nearly always greeted by cheers from the soldiers who showed their appreci- ation by tossing him on their shoulders in true Russian style. This “Soldatsky Dom” or Soldier’s House, as it was called, went along quietly and successfully until the middle of February when an Amerl- ean Bolshevik broke loose in a tirade against it. Somewhat later the Army melted away and the Soldatsky Dom became a thing of the ast. ‘ After the conference for reassignment in July, 1917, the secre- The Dissals taries faced the hard situation courageously and went to their various posts. Out on the field a silent tragedy was enacted; there day by day, these few workers, helpless to stem the current, watched the Rus- sian forces melt away. Three different workers in succession struggled in Kazan but very little could be accomplished. In October, 1917, a soldiers’ club and a| 426 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Hampered tea room were started in Kiev. A new group of soldiers came in and commandeered the center for an unending series of Bolshevik meet- ings. A second building was secured at Peterchsky Barracks but the whole enterprise, hampered at every point, had to be abandoned in February, 1918, on the approach of the German and Ukrainian Armies. When an attempt to open at Kharkov was made in October, the Bolsheviks were practically in power; and there was no settled authority with which to deal. The secretary managed to promote a few activities till March, 1918; when he left, some Russian helpers tried to continue but without success. On the western front, a fairly extensive service, centering in Minsk, was begun amid great enthu- siasm: a Minsk club and a Polish club in the city and five huts near the lines at Salescia, Ponesia, Emovshezma, and Bloc Post. After heartrending delays these centers were opened in December and Janu- ary; but, of course, the process of disintegration had gone far and deep, and by February, 1918, they were all evacuated. The Russian front had ceased to exist. In the Caucasus a group of six workers, entering Tiflis January 1, 1918, found the only opportunity was in connection with a proposed National Army in process of formation. A club was opened in Erivan on February 15, 1918, but was closed soon after on the advice of the American Consul. Finally, on April 16th, the Caucasian enterprise was abandoned. Two secretaries remained to carry on a remarkable piece of relief work among the Armenians... Things were no better in the north. Three clubs were started at Dwinsk, but the hut at Pvov was closed by the Bolsheviks almost at once. Two men inthe Don region and one man with cavalry regiments on the southern front made little headway. At Odessa, some progress was made. A large building, opened October 6, 1917, operated with a full program in the heart of the soldier community, while a second center—formerly the gayest and most luxurious “café chantant” in the city—opened on February 22d, reached the sailors as well, very effectively. A feeding train operated from March 7 to April 4, 1918, on the northern front serving 10,000 men, including war prisoners and invalids. This ended the activity of the Y with the Russian Army on the fighting fronts and in the garrisons. The service was not without achievement, for the files of the Y M C A are full of messages of heartfelt appreciation from Russian sol- diers, but it was a losing game. Some secretaries withdrew from * Consult Chapter LVI, pp. 388-392.WARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA 427 their posts, others were recalled, still others on the earnest appeal of the Acting Senior Secretary stuck it out till the positions. were unten- able. All in actual touch with the situation knew with certainty that there was only one end possible. FROM THE SAMARA CONFERENCE TO THE PERIOD OF ALLIED INTERVENTION As will be seen from the foregoing account, by February, 1918, work for the Russian Army had broken down for the simple reason that the Army ceased to exist as a fighting unit. The Association had to change its policy to meet a new situation. This was done at a conference at Samara, early in March, 1918. One of the most inter- esting dramas played on this Russian stage was that of the conflict of interests and ideals on the part of the men who were responsible for the work in Russia. In the first place the great political and military events which were affecting the work of the Association so adversely happened during what might be called an interregnum in administra- tive authority. A. C. Harte, who had the supervision of the War Prisoners’ Aid in Russia as well as in other countries of Kurope, was originally responsible for the Russian Army work. He left Russia in the summer of 1917, delegating his authority to an acting Senior Secretary, Jerome Davis, with whom was associated Crawford Whee- ler, until his proposed return in October, 1917. He could not return to Russia, however, and his successor, E. T. Colton, who was appointed on December 5, 1917, did not actually arrive in Russia until March, 1918. Thus, during this entire critical period the admin- istration was in the hands of men whose tenure of office was tem- porary and who did not feel themselves in a position to make deci- sions of the most vital importance. In the meanwhile the most funda- mental issues were clamoring for a settlement. In the Association group, as in all groups, were men of the most Reactions|on diverse temperaments. When events did not bear out high hopes and Temperaments expectations and the work collapsed, the reactions of the different types of men were characteristic. Some moved on to the next prac- tical consideration, which for most of the younger men of military age was to get out of Russia and into the Allied Armies aS soon as pos- sible Others felt that the Allied cause might be served better by their remaining in Russia and engaging in non-military welfare work. To others, conceivably, international and humanitarian ideals loomed larger than national considerations of any character whatsoever. On7 “oy: '! 7 t 1 Wot i 428 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN the basis of these temperamental differences and conceptions of moral obligation individuals made decisions and acted. Their actions and the consequences can be traced to these differences of personality, which really lie at the foundation of all action and all history. Pe A conference between Association leaders was held in the Winter ecamare Palace, Petrograd, June 27, 1917. It was hoped at that time that the contemplated plan for Russian soldiers would serve as the basis for a permanent piece of Association work, and that societies similar to the Mayak would be established throughout Russia. Consequently in July, 1917, Dr. Harte called on the Chief of Staff of the Russian Armies asking permission to start work on a large scale. This request was referred to Mr. Kerensky. On July 18, 1917, the Soldiers’ Deputies granted the YMCA permission to organize a soldiers’ club in Moscow. On August 18, 1917, the Military Staff authorized the Association to work in the cen- tral cities of Russia but prohibited it from working in the armies near the front. On August 29, 1917, the Military Governor of Moscow, Mr. Verhovsky, later Minister of War under the Kerensky Govern- ment, wrote a public testimonial to the high value of the Association activities in Moscow and asked all authorities to help the Association establish its work on the broadest possible scale. On September 5, 1917, following a personal interview with Kerensky, permission was granted to start the regular Association activities along all the fronts of the Russian Army. On October 12, 1917, the political department of the temporary government issued a document asking that all organizations help the Association and that the railroads grant all requests for shipment of supplies and railroad tickets. On October 20, 1917, following conferences with the Minister of Justice, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of War, Commander-in- Chief of the Russian Armies and Premier, the Kerensky Cabinet unanimously passed the following resolution: The spreading of the Young Men’s Christian Association activi- ties both at the front of our active army and in the rear, as well as in France and Saloniki, is considered desirable and deserving of encour- agement in every way. In order to assist the Association to do this, the said Association is hereby granted the following privileges: I. Transportation of all goods belonging to the Association free of charge and immediately without waiting turn on all the railroads. _ IL. Selling of railroad tickets to the employees of the Associa- tion without delay or hindrance. aWARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA 429 III. Sending of soldiers’ letters written in the Club and provided with the Association mark, free of charge. IV. Exempting of all goods coming from abroad for the neces- sities of the Y MCA from custom duties and all other taxes. At that time Dr. Harte was expected to be in Russia to take up the responsibility for the work. In October and November the new recruits for the Russian work, over 50 in all, arrived in three groups, and were assigned to their posts, but the Bolshevik revolution broke and chaos set in. Early in December the Association men who could be gathered in Mosconi Moscow held a conference in regard to their course of action. Should Association work still be carried on by Americans who were sent to Russia to keep the Army at the front? Some had decided to return. American and Russian officials urged their remaining, and the follow- ing cablegram was sent to New York: “A Conference of forty secretaries from the field and in training reveals the fact that there are now few places of contact with the Army and that existing conditions make work of direct military value impossible on Russian fronts. There are no signs of early improve- ment. “A wire received through the embassy urges the Association to fullest effort, but we question here whether it was sent with knowledge of recent events. Some men are ready to stay so long as work of any kind remains, others recruited in New York on war basis are dis- posed to seek service elsewhere. The Conference (1) recommends that authority be wired to Russian executive committee to act regard- ing transfer of such individuals to other Allied fronts or their release ; (2) requests advice whether it is justified in spending war money 1n civil and permanent work; (3) advises that it has constituted follow- ing executive committee, including war work secretary, financial sec- retary, Christy, Story, Halsey, Wheeler ; (4) urges that above com- mittee be recognized, made permanent and wired full authorization to deal with Russian war work. Meanwhile action is imperative and eommittee will go ahead.” ? By action of this “distinctly revolutionary gathering,” as one secretary termed it, the Association decided to continue with its work for the time being until authority could be turned over to persons delegated by the National War Work Council to receive it. ‘ when the secretaries were all called together for conference at Samer ce Samara in March, 1918, on the arrival of Mr. Colton, Senior Secre- tary, there were 73 representatives of the American Y MC A in dif-Action of Individual Secretaries 430 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ferent parts of Russia. About 20 had arrived only recently from America after a long-delayed passage through England, Sweden, Fin- land and Arctic ports into Central Russia. Many of them wished to leave Russia and return to America to join the Army. Some desired to go direct by sea to France. Some of those who had long been in Russia felt that they could be of more service by staying. The follow- ing cable message from Dr. John R. Mott was read in the conference: “T urge secretaries to remain in Russia. In my recent personal conference with President Wilson he strongly approved of all men remaining who were already in Russia when America entered the war; also other men who were not subject to draft before they left America; for purposes helping in friendly Association work for men of all parties and classes in every possible way, demonstrating the unselfish interest of America in Russian people. Other members of our Government consulted by me concur in this advice. The twelve men delayed in England are going forward. I will send more secre- taries for extension of work when you request same.” After considerable open debate, every man stated his decision. Eleven men felt that they must leave Russia in order to make them- selves available for military service in the United States forces. Six others were compelled to start homeward because of health or other personal reasons. The remaining 56 men stated preference for vari- ous types of service with people in Russia. Those who remained in the Y M C A were assigned by the Senior Secretary to various fields of work. Sixteen went to Moscow, of whom seven were to be engaged in relief service among returning Rus- sian prisoners of war, three in carrying on a civilian program among the people of Moscow, and six others in executive and financial capaci- ties. Five men were assigned to Samara, four to Kazan and two to Nizhni-Novgorod, cities along the Volga River. One man was sent to Petrograd, and two started for Archangel and Murmansk. The two men in Erivan continued operations and three secretaries from the Mayak in Petrograd began a civilian program in Vladivostok. Six sturdy-hearted individuals expressed their determination to share with the Czechoslovak divisions whatever fate might be in store for them. Two others undertook to convoy a trainload of Serbian refu- gees across Siberia, and one attached himself to a battalion of Serbian soldiers en route to France via the Arctic ports. Three rural special- ists set out to investigate possibilities for work among the peasants along the Volga River. The six remaining men entered the AmericanWARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA A431 Consular service. Thus the personnel was reassigned on the basis of the new work and a fresh start was made. Of course, the whole situ- ation changed fundamentally a few months later as a result of the military intervention of the Allies. After the Samara Conference the attention of the Association CHa a was devoted primarily to city work, while standing ready to serve any Summer of 1918 military organizations which might exist or be created. Already the Czechoslovaks were becoming the center of military interest, and new anti-Bolshevik armies among which the Association was destined to cast its lot were about to be organized. At Samara, the Association took over all sorts of civilian and relief work. Most of the Red Cross workers had left Russia, on advice of the American Ambassador, when the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was eoncluded. Red Cross funds, however, were put at the disposal of the Association. Immediately after the Samara Conference early in March, it assumed responsibility for a maternity home. A company of 700 Boy Scouts was also discovered, which had been organized by the boys themselves, without adult leadership, on the basis of some translations of Scout documents. An athletic director took hold of this work and made it very successful. There were some educational lectures and later a conference on the entire lecture program of the Association in Russia. A group of Serbian refugees was discovered and cared for. A feeding point and later a hospital were opened for all refugees near the station and hundreds were fed daily. Groups of Jewish and Polish refugees were helped and a large number of students of both sexes who were quite without support were given employment. There was a school for physical directors and a large and successful playground program. On the military side there were three Soldiers’ Clubs—one on the main street, Dvoryanskaya, centrally located, for the soldiers of the new Russian National Army; one for the Czechoslovaks near the sta- tion where these troops were quartered in cars; and one in the artil- lery barrack where the new recruits for the Russian Army were sent. There were also club-cars, or wagon-huts as they were called—large American box cars remodeled into canteens which traveled up and down the front giving “movies” under a rain of shrapnel. On one occasion three men were wounded as the others sat quietly under their steel hetmets and enjoyed the show. Other cars were prepared and sent out along the Trans-Siberian Railway with the Czechoslovaks, where they became an essential part of the Y service.Nizhni Novgorod City Work in Moscow, Summer of 1918 Volga Agricultural Exhibition Summary of Civilian Work, 1918 432 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN The Association in Nizhni secured fine rooms in the center of the city and conducted classes in gymnastics and English during the eve- ning. Preparations had already been made for other activities and for close cooperation with the rural department in its work from this center, when all plans were interrupted by the exodus from Soviet Russia of all American secretaries. When the Russian armies disbanded, the Moscow soldiers’ club was opened by all young men. Work for boys in cooperation with the Boy Scout movement, was carried on in a separate building. The Association also participated with the Student Christian Movement in evangelistic work. An attempt was made to do athletic work with the unstable Red Army, but this was unsuccessful. Aided by the local government who granted the use of a large river boat with fuel and crew, and with the wholehearted support of the American Red Cross and American business firms, Russian Coop- erative Societies, and other rural organizations, the Rural Depart- ment of the YMCA organized the Volga Agricultural Expedition during the summer of 1918, for the purpose of educating the people in rural work and interests. The equipment included exhibits illustrat- ing improved methods in dairying, stock raising, bee keeping, field crops, horticulture, poultry, principles of cooperation, care of chil- dren, care of the home, sanitation, farm machinery and the like. A staff of 31 Russian experts, who understood the peasant problems and needs, aided with films, slides and charts. During the interval from June until about mid-August this expedition visited 44 towns along the Volga River in the heart of Russia, presenting their material before more than 30,000 men and women, a service commended by the clergy through Patriarch Tichon of Moscow who wrote: “The Y MCA is undertaking the support of a series of move- ments having for their object the improvement of the moral atmo- sphere of Russian life; the preaching of God’s word; and, abstaining from politics, cooperating with Russian educational and economic improvement societies. Sympathizing with everything which may be helpful materially or morally, to our Russian people, we hereby con- fer our blessing upon the organizers of this good work, praying God’s aid for its successful accomplishment.” Nothing could have been a more unmistakable witness to the good- will of the American people toward Russia than this civilian work. As in so much of its work during the war, the Association became the channel through which the humanitarian impulse of America foundWARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA 433 free expression. Practically all the Association workers had gone to Russia to do war work. Their disappointment was great when this became impossible. The Russian people sadly needed help. The Association forces constituted the only available agency by which America could reach them. Though this work which centered in Samara seemed at the time but an interlude between two great mili- tary episodes, it marked the beginning of relations which may prove the most permanent and significant result of the Russian enterprise. Although brought to an end in Soviet Russia, it was continued in the larger cities of Siberia during the next year and is still thriving in Vladivostok and Harbin. Its effect was a profound impression upon thousands of Russians that America was generously and efficiently concerned in promoting the welfare of their people. PERIOD OF ALLIED INTERVENTION Military intervention in Russia was determined upon by the Supreme War Council at Versailles in the spring of 1918 as a strate- gic measure. The idea was to reestablish an eastern front on the Volga River in order to divert the German forces by bringing Russia back into the war and to prevent the Germans from taking the exten- sive munition works in the industrial cities of that region. Military action in Siberia also seemed necessary for the protection of Allied supplies in Vladivostok and to combat those German and Austro- Hungarian war prisoners who were at large supporting the Bolshe- viks, and incidentally endangering our Allies, the Czechoslovaks, en route through Siberia to the western front in France. In European Russia, intervention took the form of an interna- None tional force, containing some American engineers and infantry, which was sent to North Russia to prevent the German penetration of Fin- land, to retain control of the Murmansk railway leading to the only open port in Northern Russia, and to prevent Allied stores in Arch- angel and along the Vologda Railroad from falling into the hands of the Germans. Support was also given to the North Russian Govern- ment, and Americans shared with British troops in the severe fighting with Bolsheviks. This brigading of Americans with British troops and their operations under British command against Bolshevik forces, without a formal declaration of war on our part, caused a great deal of criticism and misunderstanding in this country, partly because the men were forced to undergo extreme hardships in an Arctic climate without sufficient food and protection, and partly because many per-434 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN sons were not in sympathy with what were supposed to be British aims in North Russia. The expedition was criticised most severely by those Americans that took partinit. But, though ill-fated, it was an integral part of the Allied policy of the time, and, with the Sibe- rian expedition, attempted to check the Allied loss caused by Russia’s peace with Germany in March, 1918. The American Government defined its attitude August 4, 1918: “Military action is admissible in Russia only to render help and protection to the Czechoslovaks against armed Austrian and German prisoners who are attacking them and to steady any effort at self- government or self-defense in which Russians themselves may be willing to accept assistance—the only present object for which Ameri- can troops will be employed will be to guard military stores which may subsequently be needed by Russian forces and to render such aid as may be acceptable to the Russians in the organization of their self- defense.” The Japanese and American Governments agreed to send a joint military expedition of a few thousand troops each, “with the purpose of cooperating as a single force in the occupation of Vladivostok and in safe-guarding, insofar as it may, the country to the rear of the westward moving Czechoslovaks.” There shall be no “interference with the political sovereignty of Russia,” no “intervention in internal affairs ‘not even in the local affairs of the limited areas which our military force may be obliged to occupy’,” the single object being “‘to render such aid as shall be acceptable to the Russian people themselves to gain control of their own affairs, their own territory, their own destiny.” To aid in this undertaking, the United States Government pro- posed to send a commission of merchants, agricultural experts, labor advisers, representatives of the Red Cross and of the YMCA, to engage in humanitarian, educational, and economic work for the rehabilitation of Russia. A necessary consequence of this intervention was the withdrawal of the American Embassy and all official representatives of the United States from Soviet Russia or areas controlled by Soviet Government. It became unsafe for Americans to remain in territory where they could receive no protection from their own Government. Activities of any sort were out of the question. Under advice or orders from the Embassy, practically all the secretaries withdrew from Russia. At Novgorod they were arrested at the instance of a German command- ant, but were soon released and returned to Moscow whence they made their way out of the country through Finland or the ArchangelWARTIME ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA 435 front. There were left just the secretaries with the Czechoslovaks and a few who had been working in Siberia, out of the Soviet terri- tory. The entire civilian and relief program initiated by the Samara Conference in March was thus perforce abandoned in October. When the Allied forces made their entry into the country, however, there appeared for the first time a possibility of war work on a large scale. With this political and military situation as a background, the story may now be told of the two largest phases of the Y work in Russia. During the winter and spring of 1918, the YMCA was repre- sented at the two Arctic ports of Archangel and Murmansk by one or more secretaries. At Murmansk preparations were started for what later became a very important field. YMCA efforts on behalf of the Allied naval units as well as in the relief of Russian refugees, were recognized in several reports made by Allied officials to their Govern- ments. The two Red Triangle workers stationed at Archangel during the spring of 1918 to receive a cargo of supplies then expected from Eng- land, met the advance guard of the Allied troops upon their arrival at Archangel on August 3d. Within a few days after the Bolsheviks had left the city, the two buildings which had been their headquarters were turned into centers for YMCA activities. The Y had only this one service point established in the Archangel area, however, when Amer- ican troops to the number of 5,000 landed in the fall; and it was not until the arrival of a party of 25 American workers from Central Russia on October Ist, that real activities for the American and Allied forces were undertaken. These new arrivals were distributed at the base and front points where American troops were stationed, and by early November ten huts were in operation. More secretaries arrived from England during December, and during January, 1919, service in both Murmansk and Archangel reached the maximum, maintained, with occasional changes in the location and number of huts, until the Allied forces departed in the summer of 1919. Eight railroad cars were fitted up as portable Y’s for canteen and library service along the railroad line towards Vologda. An average of 24 huts was operated by the Association in the Archangel area, all but eight of these being located upon the various fronts. Along the Murmansk railroad, six supply cars were kept busy serving the soldiers guarding the lines of communication, and, at four or five points, old buildings were con- verted into huts to serve garrisons of Allied soldiers. The personnel At Archangel and Murmansk436 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN included nearly a hundred American, Canadian, and British secre- taries, besides Russian assistants. An extensive program of activities was carried on for the Ameri- can soldiers in Arctic Russia, although the secretaries were hampered in their efforts by the lack of supplies and equipment. Nevertheless, cinema machines were operated in a circuit of huts along the five hun- dred mile line of communications around the fronts and American films were shown on an average of three nights a week, even at the points most distantly located from Headquarters. Four American Y men were captured while carrying on their work at the front among the Allied troops. Four others were deco- rated—one with the French Croix de Guerre and three with the Cross of St. George of the Russian Army. Two of the captured secretaries were released from their imprisonment in Moscow, together with six American soldiers who had suffered a similar fate, through the efforts of the YMCA representative at Copenhagen, who went into Soviet Russia to secure their release. When the American troops were mobilized at an embarkation camp near Archangel preparatory to their departure for France, the Y established a large hut in the middle of the camp. Here a canteen was operated, cinema shows and concerts given, a baseball league organized and equipped, and meals served to transient officers and many incoming and departing units of troops. On each transport went a Red Triangle secretary with a moderate supply of candies, cigarets, and the ingredients for cocoa, all of which were supplied to the American soldiers free of charge. In June, 1919, the Allied Y MCA in North Russia found itself faced with the problems of readjustment due to the withdrawal of the majority of the American forces from that section. This with- drawal left the North Russian Army predominantly British and Rus- sian. The YMCA was, however, predominantly American. Obvi- ously the only course was to relieve the American secretaries as soon as sailings could be arranged and British replacements secured. While the majority of American secretaries were relieved in July, a small group of Americans remained to continue work for the Russian troops and to salvage supplies. About August 15th, instructions came from the American Embassy for all Americans to withdraw from this sector. This meant that the Association work, so far as the Americans were concerned, must be closed at once. All secretaries with the exception of an audi-PETCHENGA NEGA KLESHUEVSKAIA POPFF ISLAND) $3 Rae v KEM \\ acy -ACTIVERIES - Wi OF THE MURMIANGR | oe | , DISTRICT ee YMGA OLIMPI” One Ne Baek ¢ 4 4 pg, B — J ie 455 == aN 443 | KADISH™ =! =e KIRGOMIN FS CHAMOVA | UST VAZHSKY NSRP \ ee Tiree Hy LG ASK VAGA Pee — ARCHANGEL DISTRICT Sea/er coasnues KEY SF LOCATION OF HUTS VV OTHER POINTS VISITED BY SEC'YS -—-—~ RAILROADS ROADS: * 790) cael aes 557 FIDUGATION, dec cic seis ods atone een. 2: Oe 9 ia ee 561 ENTERTAINMENT AND ATHLETICS ccc e + 0c > ocho cena 566 Teva AREAS ac. sc eemnbrcinenines cot 0 0 ale eee 571 MoRALS AND MILITARY WERICIENGY, 000000: $000 > dt eee 573 PRISONERS OF WAR .c-c707os-cetce > rs 5 las ieee 576 CASUALTY LiIST—DEATH ROLL—CITATIONS—DECORATIONS 5 ease te dese 579 TAKING OVER OF WELFARE WorK BY ARMY AND NMAE Goodgsuoomos« 601 DISSOLUTION OF NATIONAL WAR WORK COUNCIE «iyo dae 622 Trinutes TO YMCA WEAR WORK o< 056 lan i cs 626 POS IOGRAPHY o..:s-setear-reueance* "Cnt lc arr 641| |APPENDIX I: EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION 1. Conference on Army Work at Garden City, N. Y., April 10, 1917 The Preamble and Resolutions that follow were adopted unanimously: PREAMBLE The Young Men’s Christian Associations, with the approval of the Gov- ernment of the United States and with the cooperation of the officers of the Army and Navy, during the past nineteen years (including the periods of the Spanish-American War and the mobilization upon the Mexican Border) have helpfully served the men of the Army and Navy. The Associations are also doing a large and successful work of a similar character in the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa, and among the prisoners-of-war. Inasmuch as we now face the concentration in the United States of large bodies of men in training and mobilization camps as well as a large increase of the regular Army and Navy, therefore, be it RESOLVED: (1) That the Young Men’s Christian Association Movement of America should undertake, in a comprehensive and united way, to promote the physical, mental, social and spiritual welfare of the one million and more men of the military and naval forces of the United States, and in doing this the Associa- tions should continue to cooperate with other civic, social, philanthropic, and religious movements. They should also particularly seek to strengthen the hands of the Chaplains’ Corps and to serve the Churches. (2) That there should be raised a fund of at least $3,000,000 to meet the necessary expenses involved in serving the men of the Army and Navy in state and national camps during the year 1917, and that a War Work Council of the Young Men’s Christian Associations, responsible to the International Committee, should undertake with the cooperation of the State Committees the raising of this fund during the next thirty days. (a) The War Work Council should distribute responsibility among the various states, cities and districts for raising the necessary funds. (b) The War Work Council should mobilize the Association forces, In- ternational, State and Local, in raising the funds and conducting the work contemplated. (c) The War Work funds and accounts should be kept separate from those of the International and State Committees. (d) The War Work Council, in consultation with the State and Inter- national Committees, should prepare a budget and apportion, upon 487sie ae? | rey | 488 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN an equitable basis, the funds received. The Council should also establish an accounting and audit system for all expenditures of the War Work funds. (3) That the Associations should augment greatly their efforts on behalf of men and boys in the industries which are so essential to the military and naval success of America and the allied countries. (4) That the American Associations should continue their practical and helpful service in the prisoners-of-war and training camps in the war zones of Europe, Asia, and Africa, calling for an estimated budget this year of $2,000,000. (5) That the Association Movement should enlarge its plans so as to minister to interned aliens on lines followed in the prisoners-of-war camps abroad. (6) That the Associations be called upon to do all in their power to promote studies in citizenship and to inspire men and boys with true patriotism and in so doing to emphasize the principles of International goodwill and of the Kingdom of God, on which alone an enduring world order can be based. (7) That, in view of the unusual demands now confronting the young manhood of our nation, the Associations should redouble their efforts to make available their organization, leadership, and equipment in developing young men and boys in character, physical vitality, and mental efficiency. © . President Wilson’s Appreciation and Acceptance of Extended Asso- ciation Service The White House, Washington, 25 April, 1917. My dear Doctor Mott: May I not, in view of the approaching meeting of the War Work Council, express to you the very high value I have attached to the work which has been accomplished by the Young Men’s Christian Association in behalf of our own Army and Navy as well as in behalf of the prisoners of war and the men in the training camps of Europe, and may I not express also my sincere personal interest in the large plans of the War Work Council for the work which is still ahead of the Association? Cordially and faithfully yours, (Signed) Wooprow WILSON. Dr. John R. Mott, 124 East 28th Street, New York City. 3. Army and Navy Orders Authorizing Association War Work } War Department, Washington. GENERAL ORDERS May 9, 1917. INOS IOs II.—The following Order by the President, issued April 26, 1917, is pub- : lished to the Army for the information and guidance of all concerned:— The Young Men’s Christian Association has, in the present emergency, as under similar circumstances in the past, tendered its services for the benefitAPPENDIX I 489 of enlisted men in both arms of the service. This organization is prepared by experience, approved methods, and assured resources to serve especially the troops in camp and field. It seems best for the interest of the service that it shall continue as a voluntary civilian organization; however, the results obtained are so beneficial and bear such a direct relation to efficiency, inasmuch as the Association provision contributes to the happiness, content, and morale of the personnel, that in order to unify the civilian betterment activities in the Army and further the work of the organization that has demonstrated its ability to render a service desired by both officers and men, official recognition is hereby given the Young Men’s Christian Association as a valuable adjunct and asset to the service. Officers are enjoined to render the fullest practicable assistance and cooperation in the maintenance and extension of the Association, both at permanent posts and stations, and in camps and field. To this end attention of officers is called to the precedent and policy already established in (1) An Act, approved May 31, 1902, giving authority to the Secretary of War to grant permission by revocable license for the erection and mainte- nance of Association buildings on military reservations for the promotion of the social, physical, intellectual, and moral welfare of enlisted men. (2) An Act of Congress making appropriation for the Army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, and referred to in General Orders, No. 54, War Department, 1910, wherein the furnishing of heat and light for the above men- tioned buildings was authorized. (3) General Orders, No. 39, War Department, 1914 (paragraph 80, Com- pilation of Orders, 1881-1915), wherein commanding officers were enjoined (a) to provide all proper facilities practicable to aid the Association; (b) to assign suitable site; (c) to supply transportation for Association tentage and equip- ment; (d) to care for and police Association tents and grounds; (e) to accord accredited secretaries the privilege of the purchase of supplies from the Quar- termaster’s Department; (f) to furnish where practicable, tentage and shelter. (2586501 A-A, G. O.) By order of the Secretary of War, Official: H. P. McCAIN, the Adjutant-General Note: For Navy authorization see GENERAL ORDERS, No. 313, July 26, 1917, Appen- dix IV, pp. 542-544. _ National War Work Council MEN WHO SERVED WITH THE NATIONAL WAR WORK COUNCIL Charles E. Adams, Cleveland, Ohio F. W. Ayer, Camden, N. J. ~~ G. I. Alden, Worcester, Mass. Burke Baker, Philadelphia, Pa. Joseph T. Alling, Rochester, N. Y. E. H. Baker, Cleveland, Ohio C. B. Ames, Oklahoma City, Okla. Rhodes S. Baker, Dallas, Texas C. C. Anderson, Boise, Idaho Clarence A. Barbour, Rochester, INGE L. L. Anderson, Louisville, Ky. G. A. Ball, Muncie, Ind. F. C. Atherton, Honolulu, H. I. Bruce Barton, New York490 Joseph D. Bascom, St. Louis, Mo. H. M. Beardsley, Kansas City, Mo. A. C. Bedford, New York Arthur E. Bestor, Chautauqua, N. Y. L. A. Bize, Tampa, Fla. W. B. Bizzel, College Station, Texas Corwin Black, New York Edward W. Bok, Philadelphia, Pa. Edward H. Bonsall, Philadelphia, Pa. Borden Burr, Birmingham, Ala. R. A. Booth, Eugene, Oregon William Boyd, Philadelphia, Pa. Robert S. Brewster, New York Charles H. Brough, Little Rock, Ark. E. R. Brown, Dallas, Texas George Warren Brown, St. Louis, Mo. O. E. Brown, Chattanooga, Tenn. John Stewart Bryan, Richmond, Va. Charles S. Burch, New York Kenyon L. Butterfield, Amherst, Mass. S. J. Carpenter, New York A. B. Cass, Los Angeles, Cal. Hugh Chalmers, Detroit, Mich. C. C. Chapman, Fullerton, Cal. EK. P. Clark, Los Angeles, Cal. J. Wm. Clark, Newark, N. J. KE. Harold Cluett, Troy, N. Y. Wm. Sloane Coffin, New York Henry A. Colgate, New York Richard M. Colgate, New York John J. Cornwell, Charleston, W. Va. K. J. Couper, Minneapolis, Minn. Hanford Crawford, St. Louis, Mo. Thomas Crimmins, New York W. H. Crosby, Buffalo, N. Y. Lewis A. Crossett, Boston, Mass. EK. C. Day, Helena, Mont. Samuel S. Dennis, Newark, N. J. Walter T. Diack, New York James B. Dickensen, Little Rock, Ark. Clarence Phelps Dodge, Colorado Springs, Col. Cleveland E. Dodge, New York Cleveland H. Dodge, New York Marcellus Hartley Dodge, New York Robert Dollar, San Francisco, Cal. Nelson Y. Dungan, Somerville, N. J. John J. Eagan, Atlanta, Ga. = { : Midiataacha AV Pee eR ET ad eg } ; : | } SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Douglas L. Elliman, New York Richard P. Ernst, Cincinnati, Ohio C. W. Fairbanks, Indianapolis, Ind. B. H. Fancher, New York S. P. Fenn, Cleveland, Ohio Henry J. Fisher, New York James B. Forgan, Chicago, IIl. T. J. Freeman, New Orleans, La. J. W. Fristoe, St. Louis, Mo. Wilfred W. Fry, Camden, N. J. F. H. Fuller, Providence, R. I. Geo. S. Gardiner, Laurel, Mass. Robert Garrett, Baltimore, Md. Saml. H. Gillespie, Morristown, N. J. Philip H. Gray, Detroit, Mich. Edwin Farnham Greene, Boston W. E. S. Griswold, New York E. W. Halford, New York John R. Hall, New York Ralph W. Harbison, Pittsburgh, Pa. EK. S. Harkness, New York Clarence J. Hicks, New York W. Averell Harriman, New York John C. Haswell, Dayton, Ohio Wm. H. Hays, Indianapolis, Ind. E. W. Hazen, Haddam, Conn. A. E. Hedstrom, Buffalo, N. Y. William Heyburn, Louisville, Ky. H. L. Hopkins, Clark, S. D. J. T. Horne, Tuscaloosa, Ala. F. E. House, Duluth, Minn. EK. O. Howard, Salt Lake City, Utah John Sherman Hoyt, New York Charles L. Huston, Coatesville, Pa. W. F. Hypes, Chicago, III. Arthur Curtiss James, New York Mrs. Arthur Curtiss James, New York Philip L. James, New York J. E. Jarratt, San Antonio, Texas J. N. Jarvie, Montclair, N. J. Alba B. Johnson, Philadelphia, Pa. Arthur S. Johnson, Boston, Mass. B. F. Jones, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. Clyde R. Joy, Keokuk, Ia. E. Roger Kemp, Tulsa, Okla. Chas. W. Kent, University, Va. Walter Kidde, Montclair, N. J. F. J. Kingsbury, Bridgeport, Conn.APPENDIX I 491 W. M. Kingsley, New York Franklin B. Kirkbride, New York R. H. Kissell, Morristown, N. J. S. S. Kresge, Detroit, Mich. W. P. Kretchmar, Greenville, Miss. W. M. Ladd, Portland, Ore. H. M. Leland, Detroit, Mich. T. S. Lippy, Seattle, Wash. P. S. Livermore, Ithaca, N. Y. C. J. Livingood, Cincinnati, Ohio Horatio G. Lloyd, Philadelphia, Pa. James H. Lockhart, Pittsburgh, Pa. James Logan, Worcester, Mass. R. A. Long, Kansas City, Mo. Wm. G. Low, Jr., New York Charles W. McAlpin, New York D. Hunter McAlpin, New York E. M. McBrier, New York William McCarroll, Brooklyn, N. Y. Cyrus H. McCormick, Chicago, IIl. Vance C. McCormick, Washington, D; C: George H. McFadden, Philadelphia, Pa. T. S. McLane, New York J. G. McNary, El Paso, Texas W.Douglas Mackenzie, Hartford,Conn. Robert F. Maddox, Atlanta, Ga. A. R. Mann, Ithaca, N. Y. Alfred E. Marling, New York George W. Marston, San Diego, Cal. Samuel Mather, Cleveland, Ohio D. B. Meacham, Cincinnati, Ohio A. W. Mellon, Pittsburgh, Pa. L. Wilbur Messer, Chicago, III. William B. Millar, New York Albert M. Miller, Columbus, Ohio Carl E. Milliken, Augusta, Me. G. H. Milliken, New York W. S. Moore, Duluth, Minn. Wylie L. Morgan, Knoxville, Tenn. Wm. Fellowes Morgan, New York H. A. Moses, Mittineague, Mass. Frank H. Moss, Philadelphia, Pa. John P. Munn, New York William D. Murray, Plainfield, N. J. H. S. Norton, Gary, Ind. J. K. Orr, Atlanta, Ga. Francis W. Parker, Chicago, Il. R. B. Paterson, Spokane, Wash. James A, Patten, Chicago, III. F. W. Pearsall, New York George Wharton Pepper, Philadelphia, Pa. Leroy Percy, Greenville, Miss. George W. Perkins, New York John Howe Peyton, Nashville, Tenn. Lyman L. Pierce, San Francisco, Cal. T. Coleman du Pont, New York H. Kirke Porter, Pittsburgh, Pa. James H. Post, New York Harold I. Pratt, New York Herbert L. Pratt, New York Frank Presbrey, New York Wm. Cooper Procter, Cincinnati, O. J. H. Reynolds, Conway, Ark. O. C. Reynolds, New York R. G. Rhett, Charleston, S. C. Charles J. Rhoads, Philadelphia, Pa. I. B. Rhodes, Portland, Ore. R. L. Rigdon, San Francisco, Cal. J. D. Ringer, Omaha, Neb. Noah C. Rogers, New York W. A. Rogers, Buffalo, N. Y. J. M. Russell, Somersworth, N. H. Francis B. Sayre, Cambridge, Mass. Wm. Jay Schieffelin, New York Mortimer L. Schiff, New York A. M. Schoyer, Chicago, Ill. Frank Scott, Cleveland, Ohio Frederick H. Scott, Chicago, Ill. Henry W. Scovill, Waterbury, Conn. John L. Severance, Cleveland, Ohio Finley J. Shepard, New York Mrs. Finley J. Shepard, New York E. L. Shuey, Dayton, Ohio William P. Sidley, Chicago, Ill. H. H. Simmons, Hillsboro, Texas F. Louis Slade, New York William Sloane, New York George Otis Smith, Washington, D. C. Robert E. Speer, New York James M. Speers, Montclair, N. J. M. B. Speir, Charlotte, N. C. Joseph M. Steele, Philadelphia, Pa. J. Ross Stevenson, Princeton, N. d.492 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Anson Phelps Stokes, New Haven, H. C. Wallace, Des Moines, Ia. Conn. Rodman Wanamaker, Philadelphia, Pa. Leslie M. Stratton, Memphis, Tenn. Lueien T. Warner, Bridgeport, Conn. Robert E. Strawbridge, Philadelphia, Ridley Watts, New York Pa. C. C. Webber, Minneapolis, Minn. Ben. B. Taylor, Baton Rouge, La. Charles F. Weed, Boston, Mass. Henry B. Thompson, Wilmington, Del. F. E. Weyerhaeuser, St. Paul, Minn. Frank G. Thomson, Philadelphia, Pa. J. R. Wharton, Butte, Mont. Samuel Thorne, Jr., New York Francis A. White, Baltimore, Md. W. V. S. Thorne, New York Arthur Whitney, Mendham, N. J. H. H. Timken, Canton, Ohio H. S. Wilkinson, Syracuse, N. Y. J. T. Uelborn, Denver, Colo. B. B. Williams, Mount Vernon, Ohio W. J. Van Patten, Burlington, Vt. Roger H. Williams, New York R. B. von Kleinsmid, Tucson, Ariz. Geo. Grafton Wilson, Cambridge, J. W. Vrooman, New York Mass. James Wakefield, Honolulu, H. I. Luther B. Wilson, New York MEN WHO SERVED ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE William Sloane, Chairman, New York William Fellowes Morgan, Vice-Chairman, New York Date Elected BYUCE) BALLON INC WARUOLKG OLLYee cic cis 65. axes gree lle senor fore sreeroudis + June 8,1917 AO BedtordsyNew works ©1c yc cte 6 sco ie 6 6 «cles clove writers cies eiayones eueksts June 19,1918 IRolopr, Sy devo, ING Werks Oiinvegosagecasossosbouododeobune June 19,1918 JONNY StewaALlt DEVAN ichmMonds, Vareinia.s.°5.+ seca cre samuidec Aug. 22,1918 HennysAn Coloate mn ewim VOL ks Gityicc cis «| <<. & ald ab eicnenre a ommiatatetane April 138, 1920 Bay Rogersh Kempyhilsay Okla « Cooperating Member Bishop Luther B. Wilson, New Work City 2.2.00 ce- Cooperating Member MEN WHO SERVED ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE George W. Perkins, Chairman, New York Date Elected T Coleman du Pont, Wilmington, Del. .-----++-++-esresssc' May 3,1917 Johnie Wacan, Atlanta, Gas eo... 2-642" ric ci eae Mar. 15,1918 W. Averell Harriman, New York City ..--«e+e++scci-sescaes: May 3, 1917 John Sherman Hoyt, New York GIEY, ice epajesepess oe lo gioke ia een ane A pril 28, 1917 Arthur Curtiss James, New York City ..----++ssseeeserrnce: June 19, 1919 AdpaeBe Johnson, Philadelphia, Fae. <2 '2)- ose cies el April 28, 1917 RimKemp, Tulsa, Oklan 2. tajrtajeroe se anil oo a ee naman Mar. 15, 1918 F. J. Kingsbury, Bridgeport, Goons occ csc ce sos cio krone A pril 28, 1917 We Mu Kinesley, New York City <7 er: oo ea April 28, 1917 RB) Kirkbride, New York City Gite oe os seen Mar. 15,1918 Chas. W. McAlpin, New York Gity:.. do ope ae le os eens April 28,1917 Wm. Fellowes Morgan, New Vork @ity oc: 06 2 set on April 28, 1917 Taroldtle Pratt, New WOLK Clty, nate. eis > Uo ke ae Mar. 15. 1918 Ghas. J) Rhoads, Philadelphia, Paw i. 9-0 .:s eee Feb. 8, 1918 Mortimer I Schitts New, VOLK. CIty s.5. ici. 1 Gk iam April 28, Hee I ischover., Chicago, TI cc... rics 00° oii: eee April 28, ee Ho Tonis SladeswNew York City, 3-7. er ay ae ae aN rie Wrllismi Sloane, New Work Gibyy . iris 5: | Gia eee ee 2 ais William De Sidley, Chicago, Ulatewern\io 7 1: as cs eee494 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Date Elected Charles. Weed; “Boston Masss ty450- cei cies oe ee Mar. 15,1918 RogerjH: (Williams; sNews vorkeCitve eet em eee ne oe Mar. 15,1918 Cleveland H. Dodge, Treasurer, ex officio, New York MEMBERS OF THE COOPERATING COMMITTEE OF THE CHURCHES Bishop Luther B. Wilson, Chairman, New York City President J. Ross Stevenson, Vice-Chairman, Princeton, N. J. Dr. Peter Ainslee, Baltimore, Md. Dr. Clarence A. Barbour, Rochester, N. Y. Dean Charles R. Brown, New Haven, Conn. Dr. William Adams Brown, New York City Bishop Charles S. Burch, New York City Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Bishop Earl Cranston, Washington, D. C. Bishop Eugene R. Hendrix, Kansas City, Mo. Bishop William Lawrence, Boston, Mass. President W. Douglas Mackenzie, Hartford, Conn. Dr. William H. Roberts, Philadelphia, Pa. Dr. Robert E. Speer, New York City Dr. John Timothy Stone, Chicago, IIl. Dr. George W. Truett, Dallas, Texas Dr. James I. Vance, Nashville, Tenn. Note.—Only five members of the Committee were first appointed; Presi- dent J. Ross Stevenson, Bishop Wilson, Bishop Burch, Dr. Barbour, and Presi- dent W. Douglas Mackenzie. The Committee was increased later to seventeen members. MEMBERS OF THE WOMEN’S COOPERATING COMMITTEE Mrs. Arthur Curtiss James, Chairman Mrs. William Woodward, Vice-Chairman Mrs. Monroe D. Robinson, Vice-Chairman Mrs. Vanderbilt Webb, Vice-Chairman Miss Mabel Choate, Vice-Chairman Mrs. Charles B. Alexander, Treasurer Mrs. John Magee, Secretary MEMBERS OF THE WOMEN’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Mrs. Arthur Curtiss James, Chairman Mrs. John Sherman Hoyt Mrs. C. B. Alexander, Treasurer Mrs. Dave H. Morris Mrs. John Magee, Secretary NMrsi Hala brat Mrs. Robert Bacon Mrs. Douglas Robinson Mrs. A. C. Bedford Mrs. Monroe Robinson Mrs. James Byrne Miss Louise B. Scott Miss Mabel Choate Mrs. F. Louis Slade Mrs. John R. Drexel Mrs. Wm. D. Sloane Mrs. Geo. R. Fearing, Jr. Mrs. Willard D. Straight Mrs. F. Gray Griswold Mrs. J. Todhunter Thompson Mrs. E. S. Harkness Mrs. Vanderbilt Webb Mrs. E. H. Harriman Mrs. Wm. WoodwardAPPENDIX I A495 OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME OF ITS DISSOLUTION William Sloane, New York, Chairman Wm. Fellowes Morgan, New York, Vice-Chairman John Sherman Hoyt, New York, Vice-Chairman Cleveland H. Dodge, New York, Treasurer W. D. Bishop, Deputy Treasurer Walter T. Diack, New York, Recording Secretary John R. Mott, New York, General Secretary WAR WorRK DEPARTMENT EXECUTIVE SECRETARIES IN U. S. 1917-1920 EASTERN DEPARTMENT SOUTHERN DEPARTMENT A. G. Knebel, succeeded by W. E. Adams, succeeded by Herbert P. Lansdale, succeeded by H. H. Simmons, succeeded by William F. Hirsch Chas. Kurtzhaltz NORTHEASTERN DEPARTMENT WESTERN DEPARTMENT E. W. Hearne, succeeded by F. A. McCarl Arthur E. Hoffmire SOUTHEASTERN DEPARTMENT CENTRAL DEPARTMENT S. A. Ackley, succeeded by A. H. Lichty, succeeded by Re He Kong Geo. B. Landis PARIS COMMITTEE’S FORMULATED PLANS, MAY-JUNE, 1917 The first move was to: 1. Obtain a club house which would serve as a center and home for all Americans in Paris engaged in war work. Abundantly equipped reading and writing rooms. Comfortable lounging rooms. A room for billiards. Shower baths. Information bureau and mail address, to render. 7. Class rooms for French or for lectures. one of the most valuable services Aap wD 8. Music room, ete. ill be made to provide both indoor and outdoor recreation for the men when they are off duty. Study rooms will be available for those taking special courses of military study. Efforts will be made to ensure that Americans are enabled to see the very best features of French and British life. * * x * men will be attached a YMC A unit. This unit aries, each one especially well fitted These men will live with this same g until the time that they are Every effort w To every brigade of 5000 will consist of five carefully selected Secret for his own particular part of the work. division from the time they first go into trainin496 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN living under fire at the front and it will be distinctly understood in the selec- tion of the Secretaries that there is no place for slackers in this service. Men only of the finest caliber and of the most self-sacrificing and daring spirit can perform this work as it is our desire and plan that it shall be followed out. Besides the five Secretaries this unit will bring with it one hut suitable for the men of this brigade with the equipment for the hut and a supporting sum of from $10,000 to $15,000 per unit. The American Army & Navy YMCA of France has not yet had an opportunity of proving fully what it can do, nor the results that it can obtain, but it can with reason look forward to performing a most valuable work from every point of view, spiritual, economic, military, because some of the most valuable leaders in the British and Canadian Y MC A’s that have won such splendid words of praise and appreciation from the General and the Admirals in these armies belong to our home association and have been working with the armies of Great Britain since the commencement of the war. The Amer- ican Army & Navy YMCA of France therefore starts off with all the valu- able experience thus gathered and has behind it the support of a remarkable War Council of the YMCA of the United States covering every State of-the Union. There will be no lack of funds and there is no lack of the most earnest spirit and untiring devotion offered for this work. Only men of the most tried ability will be engaged to head the departments covering all fields of activity and the plans that have already been made and put under way are not un- worthy of our great people and our great institutions. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS—JULY 381, 1918 The following extracts, from the agreement between the British and Amer- ican Associations, contain the fundamental principles governing the relations between the two organizations. A. General. 1.—It is considered not only permissible but desirable that wherever YMCA personnel and equipment are available they should be used to serve whatever men are in the area regardless of their nationality, until such times as their own Association has been advised of the situation and has made arrangements for dealing with it. 2.—It is agreed that in the event of the evacuation of an area by the troops of one nationality and its occupation by those of another, the Y MCA in that area shall be occupied and managed by the Y MCA representatives of the same nationality as the occupying troops. x % *K * cs 4.—No transfer shall be deemed to have taken place until such time as a Hut has been formally handed over in accordance with the rules hereinafter described and the completion of the documents attached hereto by the affixing of the signatures of both the outgoing and incoming Secretary as provided for. B. Local Arrangements.APPENDIX I 497 6.—The earliest possible information shall be given to the other Associa- tion of the intended evacuation of any areas or centers as to ensure effectual transfer. 7—When the troops of one nationality evacuate an area the outgoing Hut Leader shall remain in full charge of the Hut until on the arrival of the incoming Hut Leader the formal transfer has been effected. 8.—Before proceeding to the Hut to be occupied the incoming Hut Leader shall report to the District or Divisional Secretary of the outgoing Association, or his representative, and obtain from him written permission to take over the hut in question. No Hut Leader shall hand over his hut until requested to do so by an incoming Hut Leader who is in possession of written authority from a District or Divisional Secretary of the outgoing association. 9.—Until the transfer has been effected the outgoing Hut Leader will continue to serve the men stationed near his hut regardless of their nation- ality, the canteen sales during such period to be taken on account of the out- going association. C. Huts and Marquees. 10.—Huts and marquees transferred from one association to the other shall remain the property of the association which constructed them and shall be deemed to be held in trust for their owners, being temporarily transferred free of charge to the incoming association. 11.—It shall be permissible for the occupying Association to alter, improve and add to the existing premises in order to meet their special needs, but no removal or radical reconstruction shall be undertaken without the consent of the owners. 12.—No Hut or marquee shall be vacated until the representative of the incoming association shall have arrived or until mutually satisfactory arrange- ments have been made for the storage of merchandise and equipment and the guardianship of the hut or marquee.APPENDIX II: MILITARIZING THE YMCA 1. Militarizing YMCA Personnel “April 28, 1917. “My Dear Dr. Mott, “The President has directed my attention to your suggestion that there is a large number of young men at present engaged in work of the Young Men’s Christian Association on behalf of the Army and Navy of the United States, and also in the work of the Association on behalf of the men of the armies of the allied countries and in the prisoners-of-war camps of the various belligerents. Undoubtedly those young men are doing service for their country and their country’s cause of a high order, and I would be very glad to have it made known through the publicity agencies of the Association that this Department recognizes all such work as being a service to the Government of the United States. “Whether or not an exemption from military service shall automatically be made in favor of any such young men cannot now be determined, but, pend- ing their actual call to the colors, this Department will recognize their service as directly in aid of the men in our own army. “Cordially yours, (Signed) ‘“‘NEwTON D. BAKER, Secretary of War.” Note.—This letter was written because YMCA Secretaries in France at the time of declaration of war inquired as to their Military Standing. Office of the Adjutant-General, Paris, France. July 28, 1917. Memorandum for the Secretary, YMCA From: The Adjutant-General, American Expeditionary Forces. Subject: YMCA Agents in the Zone of the Armies. 1. With reference to orders from these Headquarters governing the move- ments of your agents in the zone of the armies, your attention is invited to the grave responsibilities resting upon your organization in regard to the selection of your personnel which work in the zone of the armies. 2. This personnel should not only be selected with the greatest care, but should be thoroughly instructed in regulations and orders governing military personnel in the zone of the armies. 3. They should thoroughly understand that they are now considered as militarized and are, consequently, subject to all the rules, regulations and orders which apply to soldiers in the zone of the armies. 498APPENDIX II 499 Paris, August 14, 1917. To: The Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of the North and the North-East. From: The Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces. In reference to the good work accomplished by the American Red Cross and the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) in the zone of the armies, I have the honor to call your attention to the fact that these organiza- tions are now militarized and are under the control and supervision of the American military authorities. In consequence, I believe that it will be beneficial if the military character of the representatives of these organizations is recognized when they work in the zone of the armies. 2. Defining Duties of Red Cross and YMCA GENERAL ORDERS No. 26 AUGUST 28, 1917. The Red Cross will provide for the relief work and the YMCA will provide for the amusement and recreation of the troops by means of its usual program of social, educational, physical, and religious activities. The fore- going partition is not intended to give a monopoly to either organization but is made to afford a guiding rule to all concerned. At small points needs for both agencies will exist but not on a sufficient scale to justify a double per- sonnel. Where the Commanding Officer of such a point decides that this is the case, the details regarding equipment and personnel will be settled by confer- ence between the senior representative of the Red Cross and the YMCA. Whenever one of the agencies cannot furnish the necessary facilities for per- forming its functions, the other is authorized to render such assistance as it may be able to give. 3. Military Uniforms for YMCA Workers HEADQUARTERS, AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES Memorandum for the G. Q. M. August 24, 1917. Subject: Articles of Supply Authorized officials of the YMCA will be supplied with the regulation uniform for enlisted men, to be paid for by themselves. . By command of Major-General Pershing AEF-YMCA Paris, October 16, 1917. To the Adjutant-General, A. E. F. Headquarters, France. ; In reply to your letter, No. 3409, of October 11th, asking for the informa- tion of the Commander-in-Chief what we have prescribed regarding uniforms for YMCA workers, I am to send the following: “Al regular full-time secretaries of the A EF-Y MCA in France, should wear the regulation United States Army uniform with U. S. Army buttons. The cloth used in the uniform may be either that generally worn by enlisted men, or that worn by officers, according to the individual choice of the secre- taries concerned.500 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN “Whenever desired, the secretary may wear the leather or web belt. “The regulation service hat should be worn. All secretaries who are now wearing caps should replace them with service hats as soon as possible. “TJ, S. in bronze should invariably be worn on the right-hand side of the collar and the letters “‘Y M C A’ in bronze on the left-hand side of the collar; the Red Triangle, with the letters, ‘Y M C A’ embossed in red on a dark blue background, are to be worn on the right arm, just above the elbow. “Secretaries may wear either canvas or leather leggings or woolen puttees. Boots that lace through entire length are authorized only outside of French cities or in inclement weather. “As you will remember, an inquiry has just been made from your office as to whether there would be any objection to YMCA Secretaries wearing on their campaign hats a hat-cord of red and dark blue intertwined. “The wearing of the uniform by all full-time YMCA workers who hold Y MCA Identity Books is obligatory. “The full details of the YMCA women workers’ uniform have not been finally worked out. Information as to what we decide finally to prescribe in this regard will be forwarded to you in a few days.” Sincerely yours, EK. C. CARTER. From: Adjutant-General November 7, 1917. To: Chief Secretary. YMCA Subject: Uniforms Regulations. 1. The uniforms regulations prescribed by you for Y M C A workers, for- warded to these headquarters, and dated October 16, 1917, are approved. 2. It is desired that these regulations be published and distributed among all Y MCA workers, and that you see that the prescribed uniform is worn. 8 It is also desired that you furnish a copy of these regulations to the Provost Marshal-General for his information. . Assignment of Secretaries to Military Organizations HEADQUARTERS 26TH DIVISION AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY F'ORCES ORDERS. France, June 28, 1918. No. 90. 1. The YMCA is authorized, as far as it may be agreeable to individual commanding officers concerned, to attach one to three of its secretaries to each of the following organizations. The secretaries so attached will accom- pany the units during their moves, and will endeavor, as far as circumstances may permit, to operate canteens and exercise the Y M C A activities within the organization to which attached. It is desired that the Commanding Officers extend every possible assistance to the representatives and facilitate the move- ment of their canteen equipment and supplies as far as practicable. Hdars. Troop 102 Infantry 101 Machine Gun Bn. 103 Infantry 101 Infantry 104 InfantryAPPENDIX II 501 102 Machine Gun Bn. 101 Engineers 103 Machine Gun Bn. 101 Train Hdqrs. and Mil. Pol. 101 Field Artillery 101 Ammunition Train 102 Field Artillery 101 Supply Train 103 Field Artillery 101 Sanitary Train By command of Major-General EDWARDS: DUNCAN K. Magor, JR., OFFICIAL: Chief of Staff. C. A. STEVENS, Adjutant General, Adjutant. _ Military Rules Governing Tra vel of Welfare Workers GENERAL HEADQUARTERS AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES July 7, 1918. The following regulations covering the circulation of rnilitarized civilians (members of the American Red Cross, Y M CA, Knights of Columbus and Sal- vation Army) attached to American Divisions, have been concurred in by French General Headquarters and these Headquarters, and are published for the information and guidance of all concerned. Rules Covering the Circulation in the Zone of the Armies of American Militarized Civilians Belonging to the AR C,YMCA, Knights of Columbus, and Salvation Army, Attached to American Divisions. I. Attaching of Militarized members to American Divisions. (a) Militarized members of these organizations will only be permitted to join an American Division upon the request of the Division Commander. The request will be addressed to the Headquarters of the Society concerned, which will take steps to furnish the personnel called for by the Division Commander. This personnel will form part of the Division and will accompany it in its changes of station. (b) Based on the written request of the Division Commander (or a certi- fied copy of this request) and the Red Worker’s permits of each person being sent out, the Assistant Provost Marshal, Paris, will deliver the necessary movement orders to enable militarized members to join, without delaying en route, the Division to which they have been assigned. (c) The Assistant Provost Marshal, Paris, will furnish daily to the Service de la Circulation aux Armées (SCA) a list of militarized members to whom movement orders have been issued. This list will contain: 1. Name and surname of the member. 2. Number of Red Worker’s Permit. 8. Reference to the request from the Divi (d) Travel by Automobile. sion Commander for Personnel.502 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN 1. Whenever militarized members join American Divisions by automobile transportation, the necessary blue permits will be issued by the Assistant Pro- vost Marshal, Paris, and the request for personnel from the Division Com- mander (or a certified copy thereof). 2. Pink automobile passes required for automobiles will be issued: (a) By the Chief of the Office des Sections Alliés (O S A) for vehicles duly registered in said office. (b) By the Service de la Circulation aux Armées for all others. II. Circulation of Militarized members after they are attached to Ameri- can Divisions. (a) Circulation in the zone of the Armies. 1. Within the divisional area of the division to which they are attached. To circulate within the divisional area, militarized members will be subject to the same rules as the military personnel of the division. They will be able to travel only with the authorization of the Provost Marshal of the division. 2. Outside the divisional area of the division to which they are attached. The Provost Marshal will issue a movement order and will inform the French liaison officer attached to the staff of the division of the authorization so issued. These movement orders will only be granted for trips of short duration on duty. (b) To leave the zone of the Armies. 1. To go to the Headquarters of their Society, or any other place on duty. The Provost Marshal has authority to deliver to militarized members movement orders good for a maximum time of one month and valid only for one trip (going and return) without stopping in the zone of the Armies. The Provost Marshal will inform the French liaison officer attached to the Staff of the Division of the delivery of these movement orders. These movement orders shall be issued by the Provost Marshal only when the trip is on duty 2. To go to any place on permission. The militarized members must be the bearers of movement orders delivered by the Provost Marshal of the Divi- sion, on which the word “Permission” shall be written if red ink. Moreover, the movement orders are valid only when they have been viséd by the Service des Renseignements of the French Army to which the American Division is attached, to whom they shall be sent by the French liaison officer attached to the Staff of the Division. The Service des Renseignements of the Army will visé the movement orders and return them as soon as possible to the American Division. The present rules concern only the militarized members of the A RG, YMCA, K of C, and S A attached to American Divisions. All other militarized members circulating in the zone of the Armies remain entirely subject to the rules formerly published from these Headquarters,APPENDIX II 503 6. Draft Difficulties and Y MC A Personnel GENERAL HEADQUARTERS AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES Mr. E. C. Carter, France, September 13, 1918. Chief, A E F-Y MC A, 12 Rue d’Aguesseau, Paris. Dear Mr. Carter: Your letter, with reference to the large number of members of your staff who feel that they should leave the YMCA in order to enlist immediately, has just been received. In view of the military importance of the YMCA with the AEF and with the other Allied Armies, I believe that your personnel should continue for the present in the service of the YMCA unless they are specifically called by the Government for military duty of another kind. On the other hand, in order that we may adhere to the principle of the selective draft, I suggest the following arrangement: 1. Of the men from thirty-two to forty-five years old, now enlisted in the work, those assigned to Class 1 should leave the service of the Y M CA as soon as you can replace them. Those assigned to deferred classes should con- tinue in the service of the YMCA, unless and until called to military service or until transferred to Class 1. 29 Hereafter the YMCA should recruit no men between thirty-two and forty-five years of age who are assigned, or are likely to be assigned, to Class 1. It should, however, recruit men of these ages, thirty-two to forty- five, who are assigned, or likely to be assigned, to deferred classes, with the understanding that they are liable to service whenever called. The widespread voluntary enlistment of your personnel at this time would so disorganize the YMCA as to seriously interfere with its work in the Army, and I think it inadvisable to undertake to anticipate the action of the draft until you are in position to replace them. Sincerely yours, (Signed) JOHN J. PERSHING. September 19, 1918. The following telegram was sent by Dr. Mott from Washington, Thursday, September 19th, at the conclusion of the official meeting of the Commission on Training Camp Activities. The telegram was addressed to the Personnel Sec- retaries of the six Military Departments. “Bosdick Commission including representatives of Association, Catholic National War Council, War Camp Community Service, and Red Cross after prolonged consideration of selective service act and in consultation with War Department unanimously adopted following resolutions.” First; that for Overseas Service the organizations affiliated with the Commission on Training Camp Activities and the Commission itself will appoint only men who are not in class one and who were thirty-seven years of age or over on September Men under that age may be appointed if they are twelve, nineteen eighteen. ; The War Depart- disqualified for military service by obvious physical defects.504 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ment will be requested to call for registration and classification men within draft age who are already at work Overseas with these organizations. Second resolution, “that for service in America no exemption will be asked for men of Class one. Men of other classes will be used until such classes are called for military service.” We recommend immediate enforcing of these resolutions giving special consideration to placing in domestic service men preparing for Overseas who are eliminated by resolution one. JOHN R. Morr. . Official Order Coordinating Work of All Organizations GENERAL HEADQUARTERS A EF Bulletin 96. November 30, 1918. The Red Cross will provide for the relief work, and the YMCA will provide for the amusement and recreation of the troops by means of its usual program of social, educational, physical, and religious activities. The Knights of Columbus and the Salvation Army will participate with the YMCA in the activities prescribed for it. The Y WCA and the Jewish Welfare Board will carry on their activities through the YMCA. The American Library Association will cooperate with the other organizations to the fullest extent and wherever possible will put its book service at the disposition of the AE F through the medium of those organizations. A joint committee representing these organizations will meet at least once every month for consideration of questions of mutual concern and coor- dination of plans and activities. Exchanges for the A E F are conducted by the YMCA. Exchanges may also be conducted by the Salvation Army and Knights of Columbus in locali- ties not served by the YMCA and by the Red Cross in connection with hospitals and at railroad stations, to be governed by existing orders affecting the YMCA exchange service. By command of General Pershing, . Classification of Personnel YMCA WORKERS BY RESIDENCE State Home Camps Per Cent Overseas Per Cent Total Per Cent New “York... 55. 2042 15.7 2512 21.6 4554 18.2 Pennsylvania ..... 837 6.5 877 1.2 1714 6.8 New Jersey ...... 931 7.2 5386 4.6 1467 5.9 Massachusetts .... 559 4.3 894 ted 1453 5.8 Californian. cee 179 6.0 621 5.3 1400 5.6 MLlinoise .eten ee 577 4.5 787 6.7 1364 5.5 Ohlone 3658 544 4.2 555 4.7 1099 4.4 MEAS 4a. cei. FAN. 469 3.6 207 1.8 676 2.7 Indiana =n e450 297 2.3 358 3.1 555 2.6 Georgiana... ee 473 3.6 175 1.5 648 2.6APPENDIX II 505 OVERSEAS Y MCA WoORKERS—SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS AE F SERVICE Men Women Total WA TICO SOLON eis coe ice Gus ne Fic se sinus © nie) walt 72838 3198 10481 Geren Gee STIG oe oe ia ee nie cw Soyo oie 541 155 696 MG ye ye ee et oe sce nese = «sistance 124 17 141 STOTT So uric ee sie bc nape s oho) we) canes 97 31 128 PT ephr ee cies Rig ue eroenipivie wrciiToleteisieee ockiewn sis 8045 3401 11446 ALLIED ARMIES AND PRISONERS OF WAR France (Foyers du Soldat) .............. 463 79 542 RUSS 1 ee oh ree eee, Sleds Citatwlitelk. ow we ete 280 ae 280 RCALIANGATINY occ es eee eh cit ete 5 277 5 277 @hinese IAbOTers <05 626 c ee eae neces eee 131 AP 131 PrisOnerseOl, WAL soit ns shee ice sc ae 72 7 72 MesODOLAMIA a225- ees cee or oh ls ee eee + 40 is 40 @zerhoslovakia <2 nc ee bee as etic s > ees 40 vs 40 Pl ATi oe esas inicio Cotaieic he fotte (Sel eteile sine, 39 ae 39 RNa ee er aoe Gore ine retchar te voileve Coxetera le nih sis 34 ne 34 Oro false ote cael u's ole nether meats aeih wn 26 oe 26 Portuguese Army ......--sssseseeererees 18 She 18 CP CROCR Toco oe wo ciel aloielntcleteteiatntere eel eis ae 10 xs 10 PL canine + a wt efeflele cro ls eue dor eze ouaiels oie a teya)s 1480 79 1509 GRAND CDOTAGS eclectic + uo 0ls c clecrn ore nirte ernie lajeiais 9475 3480 12955 OveRSEAS Y M C A WoRKERS—PREVIOUS OCCUPATIONS Men Women IPO TIT CATES ie eae a a sec oe re new olate do nie) el ovevelnte wscliere cicuelsi et 198 26 Advertising. BusineSS .....-:+-.- Balance, being cash in banks and on hand in New York $189,645,158.84 $4,085,842.24 $185,559,316.60 $185,349,750.00 $209,566.60 CHAUNCEY H. MurPHEY, Asst. Treasurer. CECIL S. ASHDOWN, Comptroller. ALBERT R. PHILBRICK, Deputy Comptroller. CERTIFICATE OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS We have examined the books and acc paign, Inc., together with by the respective State Auditors, ceipts and disbursements is correct. (Signed) 56 Pine Street, New York, October 7, 1921. ounts of the United War Work Cam- the returns from the State Treasurers, as certified and certify that the above statement of re- PRICE, WATERHOUSE & CO.520 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN STATEMENT SHOWING SUBSCRIPTIONS AND COLLECTIONS OF THE UNITED WAR WorK CAMPAIGN, INC., SEPTEMBER 30, 1921 State Subscriptions MAINO sls édinr cs Mare Lee $1,163,237.79 METMON t) iis. S «ns iorercdeict er Meee: 767,526.94 Rhode [sland ..cscceyres 6 eee 1,555,819.15 INew) Hampshire arrni eer ae 998,655.95 IMassachusettsicc..7, sacra een 10,506,604.27 Connecticuts: sisson ce ee ace 4,413,685.58 Total Northeastern Dept. ....... $19,405,529.68 New York ascii tte eee $45,968,121.29 Pennsylvania; 325.7 ee oe 20,758,882.51 Maryland ave siii ce ess ask 2,609,580.38 Vin GIN a isis cos Sse ee ee ees 1,973,497.85 West ) Virginia: 0359 aoe ts. 1,344,918.23 New (Jerseys 9.25 08 os eee ks hs 7,705,293.76 Delawareticcs::. fbcte hee es Ly: 1,095,822.42 Districtioy Columbiayin eee 836,000.00 Total Hastern Dept ere $82,292,116.44 Blorida sb Pe ee eee. $985,902.43 MuISSISSIDDI: 4. te ee ee es 987,949.34 @NNEGSS6e.. 4.5 7,160,150.99 Total appropriations (see details below) —_—_—— 9,081.560.40 VVC HonaoodHnU Re UO NUHODUadO BOG GONNSO RON. $ 9,422,245.08 In accordance with resolutions adopted at the Buffalo meeting, onechalf of the above balance or ... 2.5 - += - 5): sli ms ioe has been placed in a special “Reserve Fund” to be held by the Trustees of the War Fund for a period of three years to meet any national emergency. The other one-half or ...-----:: is to be used for the erection, maintenance or endowment of buildings, sites, their equipment and maintenance for the use of the men of the American Army and Navy. § 4,711,122.54 $ 4,711,122.54530 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN STATEMENT OF RESERVES, LIABILITIES AND ADOPTED BUDGET FOR 1921: Reserves and 1920 Budget Balance carried to Budget 1921 for 192] Overseas: For work with American Army of Occupation in Coblenz ... $ 765,021.60 For work with American Navy forces in Mediterranean .... 65,000.00 For work with American Mer- chant’ Marineses. 4 eee 150,000.00 For work with Allied Armies and Prisoners of War in France, Italy, Poland, Czecho- slovakia, the Balkans, Turk- ish “areas, CtCs ieee. $ 600,769.00 1,866,000.00 New York Hdqts. Administra- tion ABIG work eeece aes. - 30,000.00 2,876,021.60 United States and Territorial Possessions: Work with our Army and Navy on Military Reservations, in Port Cities, Service Men’s Clubs and in _ cooperation with) City, Yo MiGrAvsiatyr. cd. «- 1,458,070.23 Educational Service for ex- soldiers and sailors, Ameri- canization, Free Scholarships and Vocational Guidance ... 75,090.12 1,960,000.00 Inter-racial work following de- mobilization in Southern SGAtES Gish. een re ee woes easels 46,117.56 150,000.00 War Historical Bureau ....... 66,287.28 Hdats. Bureaus (Administra- GION) ase F aeeeeeeeee keke 149,771.88 Unpaid Special Appropriations 24,917.20 Unpaid Appropriations for Army and Navy YMCA buildin esl eae eet perros ier meer 675,000.00 Special fund for contingencies 500,000.00 CURRENT LIABILITIES: Accounts Payable ........ 46,263.12 RESERVES : For claims of returning Secretaries) seis. eo oe 259,681.93 For rehabilitation of leased DEGHELUICS) ere ote 22,164.93APPENDIX III 531 For French Import Duty and other claims ...... 30,893.12 For account of motor trucks, supplies and transportation — U. S., French and British Gov- ernments! 424 4..25 55.2: 120,512.49 Total 1920 and 1921 budg- ets unpaid, March 7, 1921 $1,921,409.47 $7,160,150.99 $9,081,560.46 FINANCIAL STATEMENT MARCH 7, 1921 RECEIPTS Contributions: Kirst campalen ..... 5. 3. $ 5,114,183.09 Second campaign ........ 53,337,767.53 Third campaign (United War Work Campaign) 108,509,500.00 Third campaign (Direct CONLTIDULIONS) (9s....- 5 51,667.51 OVEYSCAS: fins 6 oes ts oer 105,063.13 $167,118,181.26 Miscellaneous donations 446,492.78 Interest on bank balances .. 1,543,109.28 Interest on securities ...... 1,315,706.97 Miscellaneous income ...... 250,423.87 Total, receipts ......-- $170,673,914.16 EXPENDITURES United States (For details see Exhibit A): Construction and _ equip- ment of buildings, etc. $ 8,460,169.09 Operating expenses .of camps and other activi- HUE Ope ons Cero 28,144.094.89 Appropriations to affili- ated organizations for services furnished to soldiers and sailors .... 2,983,975.10 Expenses at the _ head- quarters of the six mili- tary departments .... 2,047,312.58 $41,635,551.66 Less — Net income from salvage operations .... 739,303.54 $ 40,896,248.12seein Ati MOM SN URIS Satie nase en 532 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Overseas (For details see Exhibit B): Construction and equip- ment of buildings, ete. $12,158,597.57 Field operations and other activities ....... 46,644,760.67 Paris, London, Coblenz and Divisional Head- quarters expenses ..... 2,589,736.78 $61,393,095.02 Less — Net income from salvage operations .... 2,948,993.09 — 58,444,101.93 Loss on operations—Post Exchanges and canteens (For details see Exhibit C): Ubreeyobbeyen Ferxeyeh?) Soonagaqcac $ 339,747.38 Depuct — Amount paid on account of appro- priation to American Legion of profit before adjustment of ex- Chancery deieicierici 500,000.00 $ 160,252.62 App — Loss on liquida- tion of Post Exchange merchandise and other Post Exchange as- sets incidental to con- version of proceeds of sales Fes. 110,395,767 into United States currency during pe- riod of and subsequent to fall in French ex- change from normal to present levels .... 5,658,629.52 ———_————_———— 5,818,882.14 Loss on exchange on sur- plus funds. Fes. 10,235,- 500 returned to United Statesy: mice cis olcoqeoraciete 827,680.00 Expenditures for work with Allied armies and prisoners of war dis- bursed through the In- ternational Committee (for details see Exhibit IDS) eee oe Ben bin hin slot 29,674,192.95APPENDIX III 533 Appropriations to the United States Army and Navy for recrea- IONE WOLK: ccigici cic cic cele 2,776,500.00 Educational service and inter-racial work ex- penses and advances .. 4,941,887.27 Provision for claims of returning secretaries .. 350,000.00 New York Headquarters expenses: Administrative and gen- eral activities (For details see Exhibit E) $ 3,571,373.34 Campaign and public- ity expenses ......- 1,563,670.93 —__—__—_—___——_ 5,135,044.27 Selecting, recruiting and training secretaries, in- eluding travel and sus- tenance expense ......--- 3,305,571.94 Total expenditures .... 152,170,108.62 Balances 6606. ce $ 18,503,805.54 New York, May 10, 1921. WILLIAM SLOANE, Chairman, Executive Committee. CLEVELAND H. DopcE, Treasurer. R. P. BRAINARD, Comptroller. ASSETS AND LIABILITIES Current assets: Accounts receivable ..... Inventories, canteen, etc... United States Liberty Bonds and certificates of indebtedness (par value) Cash in banks, on hand and $ 317,768.78 54,826.19 $ 16,308,650.00 in transit: United States ....----:- $ 690,322.94 Overseas <2.) see resi 1,606,877.34 2,297,200.28 EE ss gi978i44 bio LEss—Current liabilities: United States: Accounts payable ... $ 39,471.11534 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Overseas: Accounts payable: ... United States, French and British govern- ments for motor trucks, supplies, rail transportation, ete. $ 6,792.01 104,397.42 Reserves: For claims of return- ing secretaries .... For rehabilitation of leased properties and contingencies .. $ 259,681.93 64,297.24 Transferred to Trustees of the War Fund of the Young Men’s Christian Associations of the United States ....... EXHIBIT A 111,189.43 323,979.17 474,639.71 $ 18,503,805.54 EXPENDITURES IN UNITED STATES FROM APRIL 26, 1917, TO Marcy 7, 1921 Construction and equipment of buildings, etce.: Northeastern Department—51 buildings Eastern <é 228 Sele ag cteieus 6 Southeastern £ 205 SO we blevenu Southern < 219 Soe ee eae Central <6 176 NC INGE Ie Western 6 75 Pere i) i uaeae Troop transportation department and miscel- laneous equipment oer ee eee eevee e eee eee eeee $ 553,110.70 2,561,947.84 1,245,794.01 1,054,788.92 1,812,331.17 1,024,830.41 207,366.04 Operating expenses of camps and other activities: Operation and maintenance of service buildings $ 5,267,294.01 790,460.43 ~ Uniforms and equipment of secretaries....... Religious literature, meetings, Bible classes, salaries of religious secretaries and musical directors oeoev weep weeve eevee eeevr eevee e eee eee eee eee Educational literature, lectures, French instruc- tion and library service Concerts, vaudeville and other entertainments, including services and incidental expenses of talent and salaries of social secretaries ... Motion picture exhibitions, rent and purchase Ofenilmsitetes pyran wo yee Oe asco a ne ee: o*ee eee eee eee ewe eeee 2,770,985.66 1,527,499.74 1,526,185.90 2,913,073.64 $ 8,460,169.09APPENDIX III Athletic supplies and salaries of physical direc- BOT Slee ere excrete ee eielei ciel eicletes ain'era 0 wtwiepe tate cies Writing materials, camp newspapers and pub- lications: CtCs 66s cer fa ies se ois «laren Railroad fares and incidental expenses of sec- retaries accompanying troops on trains and ocean transports, etc., including necessary equipment and free supplies .............. Administrative expenses at camp headquarters Automobile equipment, maintenance and sup- DIGGS) oe cele eo hel let neice ta sis eireie so a Office supplies and expenses, telephone, tele- graph, postage, stationery, etc. .........--- Sex hygiene education, literature, etc. ....... Expenditures for territorial work, Canal Zone, Porto Rico, Philippines, etc. ............... Work in war industries—spruce logging camps, munition plants, etc. .......-.seeeeeeeees Students’ Army Training Corps expense..... Miscellaneous losses and expenses, including loss on realization of securities and sale of merehandise, @LG: sfe.c5es sec ue sees cece: Appropriations: To local YMC A’s for services and entertain- ment furnished to service men and demobi- lized: tTOODS! \ se scle « cievlere oictom miei = se To local Y M C A’s for work among soldiers and sailors in cities near large camps and ports To Army and Navy Y MC A branches for serv- ices furnished to soldiers and sailors .....- To Federal Council of Churches for their war THOT) ic cals nin 6 GR AcGUM SUBEReL ce eusker eel fole/ese sre ci Expenses at the headquarters of the six military departments: WaLaATIOS © os Soke terns oie edeho ale erel cherie lonevatelesranene!= Traveling expenses of staff .....--.-----+05 Furniture, fixtures and equipment ....------ Office rent, supplies, telephone, telegraph, post- Bpey ete, vee etree cen: ce cs Lress—Net income from salvage oper- atiONS! cc coe eet oe en 1,818,479.87 1,021,397.08 3,901,282.42 1,581,679.34 843,707.33 664,942.10 91,807.47 1,011,243.19 521,084.05 563,680.14 1,329,292.52 —_—_——_—_§ — 28,144,094.89 $ 1,686,094.84 674,207.01 543,873.25 79,800.00 2,983,975.10 $ 998,519.74 398,227.57 146,464.76 504,100.51 2,047,312.58 $41,635,551.66 739,303.54 $40,896,248.12536 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN EXHIBIT B EXPENDITURES OVERSEAS FROM COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS MARCH 7, 1921 Construction and equipment of buildings, etc.: Huts and, tents: accmiiaciecine ce eis ale ue cise Furniture, equipment and motion picture out- TIES) esc cisco ushep one oii rere TITEL les acs ouerens ove $ 5,883,557.43 3,603,289.15 Motor transport and miscellaneous equipment 2,671,750.99 Field operations and other activities: Free’ canteenssenvicer secre cect. os see ce Christmas gifts and entertainments ......... Gift boxes distributed at debarkation ports in We Sh-Ae ‘tomreturninewsoldiersig 426-650. - Writing materials, free newspapers, etc. ..... @peration of leave FesOnts) cance coe cess «6 Operationyol notelSs smectic cee eS Motion picture: GxpenSesiemacti cs. see ces «6 Concerts and entertainments ............... Athletic and physical training expenses ..... Salaries and living allowances of secretaries ANG WOLKeLSmee ererereteieete isto niorelioe lelclale 1s Uniforms and equipment for secretaries ..... 3,353,916.97 Ocean, rail and other transportation, insurance and miscellaneous expenses of secretaries ANG “WOLKETSe fay erste cite ised elerereis cle e'ls 4,602,389.86 Operating expenses of huts and field units... 1,520,440.28 Operating expenses of motor transport ...... 1,982,687.96 Religious work expenses ........-..-+eeeee- 633,326.30 Educational work and library expenses ...... 760,956.36 Other association SCEVICE ere ciel cievte «cle cie 638,932.00 Direct expenses and losses incidental to bank- ing service (AEF remittance orders, cash- ing checks, changing foreign currency, etc.) 345,280.96 Miscellaneous losses and expenses .......... 132,118.08 Provision for rehabilitation of leased hotels, leave resorts, theaters and other properties 696,094.55 Paris, London, Coblenz and Divisional Headquar- ters administrative expenses: Administrative salaries and expenses ....... $ 2,104,228.39 Renteneat lichts) CtCs a teriicrrerioie= 9 + «lek «1 419,069.83 Publicity expenses ........2sesee see eeeeess 66,438.56 LEess—Net income from salvage oper- AEIONS ie rete ee ee enerevers oisicreseis $ 2,878,736.41 695,512.06 436,158.06 3,399,906.04 1,199,330.99 871,018.19 1,914,879.14 1,669,744.37 2,479,732.73 16,433,599.36 IN 1917 ‘To $12,158,597.57 46,644,760.67 2,589,736.78 $61,393,095.02 2,948,993.09 $58,444,101.93APPENDIX III 237 STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS OF Post EXCHANGES AND CANTEENS TO MARCH 7, 1921 EXHIBIT C Operations in France and Great Britain: Subsequent to May 1, 1918: Sales LESS: See ie e..0 8.0 ae 8) © 8 a8). 8 6 6. h'.8'8)\8 8 Cost of merchandise sold. ..$37,682,952.69 Expenses of motor transport assigned to canteens and warehouse expense @ a 14).6 16) 9° 8)\0 Net loss Prior to April 30, 1918: Profit on operations O18 218.0 @ 0 818) 6.0.0, 6 a8 1678 e006) 8) 6 @ 70,0) Loss on operations in France and Great Britain Loss on operations in Italy...... Loss on operations in Germany.. Total loss on operations “ee ee ADD: Profit on raw materials ship- ped to manufacturers for conversion Profit on purchases and sales to Quartermaster’s Corps.. Miscellaneous profits and earnings oRe 8.8. . 6, @ 10x68 Ca. 6.66) e ewe 6 6 8 88) a (6 O08, 67 e 87% Trading profit before charg- ing living allowances and traveling expenses of can- teen workers, rent of huts, or any proportion of the Paris Headquarters ex- PENSES) Gece. see DEepuct — Amount paid on account of appropriation to the American Legion of profit before applying loss on con- version of Post Exchange as- sets into U. S. currency “eevee 2,502,412.50 $39,369,463.60 40,185,365.19 $ 815,901.59 11,676.33 $ 804,225.26 10,452.68 3,620.55 $ 818,298.49 $ 923,581.70 190,419.33 44,044.84 —— 1,158,045.87 $ $839,747.38 ——_—_———— NN 500,000.00 —_——————— $ 160,252.62a . - i 4 2 j | bie oy 538 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN App — Loss on liquidation of Post Exchange merchandise and other Post Exchange as- sets incidental to conversion of proceeds of sales, Fes. 110,- 395,767, into U. S. currency during period of and subse- quent to fall in French ex- change from normal to pres- ent: levels 5.35. on 5,658,629.52 Net loss), 67). wincanouniss $5,818,882.14 EXHIBIT D EXPENDITURES FOR WoRK WITH ALLIED ARMIES AND PRISONERS OF WAR (DiIs- BURSED THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE YMCA) FROM COMMENCE- MENT OF OPERATIONS IN 1917 TO MARCH 7, 1921 Allied Armies: FOV ATIC of 5c Sclele eee ee eeeteeiaie sic ise Ge wares $8,866,912.41 GreateBritain: yer ore chs oc oie wholeness as 1,580,323.75 AGB i ere eer cee Nemesis isis svbecee seed 3,840,988.18 Russia (including A EF in Siberia)......... 7,932,210.97 Poland es facie peur eed ee have pei biens: Cela ts 1,366,826.44 Gzechoslovalkiay Avs ie oe is w eee be 1,159,808.18 Others countriesigeic ce a ee oe is oe ew see oie ns 3,242,895.32 ——————— $27,989.965.25 Prisoners-of-War: InkGermany: 2h wee Ber ee te es be Rae 6 bie $ 487,908.42 InvAnstriasHunaryasme ee oes sss s 5 os 5s 247,447.23 TR rani cea. cineca raleieecee ee ob wees 223,000.77 inwGreate Britains eerie ces oe os 6 stele 211,351.23 InGRUSSige So eee ee oe te ees 254,404.32 in: Switzerland) eae enerro sence ec ecee we 265,200.42 Imvothercountries! om aon tis ta cee ae 408,547.67 rr 2,097,860.06 American Soldiers and Sailors: A diriatic—Mevant. jac ciimioiiete yes 28s oidis i v6 $ 88,597.23 Merchants Marine! irr creer eG ces om 96,495.49 Miascellaneous): 2 cc)vaci ccs tee ke ci clounioisveis: # Siegewe 40,786.28 ee 225,879.00 Administration: ING WOLDS Hira cicie crore cronnelererciel cycle: svaeretens: oissire, 0/6 $ 557,170.92 Overseas) sic s oic chs slclatere wianeterereletey ceoleveeiseerewsevwiieteee 434.769.90 ——$____. 991,940.82 $31,305,645.15APPENDIX III DEepuct—cContributions received from out- side sources, less cash and other sundry items on hand March 7, 1921 ..;........ Net amount advanced by National War Work) Gouncilie. cs cieic seicrea den ee'blatel= EXHIBIT E 539 1,631,452.18 $29,674,192.95 ADMINISTRATIVE AND GENERAL ACTIVITIES EXPENSES AT GENERAL HEADQUARTERS IN New YorK FROM COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS IN 1917 TO MARCH 7, 1921 Office expenses, rent, light, etc ......-. see cere een cere eccrine Comptroller’s Department expenses, including traveling auditors Purchasing and stores division salaries and expenses........--- Furniture and office equipment (less income from salvage).... Religious Bureau expenses ......--.sceeeeecrrrsee sc ssereccee Construction Department expenses ....-.6- seers reer erste rece Treasurer’s Department, including expenses of disbursing remit- tances from soldiers OVETS€AaS ...--- eee reece tees retest eee: Interest on borrowed money .....--eeeeereer steers s tresses Insurance premiums—fire, fidelity and acelin? Ganosognoaosucor Megalvexpenses! a... <0 se cle se te eels eon ore ele ciel General administrative and executive expenSeS ...---+++++++ee: Intelligence Department expenses ..--.-.-eeeerreersrsereeeee Educational Bureau expenses ....-- eee eee ee rcerrereseececees Expenses of purchasing and accounting bureaus in connection With OVGESGAS WOLK ..5ecse sce cen sents eee mene Other bureau expenses (Physical, music, sex hygiene, transporta- A Gyiy il) le aoe senso ooo daca Gaou cOomU OU oo douoaC doc Miscellaneous unclassified expenses prior to April 1, 1918....... CERTIFICATE OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS PRICE, WATERHOUSE & CO. 54 William Street, New York $ 611,079.28 213,140.15 156,225.56 91,387.65 130,947.18 32,367.75 140,104.09 137,811.98 87,852.76 62,501.06 664,877.43 20,396.30 39,923.51 301,975.10 533,077.75 347,705.79 $3,571,373.34 April 27, 1921 Trustees of the War Fund of the Young Men’s Christian Associations of the United States, 347 Madison Avenue, New York City. We have audited the books and accounts of the National War Work Coun- cil of the Young Men’s Christian Associations of the United States at its headquarters in New York, Paris and London, and at the six military head- quarters at New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Atlanta, from the commencement of its operations on Apri 1 26, 1917, to March 7, 1921, and have been furnished with statements of the overseas accounts at Coblenz prepared by the overseas Comptroller, and we find that the foregoing financial state- ments have been correctly prepared therefrom. The contributions represent those ac at New York, Paris and London on or be tually received at the headquarters fore March 7, 1921, but do not in-540 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN. clude the Council’s proportion of the undistributed resources of the United War Work Campaign at that date. We made a thorough test of the expen- ditures and found that they had been made under sufficient instruction and were properly vouched. The securities owned, which represent donations by contributors and actual investments, and the cash on hand were verified and found in order. All ascertainable liabilities have been included in the financial statements. WE CERTIFY that, in our opinion, the foregoing statements are properly drawn up so as to show correctly the transactions of the National War Work Council of the Young Men’s Christian Associations of the United States, from the commencement of its operations on April 26, 1917, to March 7, 1921, the date when its assets and liabilities were transferred to the Trustees of the War Fund of the Young Men’s Christian Associations of the United States. PRICE, WATERHOUSE & CO.1. bo APPENDIX IV: HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT Y MCA Peace-Time Army and Navy Work—1902 Pusiic ACTS OF THE FIFTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES SESSION I, CHAPTER 943 An Act for the authorization of the erection of buildings by the Inter- national Committee of Young Men’s Christian Associations on military reserva- tions of the United States. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That authority is hereby given to the Secretary of War, in his discretion, to grant permission by revocable license to the International Committee of Young Men’s Christian Associations of North America to erect and maintain, on the military reservations within the United States or its island possessions, such buildings as their work for the promotion of the social, physical, intellectual, and moral welfare of the garrisons may require, under such regulations as the Secretary of War may impose. Approved May 31, 1902. _ Mexican Border Work—1914 Official Permission for YMCA work to be carried into every camp of the United States Army: GENERAL ORDERS WAR DEPARTMENT No. 39 May 28, 1914 The Young Men’s Christian Association having tendered its services for the benefit of the troops serving in camp and in the field, all proper facilities for the work of the Association will be afforded by the commanding officers. Whenever practicable, and when ‘t does not interfere with drill and in- struction or the purpose for which the troops are assembled, suitable sites will be selected and assigned in camps for the tents of the Association. In the case of change of camp sites the tentage and equipment of the Association will be transported when means are available. The care and police of the tents of the Association, and the grounds surrounding them, will also be pro- vided for in the general scheme of police of the camp. Permission will be given by the commanding officers for the duly accredited secretaries of the Association to purchase necessary supplies from the Quar- termaster Corps in case the supplies are available and can be spared; and when, in the opinion of the commanding officer, the supply of tentage war- rants it, shelter of this character will be afforded to the Association. 541542 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN 3. Army and Navy Orders—1917-1918 GENERAL ORDERS WarR DEPARTMENT, No. 70 Washington, June 2, 1917 I. Commanding officers of military posts and camps are hereby authorized, subject to the approval of the commanding officers of the departments in which the said posts or camps may be located, to grant licenses revocable at will by the Secretary of War to the Young Men’s Christian Association to erect and maintain temporary buildings and structures thereon, in which to carry on the work of the said Association, the licenses to be for the period of the exist- ing war, unless revoked prior to the termination thereof. (2597935, A. G. O.) By order of the Secretary of War: TASKER H. BLIss, Official: Major General, Acting Chief of Staff. H. P. McCAIN, The Adjutant General. GENERAL ORDERS NAVY DEPARTMENT No. 313 Washington, July 26, 1917 1. The Young Men’s Christian Association, in addition to its large service to enlisted men during times of peace, has greatly increased its facilities and efforts during the present need represented by the increased forces in the Navy and Marine Corps and the calling of the Naval Reserves and Naval Militia. This organization is prepared by experience, approved methods and assured resources to serve our enlisted men. The results obtained by this voluntary civilian organization are so beneficial and bear such a direct rela- tionship to efficiency, inasmuch as the Association provision contributes to the happiness, content and morale of the personnel, that in order to unify the civilian betterment activities in the Navy and further the work of the organization that has demonstrated its ability to render a service desired by both officers and men, cordial recognition is hereby given the Young Men’s Christian Association as a valuable adjunct and asset to the service. 2. Officers are urged to render the fullest practicable assistance and co- operation in the maintenance and extension of the Association at the regular Navy Yards and Stations, and at such other stations as may be established on either a temporary or permanent basis. To this end it is desired that officers, ashore and afloat, extend all possible consideration to accredited rep- resentatives of the Association. This should include: (1) Authorization by commandants for the erection of buildings at the various Navy Yards and Stations in accordance with instructions already issued, and the provision of heat and light for said buildings. (2) Cooperation in facilitating accredited representatives in their access to Navy Yards and Stations and to ships and temporary camps. (3) The granting of commissary privileges where practicable.APPENDIX IV 543 (4) Furnishing where practicable tentage for shelter when in temporary camps. (5) Transportation on naval craft, when necessary, of secretaries and supplies. BULLETIN WAR DEPARTMENT No. 20 Washington, April 11, 1918 * * * 2 ¥ III. 1. The attention of officers is directed to the precedent and policy already established in regard to civil association buildings erected at military posts, camps, and cantonments: a. An act approved May 31, 1902, gives authority to the Secretary of War to grant permission by revocable license for the erection and maintenance of Young Men’s Christian Association buildings on military reservations for the promotion of the social, physical, intellectual, and moral welfare of enlisted men. This authority has been delegated to post and camp commanders, under certain restrictions, by Section I, General Orders, No. 70, War Department, 1917. b. An act of Congress approved March 23, 1910, making appropriation for the Army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, and published in General Orders, No. 54, War Department, 1910, authorizes the furnishing of heat and light for the buildings erected at private cost in the operation of the act ap- proved May 31, 1902. This proviso has been included in appropriation acts including that for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918, published in Bulletins Nos. 30, 39, and 59, War Department, 1917. The act approved March 28, 1918, published in Bulletin No. 19, War Department, 1918, authorizes heat and light for the buildings erected at private cost, in the operation of the act approved May 31, 1902, and for buildings for similar purposes on military reservations authorized by War Department regulations. c. The privileges granted the Young Men’s Christian Association are enumerated in detail in paragraph 80, Compilation of Orders, 1881-1915, wherein commanding officers are enjoined (1) to provide all proper facilities practicable to aid the Association; (2) to assign suitable sites when practi- cable; (3) to supply transportation for Association tentage and equipment on change of site and when means are available; (4) in the general police scheme of the camp to provide for the care and police of the Association tents and grounds; (5) to accord accredited secretaries the privilege of purchase of necessary supplies, including subsistence stores, from the Quartermaster Corps in case the supplies are available and can be spared; (6) to furnish tentage for shelter where the supply warrants. a a x + e 29. Associations whose activities are authorized will be granted the privi- leges of water and sewerage, provided the water supply is ample and that these privileges will be afforded without any expense to the Government, and permission to purchase necessary supplies from the Quartermaster Corps,einen ete ES 544 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN including fuel, light, gasoline, and subsistence stores in cases where fuel and light is not authorized as an issue by the act of Congress approved March 28, 1918, plus any expense for handling and providing the supplies are avail- abie in excess of the actual Government requirements and can be spared. (680.44, A. G. O.) * * * K * By order of the Secretary of War: PEYTON C. MARCH Official : Major General, Acting Chief of Staff H. P. McCain, The Adjutant General.APPENDIX V: GENERAL SUPPLY DEPARTMENT AND POST EXCHANGE 1. Order Establishing Post Exchanges GENERAL ORDERS No. 33 September 6, 1917. III. 1. The YMCA is granted authority to establish exchanges for the American troops in France subject to such rules and regulations as may be issued from time to time by these Headquarters and under such control by commanding officers as will insure no interference with military operations and discipline. 2. These exchanges will be operated, in so far as the same are applicable to them, along the lines of post exchanges, whose places they are intended to fill, in order that officers and enlisted men may not be taken away for that purpose from their paramount military functions of training and fighting. 8 Commanding officers will therefore prohibit the maintenance of any Army exchanges in commands in which exchanges have been established by the YMCA. 4. The establishment of these exchanges should not be limited to the areas more remote from active operations, but it is particularly desirable that they should be pushed as far to the front as military operations will permit in order that such comforts and conveniences as they afford may reach the soldiers in the more advanced positions where they are most needed. 5. Commanding officers are enjoined to facilitate the efforts of the Associ- ation’s officers in this work. They will arrange suitable locations according to circumstances for the establishment of these exchanges, and accord such consideration to the officers of the Association engaged in this work and in- sure such facilities to them as would be enjoyed by those operating post exchanges under similar conditions, to the end that the purposes and objects of this undertaking may be duly accomplished. . Tonnage Requirements, AEF-YMCA 12, Rue d’Aguesseau, Paris December 1, 1917. From: E. C. Carter, Chief Secretary, YMCA. To: The Commander in Chief, AEF Subject: Tonnage for the YMCA In confirmation of interviews with Col. Logan and Col. Barber, I have now to make formal application for your authorization of our requisite amount of Atlantic tonnage. A most searching study has been made of the present and future possi- bilities of the market in France, the United Kingdom, and the adjacent neutral countries, with the object of confining our purchases from America to the absolute minimum, both with reference to equipment for our huts and sup- plies for the Post Exchange. For example, the list of goods for sale in the 545simon melt 7 .4Ee ‘ 7! 546 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Post Exchange is very much less than that carried by the ordinary Post Ex- change in America and is similarly much smaller than that carried by the British Expeditionary Forces’ canteens. We do not feel that we would be justified in making any farther reductions in our very limited list, and on the basis of which we are estimating our tonnage. Tonnage Estimated automatic tonnage required for canteen articles for 25,000 men\jper monthi (seerlistmlvattached) @.......c usec eae cee 208.83 Estimated exceptional tonnage for equipment for two new divisions peremonth<(seemlistecmatcached tec ais cc ccs cacnn e waee uses 16. On the above basis and our present rough estimate of the forces in France the total automatic supply of tonnage is ................. 1252.98 And on the same basis the exceptional tonnage would be per month 16. The above is for December. Each succeeding month beginning with January would require for 25,000 men 208.83 tons additional, or.... 417.66 Add uisay 4b Zomfor Walteriskmepe ols oS a's cick hc ee er re 85. Total tonnage: requiredetormoanuary ic snc. . soc Mom at eee ose 1771.64 Or an average of 400 tons per week. As you are probably aware, our Headquarters in New York have arranged with Washington, subject to your approval, for the present 350 tons of Gov- ernment tonnage per week. In the light of the above statement we hope it will be possible for you to cable Washington approving this amount of ton- nage for the present. This is the requirement for December; our January in | requirements will be increased by whatever number of additional troops are sent over. We will look to you to deal with these additional requirements automatically as the occasion arises and our statement attached will give you the basis on which such requirements can be estimated. In conclusion I want to say that it is our endeavor to meet the require- ments of the men as nearly as possible with the facilities at our command; and that by obtaining for us the tonnage we ask for, the comfort and satis- faction of the men will be greatly increased. ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES (LIST 1) REQUIRED FROM U. S. A. MoNTHLY | December 2, 1917. HoreebO00Umen: Ae eer: ie 6 tcc Goths fe op aa eI 208.83 tons bhisvequalsptor presentmorcess per month’ 22... . cease nena 1252.98 tons Addiequipment.toro0) double nuts; month). 2. ..060--6 52 occ 16. ‘s Add one month’s supply for two new divisions on above basis.... 417.66 “ NGA AMY SANE ARENS 655.0 odo OO OU OIRO n nana 16 Go one Dae OL 85. “ Totalemonthly, Tequinementsiaye no cicciate nc cc cclcmeen a acres nce 1771.64 tons Or about 400 tons per week.APPENDIX V 547 ESTIMATED AUTOMATIC TONNAGE FOR CANTEEN ARTICLES FOR 25,000 MEN PER MONTH LIST 1 Tonnage 1. Tobacco 8 a. Cigarets—% package of 10 cigarets per man, 12,500 packages per day, 375,000 9 packages per month, 150 CASCS) ee. chiki sa sc tree eles are 12.00 b. Smoking Tobacco—‘ lb. per month per man, 12,500 lbs. 6.25 ce. Chewing Tobacco—% plug per week for 5,000 men, 60,- 000 plugs per month, 20,000 IN, Saha oooemeopeaeuC Oo OUnC 10.00 d. Cigars—5 per week per man, 125,000 per week, 500,000 DEE MONCH 2. 6 ae ec noes 2.50 2. Sugar for Chocolate—4 tab- lets of 100 gr. per man per week, 400,000 tablets per month — 40,000 kilos, 65% sugar on 40,000 kilos ...... 26.00 Sugar for Biscuits—% pack- age of 125 gr. per man per day, 12,500 packages—1,500 kilos per day, 45,000 kilos per month, 25% sugar on 45,000 NOS) erie isn e ceererehuteteysts: sieve 11.25 Sugar for Jam—1 jar per man per week, 100,000 jars per month, 66,000 lbs. per month, 60% sugar on 66,000 DSi ee acre Siete Se oteieve cs 20.00 38. Flour for Biscuits—75% of ae Sonn dtmoo NAb ooOUUUDOL 33.75 4. Matches — 25,000 boxes per week, 100,000 boxes’ per MHRONAG aie aie ode wre fe aie ores ciciey es ere 1 5. Candles—25,000 candles per week (Purchased in France) 6. Soap—1 cake per week (Pur- chased in France) 7. Cocoa—25,000 cups per day, 300 lbs. of cocoa daily, 9,000 lbs. of cocoa per month..... 4.50 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19: 20. 21. 22. 23. Tonnage Condensed Milk—8 cans to 1 lb. cocoa, 72,000 cans of milk, 86,000lbS. .2. ccteecte tes 18. Pipes—l pipe per man every six months, 4,000 pipes per month (Purchased in France) Shoe-laces—2 pairs every 90 days, 16,000 pairs of laces per month (Purchased in France) Tooth Paste—10,000 tubes per month, 2,268 lbs. ....... i: Tooth Brushes — 2,000 per month (Purchased in France) Shaving Sticks—% stick per month, 12,500 sticks per month S....bh% cow ee ree 75. Shaving Brushes—2,000 per month (Purchased in France) Cigaret Paper—(Purchased in France) Chewing Gum—2 packages per man per month, 50,000 packages per month, 25 cases 2.50 Canned Fruit—Strawberry, Pears, Peach, 1 can per month, 25,000 cans, 24 tins to a case, 1,000 cases Razors—Gillette Blades, Ev- er-ready Blades (Brought over as personal baggage) Hard Candy —1 package of 125 gr. per week, 100,000 packages, 12,500 kilos (Made in France) Sugar for same. .11. Coffee — 500,000 cups’ per month, 12;500F1 DS! aa. cree 6.25 Sugar for coffee—6,260 lbs. 3. Tea—100,000 cups per month 33. Sugar for tea, 625 lbs. .... .20 Biscuits (Uneeda) — 50,000 packages, 144 packages of 56 TDSs<. gs avoveucvevelt: crore’ stckenchenere pl Brushes (Military) (Pur- chased in France) 5.548 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Tonnage Tonnage JAS Tomato: Catsup! sees ae 50 chased in France and Eng- 25s Canned Cornmecei ee ce cle 3S: land) 26. Bouillon Cubes (Purchased in 32. Ins2ct Powder France) (Purchased in England) 27. Pickles (Sweet and Sour) 33. Sewing-kits (Purchased in France) _(Purchased in France) 28. Pencils 34. Sardines (Purchased in France) (Purchased in France) 29. Wrist Watches 35. Pocket Knives (Purchased in France) (Purchased in France) 30. Flash Lights 36. Shoe Polish (Purchased in France and (Purchased in France) England) 37. Tobacco Pouches 31. Handkerchiefs — White and (Purchased in France) O.D., 50,000 per month, 2 doz. Sa per month, 4,000 doz. (Pur- Total tne etree 208.88 tons ESTIMATED EXCEPTIONAL TONNAGE FOR EQUIPMENT OF Two DIVISIONS PER MONTH Tonnage Tonnage 1. Chairs—800 per double hut, warese PW scbcoupongugeec 10 weight 105 lbs. per doz. 6. Books—(Song-Hymn) (These we will obtain locally) For every hut, weight 200 lbs. 3. 2. Cinema—l1 for each hut, 7. Stationery—(Including paper weight 282) lbs} each 4... ...- 4, for printing) For all huts.... 6. 3. Victors—1 for each hut, © 8. Typewriters — 39 Coronas, weight 100 lbs. each ..... weight 20 lbs. each.......... .40 4. Records—50 for each hut, {| zioU oe welght 50) 1bsiimec cree tar Totalicqiwer tines ateccks «ce 16.00 5. Playing Cards—12 packs, COLONEL BARBOUR (Deputy Chief of Staff Headquarters Service of Supply A E F) YMCA in dire need of entire tonnage allotment. Constant complaint from commanding officers and men throughout France, particularly at the front regarding utter inadequacy YMCA Post Exchange supplies. Earnestly hope full allotment will be possible in case any reduction necessary. Our New York office is fully informed regarding Y MCA tonnage priority. CARTER YMCA Paris, March 28, 1918. . Warehousing 12 Rue d’Aguesseau, Paris, January 8, 1918. From: E. GC. Carter, Chief Secretary, AE F-YMCA To: Colonel James Logan Subject: Warehouse location at Gievres. Referring to our letter of December 4, on the above subject, we write to ask if as yet our former application for a warehouse site has been allotted to us. You will remember the original request was for a site to accommodate a warehouse, 50 x 350 feet, and in view of the inevitable increase of theAPPENDIX V 549 volume of our traffic and the fact that we will no longer use Paris as a center, we should like to have allotted to us sufficient vacant ground to build a second warehouse of the same size. We understand that the warehouses are located in such a way that there is a vacant bay between each row of warehouses. On this space we should like to have further a vacant ground allotment corresponding to the warehouse sites as above. This would then enable us to store non-perishable material in the open. As regards the cost of the structure, we are willing to settle that with the Quartermaster’s Department on any basis that he may desire; that is, Army to furnish us with the warehouses which we are to pay for or we to agree to furnish the lumber when we obtain same and to pay for the lumber to build the warehouse, or in any other manner that is agreeable to the Army authorities. As doubtless progress will from now on be very much more rapid at this point, we hope that you can obtain for us from the proper authorities the allo- cation as above, at your earliest possible moment. E. C. CARTER. 1st. Ind. Hdq. AEF, A. 8., G. S. January 9, 1918—To C. G. L: of G. 1. Forwarded for his recommendation. 9. The return of these papers ‘s desired. By order of the C. in C. James A. LOGAN, JR. Chief A. S., G. S. 2nd. Ind. Hdg. L. of C., AE F, France, January 16, 1918—To C O, Intermediate Section. For recommendation with return of these papers. By command of Major General Kernan: F. A. WILCOX Adjutant General 3d. Ind. Hdq. Inter. See. L. of C., France, January 21, 1918—to C. G., Li. of CG: r the YMCA. It is 1. Giévres is not in position at present to care fo absolutely impossible to grant them storage space or care for their stores for several months. The service of supply, sanitary and telegraph is strained to meet the demands; the Y MCA, like the service of S, S and rc must pro- vide storage space along the line of communications temporarily, until our great depots are in operation. 2. When established and in opera meet the requirements of the YMCA. tion, the great depot will, very properly, ARTHUR JOHNSON, Colonel, 51st Infantry Commanding.550 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN 4th. Ind. Hdq. L. of C., AEF France, January 24, 1918—To C inC, AEF. 1. As conditions are at present it is not possible to assign store space at Giévres to the YMCA. It is believed such Space may be available in about two months. It is recommended that no storehouse space be assigned to the YMCA at Giévres at the present time. F. J. KERNAN, Maj. Gen., N. A. Commanding. 5th. Ind. GHQ, AEF, AS, GS, January 30, 1918—To Chief YMCA. 1. Inviting attention to 4th. Ind. . Tonnage Crisis May 2nd, 1918. From: Chief AE F—YMCA ANN (GS ib (Ch, (Ch a. Subject: Crisis regarding YMCA tonnage. (1) Several months of experience has proven that the original estimate of 208 tons per month per 25,000 men for Post Exchange supplies was not ex- cessive. Because of the then shortage of Atlantic tonnage, it was necessary for G.H.Q. to get down the allotment from 208 to 100 tons per month per 25,000 men automatic tonnage. (2) The request of the YMCA for tonnage for equipment in addition to tonnage for Post Exchange supplies, has not yet been granted. For a time we were able to get commercial tonnage at a high rate to cover most of our needs in this direction. This included athletic goods, cinema supplies, hut equipment, periodicals, motor supplies and stationery. It is no longer possible to secure any appreciable quantity of commercial tonnage. After making all possible purchases in Europe, it is absolutely out of the question from the point of view of the morale of the AEF for the Y MCA to eliminate the im- portation of stationery, athletic, cinema and motor supplies, magazines, etc. (3) On a recent tour of the Ist, 2d, 26th and 42d Divisions, I personally inspected a very large number of our canteens. Almost without exception I found our canteens inadequately supplied, and while on the one hand there was great appreciation on the part of the officers and men of the services our canteens were rendering under difficult circumstances, the prevailing opinion was that the quantity of supplies available was pitiably inadequate. (4) At the rate at which troops are now coming to France, the present inadequate allotment of automatic tonnage for the Post Exchange is made all the more insufficient by the fact that, for example, the May allotment is on the basis of the number of troops in France in the month of May. Asa matter of fact, the Post Exchange supplies which leave New York during the month of May cannot be made available for our canteens throughout France until the month of July. This means that our allotment of tonnage for May should really be on the basis of the troops to be served two months later.APPENDIX V 551 (5) In view of the decreasing amount of commercial tonnage available and the relatively decreasing amount of equipment and supplies available for purchase in Europe, I am to urge that for the Post Exchange supplies and YMCA equipment the C. in C. authorize an increase of automatic tonnage for the YMCA to 208 tons per month per 25,000 men. (Signed) E. C. CARTER, Chief, AE F-YMCA . Timber Allotment May 3, 1918. From: Hdars., Base Section No. 3, S.0.S.,A EF. Lo: .C..in’ Ca for G-l. Subject: Timber allotment for YMCA. 1. The inclosed request of the YMCA for timber is submitted for ap- proval. This quantity will be charged to our allotment of 20,000 tons. JOHN BIDDLE, Major General, N. A. Commanding Inc: Y MCA request for timber. 1st Ind. G. H. Q., AEF, G-1, May 11, 1918, to C. G., S. O. S. 1. Returned. The tonnage situation at present is such that no purchases involving replacement can be authorized for the YMCA. Attention is invited to the fact that the old agreement under which we were to replace 20,000 tons of timber has been abrogated. By order of the C. in C. JAMES A. LOGAN, JR., Col. G: S.; Ni A- A. C. of S., G-1 3d. Ind. G.H.Q., AEF, G-1, May 18, 1918—To C.G., S. OS: 1. Returned. 9. The excellent work done by the YMCA is highly appreciated by the C. in C., who would be glad to approve the request contained in the letter of April 24th, 1918, from Mr. Mack Olsen, Post Exchange Secretary. 3. Replacement undertakings of the kind sought to be made in this case have caused the greatest confusion at home. They involve what is in substance a replacement determination which the military situation does not permit us to recommend at this time. It is, therefore, suggested that if it should be used, an effort be made to secure it from the English authorities without any replacement undertaking. 4. It is further suggested that inasmuch as the utilization of any Jumber on this side decreases the supply available for urgent military necessities, ita 52 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN should be carefully considered whether a satisfactory substitute such as rented quarters, cannot be found. By order of the C. in C, JAMES A. LOGAN, JR., Gols Gs '(S:s Ne As: I, Ch OF Shy (pile . Automatic Tonnage AEF—YMCA PARIS From: Chief Secretary, YMCA. September 5, 1918. To: Asst. Chief of Staff, G-1, A. P. O. 717. Subject: YMCA Automatic Tonnage. 1. For several months, we have operated our Post Exchange and General Supply Depts. on a most economical basis, eliminating all possible items, transporting all commodities in the most compact form, securing and manu- facturing in Europe all possible supplies and in general conserving every pound and foot of ocean tonnage. 2. Our records show a total of 14,000 short tons (estimated 28,180 space tons) received during the first seven months of 1918. Of this quantity, 4,413 tons or 31.81% arrived on purchased space. 3. In view of the commandeering of all shipping by the Allied Govs., the amount of commercial tonnage available is constantly decreasing, in fact, as well as in proportion to the number of A EF troops to be supplied. 4. The amount of raw materials of manufactured products available for purchase in Europe, without replacement in kind of tonnage, is also constantly decreasing. 5. The Y MCA is now operating 1,068 post exchanges, of which over one half are located in the combat zone. Additional post exchanges are being opened at the rate of over five per day. The constantly increasing number of troops in action in areas completely devastated and stripped of supplies of every kind, is putting an unusual and unexpected demand upon the post exchanges. 6. Owing to inadequate supplies due to insufficient tonnage, we have been unable to meet this demand. 7. Under General Orders No. 33, the YMCA is made responsible for the maintenance and operation of the post exchanges with the AEF. To success- fully meet this obligation, we require 125 weight tons per 25,000 men per month, details as per attached statement. 8. We therefore request that, beginning October 1st, the YMCA be allotted automatic tonnage on the above basis. (Signed) CHIEF SECRETARY, AEF-YMCAAPPENDIX V 553 YMCA AUTOMATIC TONNAGE PER 25,000 MEN PER MONTH Weight Tons 2,000 lbs. Commodity QOS ere oc erento aus en kioncele has Cigarets Pa eesns cca, brcuciar are aivucheas Sco 0:8 Cigars A Sie cis oo es ei oh can ese oe Smoking Tobacco DO le eae ce Gcas tous ote ccekege iy scua 6:8 61 8 Chewing Tobacco GIO Me eh. os eases cerns obi io ae Hard Candy OO Be ies ocean cin crease eo te Flour Bea es ores s cee cus aie ces ei eleie ese Sugar WOO Me oe ieianc o oitic oa) efeeeesiciwie Condensed Milk NPD eee ee shk cs cicicieia's ois aiate's Cocoa TE ge ais wie tes Gieie creiele wieyeie Candles IG yore, 5 cis ccc aie caeis oe cele aisiole Chewing Gum MOM ce ce hcie 6 cha ielc ste oes ees Canned Fruit NOSOO eters once ee ordore ies ores Miscellaneous Canteen Supplies IQ are sia coc cise cso cin ie.e el ciate’s Motor Trucks POO I ie fo ws Soc pisos weld cre ais Ford Cars WIT) Gaesd caus ooor mo pnooco doc Motorcycles MEQ ie ccc bocce s cis Co uletcie Grey ee Automobile Spare Parts MOT yar ee ck aks willelclatiecbins este 6.6 Writing Paper for Soldiers Me rN: cle eh ad orn Gas tates Envelopes TPO cise Vous eo) sis ccubue waretrs Moving Picture Equipment Ee eee es acess & caepe aiaye creeks Library Supplies DAD MEI Oe lees Cis co s-ete easter Canvas for Tents WOO 56 hors ieiuecre ee de tele Athletic Supplies ER Oe eis hee oe teks cases eo aneote Construction Supplies OAD a ee ao Miscellaneous Equipment 124.75 The above estimates for tobacco include the fifteen automatic short tons released to the Q. M. C. (YMCA proposal of July 13th, accepted by letter Asst. Chief of Staff G-1, S.O.S. August 3rd.) All estimates are based on actual experience during past 7 months. We request that the total amount be allotted us and the tentative arrange- ment with the Q. M.C. for tobacco be considered apart. _ Functions of Welfare Organizations during Combat The judgment of the Commander of the 1st Division after six months of experience of welfare work on the fichting line, is expressed in the following order: HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES Memorandum No. 173 France, October 25, 1918. The Division Commander appreciates the efforts of auxiliary civilian or- ganizations to furnish supplies to the personnel of the Division under the most difficult and dangerous circumstances while the Division is in the line. It is{ ; ! : | \ \ 554 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN observed that the functioning of these organizations throughout the entire sector while the Division is in the line has resulted in their inabilty to furnish adequately supplies and recreation to the personnel of the Division when the Division is in a rest area and the personnel can best realize and appreciate the efforts of these organizations. It is realized that their inability to serve more efficiently the need of the Division while it is at rest, is due to the unavoidable deterioration of their transportation and the necessity of a rest for their workers due to their efforts during the preceding period of activity. The following rules are prescribed for the functioning of these organiza- tions in the future when the Division is in the line, it being considered that they are for the best interest of all concerned: (a) Distribution of supplies will be made by means of organization supply trains. (b) Each civilian organization may have one secretary or representative for each Division organization to which supplies are to be delivered, at the point of delivery of said supplies. (c) Except as above stated representatives from these organizations will not go farther forward for the purpose of delivering supplies than field Hospitals, at which point they may deliver supplies. (d) These organizations will, in so far as practicable, hold their personnel in reserve and build up their equipment while the Division is in action. (e) In order to carry out the above provisions organization Commanders will render to these organizations such assistance and cooperation as is possible. By command of Brigadier General Parker. ; W. R. WHEELER, Lt. Col. Inf. U.S.A. Division Adjutant . Sale of Goods at Quartermaster’s Prices AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES HEADQUARTERS SERVICES OF SUPPLY Office of the Chief Quartermaster, AEF Circular No. 61 December 2, 1918. 1. Beginning January 1, 1919, the Quartermaster Corps will supply the needs of the YMCA sales stores (canteens) from available stock of issue and sales articles of subsistence on hand at current price list prices. Any quartermaster having a stock of subsistence will be a source of supply for this purpose. Such supplies will be delivered to the local YMCA secretary designated by the Head Office of the YMCA as the official representative of the organization in the locality. For all supplies turned over the designated local secretary will be required to give the issuing quartermaster receipts in duplicate. At stations where the YMCA has no local transportation, delivery of supplies to warehouses or sales stores will be effected by the Quarter- master Corps. 2. The local YMCA secretary will advise the issuing quartermaster on or about the 15th of each month the articles and approximate quantities heAPPENDIX V 556 will require for the following month. The quartermaster will make a special effort to have on hand at all times sufficient stock to meet the requirements of the local secretary. Delivery to the YMCA by the Quartermaster Corps will be as near the first of the month as it is possible to do so. All supplies turned over to the YMCA under the provisions of this circular will be in- voiced to the Depot Quartermaster, Paris, and a copy of the receipt signed by the local secretary will be attached to the invoice. The invoice will indicate specifically the items and quantities turned over, as well as the unit price. An extra copy of the invoice will be prepared which will be delivered to the local secretary for his information. Should it become necessary to make a supple- mentary issue to the YMCA in any month, procedure indicated above will be repeated. 3. The Depot Quartermaster, Paris, will, upon receipt of invoices cover- ing delivery of subsistence to the YMCA, render bills to the Head Office of the Y MCA in Paris. Payment for subsistence so turned over to the YMCA will be made to the Depot Quartermaster, Paris, in cash or by draft, which will be without expense to the United States, immediately upon the receipt of proper bills. 4, After payment has been effected, the Depot Quartermaster, Paris, will receipt to the issuing quartermaster for supplies covered by the invoice, taking the supplies upon his accountability and dropping same on abstract of sales. H. L. ROGERS, Major General, U. S. Army, Chief Quartermaster . Sale of Gift Crgarets SALES COMMISSARY UNIT No. 4 A. P.O. 740 AEF 23 October, 18. From: C. C., Sales Commissary Unit No. 4. A. P. 0.740 AEF. To: YMCA., 3d Division, A. P.O. 740, AEF. Subject: Gift Cigarets. 1. Through an error of the Supply Division at Giévres, this commissary received several cases of Piedmont cigarets, each carton of which contained a return post card stating that these cigarets were a gift from “The New York Sun Tobacco Fund.” 2. These cigarets were sold to you in case lots before this was discovered, there being no marks on the cases to indicate that this was gift tobacco. This matter has been taken up by this commissary with the Supply Depot at Giévres, and in all probability these cigarets will be replaced. (Signed) C. P. HAFFLEY, 1st Lieut. Q. M.C. U.S.A. Quartermaster.i 556 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN CIRCULAR Office of the Chief Quartermaster, AE F No. 3 January 6, 1919. 1. The following instructions relative to the handling of gift tobacco must be strictly complied with by all Quartermasters connected in any way with the handling of such tobacco. (a) When gift tobacco is received at a Base Port the Depot Quarter- master will at once segregate it and notify the Base Quartermaster, who will notify this office by telegraph, advising amount of each kind of tobacco on hand and name of donor. Shipments will only be made on instructions fur- nished by the Office of the Chief Quartermaster. (b) Instructions under (a) do not apply to gift tobacco specially marked for organizations, shipment of which will be made direct to organizations concerned. (c) Should gift tobacco be forwarded direct from shipside to Intermediate or Advance Depots the same procedure as outlined in (a) and (b) will be followed by Depot Quartermasters. | (d) When shipments of gift tobacco are made in compliance with in- structions from this office, the Depot Quartermaster making shipment will advise consignee date of shipment, car and O. D. T. numbers, amount shipped and any other information which will insure proper distribution of the gift tobacco. Shipment of gift tobacco will not be invoiced. (e) Every shipment of tobacco received by a sales commissary will be carefully examined to determine whether it is gift tobacco or sales tobacco before any of it is placed on sale. If necessary to secure this information, the cases will be opened and the contents therein examined. (f) Should a shipment of gift tobacco be received by a sales commissary on invoice as sales tobacco it will be held intact and the Depot from which received will be notified, with request that a like amount of sales tobacco be furnished to replace gift tobacco, and that disposition of the gift tobacco be furnished. This office will be informed of the action taken by the sales com- missary and by the Depot. This also applies in case gift tobacco is invoiced from one Depot to another. (¢) Whenever conclusive evidence is furnished to a sales commissary that gift tobacco has been sold by that commissary, replacement will be made free of charge to the party who purchased the gift tobacco, and this office, as well as the Depot from which received, will be immediately informed of all facts in the case. 2. The term “tobacco” as used herein includes cigars, cigarets, smoking and chewing tobacco of all kinds. 3. Due to the fact that cases containing gift tobacco are not always plain- ly and sufficiently marked, every precaution must be taken to prevent gift tobacco being mixed with sales tobacco and subsequently sold. All persons under your jurisdiction, officers, enlisted men and civilians, will be instructed as to the proper handling of gift tobacco. H. L. ROGERs, Major General, U. S. Army Chief Quartermaster.APPENDIX VI: THE MINISTRY OF RELIGION 1. Bible Study in Army Camps As Planned by the Bible Study Committee of the National War Work Council of the Young Men’s Christian Associations T No argument is required as to the need of energizing the moral purpose of the soldiers. The normal strain put upon a soldier and the abnormal tempta- tions are universally recognized. Most thoughtful men also appreciate the place of Bible Study in meeting the need. Il Before going into details permit me to assume that certain facts are understood. 1. In any army camp a religious work program to be effective will be undenominational and conducted in ways approved by the Military Authorities and recognized in the organization of the National War Work Council. It will be adjusted to military plans, regulations and purposes, to the work of other approved agencies, such as the Fosdick Commission and the American Library Association, as well as the all-round plans and aims of the Asso- ciation. 2. No one questions the neces tion and waste and secure the finest results. 3. The government has entrusted tremendous responsibilities to the Young Men’s Christian Association in making it the agent for interdenominational religious work. This is based on the Association’s years of experience, espe- cially in work among soldiers in this and in other lands. IIl What is the purpose of the Association not only in its Bible Study pro- gram but in all its many sided plans? In a word, it is to maintain and in- crease the physical, mental and moral efficiency of every soldier and sailor by the wise use of many activities, especially those t sity of cooperation if we would avoid fric- hrough which each man tally related to the Scriptures and to Jesus Christ as Saviour and may be vi proach to the individual need, but Lord. There will be many ways of ap fundamentally they are comprehended in this statement. IV What definite lines of work are propo of young men to the Bible? The following are some of the tested methods. Part of them are being developed in new Ways. All are subject to change in the light of experience. Christian Education cannot be accomplished in a hurry, and the most effec- tive methods will require time in organizing, setting up and promoting. 557 sed which bear upon this relation558 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Furthermore no such program will be effective beyond the vision, enthu- siasm and persistence of the men who are behind it, in the camps and build- ings. 1. We propose as a STANDARD an organized BIBLE CLASS in Every Com- PANY IN EVERY REGIMENT IN EVERY CAMP. (1) Usually they can be held on Sunday. (2) They will be led by the best available teachers, preferably laymen. (3) They will be promoted by the men in the ranks, guided naturally by the Association, Secretaries. (4) They will be self-propagating, producing in a reasonable time their own leaders. Only thus can the best results be transported over- seas. 2. Many SMALL BIBLE GROUPS will be organized. These will be more informal, meeting at convenient hours and places, lending themselves to the frank discussion of personal problems. The leaders will largely come from the men themselves, and will in most cases be prepared by the secretaries for this task. Such studies as Stewart’s “The Soldier’s Spirit” will be used. 3. Organized INTERVIEWS following the plan already successfully tested in the 5th Ohio Regiment will be recommended. The organization necessary to do this work thoroughly in Camp Sherman at Chillicothe, Ohio, is already formed. The goal at this camp is a personal interview with every one of the 40,000 soldiers, within six weeks in squads of eight men each. There are several features of this plan which commend it to army officers in a degree not usual with some other forms of religious activity. 4. THE DISTRIBUTION OF TESTAMENTS. The Pocket Testament League pledge or some kindred plan of definitely relating individual soldiers to the Bible in personal work will be followed. 5. SPECIAL LITERATURE suitable to the religious aim is being selected or prepared under the direction of a committee of which Dr. Robert E. Speer is Chairman. 6. SPECIAL ADDRESSES WILL BE GIVEN from time to time, either by the regular speakers suggested by the Speakers’ Bureau, or by men with a recog- nized Bible Study. V You ask what is the machinery by which the War Work Council is promoting this program. 1. There is the Religious Work Bureau of the National War Work Coun- cil of which Robert P. Wilder is Director. 2. There is a COOPERATING COMMITTEE composed of sixteen representa- tive Denominational leaders of which Bishop L. B. Wilson is Chairman. Within this Committee are sub-committees on (1) Speakers, of which President J. Ross Stevenson is Chairman. (2) Selection of Religious Work Secretaries, President C. A. Barbour, Chairman. (3) Bible Study composedAPPENDIX VI 559 of Bisnop Wilson, Dr. Speer, Dr. Stevenson and Dean Brown of Yale, with my- self as Bible Study Secretary. 8 In each of the six Military Departments one man is being charged with special responsibility for the supervision of the Religious Work and Bible Study Program. 4. In each Army Camp there is a Religious Work Secretary, in most cases a man of outstanding ability and influence as a church leader. Within the camps there are from five to eight Association buildings in each of which there is a Religious Work Secretary. In other words, when once the organized work is under way, it will be promoted by upwards of 250 selected men whose major responsibility will be to promote the religious activities including the Bible Study Program. VI Your Commission has asked the War Work Council to suggest some ways in which the organized Sunday School forces as represented in this Com- mission may cooperate in carrying out this program. In other words, how can the organized forces without the camps help the organized forces within the camps to work effectively? 1. By steadily maintaining and increasing at the home base a spirit of appreciation of the task assigned the Association and prayerful sympathy with those who are undertaking it. (1) Recall the size of the problem—more than a million young men. (2) Its complexity—the camps being cities of men away from home restraints, crowded together in an abnormal way. (3) The delicate relationships. (a) To army Officers, not all of whom fully appreciate religious activi- ties. (b) To other religious movements. (c) To conflicting enthusiasms for other types of welfare work. (d) To efficient anti-religious influence seeking the attention of the soldiers. (e) And especially to the business of a camp—the making of effective soldiers. (4) The shortness of the time and the many necessary distractions. 2. By helping the young men to come to camp prepared in some measure for what awaits them. To come expecting to make themselves known if they are members of the church and not wait to be sought out. 3. By helping the Camp Secretaries to be of the best service by having information sent in advance on approved blanks, distributed through your approved channels to the churches and Sunday Schools. 4. By providing lists of experienced and tested Bible Class leaders from the general vicinity of the camps, who may be drafted, to lead the organized classes, where needed. Only such men should be suggested as will meet these conditions.560 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN (1) Suecessful experience with men’s classes. (2) A willingness to come for not less than 6 to 8 weeks consecutively. (3) To give at least a day for personal contact with the young men be- fore and after the class, and where feasible to actually live in the camp. 5. By suggesting men qualified to give the right kind of Bible Study Addresses. 6. By helping the American Bible Society to raise funds to provide a MILLION RED TRIANGLE TESTAMENTS for the soldiers to be given to the YMCA. (This in harmony with the telegram from Secretary Fox of the American Bible Society submitted to the Commission.) 7. By using all possible means to “Keep the Home Fires Burning” and interest in the spiritual welfare of the soldiers keen by such methods as (1) The Enlisted Man’s Honor Roll. (2) Special Patriotic Rallies, Sermons, etc. (3) Special Topics for Intercession, related to the work among soldiers. (4) Maintaining the Regular Work for young men in the home churches at an even higher level of effectiveness than ever. The best possible and the largest Bible Classes. A many-sided program of religious and social activities, etc. , . Members of Religious Work Bureau Ralph W. Harbison, Chairman William B. Millar Dr. Clarence A. Barbour John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Bishop Charles S. Burch Robert W. Speer Walter Kidde Dr. J. Ross Stevenson Dr. W. Douglas Mackenzie Bishop Luther B. WilsonAPPENDIX VII: EDUCATION i Educational Committee of the Commission on Training Camp Ac- tivities MEMBERS Chairman, William Orr, Director of the Educational Work Bureau of the National War Work Council of the YMCA. P. P. Claxton, United States Commissioner of Education. Harry Pratt Judson, President of the University of Chicago. John H. Finley, President of the University of the State of New York. Colonel P. H. Callahan. 2. Estimated Budget for Educational Work Dear Dr. Mott: October 16, 1918. I enclose the estimated budget which Dr. Spaulding sent after me in response to Mr. Carter’s request. You will notice that the budget is designed to provide for an army of approximately four million men. The figures that I gave you in conference the other day have in mind the present army, but it would really be wise to face the worst at once and to consider the figures as Dr. Spaulding has drawn them up. Our immediate need is for books, for supervising teachers, and for the correspondence school. The correspondence school is included in Dr. Spauld- ing’s estimate at $125,000. We understand from the people with whom we have consulted in New York that to set up from six to a dozen courses for the present army in the subjects which are most in demand—that is, in engi- neering and in business—we should need a budget for one year of between $150,000 and $200,000. 7 You will notice that in the section devoted to textbooks we estimate that three million should be spent for reference books and libraries. I have seen Dr. Putnam, President of the American Library Association, and have urged upon him that the A. L. A. assume the cost of these books, since they are of the sort which the A. L. A. is supposed to provide. He is a bit staggered by the large sum which we are asking for, but I do not see how his association can decline to assume this burden if they pretend to render the service which the army needs. Dr. Putnam knows, as I do, that the soldiers are demanding books of a serious and educational sort. I am to confer again with him this week and with the Finance Committee of their work, and I will report to you at once the result of their decision. If the A. L. A. assumes this three million dollars we can get on well at present with five million dollars to purchase textbooks. Various schemes have been proposed by perhaps the Government, could buy back boo that in the end the cost of the textbooks will be muc 561 which the Association, or later ks from the soldiers. It may be h less than the five million562 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN dollars, but it is hardly safe to assign a smaller amount as working capital at present. If there is any further information which you need, please call upon me. Faithfully yours, (Signed) JOHN ERSKINE . Budget of the Army Educational Commission for the Year Nov. 1, 1918-Oct. 31, 1919 NoTE: The following budget estimates are based on the assumption of a continuation of hostilities throughout all or nearly all of the period covered, and a steady increase in the man-power of the army up to approximately 4,000,000 by mid-summer, 1919. No satisfactory estimate can be made of the expenditures that would be necessary, should a period of suspended hostilities, followed by demobilization, begin early in the year covered by this budget. During such a period, the necessary expenditure would be much greater on account of the great extension of educational activities required; as a partial offset, however, the Army in France would scarcely be increased to 4,000,000 as estimated. I FIELD STAFF Hout MducationaleDirectors;:2000) ss 35 52s cciee oe cee 6 cle) $4,200,000 2-aDivisionalssuperintendents, 100) oso. ssc nee meee cee 350,000 8. District and Regional Superintendents, 15 ................ 60,000 II HEADQUARTERS STAFF 1. Commission and specialists as heads of Departments, 20 ... 100,000 2e (COLrrespondencencourses) Svar 0) eis. cies eicieielcieiete cielclel eel 125.000 Se Scenoe ra PHeEssmCLebcseeELCe (OO) crcievoie oslo ols clcielevaicll oe elie ere siaisic 52,500 AWectures: and smiscellaneous Services) = occ eee cece ae o- 250,000 MotaletomspersOnaleSenvice ne. ccc ccc siecle secre < 5,187,500 III TExTBOOKS AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL 1. Textbooks for free distribution (chiefly for illiterates) .... 300,000 2. Textbooks for reference and libraries (not to be sold) .... 3,000,000 For replacement of same, losses, duplicates, etc. .......... 500,000 3. Paper, pads, composition books, etc., to be used in instruction 500,000 AG MextDoOOKSiLOMDCESOLGMmrriercie i aiicisic 0 sciatic ie ere crock 5,000,000 5. Printing and supplying pamphlets, syllabi, study outlines, UWE, CHAE, GUS stooodndooggebccdoodu000dNGDD 600d 100,000 6. Maps, blackboards, mechanical drawing materials, and mis- NEMS: gh IIES coocdnanoeseousGod0s00000 00D G00008 250,000 Total for textbooks and educational material .......... 9,650,000 Grand total of Army Educational Commission budget . .$14,787,500 BUREAU OF LIBRARIES AND PERIODICALS In addition to the above estimates for the Educational Department, Mr. Mason, of the Bureau of Libraries and Periodicals, makes an estimate for publications to be supplied other departments as follows:APPENDIX VII 563 L:Relicious Department; publications 5 ..0.0-%.... 3... << ee $ 752,500 2. Health and Recreation Department, publications .......... 5,000 8. Bureau of Libraries a Music (other than sacred music furnished Rel. Dept.) .. 90,000 b Newpapers, to be supplied free to combat divisions .... 500,000 c Magazines, including renewal of present subscriptions .. 650,000 Total for publications for Departments other than Edu- CATIONS ik ck ole cc gs b argelets ale cleo sleccrele eect ene Remeienets $1,997,500 Submitted for the Army Educational Commission Sept. 28, 1918. F. E. SPAULDING . Educational Work in the AE F G. H. Q. AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES GENERAL ORDERS No. 192 France, October 31, 1918. 1. The Young Men’s Christian Association, through the YMCA Army Educational Commission, has organized, with the approval of the Commander- in-Chief, an educational system charged with the standardization of educa- tional methods and the establishment of schools for instruction of officers and soldiers in all of the larger posts, camps, and hospitals of the American Expeditionary Forces. 2. In order to further education in the American Expeditionary Forces, army, corps, division, regimental commanders and commanding officers of schools, special units and posts will each appoint a qualified member of his ‘staff as school officer. The school officer will be charged with the supervision of educational work within the organization to which attached, as defined in Pars. 5, 6 and 7 of this order. 3. In compliance with the provisions of A. R. 449, post, regimental or detachment commanders will establish post schools in all posts, cantonments, hospitals or rest camps, or areas which have a constant population of five hundred or more soldiers. Action will be taken under the provisions of Army Regulations to secure proper rooms, heating, lighting, equipment and service, when same is not otherwise provided. In cases where building or other facili- ties are furnished by civil societies, action will be taken to secure lacking material or service. 4. Instruction will be standardized as to textbooks, courses, records and requirements in accordance with the system arranged by the YMCA Army Educational Commission, approved by these headquarters. It will com- prise the following subjects: French language; History, character and insti- tutions of the people of the Allied nations; Causes of the War and America’s564 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN participation; Civics; Courses in common school subjects; Special courses for examination for promotion. At places where civil organizations have provided the necessary facilities the following may be included: Special correspondence and university exten- sion courses; Physical education; Additional subjects authorized by these head- quarters. 5. Post schools will be controlled by post commanders as to discipline, attendance, sanitation and, in the absence of volunteer civil agencies, instruc- tion, but such instruction will conform to the approved system of the YMCA Army Educational Commission, and such schools will be subject to inspec- tion and supervision as to methods, results and subject of instruction by properly authorized agents of the YMCA Army Educational Commission. 6. Wherever practicable, the buildings, organization, equipment, man- agement, and other facilities provided by the YMCA Army Educational Commission will be utilized as the post schools by commanding officers. In such cases, the duties of the commanding officer will be limited to those nec- essary to proper discipline, sanitation, and regulation of attendance; and the duties of the school officer of the post or camp to liaison with the YMCA War Educational Commission’s agent, and superintendence of discipline, at- tendance and sanitation of the post schools under the direction of the com- manding officer. GENERAL ORDERS No. 9 France, January 13, 1919. This Order modified in important respects General Orders No. 192. In- stead of being charged with the duty of establishing schools, the YMCA Army Educational Commission was charged with the duty of “developing courses and course material, and with providing expert educational advisors and assistants for schools.” The duties of these advisors were further defined: “to act as teachers of methods of instruction to detailed instructors; as super- visors and inspectors of instruction; as advisors to the school officers; and as instructors of classes so far as their other duties will permit.” Attendance of illiterates was ordered instead of being voluntary. The order that instruction should conform to “the system developed by the YMCA Army Commission and approved by these Headquarters,” was reaffirmed. GENERAL ORDERS No. 30 France, February 13, 1919. This Order provided for divisional schools. It specified 14 subjects for vocational training, and increased the list of academic subjects previously au- thorized. It provided that courses should consist of five hours work daily, five days a week, for three months, and gave the necessary authorization for detachment of officers and men, with commutation of subsistence, for attend- ance at French and British universities as arranged by the Educational Com- mission. It also authorized the American University at Beaune.APPENDIX VII 565 GENERAL ORDERS No. 62. France, April 8, 1919. II. 1. On April 16, 1919, the YMCA will transfer the Army Educational Commission and its organization to the Army. There is hereby gee within the American Expeditionary Forces an Getta Corps. This cor] ae consist of experienced civilian educators employed by, and in the service of the United States. 8 The Educational Corps will be organized and will function as follows: (a) The Educational Corps Commission, to consist of three members, with station at American E. F. University, Beaune, Cote d’Or. Subject to approval by higher authority, this commission is charged with the develop- ment of educational policies in the AEF, standardization of educational methods, development of courses and course material, and general supervision over the personnel of the Educational Corps and the assignment of its mem- bers to duty. (b) Members of Educational Corps, who will be definitely assigned to duty with army, Corps, divisions, sections S. O. S., the American E. F. Univer- sity, and to such other duty as the educational program demands. Their duties in general will be that of instruction and advisory assistance to organi- zation commanders and school officers under whom they serve. divisions, sections S. O. 5. and higher commanders are 4. Commanders of orders to members of ie Educational Corps within authorized to issue travel the areas occupied by their commands. the Educational Corps traveling under competent orders 5. Members of in kind and reimbursement for travel expenses at will receive transportation the rate of $4.00 per day. 6. Organization commanders will provide members of the Educational with their commands with the necessary office space, and will Corps on duty Educational Corps with adequate furnish school officers and members of the transportation for the proper eee of their duties. 7. Paragraphs 2, 8 and 9, _O. No. 9, and Par. 6, G. O. No. 30, c. s., these headquarters, are revoked.APPENDIX VIII: ENTERTAINMENT AND ATHLETICS Gr HQ: AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES GENERAL ORDERS No. 241. France, Dec. 29, 1918. ATHLETICS: Section I, par. 4; and ENTERTAINMENTS: Sections II, III, IV, of this Order, read as follows: 4. The YMCA with the approval of the Commander in Chief has organized a Department of Athletics and is prepared to give every assistance in the development of general athletics and the arrangement and management of competition between military units. It has a large number of specially trained physical directors with wide experience in mass play and in other activities now in its ranks in France. One of these will be attached to the staff of each division and separate unit, and will be designated in orders as divisional (or unit) athletic director, and, under supervision of division athletic officer, will be charged with the responsibility for the arrangement, management and general conduct of athletic activities throughout the unit. ” * * * “x II. ENTERTAINMENTS. 1. An officer of the First Section General Staff, at these headquarters, has been detailed to take general charge of this work. He will coordinate the military efforts along these lines and the work of the several welfare agencies throughout the American Expeditionary Forces. Each army, corps and division, and such units in the S. O. S. as the commander thereof shall determine, will detail similar officers who shall be responsible for the entertainment activities in their units. Commanders of regiments and other similar units will also detail suitable officers to Supervise the enter- tainment activities of their units. All commanders will give every encourage- ment, consistent with military requirements, to the development of soldier talent within their commands; first, in the production of theatrical shows within the division or other unit, and second, for the training of small groups of good entertainers suitable for giving entertainments in neighboring units, and for touring the AE F. 2. The Y MCA, with the approval of the Commander-in-Chief, has organ- ized a Department of Entertainment for supervising the routing of profes- sional and amateur entertainers, assisting in the development and training of soldier talent, and assisting and managing qualified groups of entertainers who may be developed in the army. Secretaries especially qualified in enter- tainment work will be attached to the staff of divisions and other similar units to cooperate with and assist the entertainment officer of said unit. 566APPENDIX VIII 567 3. Officers, non-commissioned officers or privates desired for duty in con- nection with entertainment activities may be detailed for the purpose and ordered to report to the division or unit entertainment officer, in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph 5 of See. 1 of this order, in addition to those so detailed in connection with athletic activities. III. In carrying out the work outlined in this order, the YMCA will seek the participation and assistance of the personnel of the other auxiliary wel- fare agencies in such a way as to obtain the maximum efficiency and results. IV. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from the YMCA, Knights of Columbus, Salvation Army and other welfare organizations, and to in- erease their efficiency, commanding officers are authorized to assist these organizations in every way consistent with military requirements, and for this purpose to detail non-commissioned officers and privates of their commands to perform duties appropriate to the grades of the men so detailed. BULLETIN No 1. JANUARY 28, 1919 G. H. Q. AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES ENTERTAIN MENT France, January 28, 1919. BULLETIN No. 1. ENTERTAINMENT. A.—GENERAL SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES. 1. The entertainment program announced in G. O. No. 241, series 1918, is intended to provide, so far as possible, suitable entertainment each night im every wmportant. center occupied by American troops. B.—CooPERATION WITH Y M CA 2. To accomplish this, Entertainment Officers appointed under that order will ie (a) Utilize all available entertainment facilities and personnel of the AEF; and, : (b) Effect the fullest cooperation with the Entertainment Department and Booking System of the YMCA. = (c) Entertainment activities of other welfare organizations will be con- ducted through the entertainment organization of the YMCA. Ge {Yo MEGA ENTERTAINMENT ORGANIZATION. se 'The \ MCA entertainment organization is divided into YMCA GRAND Recions. They correspond generally to the 1st, 2d and 3d Army areas; to the territory in the S. O. S. tributary to Brest, St. Nazaire, Le Mans, Bordeaux and Vierzon, respectively, and to the various leave areas. Each region has a Y M C A Regional Director and Booking Office which distribute among the divisions and other organizations in the region the entertainers provided by the Y MCA Entertainment Department, Paris.068 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN D.—A E F ENTERTAINMENT ORGANIZATION. 4. The AEF entertainment organization is based on unit Entertainment Officers appointed under G. O. No. 241, series 1918, these headquarters. En- tertainment Officers of regiments and smaller units report to Division Enter- tainment Officers, Division Entertainment Officers report to Corps Entertain- ment Officers, and Corps Entertainment Officers to Army Entertainment Offi- cers. Entertainment Officers of S. O. S. organizations report to the Enter- tainment Officers, headquarters S. O. S. In general, Corps Entertainment Officers will supervise the entertainment activities of the divisions and of the corps troops, and will direct the furnishing of entertainment units to divisions, but will not attempt to route them within divisions. In like manner, Army Entertainment Officers will supervise the entertainment activities of their several Corps and of the Army troops. They will also keep the YMCA Regional Entertainment Directors informed of the needs of their Armies and the localities to which entertainments should be sent and will advise them of any soldier entertainment units available for use outside of their Army area. A similar system will be followed in the S. O. S., the C. G., S. O. S., designat- ing the regions corresponding to the Army areas and Entertainment Officers in charge thereof. E.—DETAILS OF OPERATION. 5. A single Entertainment Office should be established in each Division, Corps, Army and §. O. S. organization. In this office the Entertainment Officer of the unit and the YMCA Entertainment Director will work in cooperation. The booking-chart for the unit will be kept in this office, and reports of activities, requests, complaints, etc., received there. 6. Each Army, Corps, Division and S. O. S. unit Entertainment Officer should cause an immediate canvass to be made of his area, calling upon the local Entertainment Officers for information concerning the number of troops there stationed, the facilities available for entertainment such as theaters, huts, hangars, and improvised buildings and existing and proposed local plans. 7. Arrangements should be made in each locality where facilities permit for regular “amateur nights” and vaudeville competitions. In addition, each locality should periodically endeavor to produce a local show. In general these local shows should be used locally and in nearby units as long as possible. 8. Local shows and entertainment units will in general be of two classes, first, those organized within a unit which it is undesirable to detail perma- nently on entertainment duty, and second, those it is desired to use extensively for entertainment purposes. Division, Corps and Army commanders and com- manders of corresponding S. O. S. organizations have full authority to send units of the first class on limited tours within the areas occupied by their respective commands. It is neither necessary nor desirable that these men should be detailed for entertainment duty under the provisions of G. O. 241, series 1918, these headquarters. The second class should be detailed for en- tertainment duty under the provisions of that order. In this case they should be ordered to report to the division or unit Entertainment Officer and used exclusively for entertainment duty.APPENDIX VIII 569 F.—SENDING SHOWS ON TOUR. 9. Whenever a division or unit Entertainment Officer has an entertainment unit which is competent to give entertainment generally and which cannot be longer used locally, he will report the fact to the Entertainment Officer of the Army, or to the Entertainment Officer, headquarters S. 0. S. This report will include a brief description of the entertainment, the number of officers and men, the properties carried, transportation required, and what stage-settings, lights, additional properties, etc., are necessary for the act. He will also state how long a tour is desired away from the organization. The Entertainment Officer to whom this report is made will, if possible, use the entertainment locally. If that is not possible, he will report the facts to the Assistant Enter- tainment Officer, A E F, Paris, who, if it is decided to send the show on tour, will make the necessary arrangements. 10. Whenever entertainment units leave the Army area, or similar region in the S. O. S., where organized, they will be routed by the Assistant Entertain- ment Officer, A E F, Paris, through the medium of the Y M CA booking system. 11. A unit which it is intended to send on an extended tour should be as small as possible, in general not exceeding 20 men, and should be so organized, that if local facilities prevent their putting on their entire program, they will be capable of being broken up into two or more smaller units, each able to give an evening’s entertainment. 12. It is very desirable that entertainment units on tour away from their organizations be in charge of an officer. This officer will command them as a detachment and be responsible for their conduct and for providing lodgings and rations or commutation in lieu thereof. 13. Transportation of Entertainment Units between regions will ordi- narily be by rail on YMC A movement orders and, within the regions, by motor transportation furnished by the YMCA or the Army. The Enter- tainment Officer concerned and the Y MCA Entertainment Director will ar- range the necessary details. Commanding officers are authorized to furnish motor transportation, if available, for the local transportation of these units. G.—COMBINED SHOWS OF PERSONNEL FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. 14. In order that soldiers belonging to different organizations may be combined into entertainment units to be used for extensive touring, such indi- viduals may be detailed directly by the Division or unit commander for enter- tainment duty and ordered to report to the Assistant Entertainment Officer, AEF, Paris. They will be combined into entertainment units and routed through the YMCA booking system. In general, no soldiers will be so de- tailed except on the request of the Assistant Entertainment Officer, ASH hy Paris. Soldiers so detailed will be reported by telegraph to the Assistant En- tertainment Officer, AEF, Paris, who will inform the proper commanding officer where they should be sent. H.—ENTERTAINMENT DETAILS FROM UNITS RELEASED UNITED STATES. 15. Officers and soldiers belonging to organizations released for return to the United States, who desire to remain in France for entertainment duty, FOR RETURN TO THE SEo70 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN may be detailed for this duty by the Commanding General, S. O. S. or officers designated by him. No officer or soldier will be so detailed except on his own application approved by his division or unit commander on the recommenda- tion of the Entertainment Officer of his organization, and approved by the Entertainment Officer, S. O. S. Officers and soldiers so detailed will be reported by telegraph to the Entertainment Officer, S. O. S., who will inform the proper commanding officer where they should be sent. 16. In general, an officer will be detailed for entertainment duty only when his services are desired as a manager, director, conductor, or in charge of an entertainment unit. Officets will not be detailed as actors or performers. I.—EXPENSES. 17. The YMCA has agreed to furnish funds to cover expenses of soldier entertainment units to the extent that they are not covered by Government allowances. When an entertainment unit cannot be assigned to an organization for quarters or rations the Y M CA will provide an allowance to cover lodging and meals. The amount of such allowance will be determined by agreement between the local YMCA Entertainment Director and the Local Unit Enter- tainment Officer. The sum so determined will be paid in advance to the officer in charge of the show or, if there be no such officer, to the Local Unit Enter- tainment Officer, who will then be charged with providing quarters and rations for the soldier entertainers with the funds so delivered to him. Local Unit Entertainment Officers will enter date, amount and details of expenditure of all funds so received in an expense book maintained for this purpose by the local YMCA Entertainment Director. In all cases where soldiers detailed for entertainment duty under the provisions of G. O. 241, series 1918, these headquarters, draw commutation of rations and quarters, the whole of such government allowance will be applied to their expenses for food and lodging before any additional allowance is requested or received from the YMCA. ae SS ORES =n mn ainases nian emsnisne enone seep rea em ra Senne SY > li i} } i { J.—RECORDS AND REPORTS. 18. The service records of soldiers detailed for entertainment duty and ordered to report to unit Entertainment Officers will be kept under the direc- tion of such officers. Those of soldiers ordered to report to the Assistant Enter- tainment Officer, A. E. F., Paris, will be sent to that officer, who in turn will cause the necessary identification papers, pay books, etc., to be made out and will keep the accounts of the men so detailed. 19. On the 15th and last days of each month, reports will be made by the Entertainment Officers of Armies and S. O. S. Units to G-1, these Headquarters, giving a general statement of the entertainment activities within their areas. This report will show the number of important centers where there has been no entertainment or diversion of any sort, and the number where there have been only one, two, three, etc., during the period covered by the report. By command of GENERAL PERSHING: Official: JAMES W. McANDREW, ROBERT C. DAVIS, Chief of Staff. Adjutant General. Sn Ate GaabRINTING, DEPTS) Gili @yAt hy. hy Log:APPENDIX IX: LEAVE AREAS G.7HQ: AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES GENERAL ORDERS No. 6 January 8, 1918. 1. GENERAL.—The following will govern the system of leaves and furloughs in the AEF. The term “leave” will be used therein to designate both leaves of absence and furloughs. 29. ADMINISTRATION.—Organization Commanders will be responsible for the application of this order within their commands to the best interests of the service. The organization and administration of the system of handling men on leave is a duty of the C. G., L. of C., to be carried out through his Provost Marshal General’s Department, in cooperation with the Y MCA (accommo- dations and entertainments) and the D. G. T. (transportation). 3. AMOUNT OF LEAVE ALLOWED.—-Officers and men of the AEF in good standing may be granted one leave of seven days every four months, time of travel to and from destination in France not included. 4. LEAVE DESTINATIONS.—Areas to which a specified number of soldiers may be authorized to go on leave will be allotted to divisions, corps, or other units or territorial commands. Allotment of areas will be rotated as far as practicable by four months periods, so as to give equal opportunity to all men. Allotment covering Paris will be made separately from all other areas, so as to limit the number of American soldiers visiting Paris on leave. The P. M. G. Department will furnish to commanders concerned all necessary ‘nformation regarding the number of soldiers that can be accommodated in the authorized areas. For the present, officers will not be restricted as to points to be visited on leave other than Paris, but for points in the French Zone of the Armies the concurrence of the Chief, French Military Mission, will be required. G. H. Q. AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES GENERAL ORDERS No. 38. France, March 9, 1918. I. 1. Soldiers to whom it may be desirable to grant leave may be ordered for the leave period to a recreation or leave camp, center or area, and when so ordered will be considered on a duty status and furnished quarters in kind. Commutation of rations at the rate of $1.00 per day will be paid to all soldiers on duty at the recreation or leave camp, center or area. 571572 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN 2. Soldiers spending leave periods in areas other than regularly assigned recreation or leave camps, centers or areas, will not be considered on a duty status, and quarters in kind will not be furnished them, but they will be paid commutation of rations at the rate of 60 cents per day. 3. The Savoie leave area embracing the towns of Aix-les-Bains, Chambéry and Challes-les-Eaux is at present the only leave center to which soldiers will be sent on a duty status. Additional leave centers will be allowed as condi- tions warrant them. 4. So much of the provisions of G. O. No. 6, General Headquarters, current series, as conflicts with the foregoing is hereby revoked. Hil HH] i} il Hil i {| ii | | | Ii deesieeeserseeieeninmadicsiseer eee ae ent oecteetesteateiiainonemesiensAPPENDIX X: MORALS AND MILITARY EFFICIENCY GENERAL ORDERS WAR DEPARTMENT No. 135 Washington, December 23, 1919 SEX MORALITY The statements herein defining the attitude of the War Department toward sex morality are published for the information and guidance of all concerned. The responsibility and influence of officers in making effective the provisions of this order are of the greatest import, and the War Department looks to them to accord their undivided allegiance to this work which presents such large opportunity for national service. 1. The successful experience of the Army in combating venereal disease during the World War indicates clearly that: a. Continence is not prejudicial to health, and its maintenance is the only sure method of avoiding venereal disease. Measures encouraging it have proved most effective in keeping down rates of venereal disease. b. Prophylaxis is a measure of disinfection which is provided solely to protect exposed men from the results of their folly and to save their services to the Government. It is not in any sense an expression of approval by the War Department of illicit intercourse. Its use appears to reduce the liability to venereal disease among those exposed to about one-third of what it would be without prophylaxis. 2. On the basis of the foregoing, it is announced as the policy of the War Department to continue to promote sex morality by: a. Encouragement of continence. b. Encouragement of efforts to eliminate prostitution. e. Provision of supervised medical prophylactic facilities for men exposed to disease. d. Thorough treatment of disease acquired. e. Punishment for failure to use prophylaxis after exposure. 3. Continence can best be encouraged by creating a strong community sanction for clean and healthy living. Positive agencies to promote continence are: a. Active military training. b. Effective educational, vocational, and moral training. c. Healthy recreation in the camp, with special emphasis on athletics. d. Sound instruction in hygiene. 4. Existing courses in hygiene in the school system of the Army include the subject of Sex hygiene. Lectures on this subject have regularly been given to the soldiers of the Army by medical officers on duty with troops. Sex 573 TW 7 sexs ttSLLinh ee eEEE ECELE SOOO UU SOC .574 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN morality will be presented to the Army in a positive form and not alone in its aspect of venereal disease prevention. Commanding officers will, using the agencies available, establish a course in sex morality which will be given to all officers below field rank and to all soldiers. This course will present the subject of sex morality from the sanitary, the social, and the moral point of view. It will be presented by medical officers, line officers, and chaplains. It will be given a definite period in the yearly schedule. Advice and assistance in the form of lecture outlines for surgeons and for company officers, pam- phlets, and lantern slides will be furnished on requisitions to the Surgeon Gen- eral. Picture films and stereomotographs will be furnished on requisition to department surgeons. Upon completion of this course, the fact of completion will be noted on the service record of each soldier and a certificate of comple- tion will be given to all officers below field rank. The course will be attended by such officers and soldiers but once, unless the commanding officer deems additional attendance requisite. 5. When vice conditions in neighboring communities appear to have an unfavorable influence upon his command, the commanding officer will request the civil authorities to initiate action to better them, and will avail himself of the good offices of representatives of non-military organizations in his vicinity which are working for that object. Houses of prostitution accessible to members of the command will be declared “Off limits” by commanding officers. Particular attention is directed to Chapter XV, act of Congress ap- proved July 9, 1918 (p. 56, Bul. No. 48, W. D., 1918), which gives the status of the Interdepartmental Social Hygiene Board. Department commanders and post, camp, or station commanders will get in touch with its local representa- tives, inform themselves as to their facilities, and seek their cooperation toward the production of an environment without the station and such a rela- tionship with civil communities as will support their military efforts within. 6. Existing orders on physical inspection, prophylaxis, and treatment of venereal disease will be maintained in full force and effect. In the application of the provisions of paragraph 15, Special Regulations No. 28, War Depart- ment, 1917, commanding officers are authorized to excuse married men of good character. In the application of the third subparagraph of paragraph 13, Special Regulations No. 28, a certificate will be furnished each man receilv- ing prophylaxis showing his name, rank, organization, date, place and hour of the prophylaxis, and signed by the attendant in charge of the prophylactic station. 7. For every post, camp, or station there will be compiled each week as of Friday night, a report of venereal disease in the form shown below, setting forth information thereon in regard to each regiment or other separate organ- ization in the command. The commanding officer will send copies of it to organization commanders under him, calling for explanations from those whose organizations show high rates. This report will then be transmitted by the commanding officer to the next higher commander with explanatory remarks relating to annual incidence rates above 100, statements of corrective meas- ures taken, and other matters of interest relating to the subject. Department commanders receiving such reports will make a consolidated report for allAPPENDIX X 575 posts, camps, or commands under them and transmit it promptly to the Adju- tant General of the Army with necessary information or explanations, and also send copies of this consolidated report to commanders under their jurisdic- tion. The Surgeon General of the Army will each week publish a comparison of rates in different departments and camps directly under the jurisdiction of the War Department, sending it out to all such commands. It is important that information derived from such reports be given the earliest attention possible, in order that correction may follow promptly upon discovery of bad conditions. The venereal incidence of an organization will be an indication to commanding officers of the efficiency of subordinates in carrying out this order,APPENDIX XI: PRISONERS OF WAR SECOND HAGUE CONVENTION 1907 CONVENTION RESPECTING THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND Chapter II. PRISONERS OF WAR. Article IV Prisoners of war are in the power of the hostile Government, but not of individuals or corps who capture them. They must be humanely treated. All their personal belongings, except arms, horses and military papers, remain their property. Article V Prisoners of war may be interned in a town, fortress, camp or other place and bound not to go beyond certain fixed limits; but they cannot be confined except as an indispensable measure of safety and only while the circumstances which necessitate the measure continue to exist. Article VI The State may utilize the labor of prisoners of war according to their rank and aptitude, officers excepted. The tasks shall not be excessive and shall have no connection with the operations of the war. Prisoners may be authorized to work for the public service, for private persons, or on their own account. Wiork done for.the State is paid at the rates in force for work of a similar kind done by soldiers of the national army, or, if there are none in force, at a rate according to the work executed. When the work is for other branches of public service or for private persons the conditions are settled in agreement with the military authorities. The wages of the prisoners shall go towards improving their position, and the balance shall be paid them on their release, after deducting the cost of their maintenance. Article VII The Government into whose hands prisoners of war have fallen is charged with their maintenance. In the absence of a special agreement between the belligerents prisoners of war shall be treated as regards board, lodging and clothing on the same footing as the troops of the Government who captured them. Article VIII Prisoners of war shall be subject to the laws, regulations and orders in force in the army of the State in whose power they are. 5976APPENDIX XI 577 Any aet of insubordination justifies the adoption towards them of such measures of severity as may be considered necessary. Escaped prisoners who are retaken before being able to rejoin their own army or before leaving the territory occupied by the army which captured them are liable to disciplinary punishment. Prisoners who, after succeeding in escaping, are again taken prisoners are not liable to any punishment on account of the previous flight. Article IX Every prisoner of war is bound to give, if he is questioned on the subject, his true name and rank, and if he infringes this rule, he is liable to have the advantages given to prisoners of his class curtailed. Article X Prisoners of war may be set at liberty on parole if the laws of their country allow and, in such cases, they are bound on their personal honor, scrupulously to fulfill, both towards their own Government and the Government by whom they were made prisoners, the engagements they have contracted. In such cases their own Government is bound neither to require of nor accept from them any service incompatible with the parole given. Article XI A prisoner of war cannot be compelled to accept his liberty on parole; similarly the hostile Government is not obliged to accede to the request of the prisoner to be set at liberty on parole. Article XII Prisoners of war liberated on parole and recaptured bearing arms against the Government to whom they had pledged their honor, or against the allies of that Government, forfeit their right to be treated as prisoners of war, and ean be brought before the Courts. Article XIII Individuals who follow an army without directly belonging to it such as newspaper correspondents and reporters, sutlers and contractors, who fall into the enemy’s hands and whom the latter thinks expedient to detain, are entitled to be treated as prisoners of war, provided they are in possession of a certificate from the military authorities of the army which they were accom- panying. Article XIV An inquiry office for prisoners of war is instituted on the commencement of hostilities in each of the belligerent states, and when necessary, in neutral countries which have received belligerents in their territory. It is the function of this office to reply to all inquiries about the prisoners. It receives from the various services concerned full information respecting the internments and transfers, releases on parole, exchanges, escapes, admissions into hospitals, deaths as well as other information necessary to enable it to make out and keep to date an individual return for each prisoner of war. The office must state in this return the regimental number, name and surname, age, place of origin, rank, units, wounds, date and place of capture, internment, wounding578 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN and death, as well as any observations of a special character. The individual return shall be sent to the Government of the other belligerent after the con- clusion of peace. It is likewise the function of the inquiry office to receive and collect all objects of personal use, valuables, letters, etc., found on the field of battle, left by prisoners who have been released on parole, or exchanges, or who have escaped, or died in hospitals and ambulances, and to forward them to those concerned. Article XV Relief societies for prisoners of war, which are properly constituted in accordance with the laws of their country and with the object of serving as a channel for charitable effort, shall receive from the belligerents, for them- selves and duly accredited agents every facility for the efficient performance of their humane task within the bounds imposed by military necessities and administrative regulations. Agents of these societies may be admitted to the places of internment for the puropse of distributing relief, as also to the halt- ing places of repatriated prisoners, if furnished with a personal permit from the military authorities, and on giving an undertaking in writing to comply with all measures of order and police which the latter may issue. Article XVI Inquiry offices enjoy the privilege of free postage, letters, money orders, and valuables, as well as parcels by post, intended for prisoners of war, or dispatched by them shall be exempt from all postal duties in the countries of origin and destination, as well as in the countries they pass through. Presents and relief in kind for prisoners of war shall be admitted free of all import or other duties, as well as of payments for carriage by the State railways. Article XVII Officers taken prisoners shall receive the same rate of pay as officers of corresponding rank in the country where they are detained, the amount to be ultimately refunded by their own Government. Article XVIII Prisoners of war shall enjoy complete liberty in the exercise of their reli- gion, including attendance at the services of whatever Church they may belong to, on the sole condition that they comply with the measures of order and police issued by the military authorities. Article XIX The wills of prisoners of war are received or drawn up in the same way as for soldiers of the national army. The same rules shall be observed regarding death certificates as well as for the burial of prisoners of war, due regard being paid to their grade and rank. Article XX After the conclusion of peace, the repartriation of prisoners of war shall be carried out as quickly as possible.APPENDIX XII: CASUALTY LIST—DEATH ROLL—CITA- TIONS—DECORATIONS YMCA Casualty List According to Data in the Files of the War Work Council, September, 1920 DIED IN SERVICE OVERSEAS RelledmintAction: - 40496 sess ee ss eh on 6 Men 2 Women Katledeby: Brizands: G2acen je. see. te i oon as 2 Men DA aff \Whiihuk? openoopeccocdoneupapooG apo pre sooo doe 3 Men WMiadton Disease ec see se ec ae 50 Men 21 Women Tisdmoh Accidente sere ii lain ne te ns ea 8 Men 1 Woman Motal se ccc te tet = ee rl Cyne eens 93 DISABLED Wounded and Gassed| «oe cqehe cee + 1-0 cine 123 Men 5 Women Matall..ccee otek ee eee seri ci 128 DIED IN SERVICE IN HOME CAMPS Miedtof Disease... -- seeder oso eos 56 Men 1 Woman Micd ofpAccident, 9... scien chins ict ks ane 3 Men Motels wus ae cie sere eegerde are cee eis ence ae 60 Prisoners Woectern Miront -6 session) feces oe 1s ote 1 Rileeinhen (on odorectictlasce eric cro 9° 1. haa 4 Motal «e ..« cic wicd seroe etoile ae 0 ee 5 Total of Casualties) 3c. - = otic laa ae 286 2. Death Roll as of Official Record OVERSEAS ALLEN, ELVIN L. Hinckley, Me. Teacher. Died, St. Dié Hospital, Oct. 3, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Foyer du Soldat, Etival. Born, 1879. Sailed, Feb. 23, 1918. Place of burial, St. Dié Cemetery. Next of kin, Mrs. E. L. Allen, wife, 215 College Ave., Waterville, Me. 579580 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN ADAMS, DAISY Jessup, Md. Red Cross. Died, Base Hospital 4, Liverpool, England, Jan. 4, 1919, of influenza. En route to Paris. Born, Aug. 21, 1881. Sailed, Dec. 21, 1918. Place of burial, Maryland. Next of kin, Mrs. S. M. Hamilton, sister, 1214 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Md. BALLOU, FREDERICK D. Richmond, Ky. Printer. Drowned, Dar-es-Salam Harbor, German East Africa, Sept., 1918. Secretary East African Expeditionary Forces. Born, Feb. 27, 1891. Sailed, Feb. 10, 1917. Place of burial, Dar-es-Salam. Next of kin, Mrs. Pattie Ballou, mother, 352 Irvine St., Richmond, Ky. BEECHER, JUDSON H. Witry LOK, INL VS Produce Dealer. Died, St. Nazaire Base Hospital 101, Oct. 26, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, St. Nazaire. Born, April 1, 1890. Sailed, Dec. 22, 1917. Place of burial, 4th grave, 3d row from center, American Cemetery, St. Nazaire. Next of kin, Rev. W. A. Beecher, father, Sennett, N. Y. BIRCHBY, JAMES A. Pasadena, Cal. Teacher. Killed near Sommepy (Marne), Oct. 4, 1918, by German sniper’s bullet. Secretary, 2d Division, AE F. Born, Nov. 25, 1879. Sailed, May 23, 1918. Place of burial grave 88, section 92, plot 2, Argonne-American Cemetery, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon (Meuse). Next of kin, H. B. Birchby, brother, 546 S. Marengo Ave., Pasadena, Cal. BRANUM, VIRGINIA L. Sewickley, Pa. Social Worker. Died Lamalou-les-Bains (Hérault), March 30, 1919, of meningitis. Secretary, Lamalou-les-Bains. Born, Feb. 12, 1892. Sailed, Nov. 20, 1918. Place of burial, Lamalou Cemetery. Next of kin, P..D. Branum, father, 227 Thorn St., Sewickley, Pa. BROOKS, CHAUNCEY D. Syracuse, N. Y. Manager. Died, Paris Camp Hospital 4, Joinville-le-Pont, May 27, 1919, of scarlet fever. Head of Lecture Service Bureau, Headquarters, Paris. Born, Oct. 14, 1871. Sailed, March 25, 1919. Place of burial, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. C. D. Brooks, wife, 206 Comstock Ave., Syracuse, N. Y. BRUBAKER, ELIZABETH A. Lancaster, Pa. Stenographer and Bookkeeper. Died, Paris-American Hospital, Neuilly, Oct. 28, 1919, result of operation. Secretary, Hotel Accounting Department, Headquarters, Paris. Born, Dec. 15, 1877. Sailed, Feb. 8, 1919. Place of burial, YMCA plot, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. H. P. Smith, sister, 181 E. Lemon St., Lancaster, Pa. BURRAGE, HELEN M. Cambridge, Mass. Social Worker. Died, Base Hospital 40, Knotty Ash Camp, Liverpool, England, Feb. 28, 1919, of pneumonia. En route to Paris. Born, Feb. 26, 1889. Sailed, Jan. 31, 1919. Place of burial, Cambridge, Mass. Next of kin, Henry T. Burrage, father, 986 Charles River Road, Cambridge, Mass,APPENDIX XII 581 BusH, ROBERT D. Camilla, Ga. Lawyer. Died, Piedmont Sanitarium, Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 24, 1919, of nerv- ous collapse—result of overseas service. Secretary, Motor Reception Park, Nantes. Born, Aug. 13, 1873. Sailed, Sept. 1, 1918. Place of burial, Camilla, Ga. Next of kin, Mrs. R. D. Bush, Camilla, Ga. CAMPBELL, ROBERT M. Kosciuso, Miss. Lawyer. Died, AEF Hospital 15, Chaumont, Sept. 14, 1918, of pneu- monia. Secretary, Jonchéry. Born, Aug. 14, 1891. Sailed, July 23, 1918. Place of burial, grave 146, Officers’ Plot, A E F Cemetery 10, Chaumont. Next of kin, W. A. Campbell, father, Hesterville, Miss. CARLEY, LEON A. Caldwell, N. J. Lawyer. Died, Bar-le-Duc, Oct. 31, 1918, result of motorcycle accident. Activities Director, 29th Division, AE F. Born, Nov. 19, 1871. Sailed, June 11, 1918. Place of burial, grave 224, AEF Cemetery, Bar-le-Duc. Next of kin, Mrs. L. A. Carley, wife, 8 Thurmont Road, Caldwell, N. J. CARPENTER, CLIFFORD A. Waukesha, Wis. Salesman. Drowned, Oct. 6, 1918, in shipwreck of S.S. Otranto off coast of Scotland. Serving as Ocean Transport Secretary en route to Paris. Born, Oct. 21, 1876. Sailed, Sept. 26, 1918. Place of burial, grave 190, Kilchoman, Islay Island, Scotland. Next of kin, Mrs. C. A. Carpenter, wife, 310 Carroll St., Waukesha, Wis. CHAMBERS, HuGH B. Bardstown, Ky. Merchant. Died, Paris, Oct. 19, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Head- quarters, Paris. Born, Feb. 12, 1882. Sailed, Sept. 11, 1918. Place of burial, grave 106, YMCA Plot, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. H. B. Chambers, wife, Bardstown, Ky. CHAUVIN, RAOUL New York, N. Y. Chauffeur. Died, Paris, Nov. 17, 1918, of pneumonia, awaiting assign- ment to Foyer du Soldat. Born, March 8, 1875. Sailed, Oct. 26, 1918. Place of burial, erave 109, YMCA Plot, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. Raoul Chauvin, wife, 250 W. 22d St., New York, N. Y. CHISHOLM, JESSIE N. Seattle, Wash. Teacher of Expression. Died, German Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 2, 1919, result of operation. Entertainment Secretary, France and Germany. Born, July 28, 1874. Sailed, Oct. 23, 1918. Place of burial, United States. Next of kin, Frank R. Noyes, brother, 406 S. Hoover St., Los Angeles, Cal. CLARK, THEODORE H. L. Wasco, Ill. Minister. Died, BEF Officers’ Hospital, Basrah, Mesopotamia, Sept. 9, 1917, of heatstroke. Secretary, BEF, Basrah. Born, April 16, 1892. Place of burial, Officers’ Section, B E F Military Cemetery, Basrah. Next of kin, Joseph H. Clark, father, A. B. M. S., Ford Bldg., Boston, Mass.582 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN COFFIN, HAROLD R. Chicago, II. Song Leader. Died, June 17, 1919, Chicago, IIl., result of having been gassed while in France. Born, June 20, 1881. Sailed, July, 1918. Returned, Nov. 25, 1918. Place of burial, United States. Next of kin, Mrs. Margaret P. Coffin, wife, 417 So. Central Park Ave., Chicago, Ill. COLWELL, JOSEPH E. Ridgefield Park, N. J. Garage Manager. Died, Paris, Oct. 21, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Motor Transport Department, Headquarters, Paris. Born, Dec. 2), 1885. Sailed, Sept. 9, 1918. Place of burial, grave 107, YMCA Plot, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. J. E. Colwell, wife, Ridgefield Park Na oe CooPEeR, HEDLEY H. Piermont, N. Y. Minister. Killed, AE F Hospital, Baccarat (Meurthe-et-Moselle), May 26, 1918, by German gas shell. Secretary, 42d Division, AEF. Born, Jan. 25, 1886. Sailed, Feb. 8, 1918. Place of burial, grave E-11, Officers’ Row, French Military Cemetery, Baccarat. Next of kin, Robert O. Cooper, father, River- side, Ill. CORLETT, WILLIAM G. Rochester, N. Y. Salesman. Died, Field Hospital 359, Daun, Germany, March 9, 1919, of pneumonia. Secretary, 90th Division,.A EF. Born, March 31, 1879. Sailed, June 29, 1918. Place of burial, AEF Cemetery, Berncastle Cues, Germany. Next of kin, Mrs. Wm H. Corlett, mother, 190 Cady St., Rochester, N. Y. CoTTEN, HowaARD Tarboro, N. C. Hotel Steward and Accountant. Died Cragmont Sanitarium, Blackmoun- tain, N. C., Oct. 20, 1919, of tuberculosis, result of having been gassed. Secre- tary, 77th Division, AEF, France. Born, 1882. Sailed, May 25, 1918. Re- turned, Feb. 2, 1919. Next of kin, J. W. Cotten, father, 144 So. Virginia Ave., Tarboro, N. C. CRANDALL, MARION G. Alameda, Cal. Teacher. Killed, Ste. Menehould, March 26, 1918, by German shell. Sec- retary, Foyer du Soldat. Born, April 25, 1872. Sailed, Feb. 2, 1918: Place of burial, grave 5020, Military Hospital Cemetery, Ste. Menehould (Meuse). Next of kin, George T. Crandall, brother, 1617 San Antonio Ave., Alameda, Cal. CUTTING, ROBERT B. New York, N. Y. Teacher. Died, A E F Base Hospital 15, Chaumont, April 1, 1918, result of operation. Associate Director, divisional training areas. Born, 1878. Sailed, Aug. 11, 1917. Place of burial. Officers’ Section, AEF Cemetery 10, Chau- mont. Next of kin, R. Fulton Cutting, father, 32 Nassau St., New VEO ING VG DUVALL, FRANK B. Clyde, N. Y. Minister. Died, Camp Infirmary, Ponteux (Landes), March 7, 1919, of influenza. Hut Secretary, 20th Engineers, Forestry Unit, AEF, Ponteux. Born, Nov. 7, 1875. Sailed, Sept. 1, 1918. Place of burial, grave 268, Ameri- can Plot adjacent to French Cemetery, Ponteux. Next of Kin elvinsss HB: Duvall, wife, 234 W. Borden Ave., Syracuse, N. Y,APPENDIX XII 583 EDWARDS, CHARLES C, Ellabel, Ga. Minister. Died, Bar-le-Duc, Oct. 31, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Bar- le-Duc. Born, Sept. 6, 1884. Sailed, May 8, 1918. Place of burial, So. West Section. Military Cemetery, Bar-le-Duc. Next of kin, A. J. Edwards, father, Ellabel, Ga. ELLIS, HARRIET M. New York, N. Y. Hotel Manager. Died, Oxford, England, Aug. 2, 1918, of meningitis. Sec- retary, Neufchateau (Haute-Marne). Born, Sept. 25, 1885. Sailed, Feb. 2, 1918. Place of burial, Oxford, England. Next of kin, Mrs. Wm. H. Ellis, mother, Oxford, England. EMMEL, Harry B. Kendrick, Idaho Clergyman. Died, Vladivostok, Siberia, Feb. 27, 1920, of typhus. Secre- tary, AEF, Siberia, appointed Dec. 30, 1918. Previous assignment, Educa- tional Secretary, Vancouver, Wash. Born, April 19, 1880. Place of burial, Siberia. Next of kin, Mrs. Harry B. Emmel, wife, 814 Columbia St., Hood River, Ore. FILES, GEORGE T. Brunswick, Me. Teacher. Died, Boston, Mass., April 23, 1919, from illness contracted in France. Secretary, Foyer du Soldat, St. Nicholas-au-Port (Meurthe-et-Mos- elle). Born, Sept. 23, 1866. Sailed, Feb. 17, 1918. Place of burial, United States. Next of kin, Mrs. George T. Files, Hotel Touraine, Boston, Mass. FISHER, Harry G. Washington, D. C. Life Insurance Agent. Died, Camp Hospital 52, Le Mans, Feb. 19>, 1919; of pneumonia. Entertainment Director, Le Mans. Born, July 19, 1879. Sailed, Oct. 11, 1918. Place of burial, grave 187, Officers’ Row, Grand Cemetery, Le Mans. Next of kin, Mrs. Harry G. Fisher, wife, 443 S. Emerson St., Denver, Col. FULTON, MAURICE O. St. Petersburg, Fla. Automobile Dealer. Died, Florence, Italy, March 12, 1919, of hemorrhage. Secretary, American permissionnaires. Born, May 3, 1875. Sailed, Aug. 8, 1918. Place of burial, Allori Cemetery-vault, Florence, Italy. Next of kin, Fred H. Fulton, father, Montpelier, O. GALE, BESSIE Jacksonville, Fla. Teacher of Music. Died, Camp Hospital 29, Camp Hunt, Le Corneau (Gironde), Feb. 11, 1919, of heart failure. Secretary, Le Corneau. Born, April 24, 1872. Sailed Oct. 4, 1918. Place of burial, grave 29, Section A, A E F Cemetery 25, Talence (Gironde). Next of kin, Frank H. Gale, brother, Schenectady, N. Y. GAY, DOROTHEA New York, N. Y. Scenario Reader. Died, Base Hospital 6, Bordeaux (Gironde), Nov. 9, 1918, of pneumonia. Business Secretary, Regional Office, Bordeaux. Born, Sept. 24, 1888. Sailed, Aug. 29, 1918. Place of burial, grave 23, Section A, AEF Cemetery Talence (Gironde). Next of kin, William W. Gay, father, 157 W. 105th St., New York, N. Y.584 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN GIBSON, Harry B. Avalon, Pa. Traffic Manager. Killed, Argonne front near Sedan, Nov. 7, 1918, by German shell. Secretary, 16th Infantry, lst Division, AEF. Born, May 8, 1882. Sailed, Dec. 7, 1917. Place of burial, South of Sedan, near Bourmont. Next of kin, Mrs. H. B. Gibson, wife, 307 Cleveland Ave., Avalon, Pa. GROSE, RICHARD C. Toronto, Ont. Minister. Died, French Hospital, Melun (Seine-et-Marne), June 6, 1919, of meningitis. Secretary, Religious Work Department, Headquarters, Paris Previous assignment, Religious Work Director, AEF, Great Britain. Born, Sept. 10, 1865. Sailed, June 4, 1918. Place of burial, grave 866, YMCA Plot, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine (Seine). Next of kin, Mrs. R. C. Grose, wife, 534 Devoreourt Rd., Toronto, Ontario. GUTH, PIERCE P. Allentown, Pa. Bookkeeper. Died, LaRochelle, Oct. 21, 1918, of pneumonia. Accountant Headquarters, La Rochelle. Born, July 20, 1882. Sailed, Aug. 15, 1918. Place of burial, grave 30, American Section, St. Elor Cemetery, La Rochelle. Next of kin, Mrs. Pierce P. Guth, wife, 18 N. 18th St., Allentown, Pa. HARDY, JOSEPH F. Independence, Mo. Minister. Died, Issoudun (Indre), Oct. 6, 1918, of pneumonia. Secre- tary, 3d Aviation Instruction Center, Issoudun. Born, Nov. 23, 1875. Sailed, July 21, 1918. Place of burial, AE F Cemetery 32, Issoudun (Indre). Next of kin, Mrs. J. F. Hardy, wife, 701 W. Maple Ave., Independence, Mo. HEFFLON, JOSEPH H. Winchester, Mass. Teacher. Died, A. R. C. Hospital 101, Neuilly (Seine), Jan. 6, 1919, of pneumonia, Secretary, 3d Division, AEF. Born, 1869. Sailed, April 12, 1918. Place of burial, grave 111, YMCA Plot, American Cemetery, Sures- nes-sur-Seine (Seine). Next of kin, Mrs. J. H. Hefflon, wife, 51 Myrtle Ter- race, Winchester, Mass. HOSIE, EUGENIE C. Scranton, Pa. Died, Base Hospital 40, Liverpool, England, March 4, 1919, of pneumonia. Kn route to Paris. Born, Oct. 16, 1887. Sailed, Jan. 30, 1919. Place of burial, Southern Cemetery, Manchester, England. Next of kin, Mrs. S. B. Price, mother, 1727 Washington Ave., Scranton, Pa. JOHNSON, FRANK L. Newark, Ohio YMCA Secretary. Killed near Aintab, Turkey, Feb. 1, 1920, by Tur- kish brigands. Secretary, France. Previous assignments, Gibraltar and Con- stantinople. Born, Nov. 18, 1878. Sailed, Dec. 1, 1917. Place of burial, American Cemetery, College Yard, Aintab, Turkey. Next of kin, Mrs. Frank L. Johnson, wife, S. Congress St., Athens, Ohio. JOHNSON, JOHN T. West Point, Ga. Municipal Officer. Died, A E F Base Hospital 53, Marseilles, Oct. 30, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Traffic Department, Marseilles. Born, Feb. 3, 1874.APPENDIX XII 585 Sailed, Aug. 26, 1918. Place of burial, grave trench 25, AEF Section, St. Pierre Cemetery, Marseilles. Next of kin, Mrs. John T. Johnson, wife, West Point, Ga. JONES, THOMAS B. Brooklyn, N. Y. Lawyer. Died, Paris, Dec. 14, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Legal Department, Headquarters, Paris. Born, 1868. Sailed, Oct. 20, 1917. Place of burial, grave 110, YMCA Plot, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine (Seine). Next of kin, Southwell Jones, brother, 27 Harley House, Marylebone Road, London, N. W., England. KIME, CLAUDE V. Ridgway, Pa. Designer. Died, Evacuation Hospital 21, Bazoilles-sur-Meuse (Vosges), Feb. 5, 1919, of pneumonia. Secretary, Gondrecourt. Born, Dec. 8, 1870. Sailed, Nov. 12, 1918. Place of burial, grave 490, A E F Cemetery 6, Bazoilles- sur-Meuse. Next of kin, Mrs. R. V. Kime, mother, 200 South St., Ridgway, Pa. KNIGHT, ALICE J. New York City Missionary Deaconess. Died, Pruniers Camp Hospital 438, Feb. 21, 1919, of pneumonia. Secretary, Educational Department. Born, Janez, 13860: Sailed, Sept., 1918. Place of burial, grave 2065, Officers’ Plot, Gievres Amer- ican Cemetery 331. Next of kin, Mrs. E. A. Pendleton, sister, 41 Johnson St. Waterbury, Conn. KOHL, H. Enlisted overseas. Died of pneumonia, Nov. 16, 1918. No further record. LAWWILL, HUGH S. Indianapolis, Ind. Shop Superintendent. Died, Paris, Nov. 13, 1918, of heart disease. Secre- tary, Motor Transport Department, Headquarters, Paris. Born, Feb. 9, 1878. Sailed, Sept. 10, 1918. Place of burial, grave 108, YMCA Plot, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine (Seine). Next of kin, Mrs. H. S. Lawwill, wife, 1035 Eugene St., Indianapolis, Ind. LOOMIS, CHARLES Palm Beach, Fla. Physician. Died, AEF Evacuation Hospital 9, Coblenz, Germany, Jan. 12, 1919, of pneumonia. Secretary, 42d Division, AEF. Born, Nov. 12, 1867. Sailed, July 14, 1918. Place of burial, A EF Cemetery, Coblenz, Germany. Next of kin, Mrs. Charles Loomis, wife, Palm Beach, Fla. LINN, JOHN A. New York, N. Y. Teacher. Killed near Apremont, Argonne front, Oct. 8, 1918, by Austrian shell. Secretary, 5th Field Artillery, 1st Division, AEF. Born, Sept. 9% 1872. Sailed, Feb. 2, 1918. Place of burial, grave 1, section 20, plot 1, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon (Meuse). Next of kin, Rev. J. M. Linn, father, 7731 N. Marshall Ave., Chicago, Ill. LuEDERS, JEAN (Mrs. Lewis B.) Philadelphia, Pa. Died at sea on the S.S. Northland, Oct. 10, 1918, of pneumonia. En route to Paris. Born, May 16, 1882. Sailed, Oct. 3, 1918. Buried at sea. Next of kin, Annie M. Munro, sister, 26 Albany St., Edinburgh, Scotland. ' 7 TET TCT EREESL EELS Uh ceEueEs EES UEEUER RSS OE LL i an F } TERY VEL ELLLI LLL Le TUs NS ELEEEES RE586 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN McCoMBER, STEWART A. Schenectady, N. Y. Teacher of Physical Training. Died, American Hospital, Neuilly (Seine), Nov. 5, 1919, of meningitis. Associate Physical Director Foyer du Soldat, Paris. Born, July 30, 1871. Sailed, March 1, 1918. Place of burial American Cem- etery, Suresnes-sur-Seine (Seine). Next of kin, Mrs. S. A. McComber, wife, 318 Putnam Ave., Detroit, Mich. McCrREARY, JAMES B., JR. Buffalo, N. Y. Aviator. Died, Prague, Bohemia, July 5, 1919, of fractured skull. Cinema Department, International Committee, Prague. Previous assignment, Cinema Department, Paris. Born Sept. 9, 1898. Sailed, March 18, 1918. Place of burial, Prague. Next of kin, James B. McCreary, father, Buffalo, N. Y. MARSH, CLARK H. Fullerton, Cal. Minister. Died, Camp Hospital 82, Le Havre, March 4, 1919, of pneu- monia. Educational Director, Le Havre. Born, Feb. 6, 1877. Sailed, June 28, 1918. Place of burial grave 4, row O, division 65, American Section Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre. Next of kin Mrs. Clark H. Marsh, wife, 116 May Ave., Monrovia, Cal. MARTIN, WINONA C. Rockville Center, L. I., N. Y. Librarian. Killed, Hospital Claude Bernard, Paris, March 11, 1918, dur- ing German air raid. Awaiting assignment. Born, May 21, 1882. Sailed, Feb. 2, 1918. Place of burial, grave 114, YMCA Plot, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine (Seine). Next of kin, Elizabeth E. Martin, aunt, 80 Lenox Road, Rockville Center, N. Y. MEREDITH, JESSE L. Phillipsburg, Kansas Died, War Work College, Chicago, October 18, 1918. Physical Director, Yuma, Arizona. Next of kin, Mrs. E. L. Meredith, wife, Phillipsburg, Kansas. Moon, JOHN L. Sanford, Fla. Minister. Died, S.S. San Jacinto, Cherbourg Harbor, Feb. 22, 1919, of paralysis. En route to France. Born, Nov. 21, 1879. Sailed, Feb. 12, 1919. Place of burial, grave 1, row O, division 65, Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre. Next of kin, Mrs. J. L. Moon, wife, Sanford, Fla. MURRAY, WALTER R. Kast Orange, N. J. Minister. Died, Nogent, near Cond-en-Bie (Meaux), July 16, 1918, from ; shrapnel wounds. Secretary, 2d Battalion, 109th Infantry, 28th Division, A E F. Born, Sept. 1, 1877. Sailed, Oct. 27, 1917. Place of burial, grave 1, Officers’ Row, American Cemetery near Romandie, between Verdun and Cond-en-Bie. Next of kin, Mrs. W. R. Murray, wife, 83 Sussex Ave., East Orange, N. J. NAUFFTS, RALPH R. Charlestown, Mass. Salesman. Died, Field Hospital 35, Feb. 28, 1919, of pneumonia. Enter- tainment Secretary, 7th Division, AEF. Born, Feb. 20, 1885. Place of burial, grave 10, American Cemetery on Minorville-Royammeix Road. Next of kin, Mrs. A. Nauffts, mother, 7 Monument Sq., Charlestown, Mass.APPENDIX XII 587 NOBEL, CHARLES S. Portland, Ore. Construction Engineer. Died, Tours Camp Hcspital 27, Feb. 3, 1919, of bronchitis. Construction Secretary, Tours. Born, Dec. 30, 1868. Sailed, Nov. 1918. Place of burial grave 54, Officers’ Plot, American Cemetery 33, Tours. Next of kin, Mrs. C. S. Nobel, wife, 563 E. Madison St., Portland, Ore. OSEN, ERIC G. Lyons, Kan. Minister. Died, Bazoilles Base Hospital 46, Dec. 4, 1918, hemorrhage. Secretary, 77th Division, AEF. Born, July 7, 1872. Sailed, Sept. 24, 1918. Place of burial, grave 477, Officers’ Plot, American Military Cemetery. Bazoil- les-sur-Meuse (Vosges). Next of kin, Mrs. E. G. Osen, wife, Lyons, Kan. PACE, Roy B. Swarthmore, Pa. Teacher. Died, Base Hospital 48, Blois, Aug. 27, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Blois. Sailed, May 26, 1918. Place of burial, grave 32, Plot Q, American Section, City Cemetery, Blois. Next of kin, Mrs. R. B. Pace, wife, 1819 G St., Washington, D. C. PERRY, JAMES Camden, Me. Minister. Killed near Aintab, Turkey, Feb. 1, 1920, by Turkish brigands. General Secretary for Turkey. Previous assignment, Secretary, AEF, Bor- deaux; Foyer du Soldat, France and Germany. Born 1887. Sailed in 1917. Place of burial, American Cemetery, College Yard, Aintab. Next of kin, Mrs. James Perry, wife, Camden, Me. PETERSON, ARTHUR F. Waupaca, Wis. YMCA Student. Died, Presbyterian Hospital, New York City, March 5, 1918, result of operation. Secretary, Prisoners of War, Petrograd, Russia. Born, 1890. Sailed, Sept. 29, 1917. Place of burial, Waupaca, Wis. Next of kin, William Peterson, father, Waupaca, Wis. PHINNEY, EDWIN C. Minneapolis, Minn. Banker. Died, Military Hospital, Blois, Feb. 25, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Casual Officers’ Depot, Blois. Born, April 9, 1880. Sailed, Jan. 10, 1918. Place of burial, grave 2, American Section, French Catholic Cem- etery, Blois. Next of kin, Wm. T. Chapman, uncle, 96 Walnut St., Spring- field, Ill. ‘POWELL, SAMUEL A. San Francisco, Cal. Motion Picture Producer. Died, U. S. S. Santa Cecelia, May 8, 1919, of appendicitis. Entertainment Secretary. Theatre Albert, Paris. Born, Aug. 12, 1874. Sailed, Dec. 18, 1918. Place of burial, San Francisco, Cal. Next of kin, Mrs. S. A. Powell, wife, 625 Asbury St., San Francisco, Cal. PRITCHETT, ROBERT S. Philadelphia, Pa. Minister. Drowned, Dar-es-Salam Harbor, German East Africa, Sept. 24,1918. Secretary, Negro troops, Dar-es-Salam. Born, May 13, 1886. Sailed, July 15, 1917. Place of burial, Dar-es-Salam. Next of kin, James A. Prit- chett, father, 818 Walnut St., Wilmington, Del. ESERIES cua yy CUPSECUEREEDE UE LULL LIL588 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN RANSOM, LORRAINE New Rochelle, N. Y. Secretary. Died, Camp Hospital 48, Pruniers (Loir-et-Cher), Feb. 24, 1919, of pneumonia. Business Secretary, Giévres (Loir-et-Cher). Born, Jan. 30, 1892. Sailed, Sept. 21, 1918. Place of burial, grave 2066, A E F Cemetery 331, Giévres. Next of kin, Mrs. A. P. Dennis, aunt, New Rochelle, N. Y. RICHARDSON, HARRY L. Elmira, N. Y. Advertiser. Died, Florence, Italy, Jan. 22, 1919, of Bright’s disease. Secretary, Casa del Soldato, Florence, Italy. Born, 1881. Sailed, Sept. 2, 1918. Place of burial, Receiving Vault, Cemetery degli Allori, Florence. Next of kin, Lola Fay Richardson, wife, 502 William St., Elmira, N. Y. ROBERTS, JOHN I. Trenton, Mo. Professor, University of Chicago. Died, Lucknow, India, Nov. 6, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, Army Branch, Lucknow. . Previous assignment, Secretary, England. Born, 1894. Sailed, April, 1917. Place of burial, Luck- now, India. Next of kin, George E. Roberts, father, Trenton, Mo. ROBERTSON, NELLIE Virginia, Ill. Supt. Industrial School. Died, Camp Hospital 55, Marseilles, March 23, 1919, of typhoid fever. Secretary, Marseilles. Born, 1877. Sailed, Nov. 23, 1918. Place of burial, grave 584, AEF Cemetery. Next of kin, J. T. Robert- son, father, Virginia, III. RoGERS, ALICE C. Riverside, Conn. Died, Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris, March 21, 1919, of meningitis. Secretary, Le Havre. Born, 1872. Sailed, Dec. 21, 1918. Place of burial grave 112, YMCA Section, Arne Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Charles T. Pierce, cousin, 88 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. RoGERS, FAITH H. Superior, Wis. Musician. Died at sea, S.S. Espagne, Nov. 6, 1918, of heart trouble. En route to Paris. Born, 1896. Sailed, Oct. 31, 1918. Place of burial, grave 25, AEF Cemetery 25, Talence (Gironde). Next of kin, Harris Rogers, father, 1410 21st St., Superior, Wis. Ross, W. C. Died at London, England, Sept. 27, 1918, of pneumonia. Book and Period- ical Department, Headquarters, London. Recruited in England, militarizéd civilian. No further record. ROWE, WILLIAM H. Citronelle, Ala. Minister. Died at Semur-en-Auxois (Céte d’Or), Jan. 20, 1919, of pneu- monia. Religious Secretary, Semur-en-Auxois. Born, 1866. Sailed, Nov. 4, 1918. Place of burial, grave 9, row 1, plot 1, American Cemetery, Semur-en- Auxois. Next of kin, Mrs. W. H. Rowe, wife, Citronelle, Ala. ROWLEY, BLANCHE A. Rochester, N. Y: Stenographer. Died at Knotty Ash Camp Hospital, Liverpool, England, Feb. 23, 1919, of pneumonia. En route to Paris. Born, 1886. Sailed, Jan.APPENDIX XII 589 29, 1919. Place of burial, Rochester, N. Y. Next of kin, William N. Rowley, father, 658 Main St., Rochester. N. Y. RUSSELL, ELIZABETH L. New York City, N. Y. Teacher. Died at sea, S.S. Northland, Oct. 10, 1918, of influenza. En route to England. Born, 1872. Sailed, Oct. 3, 1918. Buried at sea. Next of kin, George I. Russell, uncle, New Bedford, Mass. SANT, WILLIAM W. East Liverpool, Ohio Rhodes Scholar. Died, E] Arish Hospital, Palestine, June i. 191% .0r dysentery. Field Secretary, British forces, Cairo, Egypt. Sailed, Dec. 11, 1915. Place of burial, Egypt. Next of kin. Mrs. John Sant, mother, East Liverpool, Ohio. Scott, THOMAS L. Indianapolis, Ind. Business man. Died at Bordeaux, March 11, 1919, of pneumonia. Re- gional Secretary, Bordeaux. Born, 1869. Sailed, Nov. 9, 1917. Place of burial grave 38, section A, Bordeaux-Talence Cemetery. Next of kin, Mrs: TD: 1. Scott, wife, 2152 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, Ind. SELIGMAN, SOL. L. Nashville, Tenn. Salesman. Died at Paris, May 24, 1919, of pneumonia. Secretary, Uni- form Department, Headquarters, Paris. Born, 1890. Sailed, July 7, 1918. Place of burial, grave 118, American Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Harry Seligman, brother, 1404 Buchanan St., Nashville, Tenn. SEYMOUR, HENRY P. Sparkill, N. Y. Minister. Died, St. Louis Hospital, Paris, Oct. 24, 1917, result of fall. Secretary, 1st Division, AE F. Born, June 10, 1869. Sailed, Sept. 13, 1917. Place of burial, grave 115, A E F Cemetery 34, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. Emma D. Hart, sister, 37 E 53d St., New York City, N. Y. SHAW, HENRY C. Cambridge, Mass. Lawyer. Killed, Montrichard, May 28, 1918, in automobile accident. Sec- retary, Thézée (Loir-et-Cher). Sailed, March 30, 1918. Place of burial, French Cemetery, Montrichard. Next of kin, Charles B. Shaw, father, 17 Forest St., Cambridge, Mass. SLOCUM, ESTHER Newark, N. J. Stenographer. Died, A EF Hospital 5, May 5, 1919, result of operation. Secretary, Auditing Department, Headquarters, Paris. Born, 1886. Sailed, Nov. 3, 1917. Place of burial, grave 29, American Plot, Cascade Cemetery, Nice. Next of kin, Mrs. S. T. Slocum, mother, 476 Broadway, Long Branch, N. J SmitTH, HALLIDAY S. Nyack, N. Y. Banker. Killed, front line dugout near Baccarat, May 26, 1918, by Ger- man gas shell, 42d Division, AEF. Born, 1887. Sailed, Nov, 29, 1917, ~PBlace of burial, grave E 12, Officers’ Row, French Military Cemetery, Baccarat. Next of kin, Spencer C. Smith, father, Nyack, N. Y.590 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN SWEET, BENJAMIN V. Rockland, Me. Osteopath. Died at Paris, April 4, 1919, result of automobile accident. Secretary, Mailing Department, Headquarters, Paris. Born, 1881. Sailed, Feb. 9,1918. Place of burial, grave 116, YMCA Section, American Cemetery, Surenes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. B. V. Sweet, wife, Rockland, Me. VALENTINE, GERTRUDE C. Albany, N. Y. Teacher. Died at Le Mans, July 11, 1919, result of automobile accident. Secretary, 7th Division, AE F. Born, 1890. Sailed, Sept. 17, 1918. Place of burial, grave 177, section A, Grand Cemetery, Le Mans. Next of kin, Mrs. Clarence Valentine, mother, 80 Chestnut St., Albany, N. Y. VAN SCHAICK, JOHN B. Huntineton; tas is Ne ye Farmer-Lawyer. Died at Evacuation Hospital 3, Treves, Germany, Dec. 11, 1918, of bronchitis, Secretary, 4th Division, AEF. Born 1865. Sailed, March 20, 1918. Place of burial, Town Cemetery 356-50, Treves, Germany. Next of kin, Mrs. J. B. Van Schaick, wife, Huntington, L. I. VORHEES, JOHN B. Hartford, Conn. Minister. Died in New York City, result of wounds received in France. Secretary, 26th Division, AEF. Born, 1875. Sailed, May 6, 1918. Place of burial, United States. Next of kin, Mrs. J. B. Vorhees, wife, 854 Asylum St., Hartford, Conn. VROOMAN, MARJORIE Clyde, N. Y. Teacher and Social Worker. Died at Cauterets, Pyrenees, March 4, 1919, of pneumonia. Secretary, Cauterets. Born, 1891. Sailed, Oct. 27, 1918. Place of burial, grave 832A, Talence Cemetery near Bordeaux. Next of kin, Dr. W. R. Vrooman, father, Clyde, N. Y. HH aaa HGR eae 1 H| | Hi) H } ' iH WALSH, GEORGE H. Philadelphia, Pa. Salesman. Died at Queenstown, Ireland, U. S. Naval Hospital 4, Oct. 18, 1918, of influenza. Secretary, Queenstown, Ireland. Born, 1888. Sailed, Sept. 2, 1918. Place of burial, Philadelphia, Pa. Next of kin, S. H. Walsh, father, 2038 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. WELLWOOD, ROBERT New York City, N. Y. Missionary to China. Killed, May 19, 1918, in enemy air raid on British lines. Secretary, Chinese coolies, Blargies. Born, 1864. Sailed, Jan. 27, 1918. Place of burial, grave C6, plot 1, Communal Cemetery, Blargies. Next of kin, Mrs. Robert Wellwood, wife, care of A. B. M. S., Ford Bldg., Boston, Mass. reer WHITE, EDITH Petaluma, Cal. Died at Chaumont, Base Hospital 90, March 13, 1919, of meningitis. Sec- retary, Montigny-sur-Aube, 8th Army Corps, AE F. Born, 1886. Sailed, Jan. 8, 1919. Place of burial, grave 55, Officers’ Plot, AE F Cemetery 10, Chau- mont. Next of kin, Mrs. J. H. White, mother, Petaluma, Cal. neeieainngeees SaaS woAPPENDIX XII 591 WILLING, HERMAN S. Moline, Ill. Editor. Died, Camp Hospital 64, Chatillon-sur-Seine, Nov. 22, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, 80th Division, AEF. Born 1873. Sailed, May 14, 1918. Place of burial, grave 1, Chatillon-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. Hees: Willing, wife, 440 44th St., Moline, IIl. WOODHEAD, HOWARD Pittsburgh, Pa. Teacher. Died at St. Germain-en-Laye (Seine-et-Oise), June 8, 1919, of pneumonia. Secretary, Foyer du Soldat, St. Germain-en-Laye. Born, 1877. Sailed, March 30, 1918. Place of burial, grave 867, YMCA Section, Arne Cemetery, Suresnes-sur-Seine. Next of kin, Mrs. H. Woodhead, wife, 2131 North St., Logansport, Ind. ZINN, JEANETTE York. ba: Buyer. Died, Moseley Hill Hospital, Liverpool, England, Oct. 4, 1918, of pneumonia. En route to Paris. Sailed, Sept. 1, 1918. Born, May De O92: Place of burial, United States. Next of kin, Mr. William Zinn, father, 452 West College Ave., York, Pa. HoME CAMPS AYRES, EDWIN T. San Francisco, Cal. Garage Owner. Died, Mare Island, Cal., Nov. 3, 1918, of influenza. Motor Transport and Warehouse Secretary, Mare Island. Born 1884. Next of kin, Mrs. Edwin T. Ayres. wife, 619 Central Ave., San Francisco, Cal. BARKER, J. HARRY Rochester, N. Y. Merchant. Died, Camp McClelland, Ala., Octs 295 19; of pneumonia. Secretary, Camp McClelland. Born, 1877. Next of kin, Mrs. J. H. Barker, wife, 66 Linden St., Rochester, INE Ys BARNES, WESLEY W. Nebraska City, Neb. Minister. Died, St. Luke’s Hospital, New York City, Dee. 2, 1918, of influenza. Attending 27th conference at Columbia University. Born, 1882. Next of kin, Mrs. W. W. Barnes, wife, 112 S. 9th St., Nebraska City, Neb. Bartow, LATHROP New York, N. Y. Agriculturist. Died, New York City, Dec. 9, 1918, of pneumonia. Secre- tary, Physical Department, Fort Jay. Born, 1886. Next of kin, Mr. CEUs: Bartow, father, 33 West 73d St., New York City. BEAN, OREN N. Cavendish, Vt. Minister. Died North Springfield, Vt., Oct. 18, 1918, of pneumonia. Await- ing sailing. Born, 1871. Next of kin, Mrs. O. N. Bean, wife, Cavendish, Vt. BENN, WILLIAM B. East Lansing, Mich. Minister. Died, Great Lakes, Ill., Oct. 25, 1918, of influenza. Religious Work Secretary, Naval Training Station, Great Lakes. Born, 1887. Next of kin, Mrs. W. B. Benn, wife, 509 Mt. Hope St., East Lansing, Mich.592 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN BLAKE, BERNARD T. St. Paul, Minn. Art and Dramatic Student. Died, Camp Mills, L. I., Oct. 15, 1918, of pneu- monia. Social Secretary, Camp Mills, L. I. Born 1892. Next of kin, Mrs. Andrew Call, aunt, 1212 Ashland Ave., St. Paul, Minn. Bout, ERIc P. Bend, Ore. High School Principal. Died, Vancouver, Wash., Nov. 9, 1918, of -in- fluenza. Camp General Secretary, Vancouver. Born, 1892. Next of kin, Mrs. E. P. Bolt, wife, care of Army Y MCA, Vancouver, Wash. BRENNEMAN, WILLIAM D. Oregon, Wis. Minister. Died, Great Lakes, Ill., Oct. 2, 1918, of influenza. Educational Secretary, Naval Training Station, Great Lakes. Born, 1887. Next of kin, Mrs. W. D. Brenneman, wife, Homewood, Ohio. BRAXTON, RUSSELL B. New York, N. Y. Steward. Died, Camp Lee, Va., Aug. 8, 1918, of tuberculosis. Educational Secretary, Camp Lee. Born, 1876. Next of kin, Mrs. R. B. Braxton, wife, 2311 7th Ave., New York City. BURSON, D. C. Brewton, Ala. Dentist. Died, Okalona, Miss., Oct. 10, 1918, of pneumonia. Business Sec- retary, Camp Sheridan, Ala. Born, 1877. Next of kin, Miss Blanche D. Bur- son, sister, Atmore, Ala. BURTON, WALTER A. Halsted, Pa. Died, Pelham Bay Park, N. Y., Oct. 3, 1918, of pneumonia. Building Secretary, Naval Reserve, Pelham Bay Park. Born, 1878. Next of kin, Mrs. W. A. Burton, wife, Halsted, Pa. CARR, WALTER A. Adams, Mass. Electrician. Died, Adams, Mass., Oct. 21, 1918, of influenza. Awaiting sailing. Born, 1883. Next of kin, Mrs. W. A. Carr, wife, 6 Mill St., Adams, Mass. CASTO, EUGENE LAYTON Greenville, Ky. School Superintendent. Died, Camp Taylor, Ky., Oct. 5, 1918, of pneu- monia. Camp Social Secretary, Camp Taylor. Born, 1890. Next of kin, Mr. G. R. Casto, father, Millwood, W. Va. CHAMBERLIN, C. O. Crescent City, Fla. Bank Cashier. Died, Base Hospital, Camp Jackson, S. C., Oct. 10, 1918, of pneumonia. Business Secretary, Camp Jackson. Born, 1889. Next of kin, Mrs. R. G. Chamberlin, mother, Crescent City, Fla. COURSON, ERNEST L. Adel, Ga. Minister. Died, Base Hospital, Camp Taylor, Ky., Dec. 3, 1918, of pneu- monia. Secretary, Chaplain’s Training School, Camp Taylor. Born, 1888. Next of kin, Mrs. J. Branch, mother, 156 Vine St., Macon, Ga.APPENDIX XII 593 CRAMSIE, EDWARD A. New York City. Secretary. Died, New York City, Nov., 1918, of pneumonia. Office Sec- retary, Educational Bureau, War Personnel Board, Headquarters, N. Y. Born, 1891. Next of kin, Mr. E. A. Cramsie, father, 2191 7th Ave., New York City. CUNNINGHAM, RICHARD H. Chicago, Ill. R.R. Agent. Died, Base Hospital, Camp Taylor, Ky., June 3, 1919, result of operation. Social Secretary, Camp Taylor. Born, 1869. Next of kin, Mrs. R. H. Cunningham, wife, 4233 Washington Blvd., Chicago, IIl. DAMEL, ELBERT P. Jefferson City, Mo. Teacher. Died, Camp Funston, Kan., Oct. 18, 1918, of pneumonia. Social Secretary, Camp Funston, Kan. Born, 1894. Next of kin, Mr. M. Damel, father, 786 Clark Ave., Jefferson City, Mo. DAMERON, STEPHEN G. C. Selmer, Tenn. School Principal. Died, Base Hospital, Camp Wheeler, Ga., Nov. 29, 1918, of pneumonia. Athletic Secretary, Camp Wheeler. Born, 1885. Next of kin, Mrs. S. G. C. Dameron, wife, Selmer, Tenn. DOWNEY, PAUL Niagara Falls, N. Y. Student. Died, Syracuse, N. Y., Oct. 17, 1918, of influenza. Secretary, Students’ Army Training Corps, Syracuse University, Syracuse. Born, 1898. Next of kin, Mr. W. J. Downey, father, 643 6th St., Niagara Falls, N. iY: EDWARDS, CLAUDE A. Charlestown, Mo. Accountant. Died, Base Hospital, Camp Taylor, Ky., Oct. 19, 1919, of pneumonia. Assistant Secretary, Camp Taylor. Born, 1893. Next of kin, Mrs. O. A. Grenshaw, sister, Charlestown, Mo. EPPES, WILLIAM R. Athens, Ga. Broker. Died, Base Hospital, Camp McClelland, Ala., Jan. 65 1919) of pneumonia. Physical Secretary, Building, Camp McClelland. Born, 1892. Next of kin, Mrs. W. R. Eppes, wife, Athens, Ga. FANCHER, JOHN E. Pittsburgh, Pa. Teacher. Died, Camp Merritt, N. J., Sept. 10, 1918, of pneumonia. Edu- cational Secretary, Auditorium, Camp Merritt. Born, 1879. Next of kin, Mrs. J. E. Fancher, wife, 1143 Biltmore Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. GARRY, ROBERT C. Lockport, N. Y. Bible Teacher. Died, Camp Wadsworth, S. C., Jan. 17, 1918, of pneu- monia. Born, 1846. Next of kin, Mrs. Robert C. Garry, wife, Webb St., Lock- port, Ns Y- GRIFFITH, WILLIAM C. Boston, Mass. Singer. Died, Boston, Mass., Sept. 25, 1918, of pneumonia. Activities Secretary, Northeastern Department Headquarters, Boston. Born, 1890. Next of kin, Mrs. W. C. Griffith, wife, 520 Audubon Rd., Boston, Mass.594 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN HAMBY, E. H. Buchanan, Cal. Salesman. Died, Georgia State Sanitarium, Ga., Jan., 1918, nervous col- lapse. Educational Secretary, Camp Sevier, Greenville, S. C. Next of kin, Mrs. E. H. Hamby, wife, Marietta, Ga. HILL, CHARLES E. Orlando, Fla. Automobile Dealer. Died, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, N. Y., Oct. 20, 1918, of pneumonia, Recruiting Secretary, War Personne! Board, Headquarters, N. Y. C. Born, 1876. Next of kin, Miss Geraldine Hill, daughter, Dayton, Ohio. i HOAGLAND, Amos N. Oxford, N. J. fi Physical Director. Died, Oxford, N. J., Oct. 17, 1918, of influenza. Await- ; ing sailing. Born, 1884. Next of kin, Mrs. A. N. Hoagland, wife, care of W. K. La Bar, Stroudsburg, Pa. HOUSE, GEORGE A. West Orange, N. J. i Phonograph Demonstrator. Died, Base Hospital, Camp Lee, Va., Oct. 22, } | 1918, hardening of the arteries. Assistant Secretary, Camp Lee. Born, 1855. HW Next of kin, Mrs. C. W. Norton, daughter, 48 Park Ave., West Orange, N. J. | | i] HOWE, GEORGE O. Dallas, Tex. | HH Accountant. Died, Roosevelt Hospital, New York City, Oct. 3, 1918, of pneumonia. Awaiting sailing. Born, 1881. Next of kin, Mrs. George O. } Howe, wife, 413 West Jefferson St., Dallas, Texas. { ; HUNT, CHARLES N. Macon, Ga. iT Lawyer. Killed, Iowa City, March 30, 1919, by train en route to Camp We Dodge, Ia. Secretary, Troop Train Service, U. S. A. Previous assignment, a) | Lecturer Educational Department, Paris, France. Born, 1855. Next of kin, | a; | Mrs. C. N. Hunt, wife, 219 Duff St., Macon, Ga. : | JEWETT, ELIZABETH Nyack, N. Y. a Died, Nyack, N. Y., Jan. 1, 1919, of influenza. Clerk, Filing Department, | War Personnel Board, Headquarters, New York City. Next of kin, Mrs. Wy Richard D. Jewett, mother, Nyack, N. Y. | KEMERER, SAMUEL W. San Antonio, Tex. | Minister. Died, Camp Travis, Texas, Dec. 22, 1917, of pneumonia. Reli- | | sious Work Director, Camp Travis. Born, 1872. Next of kin, Mrs. S. W. | Kemerer, Kerville, Texas. ie KONRAD, JOHN Boston, Mass. | ! Real Estate Dealer. Died, Boston, Mass., Oct. 7, 1918, automobile accident. HV Awaiting sailing. Born, 1872. Next of kin, Mrs. John Konrad, wife, 106 Forest Hill St., Jamaica Plains, Mass. | } wi} LAWRENCE, J. S. Fort Worth, Tex. Theological Student. Died, Camp Bowie, Texas, Dec. 23, 1918, of pneu- f monia. Assistant Secretary, Camp Bowie. Born, 1879. Next of kin, Mrs. J. | | S. Lawrence, wife, Seminary Hill, Fort Worth, Texas. i } j | |APPENDIX XII 595 LEVI, HENRY E. Talladega, Ala. High School Principal. Killed, Camp Wheeler, Ga., Aug. 31, 1918, by light- ning, while on duty. Religious Secretary, Camp Wheeler. Born, 1866. Next of kin, Mrs. H. E. Levi, wife, 402 W. Battle St., Talladega, Ala. LOERCH, HENRY J. Highland Lake, N. Y. Draftsman. Died, Base Hospital, Camp Dix, N. J., Sept. 26, 1918, of pneumonia. Physical Director, Camp Dix. Born, 1887. Next of kin, Mrs. H. J. Loerch, wife, 104 Lincoln St., Jersey City Heights, N. J. MAGEE, THOMAS W. Died, Nogales, Ariz., Camp Secretary, 35th Infantry, Nogales, Ariz. No further record. MAHIN, Harry H. Arlington, Ind. High School Principal. Died, Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, IIl., Oct. 6, 1918, of pneumonia. Educational Secretary, Great Lakes Naval Train- ing Station. Born, 1884. Next of kin, Mrs. H. H. Mahin, wife, Arlington, Ind. MEYER, CHARLES M. Grand Rapids, Mich. Died, Camp McArthur, Tex., Oct. 8, 1918, of pneumonia. Religious Secre- tary, Camp McArthur, Tex. Next of kin, Mrs. C. M. Meyer, wife, 1012 Bald- win St., Grand Rapids, Mich. MORELAND, SINCLAIR San Antonio, Tex. Died, San Antonio, Tex., Oct. 7, 1918, of pneumonia. Physical Director, Kelly Field, Tex. Born, 1885. Next of kin, Mrs. S. Moreland, Sequin, Tex. NEALON, EDWARD T. Paterson, N. J. Died, Sept. 22, 1919, of influenza. Physical Director, Camp Merritt, N. J. No further record. NICHOLSON, JOHN W. Moorestown, N. J. Died, Moorestown, N. J., April 10, 1918, of pneumonia. Recreation Secre- tary, Hut No. 8, Camp Dix. PAGMER, ET. Hollywood, Cal. Automobile Dealer. Died, Hollywood, Cal., March 27, 1919. Secretary, Camp Kearney, Cal. Born, 1876. Next of kin, Mrs. E. T. Palmer, wife, 1545 Formosa Ave., Hollywood, Cal. PECKMANN, HENRY R. Elgin, Ill. Teacher. Died, Base Hospital, Camp Funston, Kan., Oct. 8, 1918, of influ- enza. Educational Director, Camp Funston. Born, 1883. Next of kin, Mrs. S. Peckmann, mother, 1018 S. Main St., Bloomington, Ill. PIERCE, RAYMOND G. Greenfield, Mass. Clerk. Died, Camp Devens, September 27, 1918, of infiuenza. Recreation Secretary, Camp Devens, Mass. Born, 1893. Next of kin, A. N. Pierce, father, Greenfield, Mass.596 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN POTTENGER, AVERY K. Indianapolis, Ind. Landscape Architect. Died, Base Hospital, Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Ill., March 5, 1919, of pneumonia. Educational Secretary, Camp Farragut, Naval Training Station, Great Lakes. Next of kin, Mrs. A. K. Pottenger, wife, De Kalb, Ill. PoTTER, JAMES V. Mt. Morris, Pa. Minister. Died, Mt. Morris, Pa., Nov. 24, 1918, of pneumonia. Awaiting sailing. Born, 1884. Next of kin, Mrs. J. V. Potter, wife, Mt. Morris, Pa. Scort, MARK L. Des Moines, Ia. Died, April 4, 1919, of influenza. Secretary Army Branch, Iowa State Committee. Next of kin, Mr. J. W. L. Scott, father, Mt. Pleasant, Ta. SELBY, LESLIE Vincennes, Ind. Teacher. Died, Base Hospital, Great Lakes Training Station, Ill.; Sept. 29, 1918, of influenza. Assistant Educational Secretary, Camp Decatur, Great Lakes Training Station. Born, 1891. Next of kin, Mr. N. S. Selby, father, 117 N. 6th St., Vincennes, Ind. SHucK, LUTHER M. San Francisco, Cal. Principal. Died, Leland Stanford University, Cal., Nov. 10, 1918, of in- fluenza. YMCA Training School, Leland Stanford University. Born, 1858. Next of kin, Mrs. L. M. Shuck, wife, 6327 California St., San Francisco, Cal. SIMS, COMER Mobile, Ala. Cotton Broker. Died, New York City, Oct. 9, 1918, of pneumonia. Await- ing sailing. Born, 1875. Next of kin, Mr. A. T. Sims, father, Midland City, Ala. STEDMAN, HAROLD B. Holyoke, Mass. Stenographer. Died, Fort Slocum, Oct. 8, 1918, of pneumonia. Secretary, overseas training section, War Personnel Board, New York City. Born, 1893. Next of kin, Mr. W. S. Stedman, father, 9 Suffolk Street, Holyoke, Mass. WALTRIP, REUBEN A. Buffalo, Tex. Minister. Died, Fort Bliss, Tex., Oct. 9, 1918, of pneumonia. Building Secretary, Fort Bliss. Born, 1882. Next of kin, Mrs. R. A. Waltrip, wife, Jewett, Tex. WEATHERBY, ALBERT San Francisco, Cal. Efficiency Expert. Died, St. Luke’s Hospital, New York City, Sept. 28, 1918, of acute indigestion. Attending 19th Conference, Columbia University. Born, 1870. Next of kin, Mrs. Albert Weatherby, wife, 1485 Alvarado Ter- race, Los Angeles, Cal. WHEELER, HIRAM H. Urbana, IIl. Clerk. Died, Urbana, Ill., Oct. 15, 1918, of pneumonia. Born, 1881. Next of kin, Mrs. H. H. Wheeler, wife, 812 W. Clark St., Urbana, Ill.APPENDIX XII 597 WILSON, WILLIAM Green Bay, Wisc. Insurance Agent. Died, Springfield Hospital, Springfield, Mass., Dec. 13, 1918, of apoplexy. Attending Training Conference, Springfield. Born, 1874. Next of kin, Mrs. Wm. Wilson, wife, 6 Buengenen Apts., Green Bay, Wisc. YAEGER, CHARLES Mount Carmel, Pa. R. R. Inspector. Died, Crouse Irving Hospital, Syracuse, N. Y., of pneu- monia. Assistant Secretary, Camp Syracuse. Born, 1887. Next of kin, Mrs. Charles Yaeger, wife, 115 N. Maple St., Mount Carmel, Pa. Wounded and Gassed The following is a list of men and women wounded or gassed under fire. This list is based upon medical reports, insurance statements or the state- ment made by the individual on release sheets. Co AMBS, LEWIS BULKLEY, DAVID B. Los Angeles, Cal. Bonita, La. ARMBRUST, JOSEPH H. CAMPBELL, BARLOW M. Boston, Mass. Bainbridge, Ga. ARMSTRONG, ROBERT CANNELL, FRANK B. Northampton, Mass. Brookline, Mass. AZARIAN, JOSEPH A. CARRINGTON, JOHN J. Pasadena, Cal. Huntington, Tenn. BALLEW, WILLIAM E. CHASE, Harry L. Lexington, Ill. South Braintree, Mass. BARKER, MANDEVILLE, J., JR. CHAUDRON, PAUL V. Uniontown, Pa. Mobile, Ala. BARTHOLOMEW, HERBERT O. CLARK, GEORGE E. Brookville, Pa. Akron, O. BEAUMAN, JAMES H. CLIFFORD, JOHN R. South Bend, Ind. Tucson, Ariz. BLAKE, WILLIAM A. Cook, HucuH O. Jamaica Plains, Mass. Kansas City, Mo. BRADLEE, CHARLES W., JR. CoURTWRIGHT, WILLIAM L. Providence, R. I. Larkspur, Cal. BRADLEY, HORACE CRESSY, WILLIAM East Orange, N. J. New York, N. Y. BRANNEN, ELEANOR Cross, E. W. New York, N. Y. Grinnell, fa. Briccs, EDWARD P. D’ANTONIO, JOHN Buffalo, N. Y. Springfield, Mass. Brown, ARCHIBALD DAWES, FRED A. Red Bank, N. J. Newark, N. J. Brown, Harry G. DERR, HARVEY R. Hackensack, N. J. Wooster, O. [SOCUCUCE UCU Uc ee ‘TEIURELL Con Ue Ee iitH ! r f | k p } i 4 4 a a ee men SERVICE WITH DEVAN, SCOVILLE T. Columbus, O. DIETZ, ARTHUR L. Los Angeles, Cal. DILLON, WILLIAM W. Estacado, Ore. DOUGLASS, ARTHUR M. Manitou, Col. DOWNER, SAMUEL W. Downer, N. J. ELWOOD, JOHN L. Irvington, N. J. EVANS, JACK C. Miles City, Mont. EVERS, JOHN U. Martinsburg, W. Va. FALCONER, ROBERT C. Exeter, Mass. FONVILLE, LeRoy R. Burlington, N. C. GAULD, FRED. Arlington, Mass. GREGG, DAVID Eastern Shore, Md. HADLEY, THOMAS F. Richland, Ia. HAINES, CHARLES C. Middletown, N. Y. HAMBLIN, CHARLES R. Rushville, N. Y. HANCOCK, ARTHUR La Grange, fil. HANEY, Harvey S. Quakertown, Pa. HARTLEY, ROBERT A. Quincy, IIl. HINTON, CHARLES OQ. Paris, Ky. HINTS, WILLIAM Osceola, Ia. HoLuoway, Percy T. Ellasville, Ga. Howe, FRANK L., Jr. East Orange, N. J. FIGHTING MEN HOWELL, WALTER D. Detroit, Mich. HOwWES, Davip H. Wilmington, N. C. HUGGINS, WILLIAM L. Coolidge, Ga. HuME, MARION C. Ottumwa, Ia. HUNGERFORD, ARTHUR E. Baltimore, Md. HUNTER, GEORGE J. Detroit, Mich. INNES, FREDERICK E. Hartford, Conn. JEWETT, EDMUND H. New York, N. Y. JOHNSON, BENTON V. Detroit, Mich. JOHNSON, MARTIN R. Brooklyn, N. Y. JOHNSTON, MERCER C. Baltimore, Md. JONES, VICTOR R. Easton, Pa. KENNEDY, DANIEL Somerville, Mass. KRUPAR, ANTHONY C. Chesterfield, Va. LAU, OscaR M. Des Moines, Ia. LEONARD, ASA K. Ithaca, N. Y. LEWIS, EpGar S. Cincinnati, O. MACCLINCHIE, ROBERT E. St. Louis, Mo. McCorp, Rotua FE. Glenellyn, Ill. McGracHy, JOHN A. St. Paul, N. GC: McKee, HERBERT Fowler, Cal. MALE, H. L. Brooklyn, N. Y.MAURER, OSCAR New Haven, Conn. METCALF, JOEL Winchester, Mass. MILLER, BERNETTA A. New York, N. Y. Morris, CLYDE C. Idabel, Okla. NELSON, H. WILLIAM Lowell, Mass. NeEpp, MartTIN L. Corona, N. Y. PALMER, ASHER F’. Bellingham, Wash. PARSELL, ALFRED P. Auburn, N. Y. PATTON, JOHN W. Anderson, Pa. PERKINS, G. LAWRENCE Pomfret, Conn. Pest, B. THOMAS Newark, N. J. Petty, OSCAR E. Lewiston, Mont. PHILLIPS, ARTHUR Boston, Mass. PINKERTON, HENRY Jacksonville, Ill. PRESTON, BRYANT C. Palo Alto, Cal. PRETTYMAN, WILLIAM B. Pittsburgh, Pa. ROBERTSON, ROBERT Oakland, Cal. Rowe, GEORGE T. Dublin, Ga. SAYERS, CHARLES Lancaster, Pa. SEWELL, EMMETT K. Wynne, Ark. SHERMAN, PAULA New York, N. Y. SIDLEY, THoMAS H. Evanston, Ill. APPENDIX XII 599 SmitTH, ARTHUR L. Rosalin, Va. SMITH, FREDERICK C. Indianola, Ia. SMITH, HENRY F. West Medford, Mass. SMITHERS, KELLY C. Frankfort, N. Y. Snow, ROBERT C. Hyde Park, Mass. STUART, SIDNEY New York, N. Y. TALMADGE, DAVID H. New York, N. Y. ‘ TAYLOR, JAMES Chicago, Ill. TOULON, HOMER V. Philadelphia, Pa. TRUEX, WALTER Syracuse, N. Y. VAN EMDEN, IRA H. Mt. Vernon, N. Y. VAN Epps, FRANK M. Chicago, Ill. VARNUM, ALGERNON B. Hyannis, Mass. WaALCH, ALBERT W. Petersburg, Va. WALKER, ELI Stockton, Kan. WALKER, ORVILLE W. Mankato, Minn. WALLACE, WALTER Richmond, Va. WANNAMAKER, OLIN D. Dallas, Tex. Warp, WALTER G. Aurora, Neb. WARREN, FRANK G. Stockton, Cal. WATKINS, GLENN Lakewood, Cleveland, O. Watson, ALEXANDER EP; Knoxville, Tenn.ee reat 600 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN WELLS, DANIEL WILLIAMS, LINSEY E. Detroit, Mich. Manchester, Tenn. WEST, FRANK H. WILLIS, Guy A. Loda, Ill. Darlington, Mo. WHARTON, HENRY WILLMER, SARAH Philadelphia, Pa. Chicago, Il. WHITE, Harry C. WILSON, GEORGE C. Bound Brook, N. J. San Jose, Cal. WILBOR, THOMAS W., JR. WYMAN, LEON E. New Britain, Conn. Cleveland Heights, O. 4. Citations and Decorations Cita tions(s.i sa) ai Ae ok oc nes ee eee 99 CTOLX thatiyour Association had in a very short time selected, purchased and senttoverseas some’ two: million ‘dollars’ worth of ‘textbooks! and:educational supplies; 4nd had recruited vand' sent to ‘France nearly ‘six hundred ‘educational organizers :dnd -supérvisors ofvhigh standing, I:was morecthan‘ever impressed with the magni- tude of the work*already accomplished. NEWTON, D~ BAKER, Secretary. of Waz;\in ‘a letter; of. April..3, 1919, to. William Sloane, Chairman of the National, War-Work Council: of Young, Men’s Christian; Associations, Iam happy to have any public opportunity ‘to testify’ to the appreciation which ‘the War Department and’ the Army of the ‘United’ States feel for ‘the Services rendered’ by the Y M C’A,-both at’ Home and overseas! '.0' So -. © IE think that it is Solemnly true thatno army of ‘any:sizé, or any nationality, including ‘our own, ever before in the history of mankimd, haS had such @ record ‘of héalth, cleanliness, and high idealism of purpose. There were assembled about ‘these soldiers 06 only the influencés of home and of neighborhood, but the great trained agenciés for dealing with life of the young.) )729 ‘They M C'A, by reason ‘of its longer establishinént, its larger experience and its larger facilities, had the greater part of this work:'t6’do, especially abroad. I do not, know if I can convey. to those who have not had an opportunity to see what went on there, any. adequate idea of the character of that service. I hope that it will be understood that I am not speaking exclusively of the YMCA, for'in many instances they welcomed and invited the assistance of other agencies, But, as I crossed the Atlantié during the war, through the danger zone, I found the YMCA worker on the ship, taking his ‘place’ béside' the ‘soldier. In the cold hours just before dawh when we were brought. on’ deck to 'await there the most perilous hour of that day, and as we stood there .. . the night disappeared and the day came on, every eye strained over the sea to search out 4nd seé if Wwe could find the stealthy adversary whé'Wwas seeking us, the Y MC A worker ‘braved that’ peril with the’ soldier and sailor. ‘When ‘that hour’ was dover, on ‘all’ these Ships) ‘going and coming)’ these agents of the high’ soéial purpose’of America ministered ‘to the’ sick and wound- ed.° "THéey_{with® their amusements, ‘magazines, books) et ‘cetera—comforted, entertained and advised the well: “Phéy were a constant®companion ard com- fort’ to the soldier goifis over the Sea: In the long periods of training over there, the YMCA workers swere constantly found organizing amusements;'aiding menh:dini corresponding with their ‘friends; giving ‘counsel and! advice in: the! embarrassmentsothat; arose in the idaily lif@of the!soldiér,! ministeting: to them: by othe idistribution, of jsuch things aS couldobe: prévidedsby> the:fenerous) funds of; the people.of America ; welcoming the incoming soldier andgiving the outgoing. soldier; Godspeed. . . They were: ati the front;'injthe very. front. line trenches, over, which,shrap- nel burst:and: over,whieh: aeroplanes, hovered; , Under machine, gun. fire one could find the American doughboy at his listening post, and very often,along-APPENDIX XV 621 gide-of him the YM C A man with his books, magazines, papers and his ‘little aids and comforts, which were carried to the very edge of “No Man’s Land.” In the! huts, the Y MC A: woman: was found—that extraordinary beautiful thing which the YMCA man sent over, and which the doughboy learned to call an “Honest-to-God American Girl.’? _ Sometimes her hair was, streaked with gray, and there was the relationship of mother and son; ‘but ordinarily the relationship was, the, tender relationship of brother and sister. So, in a.certain way, the YMC A has represented the heart of America and has carried to the soldiers abroad our affections and our ideals for them. When we survey this superb Army which is now coming home, with its broadened shoulders, bronzed cheeks, robust health, splendid nerye, and the high spirit that comes with great accomplishment, we must remember that among the formative influences that, went into it and made it possible was this social spirit which was carried from home to the front line trenches, which shared the privationsS ahd dangers, was an intésral part of the Army+for in “No Man’s Land,” where the-shells-fell thick and fast, there are the graves ofthe American soldiers and, the grayes of.the “Y’’?, workers, side by, side, not separate in their work, not separated.in their faith,;not separated, in, spirit, not: separated in. their sacrifice; finally. united in/theirlast resting: place.,<. - NEwToN D)BakER, Secretary of: War, ina speech madeonothe o¢easion of the presentation’ of; the Croix: de Guerre by: the French: Government to three overseas YMCA secretaries, at Washington, ‘Ds Ci,:\May 16, 1919. Only those who were brought in intimate contact with it, and,could survey the whole field, are able to appreciate fully the great extent and value of,the YMC A’s work for, our soldiers and_sailors, In camps and training stations, at home.and.abroad,.at the fighting front, on transports and at, naval, bases, ‘t cheered and aided our fighting forces. Its halls-and huts were not only social centers, furnishing wholesome recreation and amusement, but were places for mental improvement and moral refreshment, . They. were bits of America, set on, foreign soil, reminding the boys,of the homes.from which they.came. The men of the Red Triangle followed the flag. wherever 1t went, and .were there to;serve and, comfort .our brave boys... They proyed their heroism and ‘ devotion .on.the. battle front, a number. being. commended for bravery, .and several sacrificing their lives in the, line, of_duty, It:.is unthinkable that.criticism of minor. defects here and there should be. allowed. to..cloud. for;,a,.moment the. splendid, record made. by this great Association... No. big, undertaking was ever carried out’ without,some imper- fections, and no organization engaged in sucha stupendous work, employing so many. men over a vast areas could. expect to carry it through without making some mistakes... But so far as I have been able to. determine, these have been few and hardly enough to be considered in comparison with the magnificent service rendered. .The war work of the Young Men’s Christian Association will remain an enduring monument to this great organization, which is founded for the uplift and welfare of the young men who are the brain and brawn, the dependence and hope of Amérié¢a.° There has been in our time no- more mspir- ing exemplification of practical Christianity than the work 6fthe Young Men’s cEEEENEEEETEEFEEEIEETEEEEES UCU s ITGKELTUITTEISIULEUU USGL i OPS Pee! BS ' eR RR} } | | i } } . 632 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN Christian Association and other agencies which ministered to the comfort and welfare of our fighting forces. JOSEPHUS DANIELS, Secretary of the Navy, in a letter to Dr. Mott. I have personal knowledge of the magnificent social and religious work of the American YMCA. It gives me the greatest pleasure to testify that the work has been con- ducted upon the broadest lines of service, not merely to the gallant soldiers of the army of the great republic of the West, but to all they could assist. The high quality of character of those conducting this work needs no praise, but I affirm that in my opinion it would have been impossible to have afforded the boys that inspiration and succor they need—and which they so richly deserve—without the efforts of the YMCA. D. Luoyp GEORGE, Prime Minister of Great Britain, in a letter of July 20, 1918. I am glad to have the opportunity of giving my testimony to the immense value of the work which is being done by the American YMCA and to the helpful influences which that work brings to bear upon the lives of those who are brought into touch with it. The appeal which is being made for further help to continue and enlarge the activities of this splendid organization has my warmest and most sympathetic support. H. H. AsquituH, Former Prime Minister of Great Britain. You have been so good as to inform me of the renewed effort you propose to make to enlarge and make more efficacious the work of the YMCA. It gives me great pleasure to testify to my profound appreciation and that of the entire French Army, to the work that has been accomplished by the Foyers du Soldat of the Franco-American Union. Your Foyers, constantly established in increasing numbers, as great at the front as in the rear, have rendered to our soldiers most highly appreciated service. Thanks to your efforts our children have found in your midst a center of distraction and comfort. In every way possible, with touching delicacy and unceasing devotion, the Foyer du Soldat has succeeded in replacing the foyer of the family. With all my heart I thank the YMCA for the precious aid that they have brought to the Armies of the Entente in the common fight against the enemy. Their work has in no small degree supported the morale of our armies, and thus they have gloriously associated themselves in the common work that shall bring about our victory. I desire to join my most sincere wishes for the unqualified success of the financial campaign, which you are newly commencing with a view to the development and support of your work. I beg again to assure you, Monsieur le Directeur Général, of my sincere and profound appreciation. GEORGES CLEMENCEAU, Premier of France, in a letter to the Director General of the United War Work Campaign.APPENDIX XV 633 Extract from report of MONSIEUR PAUL PAINLEVS, Minister of War, October 19, 1917. “I take this opportunity to assure you how greatly I appreciate the value of the Americans in the present circumstances. I know, in fact, that even before the United States had taken part on the side of the Allies, your friends of the YMCA had shown the sympathy which they bear to our cause by furnishing you with generous subsidies and that, since the entry into the war of their country, their cooperation in the work of the Foyers du Soldat, now truly the ‘Union Franco-Américaine,’ has taken a considerable extension and affirms itself by the very important financial resources already furnished or promised, as also by the personal assistance rendered. In this way, as in all other matters, the Americans show their desire to work hand in hand with our compatriots for the triumph of the cause for which we are fighting. In the name of our soldiers and of their chiefs, I beg you to be so good as to thank your friends very warmly. “Initiated modestly at the end of 1914 by the creation of the first two Foyers, your work has not ceased to increase and extend its action, with the approbation of my Department and of the High Command, both all along the French front and in the interior. Thanks to your Foyers, the men find in the rest cantonments, places for reunion which provide them a shelter against rough weather and a moral comfort attested by the unanimous reports of the military authorities. Therefore, I can only wish to see this work extended to all the cantonments. Consequently, I beg to ask you to be so good as to inform me whether the Union Franco-Américaine would be disposed, and in what measure, to give their aid to the military authorities for the organiza- tion and working of the 1300 Clubs to be created under the general condi- tions set forth in the annexed notice. ‘$(Signed) PAUL PAINLEVE.” Much to my regret I find it absolutely impossible to eancel my engage- ments for tomorrow and to go to New York in order to attend the meeting of the War Work Council. Had I been present I would have considered it a privilege as a representative of France to give a public testimony to the sup- port in money and in personnel tendered by the War Work Council of the American Y MC A to the Foyers du Soldat Union Franco-Américaine-Y M C A. The services rendered by the Foyers to the men of the French armies have been invaluable. They have been praised by French Ministers of War, by Com- manders of French armies and units. ‘There has been an increasing demand for more Foyers as they became real parts of the French forces on the front and in the rear. Without the American help which came to the organizers of the Foyers from the beginning in 1914, without support in money, without the American secretaries who came over to add their numbers to those of the French secre- taries, the Foyers would not have been able to give this moral and material help to our men. France is deeply thankful to you for the manner in which you at once understood this need and took generous steps to meet it. We hope that your SCE EE HU ce cs sTrerTUsIKUIISEULGG LUIS TATE iy634 SERVICE WITH OPIGHTING MEN help) will be ‘maintained during the coming) period, notwithstanding the :eessa- tion of hostilities. EDOUVARD; DE-BILLY; Deputy High,Commissioner,),French.High; Commission to the; United, States, in.a.telegram of December 17,.1918, to Dr. Mott. Since,the beginning of/the,National, Army, Ihave. watched: the work-of,the YMC A.;in, this cantonment and also -in,France..,.It was open~for-business almost;,as-soon;as,the.men, of the first draft. arrived) at.camps. The daily, attendanee;at Y.M C,A buildings, averaged: 32;000;men,.when.the 77th Division; was.here. Probably more.soldiers’. letters jhome .are written ;in- Y M.CA.huts. on Y¥;' M -C;A, .paper,than.all other, places. put. together, and.-this means that they are. popular places and; places where men’s:minds are on;right, things. In, -my epinion.the; Y.M.:0.A..is; making. a.splendid.contribution: to ‘the creation and maintenance of morale among..our.-men}, and: its,activities, are responsible in a-large.measure for keeping, them;happy. Its work is, worthy of,the.most liberal..support, Masor GENERAL’J::H.BELL,' Commanding General,; Camp: Upton)! Nvo¥ooin a letter-of August) 1,/1918; to Ralpho I. Cheney: In peace; the Y MC A has-been for:years)a strong and:widespread influence ‘for! good, for better men: and for better citizenship.<° Since’ they war icame’ its scope and-its! influence'have grown greatlys: All along the fighting line) and backincthe training camps, abroad and:in the homelands aitsshuts:and:assembly rooms; with their cheerful vand ‘helpful workers; have :added! immensely*to ithe comfort and contentment of our troops and /consequently to their efficiency and fighting value. The work.of-the Association, has represented the Heciee, and to a large extent has fulfilled the purpose, of a generous people, to add in every way to the comfort and wellbeing of their fighting men, the men who are fighting ithat free government may livejsthat our: country'sand’ its! institutions may endure: The-YM ©; A’ menowork mot -onlysin«the safety.of:the homeland; but amid therdangers) and ‘hardships: of; the (Avymy:zone near. ‘the battleslime,sandvoften- times surrounded /by:itS périlsiand: discomforts: :>They ‘work always‘ with; an eye! Single: to ‘the ‘comfort! and béttetment of our men, that they ‘may be better soldiers,:that we may more-effectively>do our part ‘ini winning>thewar.! Every dollar igiven to the: Y M-G:A-ds a) dollargiver toward! winning:the war, Let us give and-give again until it hurts;:and then give more. » The cause is! a Splendid one, worthy -of} our best; efforts. MAsoR GENERAL LEONARD WOOD, in a letter of August 30, 1918; to° Dr. Mott GENERAL OrpERs No. 33. 1,.The Commanding, Genera], desires to. make, of, necord.in- the |General Orders),of. this, division, his appreciation of the part taken by, the members of the YMCA who have been attached to this division and actively, carried’ on their work,in ‘all its-phases during the. time |that this.division’ was.inj contact with the, enemy from May 31.to July 30.APPENDIX | XV ) 685 2.0During the days: beginning dulyo14; when the. enemy, made their attack and for days and nights’ afterwards, the, ¥-M.G.A,. through, its:faithful .mem- bers’ ati their posts of duty, not: only with. chocolate, and.cakes, and) tobacco cheered our soldiers, but was of efficient assistance: tovour medical staff .in, ¢ar- ing for!wounded. )) Hot chocolate (was served>in (many, cases; free, both, day and night, ito the: wounded and; to the ambulance drivers. 3) While ‘the men of the Y M-C:A' were with thé troops im:the: frontiline, the young women of the Y MCA were detailed withthe ‘hospitals and: ‘the medical ‘staff ofthis! division bear testimony of their.most efficient help during these two weeks of great Strain. 4. The conduct of these self-sacrificing and brave men and women who have so unhesitatingly given their services to their country, establishes a standard of prestige, exceptional courage, devotion” and resotireéy which the commanding general particularly commends. "ea copy of this order will be furnished to each member of the YMCA who has-been. on duty with this. division. By command of MAJOR GENERAL DICKMAN;,, Robert H. C. Kelton,, Colonel, General Staff. Chief of Staff, Official;, E. A. Jeunet, tsColkeink, R. A. Adjutant. A?'this fime, approaching the close ofa successful campaign’ in Italy by the 332d Infantry, I desire to convey to your esteemed ‘organization my isin- cere thanks and appreciation, coupled with that of my “entire command, for the valuable services rendered to us in the field. The tireless manner/and°the efficient way with whieh ‘you cooperated withme ‘at all.timés insbringing! ¢com- fort:'to the members of this régiment will ever be apprediated by me and shall receive mention in my reports. I wish particularly to extend the thanks of the entire regiment for your service. rendered..on the night of November 15th, at which time hot chocolate was served to the men. CoLONEL WILLIAM WALLACE, 3994 Infantry, in, a. letter of November 16, 1918. ——_—— You have called my attention to the fact that the statement has been made that, on the relief of the “Lost Battalion,” money was charged by the YMCA for chocolate and cocoa supplied to the men. Of ddurse, you and’ T know that this is’ not a fact, and I take great pleasure in stating ‘that on’ that occasion the first hot food which the men received was the cocoa supplied by the YMCA. The assistance of, the.¥, M.G A at that, time was tremendously appreciated by the men and by.the.officers, and-was given.in a.fine and liberal spirit without any, suggestion | of reimbursement.;,.Furthermore, the YMCA.was the.only organization present at that time.../1 should like to add that the work, of the Y M CA in our regiment was of the very greatest help, and was thoroughly.and gratefully appreciated. LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHARLES W. WHITTLESHY,,in a letter to.S..B. Burroughs. TENTEE EEO Eo TULLE EU ELLe TUUUULUU US HUTS ‘EEREERSRULELE ERD tel | ay ‘.‘| ; i {| ti i ; : 636 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN I am glad of an opportunity to express my appreciation of the work of the YMCA; as Division Athletic Officer I have been in close touch with the YMCA organization and their work. The type of men representing them is very high and their efforts to amuse and interest the men, attend to their com- fort and entertainment have met with both success and appreciation. Their method of working in perfect harmony with the military authorities and their fine spirit has resulted in their making a splendid impression and their work is doing untold good. WALTER CAMP, JR., Captain, N. A. 28th Division Athletic Officer (Division Headquarters), in a statement of April 6, 1918. Where morale leaves off and morals begin, or where morals leave off and morale begins, I have never been able to ascertain. I am, however, sure of this fact—the Y MCA has fused these great fundamentals of the Army life. In its contribution to morals by providing instruction, amusement and a breath of home atmosphere, and in its contribution to a love for righteousness and duty its work is incomparable. Lt. RALPH O. HARPOLE, Co. B, 54 Inf. AEF Nebo, Ill. I wish to express my sincere appreciation of the work done by the YMCA wn behalf of the officers and men of our Navy. Financial help which may be extended to your organization reacts to the moral uplift and physical welfare of our men. ViIcE-ADMIRAL SIMS, in cablegram of September 5, 1918, to the Chairman of the War Work Council of Young Men’s Christian Associations, trans- mitted by the Secretary of the Navy. T want to thank you for the work you have done for the men of my squa- dron, for the trouble you and your organization have been put to, and for the quiet and effective manner in which you have accomplished your results. The YMCA in South America has done great good for the Navy. The popular- ity of its recreation places and of its representatives is telling evidence of the wisdom and effectiveness of its work. REAR-ADMIRAL W. B. CAPERTON, in a letter to J. C. Field, Secretary of Special Navy Work of the South American Federation of the Young Men’s Christian Associations. Among all the organizations generously aided by the International Com- mittee of the YMCA, the Foyers du Soldat particularly merits our grati- tude. By the wholesome relaxation and well-being which the Foyers furnish to the combatants the YMCA has largely contributed to the magnificent morale of the Allied Armies. MarsHaL Focu, Allied Generalissimo, in a message of November 9, 1918, communicated by cablegram of D. A. Davis.APPENDIX XV 637 I beg to certify that the representatives of the YMCA have rendered great services to the wounded of this division during the last periods of the combat. Never hesitating to advance to the front, they have distributed to the wounded warm drinks, biscuits, candies, cigarets, even to the advanced posts of the Echelle and the Chaulun. I desire to signalize the bravery, modesty and discretion which the mem- bers of the Y M C A have shown in the accomplishment of their humane mission. GENERAL DAUGAN, in a letter of August 8, 1918. You have asked me to write you a few lines in testimony of the esteem in which is held the work of the Case del Soldato, established on our front by the American Y MCA, which is so admirably and solicitously directed here by Dr. J. S. Nollen, and of which you are the leading spirit in the United States. On my own behalf and also in the name of my troops, I express to you my most sincere admiration and most heartfelt gratitude for the sustained benefit which the Italian Army derives from the Case del Soldato of the YMCA. GENERAL A. Diaz, Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Army, in a letter of August 20, 1918, to Francis Bowes Sayre. No one who is not a soldier in this camp can really know what the Army Y means to us boys in camp—it is home, club, church, and all. We would certainly be lost without it. PRIVATE RAYMOND CURTIS of Truck Co. D, 103d Ammunition Train, in a letter of April 21, 1918. I have been asked many questions in my life, but tonight I am going to answer a question put to me and take it from me the answer is coming straight from the heart of all my friends as well as myself. Before enlisting in the Army I was a very home-like fellow and needless to say I have spent many lonesome days in the Army. And I do not know what I would have done were it not for the YMCA and the many good workers eonnected with the same. My hat is off to them in their work and I am sure the Y M C A workers have won a place in the heart of every Allied soldier. The Y MCA is always a place to kill the blues, forget the disappointments of the day, and to find a friend that is true, that you can tell your troubles to. In general I cannot say too much for the “Y? and here is hoping the people of the world will learn of their wonderful achievements. PRIVATE 1st Cu. JoHN LEAN KILDAY, Lena, Ill., Box 440. June 28, 1918. The American soldier would be out of luck in this country or France if it was not for the “Y.” Everything that our soldiers need can be bought at the “Y” and the prices are just as low as any store in the States. This is what I call a blessing to have one of these YMCA huts with us. They try to amuse Ti THULE ih 1 TERE TULL TETDLSELLLL LULU TUTTLE UL DELLE (Uh TCE TALES eT638 SERVICE, WITH! FIGHTING MEN us,and, dojeverythingsin their, power for, our comfortyandol forsonelam cer- tainly, thankful! PRIVATE WM. McMoueu, —th Inf. Med. Corps. June 28, 1918. On June 30, 1918, M. CLEMENCEAU, Minister of War, wrote: “I am happy)to.buring,to the, work.of,the, Foyers du-.Soldat,.Union; Franco- Américaine; the,sincere testimony jof, the, gratitude of the French,Army.~-Your Foyers established in an ever-increasing number in the front line; -canton- ments and in the formations of the interior, render to .the .soldiers_services which are highly appreciated. Thanks to your organization, our sons find everywhere a center of relaxation and recreation. Just as far as possible, and witha ‘touching delicacy and an untiring devotion, the Foyer’ du Soldat replaces the’ ‘foyer’ of the family.’ With all my ‘heart I thank‘the ‘YM'CA for the’ precious aid’ which it has ‘brought to the ‘work which is being’ carried on by’ the’ Armies ‘of the ‘AHieS against the common enemy. In contributing thus*to Sustain:the morale of our’ Armies, it procures our victory ‘and associates itself gloriotisly in the’ ¢ommon'task-” 'T send the most sincere wishes for the complete success dof the fimanctial campaign which the’ Y M € A is aoa under- taking in order to carry on and develop its work.” On August 2, 1918, GENERAL PETAIN wrote: “It is impossible to exaggerate the eminent, service rendered by the Foyers “du Soldat,” They have not only procured for the combatants a little material well-being, but théy have also been a very valuable moral encouragement.” GENERAL MANGIN, Commanding the 10th Frenche Army; wrote: 7 “The work which you organized _is.very much appreciated by our men and itis with great pleasure that L shall see.it.developed.in,the,Army zone. Our soldiers, in fact, occupy .a region; which for the,most part,.has,been.recon- quered..from the.enemy,and which.the. inhabitants.had. to. leave, so; that here, better than anywhere else,;the. soldiers, find in: your ,Foyers,a. preciops,-moral uplift ,which,is; ike the sensation;of being ‘at,home.”, Here, they, meet) the Ameriean. soldiers, ,by, whose sides. they, fight. , Bheser excellent ;relations,,.can- not, but strengthen. the bonds, already, close, which;unite the two.Armies... We are therefore glad.to take advantage. of this oppontunity,, dR restate. all; the good; which. this organization: has. already.done, among us’ GENERAL GOURAUD;) Commandin? the 4th° Army, ‘wrote: “For a long time already I have seen the Foyers functioning in the 4th Army’ and evéry day ‘I “appreciate! more’ the-consdlation which they bring to our soldiers in assuring them-of-a-—well-being which is at the same time ma- teriatyand moral., It;is,anjadmirable work:,and-Jd;/eagenly ‘seize, thé Toccasion which;is given to.me,to;render, this testimony.) sincerely; hopé that the work will be; still ffurther;developed, and .thab phe} sfhonts whieh you fare paahaue in this direction will. be crowned withysuceess.’APPENDIX | X/V He 639 GENERAL’ LYAUTEY;| Commander-in-Chief, ef the: French) Forces~in “Meroceo: “I:am pleasedowith ithe understanding jestablished; with; the, Union, Hranco- Américaine: and -I\ express oto, youranew| my profound) gratitude fer..the,valu- able cooperation. which you bring. to-the work, ofthe, Foyersdu,Soldat.for the troops in Morocco. This work, which you permit me to carry out on a vast and complete scale, is going to be organized with, all.the,rapidity possible and in conformity. with,our, common .yiews,.’ General Franchet dEsperey, Commander-in-Chiefi of the Alliedarmies in the Orient,’ wrote from Saloniki son: August: 8, ‘1918: “Lam happy=to'bé able to express! tooyousmyosatisfaetion at thevorgani- gation: and functioning of the: Moyers dw iSoldat, Union Franco-Ameéricaine, which ‘you direct, ‘Ino extending! yours worlkto ‘the “Army of) thesOrient you have -renderéd’ a> most useful service,’ even more necessary than for: those) who fight in France. The soldiers far distant from their country can! appreciate the service which you have, rendered, with the,aid of the Y MCA, in establish- ing these Foyers du Soldat where they can meet together, rest, and find recreation. But your task has not been finished; it is necessary to continue and to develop the work undertaken just as far as your financial resources will permit. I am certain that the results which you have obtained will en- courage those who have already helped you to respond still further to your patriotic appeal.” A few days ago a Russian Baron in the Diplomatic Service succeeded in reaching Paris from Russia. When he saw the Triangle on my arm, he said: “T shall never see that Red Triangle without a sense of profound gratitude. Everywhere on our way out, on the Northern coast, in Archangel, in Newcastle and in the most out-of-the-way places along the line it was the YMCA men who were there rendering disinterested and faithful service. Extract from a letter of D. A. DAVIS to E. T. Colton, December 27, 1918. A soldier said to me once, “It’s the Y MCA that keeps us human.” It does what no other organization is doing or could do. Amid the dreariness of the war zone, in the monotonous life of the troops in the field, the Red Tri- angle shines with steadily comforting glow. There could in my opinion be no better way of spending a hundred million dollars than giving the YMCA the fullest opportunity to make the soldier more comfortable and more con- tented with his lot. Statement of LorD NORTHCLIFFE. An illustration of what can be accomplished is being shown by the Ameri- can YMCA. They are still carrying on whilst other people have left the country. They are perfectly splendid. Their courage and persistency are beyond praise. They have gone down to work in the fever districts in the South of Russia—there was awful fever there, American YMCA were sending a train of people down to work. bined scheme the American YMCA have only to be applied to, and they will and when I was at Moscow the In any com- = Te TIT LETELULLELL LULL TTETSETTLLEELL LL Lu ryTTTEUUUUUTU UCU UIA t TEUEURAOL ERED D EEE e eee LJ Enare _E_E___E NPI to aleetenteenie econ ae er rma ! | 640 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN do anything needed, and any understanding that is brought about in the future between the people over there will be largely due to the fact that the American YMCA stuck at it whilst other people left the country. LADY MuRIEL PAGET, in The Evening Standard, .London, July 18, 1919. From the Army of Occupation. “The whole atmosphere of your organization and the character of its personnel, their attention to duty, and everything connected with YMCA is entirely worthy of and up to the standard which we all feel our Government has the right to expect from its representatives over here. It is impossible to estimate in money value the good that the Y has done and is doing for our men, and I believe that if our people at home could see this work and know what the YMCA and kindred organizations are actually doing, they would not only be glad to have the work continued but would give it their moral and financial support and would demand that it be continued.” Davip L. STONE, Col. General Staff, U. S. Army, Interallied Rhineland High Commission.APPENDIX XVI: BIBLIOGRAPHY CLASSIFIED LIST OF BooKS AND AUTHORITIES MENTIONED IN THESE VOLUMES WITH OTHER LITERATURE RELATED TO WELFARE WORK AND THE PROBLEMS OF RECONSTRUCTION SINCE THE WAR. EDUCATION Kocu, THEODORE W. Books in the War. The Romance of Library War Serv- ice. Boston, 1919. Stokes, ANSON PHELPS. Educational Plans for the American Army Abroad. New York, 1918. TABULATION of Army Mentality Tests During the War. Vol. XV. National Academy of Sciences. Washington, 1921. WAR DEPARTMENT. Complete Report of the Committee on Education and Special Training. Four Parts. Washington, D. C., 1919. HISTORY—RELIEF BAKEWELL, CHARLES M. The Story of the American Red Cross in Italy. New York, 1920. BARRETT, JAMES W. and DEANE, P. E. The Australian Medical Corps in Egypt. London, 1918. BARTON, CLARA. The Red Cross. Washington, D. C., 1898. BLACK, ELIZABETH WALKER. Hospital Heroes. New York; 1919: BRIZZOLESI, VITTORIO. Gli Americani-Italini Alla Guerra. Milan, 1919. Cook, E. Tyas. The Life of Florence Nightingale. 2 vols. New York, 1918. Davison, H. P. The American Red Cross in the Great War. New York, 1919. DUNANT, HENRY. Souvenir de Solférino. 2d ed.; Geneva, 1862. STRACHEY, LYTTON. Eminent Victorians, London, 1918. HISTORY— WELFARE BARRETT, JAMES W. War Work of the YMCA in Egypt. London, 1919. BootH, EVANGELINE and HiLL, GRACE LIVINGSTON. The War Romance of the Salvation Army. New York, 1919. DocceTT, LAURENCE L. History of the Young Men’s Christian Association. Part I. The Founding of the Association 1844-1855. Part II. The Con- federation Period 1855-1861. New York, 1922. Eppy, G. SHERWooD. With Our Soldiers in France. New York, 1917. EGAN, MAURICE FRANCIS and KENNEDY, JOHN B. Knights of Columbus in Peace and War. 2 vols. New Haven, 1920. LE Mans AREA. History of the YMC A in Le Mans Area. By the Regional Staff. Portland, Ore., 1920. 641 = F THT THTTEELEELEL EEE ULE Lo SUTTER UTE LGU TUE LL TITEL TERRE Hu 1 VO : TNFEUEEREEEEL ELE LL 1 8 pee ‘642 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN LEVINGER, LEE J. A Jewish Chaplain in France. New York, 1922. MACLEAN, J. K. and RIDDLE, T. W. The YMCA With the Colours. London, 1918. MorsE, RICHARD C. The History of the North American Young Men’s Chris- tian Associations «New York, 4913. PHELPS, G. SIDNEY and Others. The Red Triangle in the Changing Nations. New York, 1918. SAUTTER; “EMMANUEL. ' ‘Une! Oeuvre ‘dé ‘Guerre, Les“Foyers du Soldat de PUnion"Pranco-Amérieaine. ‘Paris, 1919: WARREN, HAROLD C. With the‘ Y'M'C’A‘’in'France.’’New York, 1919. WILLIAMS, MICHAEL. American Catholics in the War. New York, 1921. YAPP, ARTHUR K. Romance of the: Red/Triangle. New York, 1918. HIsTORY—W AR AYRES, LEONARD P. The War with Germany. A Statistical) Summary.) Wash- ineton,).,C., 1919. BARBUSSE, HENRI. Under Fire:,,the Story ofa Squad; Translated by Fitz- water Wray. New. York, 1917. ‘BEAMISH, RIcHARD J., and MARCH, FRANCIS A. . America’s Part in.the World War. Philadelphia, 1919. BERNHARDI, FRIEDRICH VON. Germany.and.the Next War. New York, 1914. CROWELL, BENEDICT and WILSON, ROBERT ForREST. How America Went to | Wareo'bvolsi! New:Havenj 19212. DE CHAMBRUN and DE MARENCHES. The American Army in'‘the’European Conflict. NewYork, 1919: DICKINSON, JOHN. The Building of an Army. A Detailed Account ‘of Legis- lation, Administration” and Oiiaton: in the United States,’ 1925-1920. New York! 1922. FAHS,’ CHARLES ‘Harvey: /America’s*Stakecnothe Far Bast)’ New York; 1920. America’s Stakeiin' Europe. New Yo¥k, 1921: Haves. JeH. Briéf! History of thesGreat’Wan''New York, 1921. JOHNSON, ROSSITER? ¥°A History* of the War of BEEESEION) 1861-1865) New York, 1888. AT LUDENDORFF, ERICH VON. The General Staff and Its Problens. 2 vols. Lon- don, 1920. MARCH, PEYTON C. Report of the eer of War. Washington, D. C., 1919. McMaster, JouN Bacu. The United States in the World War. 2 vols. “New York, 191921920. ; PAINLEVE, PAUL. La Vérite sur l Offensive du’ 16 Avril, 1917. In La Renais- ‘ganee. “Paris! 1919! -SPALMbR, Fkxepbrick:° Our Greatest Battle. “New York} 1919. PERSHING, JOHN J. Final Report? ‘Washington; D? C.,' 1919. POWELL, E} Avo Ttaly at Wari’? 'Néw° York; 1927. Prrowy J uLius’ M: ' Sik “Months on ‘thé Italian: Front.“ London, 1917: . REPINGTON, C. 4 Court. The First? World War; 1914- 1918. 2 vols. Boston, 1920: REPORT of the Provost ieeebel General. Washington) D."G),; 1917.BIBLIOGRAPHY : 648 REQUIN, E. America’s Raée té°Victory. New’ York, 1919. SWEETSER, A. The American Air Service. New York, 1919. THOMAS; SHIPLEY.’ The History of the AVE\ PF. New York; 1920: HIsToRY—MISCELLANEOUS—DESCRIPTIVE ALBERTSON, RALPH, Fighting,;Without a,;War, An Aceount.of Military. Inter- vention in, North Russia. New. York,.1920. BaALpRIpGE, C. LE Roy. “I Was There’ With the Yanks in France. New York, 1919. BANGS, JOHN KENDRICK. .Home—Then What? New York, 1918, BERNHEIM, BERTRAM M._.““Passed,as Censored.” Philadelphia, 1918, CaTLIN, A. W. With the Help. of God and a ew Marines. Garden City, N. Y. 1919. CLARK, A, T. -To Bagdad with the British, . New York, 1918. CLARK, ELMER T. Social Studies of the War. New York,,1919. Copp, IrvIN S. Paths of Glory. New York, 1915. Cosmos. The Basis of Durable Peace. New York, 1917. Cow1nc, Kemper F. Dear Folks at Home. Boston, 1919. De FuorEz, C. “No. 6.” A Few Pages from the Diary of an Ambulance Driver. New York, 1918: Dprpy, RrcHARD? “‘Wade'‘in, Sanitary!” ‘New York,''1919. Eppy, SHERWOOD. Right to Fight. New York, 1918. GALSWORTHY, JOHN. Tatterdemalion. ,.New York, 1920. JoRDAN, DAvip STARR. Ways to Lasting Peace. Indianapolis, 1915. Kerr,. H.ucH.T. Port to Listening Post...New Y ork, 1918; KIPLING, RUDYARD... To. Fighting Americans. “Paris, 1918. KNAPP, SHEPHERD. On the Edge of the Storm. Worcester, 1921. KRAMER, H:AROLD MORTON. With Seeing, Eyes... Boston, 1919. MACVEAGH, C. and Brown, LEE D. The Yankee in the BritishyZone, New York, 1919. ‘MARCHING INTO THE DAWN.” Editorials from Trench and Camp. New York, 1919. MILLIONS oF MEN. Nos. 1 to 21. New York, 1917-1922. MIRRORS OF DOWNING STREET. London, 1921. MoRGENTHAU, HENRY. Ambassador Morgenthau’s Story. Garden City, N.Y., 1919. Passos, JoHN Dos. Three Soldiers. New York, 1921. POLING, DANIEL’ A.°' Huts ‘in Hel. ‘Boston; 1918. ROOSEVELT, THEODORE. Average Americans: New! York,'1920. SIBLEY, FRANK P. With the Yankee Division in France. Boston, 1919: SMITH, FRED B. Observations in France. “New York; 1918. SmitH, Gipsy. “Your Boys. New York, 1918: S7TipGhR; WILtrAmM L. Soldier Silhouettes on Our Front. “New ‘York, 1918. ToLp IN THE Huts. Introduction by ARTHUR K. YAPP. London, 1916." * TRENCH AND Camp. October, 1917 to August, 1919. WASHBURN, SLATER.” One of the VYatkee Division. Wueat, Grorce S. The Story of the American Legion. Boston, 1919: New York, 1919. aan 11 ny TTTLSTELEET ELL THUPTESELLELLE ELL TEE LLL TTL 1 VYESUUELUUULUSUCCULLUUUUCUDLl TELTETEEE TIELLEEALL ] WVTER y ety: ,644 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN MORALS AND MORALE GuLick, LutHER H. Morals and Morale. Introduction by RAYMOND B. Fos- DICK, New York, 1919. Physical Fitness in the Fighting Armies. New York, 1918. Haut, G. STANLEY. Morale—The Supreme Standard of Life and Conduct. New York, 1920. HocKING, WILLIAM ERNEST. Morale and Its Enemies. New Haven, 1918. MuNSON, EpwarD L. Management of Men. New York, 1921. Pamphlets. BauzER, F. Prevention and Treatment of Venereal Diseases in Time of War. In Social Hygiene. Vol. IV. pp. 256-258. New York, 1918. Exner, M. J. Prostitution in Its Relation to the Army on the Mexican Border. In Social Hygiene, New York, April, 1917. Social Hygiene and the War. In Social Hygiene, New York, April, 1919. Sex Morauity. War Department, General Orders, No. 135. Washington, D. C., December 23, 1919. PRISONERS OF WAR COHEN, ISRAEL. The Ruhleben Camp. London, 1917. HOFFMAN, CONRAD. In the Prison Camps of Germany. New York, 1920. RELIGION CASALIS, ALFRED EUGENE. For France and the Faith. New York, 1917. Davis, OzorA S. and GRACE T. International Aspects of Christianity. New York, 1919: Faunce, W. H. P. Christian Principles Essential to a New World Order. New York, 1919. Fospick, HARRY EMERSON. The Challenge of the Present Crisis. New York, 1918. The Church’s Message to the Nation. New York, 1919. GILKEY, CHARLES W. The Local Church After the War. New York, 1919. HANKEY, DoNALD. A Student in Arms. New York, 1917. JONES, J. WILLIAM. With Christ in Camp: or, Religion in Lee’s Army. Rich- mond, 1887. Kinc, HENRY CHURCHILL. The Religious Program of the Young Men’s Chris- tian Association with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe. Paris, 1918. For a New America in a New World. Paris, 1919. LATOURETTE, KENNETH S. Basis of World Democracy. New York, 1919. MAcKENzIE, W. Douctas. Christian Ethics in the World War. New York, 1918. The Church and Religious Education. New York, 1919. McConnegELL, FRANCIS J. Christian Principles and Industrial Reconstruction. New York, 1919.BIBLIOGRAPHY 645 Pym, T. W. and Gorpon, G. Papers from Picardy by Two Chaplains. Lon- don, 1919. SHENTON, HERBERT N. Christian Aspects of Economic Reconstruction. New York, 1919. SHRIVER, WILLIAM P. The New Home Mission of the Church. New York, 1919. SPEER, ROBERT E. The War and the Religious Outlook. New York, 1919. TaLBoT, NEVILLE S. Thoughts on Religion at the Front. London, 1918. TRUMBULL, H. CLAY. War Memories of an Army Chaplain. New York, 1917. WoMEN’S WORK BALDWIN, MARION. Canteening Overseas, 1917-1919. New York, 1920. BRADLEY, AMY OWEN. Back of the Front in France. Boston, 1918. GAINES, RuTH. Ladies of Grécourt. Smith College Unit in the Somme. New York, 1920. HuNTON, ADDIE W. and JOHNSON, KATHRYN M. Two Colored Women with the American Expeditionary Forces. New York, 1920. Mayo, KATHERINE. That Damn Y. Boston, 1920. McCuL.LocH, RHopA E. The War and the Woman Point of View. New York, 1919. MorSE, KATHERINE. Uncensored Letters of a Canteen Girl. New York, 1920. Noyes, FRANCES NEWBOLD. My A EF; A Hail and Farewell. New York, 1920. A RED TRIANGLE GIRL IN FRANCE. New York, 1918. SHORTALL, KATHERINE. Letters of a Y Girl in France, Boston, 1919. ENTERTAIN MENT EVANS, JAMES W. and HARDING, GARDNER L. Entertaining the American Army. New York, 1921. JANIS, ELsiz. The Big Show. New York, 1919. Mayo, MARGARET. Trouping for the Troops. Fun-Making at the Front. New York, 1919. SoTHERN, E. H. Over There Theater League: A Player on the Fighting Front. In Scribner’s Magazine. New York, July-August, 1918. Playing for American Soldiers. New York, 1919. ATHLETICS Atuuetics for Use with American Expeditionary Forces under Provisions of General Orders 241, G. H. Q., 1918. Paris, 1918. DRAPER, GEORGE O. Community Recreation. Mass Games. Social Games. Mass Athletics and Stunts Requiring no Special Equipment. New York, 1919. FIELD PHYSICAL TRAINING of the Soldier. Special Regulations. Washington, DCs LOT. FISHER, GEORGE J. Army and Navy Athletic Handbook. New York, 1919. Athletics in the A E F in France. New York, 1919. JoHnson, Walt C., & Brown, Exwoop S§., Editors: CoLvER, J. NEWTON & ree i TELL TTT LEU LLL ; SAT UU Se cEEREEEEE cENTENUEUEEEEEETEEEELECUL LLL TTTUGISELULE ULE coco TELTETRE EERE 4Snatoot ee nt 646 SERVICE WITH FIGHTING MEN UNMACK, WILLIAM, Compilers. Official Athletic Almanac of the Ameri- can Expeditionary Forces, 1919. AEF Championships and Inter-Allied Games. Spalding’s Athletic Library, No. 77R. New York, 1919. KALLENBERG, HENRY F. Mass Athletics for Military Training Camps. Camp Grant, II]., 1918. Marriott, A. EK. Suggested Athletics for Army Camps. New York, 1918. McCurpy, J. H. & OTHERS. Recreation Bulletin for the American Expedition- ary Forces. Paris, 1917. SPALDING, A. G. & Bros. Army and Navy Camp YMCA Physical Work, 1918. Athletic Library, Group VII No. 302. New York, 1918. WYTHE, G., HANSON, J. M., BurGerR, C. V., Editors. The Inter-Allied Games, Paris, 22d June to 6th July, 1919. Paris, 1919.INDEX ACHESON, John C., I. 454. Adana, II. 390, 391. Adrian, General, II. 265. Aero Stations, I. 430. Agar, John G., I. 241. Aidin, II. 385. Aintab, II. 391. Aisne, I. 5, 15, 24, 160; II. 118, 345, 346. Aix-les-Bains, II. 52, 142, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 150, 155. Alaska, I. 219. Albania, II. 379, 380. Aleppo, II. 391, 396, 404. Alexander, Maitland, I. 616. Alexandra Feodorovna, Empress, II. 301. Alexandria, II. 411. Alexandria Palace, London, II. 221, 236, 245, 247, 249, 253. Allen, Gen. Henry T., II. 195. Allenby, Field-Marshal Viscount H. H., I. 11, 19, 73; II. 404, 417. Allerey, AEF College of Agriculture, Il. 18, 22: Alsace, French Offensive in, yi 4: Alvord, Gen. Benjamin, I. 552. Amaroc News, I. 177. America. See United States. America and Europe, II. 308. American Bible Society, in Civil War, I. 51; in World War, 303. American Expeditionary Forces— A EF—See United States—Army. A EF Championship Contests, II. 44, 47. American Indians in the War, I. 412. American Legion, I. 562, 612. American Library Association, I. 287, 250, 347, 348, 373, 384, 494; II. 9, N25 88, 99, 104. American Zone of Operations, I. 17, 18. Ames Winthrop, I. 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 626. Amiens, I. 16, 162. Anderson, Mrs. James T., II. 161. Annécy, II. 146. Antwerp, I. 141; II. 196, 197. Anzacs, I. 72. Aosta, Duke of, II. 373. Appelboom, P. A. F., I. 526. Archangel, I. 24, 72, 179, 424; II. 420, 430, 483, 485, 438. Ardgay, II. 72. Argonne, I. 20, 22, 23, 87, 155, 160, 162, 182, 234; II. 136, 137, 140, 176. Armistice, I. 24, 137, 155, 166, 172, 174; psychological effect, 170; practical ef- fects, 173, 178, 180, 197, 202, 243, 245, 258, 273, 287, 290, 326, 351, 353, 371, 381, 406, 422, 458, 475, 493, 607; II. 12, 38, 40, 90, 164, 166, 317. Army Educational Commission. Education. Army Educational Corps, “II. 24. Army Medical Corps, J. 481; II. 29. Army of Occupation, I. 1685 27.95) 616; 33; II. 14, 62, 157, 163, 179-199. Asia Minor, II. 388-392. Associated Press, I. 233. Association Men, I. 230: Association Press, I. 306. Astor, Mrs. Vincent, Il. 56, 57. Athletics, I. 316, 319, 891; results of army athletics, 321, 322; camp coun- cils, 8238; mass athletics, 324, 325; training athletic leaders, 326; ath- letic meets, 328; amount of athletic work, 331, 332; II. games for fighters and victors, 26-54; in Great Britain, 89; in Germany, 190, 192. See American University Union, Il. 1. Atlanta, I. 281, 285, 411. 647 TET LL uEEEAUFIUTERTEEEEEEELUEL ELE Te Uy ELUSUUULSEUU ELI648 INDEX Australians, I. 24, 71, (Ze Ae Add: Austria, I. 6, 8, 16, 17, Voy Lid Hane gary, 61; II. prisoners’ camps, 233, 234, 305-313; Austrian prisoners of war in France, 260, in Germany, 301. Avocourt, II. 1386. Avord, II. 115. Azores, II. 65. BADEN, Prince Max von, II. 234, 294, 295. Badulescu, Colonel, II. 383. Bagdad, II. 4038, 404, Baker, Newton D., I. 08; di2y 1S. 14 25s UT. 7. Balkans, I. 11, 75, 76; II. 287-289; 380. Baltimore, I. 376. Banking for soldiers, I. 428. Bar-le-Due, I. 7, 539; II. 189. Bar-sur-Aube, II. 45. Barbour, Clarence A., I. 613. Barbour, James A., I. 445. Barnard College, I. 262. Barrett, Lieut. Col. J. Wie, DE VAtoeA 5. Bartholomew, Marshall M., I. 306. Barton, Bruce, I. 232, 233. Barton, Clara, I. 48. Bayonet, The, I. 358. Bay Ridge Naval Station, Ni Yo.@.o1- 330, 430, 432. Bazoilles, II. 123. Beatty, A. M., I. 627, 628. Beaumont, II. 177. Beaune AEF University, I. 609; II. (emlielos 24: Bedford, A. C., I. 459. Belfort, I. 589; II. 126. Belgium, invasion of, I. 4-5, 62, 108; Belgian Army, 23, 65. Belleau Wood, I. 131; “Bois de la Brigade de Marine,” 154, 472. Bellows, Henry W., I. 47, 48. Belmont, Mrs. August (Eleanor Rob- son), I. 620. Bennett, R. C., I. 625. Bensonhurst Naval Station, N. Y. C., My CRY Benton, Guy Potter, II. 191. Beresovka, II. 276. Berlin, II. 298. Berlin, Irving, I. 335. Bermudas, I. 434, Best, Nolan R., I. 2382, 604. Bible and Prayer League, I. 427. Biesles, II. 107. Bispham, David, I. 339. Bliss, Maj. Gen. Tasker He Le Del Se36 Blois, II. 23, 87, 106, 112. Boer War, I. 55, 58. Boginoff, Mr., II. 467. Boldogasszony, II. 309, 312. Bologna, II. 873, 374, 377. Bolshevik Revolution, II. 282, 419. Book and Periodical Department, I. 602. Bordeaux, I. 141, 169, 464, 490, 527, 579, 601, 618, 632; II. 94, 97, 104, 105; Ll ui: Bordon Camp, II. 68. Borel, Mme., II. 151. Borghese, Prince, II. 371. Boston, I. 281, 285, 376, 425, 433. Bouresches, I. 154. Bourmont, II. 121. Bourne, Archbishop, II. 236. Boyd, William, I. 232. Boys’ Earn and Give Campaign, I. 231, 235; Brainard, R. P., I. 228. Brainville, II. 121. Braunau, II. 310, 311. Bremerton, Puget Sound, I. 425, 434. Brent, Bishop-Chaplain, I. 115, 175, 600, 608, 612, 614, 616. Brest, I. 140, 169, 464, 465, 469, 580, 609, 618; II. 56, 77, 94, 95, 98, 99, LOZ; 101 725173) 964: Brest-Litovsk, II. 314, 368, 425. Brienne-le-Chateau, II. 362. British Army, I. 4, 8, 159; defeat, 13; victory at Amiens, 16; battles of 1918, 23; in Flanders, 62, 66; study of British YMCA army methods, 465. British Empire, I. 11, 33, 77, 85. See also England; Great Britain.INDEX 649 British Navy, I. 72. Brittany, II. 150, 153, 154. Brockman, Fletcher S., I. 215, 217, 445, 459, 460. Brooklyn, N. Y. C., I. 426, 430, 431. Brooklyn Daily Eagle, I. 360. Brown, Elwood S., II. 39, 41, 48. Brown, H. J., Jr., I. 527. Brown, John, I. 322. Brown, Theodore E., I. 518, 519. Bruce, H. Addington, I. 357. Brumley, R. W., I. 562. Brunswick, Ga., I. 433. Brussiloff, General, I. 8. Bryan, John Stewart, I. 356. Bryce, Lord James, I. 443. Bucharest, II. 381. Building Bureau, I. 275, 277, 279. Bulgaria, I. 7, 8, 16, 17, 19, 61; II. 287. Bullard, Gen. Robert, I. 601. Bundy, General, II. 34, 35. Bureau of Construction, I. 278, 279, 281, 282, 288. Burian, Ludwig, II. 467. Bury, Bishop Herbert, II. 235, 246. Bussiéres, I. 154. Butcher, Howard, I. 577. Butler, Ellis Parker, I. 233. Butterfield, Kenyon L., II. 3, 7. CAILLAUX, Joseph, I. 78. Cairo, II. 410, 411, 412. California, I. 318. Callahan, Col. P. H., I. 346. Camp Custer, I. 611. Camp Devens, I. 327. Camp Dodge, I. 305, 410. Camp Dodger, I. 358. Camp Eustis, I. 407. Camp Funston, I. 395, 401. Camp Grant, I. 340, 353, 392. Camp Green, I. 329. Camp Gordon, I. 388. Camp Hancock, I. 329. Camp Jackson, I. 388. Camp Joseph E. Johnston, I. 402. Camp Las Casas, I. 421. Camp Lee, I. 393, 395. itil oTEEE SEU EEEERERERER ELE cs rEENEEESIEEEIEEEERLEREEESEUEEELEUE EEL TULLE TITEL Camp Lewis, I. 305, 364. Camp Logan, I. 305, 388. Camp Merritt, I. 365, 407, 408. Camp Mills, I. 365, 371, 407. Camp Munster, II. 219. Camp Pike, I. 340, 368. Camp Robinson, I. 392. Camp Sheridan, I. 328. Camp Stephenson, II. 111. Camp Stuart, I. 407. Camp Taylor, I. 305, 329. Camp Tomas Claudio, I. 421. Camp Upton, I. 84, 318, 335, 395, 408. Camp Wadsworth, I. 359. Campbell, Homer M., I. 604, 608. Camps and Cantonments, I. 201, 3838; Y huts, 384; mail service, 385; bank- ing, 386; telegraph, telephone, and miscellaneous service, 386-388; for- mal activities, 388; the standard Y program, 389-391; athletics, 391-392; special services, 392; service to of- ficers, 392; periods of training, 384, 393; replacement camps, 393; ath- letie councils, 394; educational lec- tures, 395; development battalions, 395-396; welfare work during the in- fluenza epidemic, 396-397; mortality among Y secretaries, 398; activities during demobilization, 398-400; es- sentials of Y service in camps, 400; work among colored troops, 409; work among American Indian troops, 412. Canadian Army, I. 17; in Boer War, 55; in France, 71; Canadian Y M CA, 160, 161, 162, 189, 1925 S2ihG; A477. Canal Zone, I, 208, 204, 219, 284, 422, 424, 425. Cannes, II. 150. Canteens. See Post Exchange. Cantigny, I. 14, 153, 161, yy Cume ik 58, 129, 1385. Cantonments. See Camps and Canton- ments. Cape Cod, I. 4388. Cape May, I. 430. TUTEETEUTU TELLER TUEEERELL LE LE LUE te650 INDEX Caporetto, I. 10, 76, 122, 255; II. 371, 373, 374. Carpathians, I. 6, 74. Carter, Edward Clark, I. 444, 447, 451, 452, 460, 462, 491, 551, 573, 574; II. 51, 68, 361, 396: Case, William M., I. 613. Case del Soldato, I. 180; II. 371, 374, 376, 377, 378. Cate, Karl S., II. 145, 147, 150. Cattaro, II. 347. Cauterets, II. 150, 155. Cavan, Earl of, II. 91, 371. Cavell, Edith, I. 80. Caviglia, General, II. 375. Cavite, I. 435. Challes-les-Eaux, II. 147, 148. Chambéry, II. 146, 147, 148. Chamonix, II. 144, 145, 146. Chandler, John W., I. 519. Charles, William, II. 246. Charleston, I. 425, 433. Chateau-Thierry, I. 14, 153, 154, 472, oll’: DT. 34, 36, 128, 141. Chateauroux, I. 580; II. 115. Chatillon-sur-Seine, I. 589. Chattanooga, I. 402. Chaumont, I. 188, 466, 488, 496, 539; II. 106, 107, 150, 165. Chaumont-en-Vixen, II. 121. Chegnat, II. 266. Chelyabinsk, II. 323, 451. Chemin des Dames, I. 182. Chicago, I. 281, 285, 311, 327, 365, 374, 429; TT. 34. Chicago Tribune, I. 612. China, I. 191, 241; Chinese Labor Corps in France, II. 364; Chinese Presidential opinion of YM CA serv- ice, 366. Chrisman, Brigadier-General, I. 420. Christie, John R., I. 460, 461. Cincinnati, I. 374. Cinema Department, I. 624. See also Community Motion Picture Bureau. Citizenship Bureau, II. 22. Civil War, I. 47, 189, 199, 276, 294. Clapp, Raymond G., I. 609. Clark, R. G., I. 607. Clark, Myron A., II. 360. Claxton, P. P., I. 345. Clemenceau, Georges, II. 51. Clermont-Ferrand, I. 469, 610; II. 115. Coblenz, I. 167, 173, 176, 177, 499, 526, 037, 539, 616, 628, 625, 634, 635; IT. 157, 180, 187, 189, 191, 192, 196. Coburn, Mr. and Mrs., I. 339. Cochran, W. A., I. 583. Codford Camp, II. 69. Coetquidan, II. 103, 106, 114. Coffin, Henry Sloane, I. 604, 605. Coffin, William Sloane, II. 348, 467. Cohan, George M., I. 622. Coleman, Algernon, I. 352. Coleman, George L., I. 625. Colombes Stadium, Paris, II. 45, 47, 48. Colorado, I. 318. Colton, E. T., II. 427, 429. Columbia University, I. 262, 307. Coming Back, I. 360. Comité Nationale d’Education Phy- sique et Sportive de l’Hygiéne So- ciale, II. 52. Commissions on Training Camp Activi- ties, I. 114, 214, 216, 251, 306, 317, 327, 334, 387, 344, 358, 388, 556, 623; 1D.7 33: Committee on the AE F, I. 222. Committee of Nine, I. 222. Committee on Work for Allied Armies and Prisoners of War, I. 222. Community Motion Picture Bureau, I. 336, 337, 3389, 620, 624; II. 128. Comrades in Service, I. 611. Constantinople, I. 291; II. 347, 388, 389, 391. Constantinovitch, Prince Constantin, Pao: Cooperating Committee of the Churches, ir. 296. Corfu, I. 424; II. 65, 847, 385. Corpach, IT. 77. Corsica, II. 65, 261, 264. Cottez, General, II. 52. Coulter, J. G., I. 621. Crandall, Marion, II. 64, 350.INDEX 651 Crane, Frank, I: 357. Dodge, Cleveland H., I. 215, 241. Crane, Richard, II. 474. D’Olier, Franklin, I. 562. Crimean War, I. 40, 42, 46. Dorr, Rheta Childe, I. 629. Crossett, Lewis A., I. 446, 451. Duhamel, Victor, I. 486. Crowder, Provost Marshal General, I. Du Pont, T. Coleman, I. 457. 84. Cuba, I. 240, 424, A426. East AFRICA, I. 72. East Prussia, 1. 73. Edinburgh, II. 78. Edmonds, Franklin S., I. 455; II. 147, 150, 162. Education, providing opportunities, I. Czechoslovakia, II. 467-475; Czecho- slovak troops in France, 359; Czecho- slovak Legion, I. 179, 180; II. Si- berian anabasis, 325, 419, 430-454, tk 343-363; army educational require- ments, occupational index, 343; na- DALMORE, Il. 78. tional response, 344; Educational Damblain, II. 121. Commission, I. 175, 245; II. 3, 4, 6, Daniels, Josephus, I. 439. 10, 11, 12, 18; Educational Work Dardanelles, I. 7, 73, 76. Bureau, 344; YMCA pre-war ex- Dar-es-Salaam, II. 407, 408. perience, 345; informal instruction, Darmstadt, II. 292. lectures, literature, 348; class instruc- Darnitza, II. 275. tion, English for illiterates, 349; Da Silva, Alfredo, II. 359. statistics of army education, 349; de- Davis, Darius A., I. 444, 445, 451; II. velopment battalions, 351; French in- 233, 262, 285, 338, 343, 370, 460, 467. struction, 352; “Liberty French,’ Davis, Jerome, II. 427. 354; expansion of lecture program, Dawe, Grosvenor, I. 462, 590. 355; scholarships for ex-service men, Day, George M., II. 316. 360; National Educational Service Deaver, Gilbert, II. 412. Committee, 360; post-armistice Deavitt, J. D., I. 232. scholarship awards, 361; vocational Decize, II. 16. guidance, 361, 399; Americanization De Groot, E. B., II. 32. work, 362; military and civil educa- De La Croix, General, II. 338, 348. tional requirements, 363; educational Denmark, II. 300, 320; Danish Book lectures in camps, 395; committee on Commission, II. 276. education and special training, 403; Denver, I. 365, 374. educational work with:colored troops, Department of Athletics, Hygiene, and 410; in navy camps, 429; II. educa- Health, II. 33, 38. tion for national service, 1-25; trans- Derby, Lord, I. 110. fer of Y educational work to the Derindje Camp, II. 389. Army, 6; personnel, 8; textbooks, 8; Des Moines, I. 336. supplies, 9; subjects, 11; post schools, Desnoyers, Willis L., I. 518, 545. 13; divisional educational centers, 15; trade schools, 16; French and British universities, 16; university council, 18; service to ex-service men, 23; Army Educational Corps, 24; Committee on Universal Training for National Service, 24; interpreters’ school, 107; activities in Le Mans D’Esperey, Gen. Franchet, I. 19. Diack, Walter T., I. 215. Dickman, Gen. Joseph T., I. 167. Dickson, Reid S., I. 616. Dijon, I. 539; II. 37. Dinard, II. 150. Dobrudja, II. 289. 1 TUUTTTSTUTTETITTS TT TEE DE rit rnin rn iriyrc risa TUTTE CU TUTE652 INDEX area, 168; with the Army of Occupa- tion, 191; with prisoners of war, 309. Edworthy, B. V., I. 604, 607, 617, 618. Egypt, I. 72; II. 395, 397, 401, 410-414. Ekaterinburg, II. 444, 451. Elliman, Douglas: L., 452. Ely, Gertrude, I. 488; II. 57, 180. Engineer Corps, I. 148. England, American soldiers in, I. 124, 125. See also British Empire, and Great Britain. Entertainment, organization, I. 334-342; Entertainment Bureau, I. 307; over- seas, 338; special features, 338; de- partmental administration, 339; soldier talent, 341; social interest, 341; statistics, 342, 630, 632; enter- taining American soldiers, 619-636; II. in Le Mans area, 168-169; with the Army of Occupation, 189-190, 194. Erivan, II. 426. Erskine, John, II. 3, 7, 8, 18. Ewing, Robert L., I. 448, 586; II. 69, 245, 246. Exchange Department, II. 98. Bsnery Maxie, is His iG aap: FAIRBANKS, G. L., I. 461. Fairfax, Colonel, II. 365. Farmers’ Clubs, II. 99. Faunce, W. H. P., I. 319. Federation of Women’s Clubs, I. 258. Filler, M. G., I. 270. Feltham, II. 251. Finance Committee, I. 216, 227, 230, 244, 451; fund raising, 97-98; first campaign, 228, 451; second campaign, 229, 235; third campaign, see United War Work campaign; administering the funds, 575-592; budgets, 586- 587; A E F remittances, 576-581; un- expended balance, 246; II. financial activities in closing days in France, 174. Finland, I. 12; II. 438. Finley, John H., I. 345, 350. Fisher, George J., I. 322, 335. Fiske, General, II. 42. Flanders, I. 3, 18, 62, 69, 477; II. 74. Florence, II. 92, 374. Flowerdown Camp, II. 69. Foch, Marshal Ferdinand, I. 15, 19, 20, 22, 24, 136, 153, 155, 240; II. 333, 357. Forestry units, II. 116. Fort Benjamin Harrison, I. 336. Fort Chateauneuf, II. 263. Fort Niagara, I. 324. Fort Oglethorpe, I. 354. Iort Riley, I. 336. Fort Sam Houston, I. 329. Fort Sheridan, I. 336. Fosdick, Harry Emerson, I. 305, 602, 605. Fosdick, Raymond B., I. 118, 114, 115, 118, 209, 215, 287, 251, 344: Koster, ©: Carl ba1- Hoster, ©! 7D: 1. 611: Forbes, James, I. 622. Foyers du Soldat, I. French gratitude, 32; establishment, 62, 79, 129, 179, 221, 445, 525; II. 52, 58, 68, 335-358. France, invasion of, I. 3, 4, 108; France victorious, 23; French Army, 33, 61, 77, 155, 167; morale conditions, 116; arrival of American soldiers, 125; ports of debarkation, 126; camps, bil- lets, 127, 144; scenic beauties, 177; shipments to France, 288; purchases in France, 515; II. AEF attendance at French universities, 17; working prisoners of war, 258-269; American YMCA service with the Allied armies in France, Serb, Siamese, Czechoslovak, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, and Chinese Labor Corps, 359-368; with Indian Army in France, 399-400; with the French Army Foyers du Soldat, II. 335-338. Francis, James, I. 605. Franco-Prussian War (1870), I. 47, 48. Frankfort, II. 298. Fratellanza, La, II. 372, 378, 377, 378, 379. Freeman, Robert E., I. 601, 602, 604, 617.INDEX Friedrichs, General, II. 294, 295. Friends’ War Emergency Committee, Pe 246, 2411. Frohman, Daniel, I. 339. Fryatt, Captain, I. 80. Funston, Gen. Frederick, I. 209. GAnictA. I. 6, 9; 10,74. Gallipoli; 1. 72, 137, 182: II. 396, 411, 412, 415-416. Galloway, Judge, I. 629. Gamble, Lieut. Col. R. B., I. 630. Garden of Eden, II. 401, 402. Gardner, O. F., I. 465. Gas Attack, The, I. 359. Gaylord, Franklin A., II. 421. Geddes, Gen. Auckland, I. 79. General Supply Division, I. 516; field organization, 518; transporting and distributing supplies, 532, 534; rail- road conditions, 535; volume of goods transported, 536; II. influence on canteens, 126. Geneva, II. 285; Convention (1864), I. 46. Genoa, II. 90, 92, 285, 379. Gerard, James W., II. 293, 296. German East Africa, II. 395, 406-410. German invasion of Belgium and France, I. 3-5; air raids on England, 79, 108; opinion of America, 82, 152; offensives, 149, 159, 455. Germany, I. 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 15, 77; de- feated, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 155; army discipline, 32; prisoners of war, 57; army organization, 60; warfare of positions, 65; official welfare service, 69; army morale problem, 111, 118; Allied armies of occupation, 166, 167, 168, 170, 173; dangers of fraterniz- ing, 176, 177; Il. AFG-YMCA, 187-199; prison camps, 218, 219, 238, 239: German prisoners of war in France, 260; Allied prisoners in Ger- many, 290-304. Gethmann, W. W., I. 460; II. 471. Gibraltar, I. 424. TUEELPESUELL Le TELL 653 Giévres, I. 141, 534, 535, 537, 588, 542; JO allie}, ahi), alse} Gilliland, Captain, II. 225. Glasgow, II. 69, 78. Glen Albyn, II. 78. Goethals, Gen. G., I. 422. Going Over, I. 359, 360. Golsan, H. L., I. 528: Gondrecourt, I. 121, 465, 466, 601; II. 27, 305 31, UID OM tank Goodman, Fred. S., I. 304. Gottingen, II. 293. Gould, Helen (Mrs. Finley J. Shepard), I. 426. Gouraud, General, II. 346, 362. Gourio, Eugéne, II. 10. Grand Pré, II. 140. Grange Neuve, II. 94. Graves, Major General, II. 422. Graves Registration Service, I. 168, 590, 610° If. 115; 176; £96: Great Britain, I. morale conditions, 108, 111, 116; supplies shipping for AEF, 187; headquarters for the AEF-Y MCA, 448; purchasing sup- plies in England, 527; Y entertain- ment in the United Kingdom, 625- 626; II. AEF attendance at British universities, 16, 17, 20; women’s work, 64; work for American sol- diers, 67-90; British prison camps, 219, 225, 244-257. Great Lakes Camp, I. 311, 330, 336, 425, 427, 428, 429, 432. Greece, I. 7, 19, 76; II. 383-388. Greek Catholics, II. 236, 299, 308. Grenoble, II. 146. Griffigny, II. 121. Grédig, II. 310. Grow, E. Ay i. LT: Guam, I. 424, 485. Gulf Port, I. 433. Gulick, Luther H., I. 117, 186; II. 34. HABAROVSK, II. 444. Hagood, General, II. 62. Hague Conventions, I. 47; II. 217, 230. Haig, Field Marshal, Earl, I. 80, 129. r Tih ' TH i} TOUTED sr TUEASSUESET TFA EUEUUUUUSUL I TT TTUREAILLLUUEAL EAU LLU654 INDEX Haiti, I. 424, 426. Hall, John R., I. 459, 460, 589. Hall; T. C., Di. 296: Haller, Gen. Joseph, II. 361, 362, 363, 460. Halvorsen, G. E., I. 539. Halyburton, Sergt. Edward, II. 226, 3038. Hammond, Halsey, I. 228. Hampton Roads, I. 482. Hankey, Donald, I. 106, 156. Hankow, I. 435. Harbin, II. 4382, 442, 444, 455. Harbison, Ralph W., I. 297, 454. Harbord, Gen. James G., I. 515, 552; IP. 34, 36; 96; 97. Harris, A. M., I. 584. Harris, General, II. 446. Harrison, William Carlton, I. 604. Harte, A. C., Il. 281, 282, 283,234, 245, 270, 271, 273, 281, 288, 2938, 294, 295, 297, 305, 427, 428, 429. Havre, i. 241, 169°.527, 5384, 60L: 11. 94,97, 133, 172: Hawaiian Islands, I. 208, 241, 422, 424. See also Honolulu. Hay, Lan, 00s 74. Hendaye, I. 534. Henderson, Harvey A., II. 384, 385. Hervey, Walter L., I. 352. Hibbard, C. V., I. 56, 215, 217, 228, 449, 457; II. 231, 232, 284, 245, 261, 285, 370. Heidelberg, II. 298. Heinrichsgriin, II. 308, 310. Heliopolis Camp, II. 410. Herr, Lieutenant Colonel, II. 187, 140. Hindenburg, Generalfeldmarschall von, D457, 16; 121 dines OF 17; Zesee4- Hoboken, I. 376, 378, 379. Hoehr, II. 15. Hoffman, Conrad, II. 294, 295, 297, 300, 301, 302, 308, 313. Hog Island, I. 204, 415, 416. Holland, II. 300, 301. Home News, II. 72. Homer, Louise, I. 389. Honey Bee Club, I. 605, 608, 610; IT. 99. Honolulu, I. 425, 484, 435. See also Hawaiian Islands. Hospitality League, II. 152. Hotel and Café Department, I. 525. Hoyt, John Sherman, I. 215, 222, 275, 452. isi; Mr;, If. 365: Hurdman, F. H., I. 245. Huss, John, 458, 472. Huts, varied types, I. 274; design and construction, 275, 276; embarkation huts, 278; Hudson Hut, 278, 376, 377; Eagle Hut, 279, 406; Victory Hut, 279, 406; Liberty Hut, 279, 406; num- ber of huts erected in the United States, 280; contracting methods, 282; demobilization and salvage, 283; equipment and supplies, 288, 292; purchases, 283; prices, 284; ware- house huts, 284; auditoriums, 337; camp and cantonment huts, 384; the hut secretary, 463; hut construction department, 464, 519; overseas con- struction and equipment of buildings, 518-524; standardization, 519-520; officers’ clubs, 520; abri tent, 521; hut manufacturing, 522-5238; hut accom- modation, 524; equipment and deco- ration, 524; II. decoration of huts, 60, 61, 114; AEF huts in France, LOL, 102: IMBROS, II. 416. India, I. 62, 72, 191; II. 397-401. Inner Circle, I. 3138, 314. Insular Possessions, I. 402, 419-428. Inter-Allied Games, I. 175, 177, 589; Il: 34, 42; 47, 53, 190; S54. Intercollegiate Committee, I. 258. International Hospitality League, II. 82-85. International Reform Bureau, I. 344. Invergordon, II. 78. Ippecourt, I. 5387. Ireland, Surgeon General, II. 115. Irkutsk, II. 276, 278, 281, 424, 444, 448, 452. Is-sur-Tille, I. 142,.143; II. 138.INDEX Issoudun, I. 580, 601, 605, 629; II. 27, 106, 114. Italy; I. 7, 10; 11, 16, 19), 24; GA; 74, 142, 180, 221; II. 64; American forces in Italy, 90-92; leaves in Italy, 152; prisoners of war, 283-287; Italy in the World War, 369-379. Jackson, F. A., I. 462, 581, 584. Jacksonville, I. 402. James, Arthur Curtiss, I. 241, 459, 460. James, Philip L., I. 425. Janauschek, William, I. 629. Janis, Elsie, I. 629; II. 34, 99. Japan, I. 56, 241; operations in Far East, 65; YMCA, 191. Jassy, II. 288, 381, Jefferson City, I. 336. Jerome, P. F., I. 283. Jersey, Il. 251, 254. Jerusalem, I. 11, 73; II. 396, 417, 418. Jessop, William, II. 397, 410, 415. Jewish Welfare Board, I. 241, 249, 298, 304, 313, 330, 334, 381, 436, 494, 611, 614; II. 46, 308. Joffre, Marshal, II. 338. Johnson, Frank L., II. 391. Johnson, Col. Wait C., Il. 42, 46, 48. Johnson, Walter H., Jr., I. 6245 726, 632. Judson, Henry Pratt, I. 345. Junior League, I. 258. Jutland, Battle of, I. 9. KAIGHN, R. P., I. 254. Kansan, sinking of troopship, II. 31. Kaufman, Reginald Wright, I. 238. Kazan, II. 422, 425, 430. Kelly, Col. John R., I. 630. Kelly Field, I. 329, 402. Kennear, James W., I. 454. Kerensky, I. 10; II. 425, 428, 448. Kerr, Hugh Thomson, I. 454. Key West, I. 425, 438. Kharkov, II. 426. Khartoum, II. 414. Kiev, II. 426, 464. King, Colonel, II. P21: ] TUTEEETEEE EEL ELLE CLL TUTE LE TUTTVATUTTRLUUU ELLE 655 King, Henry Churchill, I. 595, 599, 604, 607, 608, 613, 617. Kipling, Rudyard, II. 74. Kirkbride, Franklin B., I. 452. Kirkwall, II. 78. Klofac, M., II. 468. Kluck, General von, I. 4. Knebel, A. G., I. 255. Knights of Columbus, I. 95, 249, 294, 295, 298, 304, 313, 317, 328, 330, 334, 345, 348, 381, 486, 556, 611; II. 33, 44, 46. Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, Ie 39, 63. Knights of St. George, I. 39. Knockaloe, II. 245, 247. Knotty Ash Camp, II. 21, 69, 71. Kolchak, General, II. 448. Komarno, II. 469. Konia, II. 391. Krakow, II. 464, 466. Krasnoyarsk, II. 276, 278. Kuropatkin, General, II. 421. Kut-el-Amara, I. 79; II. 394, 402, 403. Kyle, II. 77. LA BouRBOULE, II. 150. La Fauche, II. 125. Lamalou-les-Bains, II. 150. Lambuth, Bishop Walter, I. 607. Langres, II. 125. Lansing, Jerome, II. 381, 382. La Pallice, I. 141; II. 94, 96. Lauder, Harry, I. 340. Laurence, Walter, II. 400. Laval, II. 361. Lawrence, Robert, I. 307. Lawton, Fred H., f. 626. League Island, I. 432. Leave Areas, I. 1380, 455, 638; II. 52, 85, 87, 142-162. Leavenworth, I. 336. Lecture Bureau, I. 621. Lee, Edwin F., I. 612. Legal Department, T. 5L9: Legion of Death, I. 89. Le Mans, I. 169, 178, 458, 609; II. 22, 47, 165. TT TTUUUTTITEUELELI UT EEL LUEL ELLE ;656 INDEX Les Eparges, I. 77. Liffol-le-Grand, II. 128, 125. Liverpool, II. 69, 71, 78. Logan, Col. James A., I. 262, 510; II. 2, 32. London, II. 78, 88; Eagle Hut, 69, 73, 80, 81, 82, 86, 89; American Officers’ Inn, 79, 89; YMCA hotels, 81, 82. Lord, Frederick P., I. 502; II. 29. Los Angeles, I. 435. Lowrie, Walter, II. 285, 286. Lowry, Alfred, II. 262. Ludendorff, Gen. Erich von, I. 5, 14, 15, GSO 20a aa ae bo: Luneville, II. 126. Luxemburg, I. 167, 458, 609; II. 181, 182, 184, 185. Lyons, II. 337, 365. MACEDONIA, II. 380. Mackensen, General, I. 7, 8, 76. MacNaughten, Edgar F., I. 448; II. 306. Magnesia, II. 385. Mailly, II. 106. Malleterre, General, II. 349. Malvy, M., I. 78. Mamers, II. 361. Manila, II. 41. Manufacturing Department, I. 529-531. Mare Island, I. 425. Markel, K. E., II. 230, 246. Marine Corp. See Navy and Marine Corps. Marine, The, I. 487. Marne, First Battle of the, I. 3, 4, 160; Second Battle, 14, 15,. 16, 153, 155, SOBs De 118" S41. Marriott, A. E., II. 386. Mars-sur-Allier, II. 111. Marseilles, I. 141, 169, 527; II. 94, 105, 171, 172, 364, 400. Masaryk, Thomas Garrigue, II. 468, 473. Marshall, General, II. 395, 396, 404. Masefield, John, I. 338. Mason, Walt, I. 357. Matériel, Bureau of, I. 275, 283. Maurer, Oscar E., I. 605. Mauthausen, II. 309. Mayak, Russian YMCA, II. 233, 421, 422, 428, 480, 444. Mayenne, II. 361. Mayo, Katherine, I. 283; II. 157. Mazurian Lakes, I. 6. McAfee, Cleland B., I. 611, 617. McCook, Martha, I. 483; II. 57. McCormick, Cyrus H., I. 238, 241, 459. McCurdy, John Hy, FT. 5025) ily 265 27: 29, 30; 33; 39; 115: McFadyen, Alexander N., I. 517, 562. McGowan, William R., I. 577. McLane, Thomas S., I. 620, 621. McMillan, Neil, I. 275. Mead, Mrs. Robert G., I. 484. Mehun-sur-Yeévre, I. 148. Menton, II. 150. Mersa Matruh, II. 414. Mesopotamia, I. 8, 10, 19, 72, 78; II. 394, 401-406. Messenger, The, II. 264, 299. Mesves, II. 111. Meuse-Argonne, I. 17, 20, 24, 4738, 565, 607; IT. 58: Mevlevi Dervishes, II. 391. Mexican Border, YMCA _ welfare work, 1: 55 58559582. LOU, bios iGs 120, 121, 197, 199, 2038, 204, 208, 209, 276, 288, 322, 416-419. Mexico, I. 240. Miami, I. 4383. Michigan, I. 318. Military Intelligence Bureau, I. 270, 22: Military Police, II. 72. Miller, Christine, I. 3389. Miller, Helen C., I. 484. Milner, Lord, I. 112, 115. Milwaukee, I. 429. Minozzi, Don Giovanni, II. 369, 370. Minsk, II. 426, 465. Modena, II. 378. Modern Language Association, I. 352. ~ Modlin, II. 460, 462, 466. Monaco, II. 150.INDEX Mons, I. 4. Montdidier, II. 133. Mont Dore, II. 150. Monte Carlo, II. 150. Monte Grappa, I. 182; II. 376. Montenegro, I. 7, 65; II. 91, 380. Montfort-sur-Meu, II. 266. Moody, D. L., I. 53. Moore, John F., I. 366. Morale, I. 44; military science and the well-being of the forces, 45; morals and military efficiency, 103; tradi- tional situation, 103; physical relaxa- tion, 104; the military dilemma, 105; character and loyalty, 106; com- munity conditions, 107, 109; sex-re- lationship in community life, 110; attitude of American leaders, 112; preventive and constructive meas- ures, 113, 116; morale in camps, 398; morale of Y personnel, 501; over- seas social conditions, 597-598. Morehead, I. 438. Morgan, William Fellowes, Da 215: Morley, Christopher, I. 233. Morocco, II. 363. Moscow, II. 275, 282, 316, 423, 425, 429, 430. Mosul, II. 404, 405. Motion Picture Bureau. See Com- munity Motion Picture Bureau. Motor Transport Corps, II. 72, 132; Motor Transport Department, I. 539- 544, 567. Mott, John R., I. 57, 212, 214, P15 S27; 221, 229, 241, 251, 296, 454, 456, 487, 562, 586, 618; II. 231, 271, 305, 336, 339, 346, 359, 372, 384, 419, 430, 470. Moutchic, II. 94. Moving Picture Department, I. 626. See also Community Motion Picture Bureau. Muldoon, Bishop P. J., I. 242. Murmansk, I. 179, 424; II. 347, 420, 430, 433, 435. Musie, I. 306; recruiting directors and song leaders, 307; training school for overseas song leaders, 307; the sing- 657 ing wagon, 308; sacred music bureau, 613; a singing army, 623; in Ger- many, 634; music department in Germany, II. 190. NAGYMEGGER, II. 310. Nairobi, II. 408. Naismith, James, II. 27. Nancy, I. 587; II. 121, 160, 362. Nantes, I. 632; II. 103. Naples, II. 370. Napoleon III, I. 46. National Army Training Detachments, I. 348, 344. National Board for Historical Service, I. 344. National Catholic War Council, I. 241. National Guard, I. 33, 82, 85, 91, 92, 120, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 208, 209, 254, 277, 278, 280, 294, 304, 326, 836, 337, 347, 388; II. 28. National War Work Council, I. 97, 224, 254, 258, 272, 275, 283, 296, 335, 346, 360, 411, 454, 456, 551, 561, biLD; 590; II. 33, 56, 203, 209, 371, 380; Trustees, I. 192, 246; members, 2138- 215; executive committee, 216, 281; headquarters organization, 280; dis- solution, 225, 246. Navy and Marine Corps, ee 2 ii OD 88, 91, 98, 106, 197, 198, 204, 329, 424, 426, 435; transfer of welfare service to Navy Department, 437- 438; Government appreciation, 438- 439. Nevers, I. 521; Il. 33, 57, tse Neufchateau, II. 123, 124, 125. New Bedford, I. 483. New England, I. 318; naval districts, 433. New London, I. 433. New Orleans, I. 425, 438. New York, I. 203, 254, 256, 281, 285, 287, 288, 291, 292, 308, 336, 338, 425, 528; II. 26, 29. New York (State), I. 318. New Zealand, I. 71, 72; I. 411. " TOU Ue ' vn THE 7 TEDL This ssa seruTceUUETUTEESTFEUTEEIE ULL ELIS LIL UL OR IUJJUUUUUIGLUUUUUUUMEUUU Cee ea TEPER658 INDEX Newport News, I. 208, 271, 376, 377, 407, 416, 425, 432. Nice, II. 52, 150. Nicholas JI., Czar, I. 9, 64. Nicholas, Grand Duke, I. 8. Niedermeyer, Gerhard, II. 295. Nightingale, Florence, I. 40, 41, 42, 43, ANOS Ils i % Nitro; I; 416. Nizhni-Novgorod, II. 430, 4382. Nollen, John S., II. 371. Norfolk, I. 330, 425, 432. Novo-Nikolaevsk, II. 445. OFFICERS’ Training Camps, I. 91, 92, 197, 210, 211, 276, 320, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 386, 344, 347. Olongapo, I. 435. Omaha, I. 336. Oman, John, II. 254. Omsk, II. 276, 323, 445, 447, 448. Orenburg, Il. 276, 277, 278, 280, 282, 423. Oronsa, sinking of troopship, II. 31. Orr, William, I. 344, 346. Osgood, H. B., If. 471, 517, 427. Overseas Executive Organization, I. 443; Association assets ove1'seas, 443; leaders, 444; Paris Committee, 445; the first Y workers overseas, 446; tentative organization, 447; dual responsibility, 448; liaison with New York, 449; liaison with the Army, 450; Hoyt Commission, 452; Harbison Commission, 454; leave area department, 454; finance and legal departments, 455; general re- organization, 455; Perkins Commis- sion, 460, 484; final changes of ad- ministration, 462; opening of army and navy YMCA in Paris, 464; divisional executives, functions and duties, 467-469; regional organiza- tion, 470-471; general field secretary, 471; effect of troop movements, 473; method and efficiency, 474; condi- tions militating against efficiency, 476. Overseas Purchasing and Shipping Bu- reau, I. 283; government control, 286; railroad transport, 287; ocean ton- nage, 287; tonnage requirements, 288; tonnage secured, 289; coopera- tion with Quartermaster, 290; short- age of motor transport, 290; quanti- ties shipped, 291; salvage bureau, 292; amount realized by salvage, 292; European commercial conditions, 515; general purchasing department, 526; purchasing in Europe, 527; in England, 527; in Spain and Switzer- land, 528. Over There Theater League, I. 175, 620, 622, 6382. PAINLEVE, Paul, I. 77; Il. 340. Palestine, I. 8, 10, 19, 72; II. 396, 416- 418. Paris, I. 4, 14, 78, 184, 140, 149, 168, 173, 176, 255, 479, 485, 488, 496, 525, 526, 528, 534, 535, 537, 5388, 542, 575, 579, 626, 682, 638; II. 35, 47, 56, 93, 96, 119, 183, 144, 150, 157, 158, 159, 164. Paris Committee, I. 445, 447, 464. Paris Convention (1855), I. 190. Paris Island, I. 426, 486. Parker, Gen. Frank, I. 484; II. 180. Pasadena, I. 435. Patrick, General, II. 115. Pauillac, II. 94. Pauls Ke levtl os. Pelham Bay, I. 330, 427, 430. Pelle, General, II. 468. Pensacola, I. 483. Percy, Le Roy, I. 454. Perkins, George W., I. 179, 216, 228, ~ 275, 459, 545, 589. Pershing, Gen. John, J., I. 17, 18, 22, sh pA) alle, alaly, aly, apa pee eth 136, 189, 146, 153, 167, 172, 179, 222, 240, 251, 262, 288, 289, 290, 446, 455, 466, 487, 490, 499, 534, 550, 551, 567, 571, 578, 574, 600, 610, 621; II. 2, 5, 7, 18, 30, 32, 39, 48, 48, 144, 161, 185, 187, 335, 338, 342, 370.INDEX Pershing Stadium, I. 175, 589; II. 48, 51. Perry, James, II. 391. Personnel Bureau, I. 254, 255; prob- lem graph, 484; personnel require- ments, 263-268; investigations, 269; government responsibility, 270; prob- lems of personnel management, 478; functions of overseas personnel de- partment, 479-481; organization of personnel management, 482; division of personnel department into six bu- reaus, 483; final organization, 484; mobilization in France, 485; mili- tary credentials, 486-487; the ques- tion of rank, 487; red worker’s per- mit, 488; movement order, 488; as- signments, 489; front line workers, 493; department of circulation, 494- 501; morale of personnel, 501-504; board of discipline, 506; demobiliza- tion, 511; the test of Americanism, 514. See also War Personnel Board. Pétain, General, I. 77; II. 338, 339, 341, 342, 370. Petrograd, II. 275, 276, 281, 282, 316, 422, 428. Phelps, Capt. W. W., I. 377. Philadelphia, I. 836, 376, 482. Phildius, Christian, II. 232, 233, 288, 305, 306. Philippines, I. 203, 241, 421. Honolulu, II. 41. Physical Work Bureau, I. 316, 317, 320, 322; national physical condition, 318; significance of physical work promo- tion, 332; foreign opinion, 333. Piave, II. 91, 373, 374, 375, Oli. Picardy, I. 12. Picturelook Committee, I. 621. Pieschanka, II. 276. Pilsudski, Josef, II. 363. Pitman, H. K., I. 614. Pittsburgh, I. 365. Plattsburg, I. 276, 277. Plymouth, II. 78. Poincaré, President, II. 362. Poland, I. 180; II. 458-467 ; See also Polish i SEEEELUEEEEEUEELEEL EEL cL 659 Autonomous Army, 361, 362, 458. Pollard, Judge, I. 629. Pontanezen, I. 141; II. 100, 172, 178. Port Amelia, II. 409. Porter, David R., I. 408. Portland, I. 438. Portland Convention (1869), I. 190. Porto Rico, I. 208, 240, 420. Portsmouth, N. H., I. 438. Portsmouth, Va., I. 4382. Portugal, I. 65; II. Portuguese troops in France, 359-360. Portuguese East Africa, II. 409. Post Exchange, I. 130, 174, 524, 5382, 536, 537, 588, 547-574; overseas pur- chasing and shipping, 285, 288, 527; canteens, 428; British, Indian, and Canadian canteens, 549; French co- operatives, 550; free distribution of post exchange and canteen supplies, 554-557; limitation of sales, 569; sales of gift cigarets, 571; transfer of post exchanges to the Army, 571- 572; post exchange accounting, 588; II. canteen service, 128. Powell, Francis Edward, I. 516. Prague, II. 469, 472. Pratt, Frederic B., I. 346. Prauthoy, II. 126. Presbrey, Frank, I. 232. Price, Waterhouse and Company, I. 245, 246, 590. Prince’s Island, II. 447. Princeton University, I. 261, 262. Prisoners of war, I. 145, 221; II. 218- 327. Prussia, I. 4. Publicity Bureau, I. 232, 233, 234, 235. Puget Sound, I. 434, Purchasing Department. See Over- seas Purchasing and Shipping De- partment. Putz, General, II. 336. Quantico, I. 426, 436. RaBatT, II. 347. Race to Berlin, II. 97. wi TUE Ty ti} THT THe iP UTES HTUUUUISUULUSUE LULU CTTTTEE TELE TTT iin }}uate! se ieee 660 INDEX Racial Problems, I. 402, 411. Ralston, J. G., I. 519. Rastatt, II. 226, 302, 3038, 318. Raycroft, J. E., I. 324. Recreation Department, II. 29; danc- ing, 170-171. Red Cross, I. 26, 38, 258, 294, 318, 378, 381, 397, 407, 4382, 445, 450, 481, 584; international treaty, 46; flag, 47; in- ternational committee headquarters in Geneva, 47; American Red Cross Society, 48; position in World War, 59; German Red Cross, 60; American Red Cross in Russia, 75; in France, 78; American subscriptions, 87; dis- tinctive functions defined, 130; United War Work Campaign, 240; II. 29, 46, 62, 106, 114, 2380, 262, 265, 278, 285, 295, 300, 306, 316, 322, 323, 326, 338, 343, 378, 481, 432. See also Relief Work in War. Red Triangle Overseas, I. 235. Rees, Gen. Robert I., II. 4, 6, 18. Reeves, Col. Ira L., II. 18. Relief Work in War, I. 26; need of re- form methods, 41; improved rela- tionships, 43; official opinion, 44; agent of, 46; United States Sani- tary Commission, 50; Red Cross, 63; Knights of Saint John, 63. Religion, Ministry of, I. 293; religious status of the YMCA, 294; War De- partment’s ruling, 294-296; the Churches and the YMCA, 296; Bu- reau of Religious Work, 297, 306, 307, 308, 312, 313; chaplains, 298; welfare secretaries, 298; Sunday services, 299; camp pastors, 299; occasional workers, 300; Bible study, 303; Bible class leaders, 304; Bible Study Week, 305; music and its influence, 306; week day services, 308; Sunday serv- ices, 809; attendance, 310; observ- ances of special days, 310; service of lay visitors, 311; personal evangel- ism, 311; different faiths, 3138; re- ligious work in navy camps, 429; spiritual service, 593-618; Bible classes, 609; II. in Le Mans area, 169-170; with the Army of Occupa- tion, 190, 192, 198, 198; in prisoners’ camps, 2386, 254; in Russian pris- oners’ camps, 279-280. Repington, Col. a C., I. 18, 77. Research Board and Medical Staff, IT. 115. Rheims, I. 14, 15, 24, 153, 154, 571. Rhine Valley Leave Areas, II. 151, 157, 190, 193, 198. : Rideout, M. B., II. 287. Riga, II. 324, 325. Riviera, Le Lb Vb3 516: Robert College, II. 384, 386, 389. Roberts, Peter, I. 349. Rock Island Arsenal, I. 415. Rockefeller, John D., Jr., I. 339. Rockefeller Foundation, I. 241; II. 381. Rockland, I. 488. Rodeheaver, Homer, I. 606. Rolampont, II. 125. Romagne, I. 168; II. 177, 196. Roman Catholic, I. 239, 240, 242, 421, 615; II. 286, 284, 297, 308, 343, 371, 872, 468. See also Knights of Co- lumbus. Rome, ITI. 90, 92. Romorantin, I. 143; II. 16, 110, 115. Romsey Camp, II. 69. Roosevelt, Theodore, I. 209, 240. Roosevelt, Mrs. Theodore, Jr., II. 56, 57, 161. Root, Elihu, I. 217, 229; 11. 419. Rosenwald, Julius, I. 241. Rotterdam, I. 141. Roumania, I. 8, 9, 12, 76; II. 288, 381- 388. Rowe, Elmer E., I. 537. Ruhleben Camp, II. 222, 225, 296, 297, 298. Russia, I. 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 74, 77, 229, 255, 515; revolution, 9, 122; man power, 63; in North Russia, 71, 72; Harbin contribution to United War Work Campaign, 241; II. prisoners’ camps, 233; Russian Expeditionary Force in France, 261, 315, 363; pris-TAU INDEX oners of war in Russia, 270-282; Rus- sian prisoners in Austria-Hungary, 820; wartime activities in Russia, 419-457. Russo-Japanese War (1904), I. 55, 58. Sace, Mrs. Russell, I. 426. St. Aignan, I. 169; II. 106, 112-113, 126. Sta blins Tl.) 225: St. George, I. 4382. St. Louis, I. 365, 374, 375. St. Maixent, I. 601; II. 115. St. Malo, IT. 150. Ste. Marguerite, II. 98, 151. St. Martin de Ré, II. 263. Ste. Menehould, II. 64, 350. St. Mihiel, I. 17, 18, 155, 160, 234, 473, 542, 565; II. 58, 118, 137, 140, 344. St. Nazaire, I. 141, 169, 447, 464, 600, 601, 609; II. 57, 94, 98, 1025 Lil: St. Pierre des Corps, I. 143. St. Rafael, II. 94. St. Sulpice, I. 141; II. 15, 104. Sainte Tanche, II. 362. St. Thiébault, II. 121. St. Vincent de Paul, Society of, I. 39, 42. Saizerais, II. 135. Saloniki, I. 8, 10, 76; II. 347, 380, 384, 385, 387, 428. Salvage Department, I. 167, 168, 292, 548, 590; II. 160. Salvation Army, I. 249, 387, 611; IT. 44. Samara, II. 323, 427, 429, 430, 431, 444. Samoa, I. 424. San Antonio, I. 281, 285, 402. San Diego, I. 434, 435. San Pedro, I. 434, 435. San Francisco, I. 281, 285, 871, 376, 425, 434. Santo Domingo, I. 424, 426. Sardinia, II. 283. Sarolyea, Charles, I. 629. Sautter, Emmanuel, II. 336, 337, 338, 342, 343. Sayre, Francis B., J. 447. TUEEUEELILUEE EU EL cc SURERRALLEE LLL PeTEEST CTT LAUGH IUGTLEQUOAERETEPRUEEEH TCU 661 Schiff, Mortimer L., I. 241, 459. Schreiber, Dr., II. 293. Schumann-Heink, Ernestine, I. 339. Schutz, Walter S., II. 361. Scott, Maj. Gen. Hugh L., I. 113. Seatree, William E., I. 245, 455, 456, 459, 460, 558, 577, 584, 589. Sedan, I. 4, 24, 165. Seeger, Alan, I. 156. Seicheprey, II. 122. Senussi, II. 413. Serbia, I. 7, 65, 76; II. 289; Serbians in France, 359. Services of Supply—S OS, I. 17, 134, 139, 144, 145, 155, 160, 161, 162, 165, 493, 630; II. 36, 37, 38, 58, 93-117. Sex education, I. 114, 118. Shanghai, I. 435; II. 41. Shanklin, W. A., I. 629. Shanks, General, I. 376. Sheets, H. F., I. 456, 460, 517. Shenkurst, II. 439, 440. Shillinglaw, D. L., I. 519, 522, 543. Shipp, Frederic B., I. 447, 451, 456, 491, 581, 583, 584. Shipp, Thomas R., I. 2382. Shrewsbury, II. 250, 252. Siamese troops in France, II. 359. Siberia, I. 24, 179, 291; Siberian Ex- peditionary Forces, Leos Sight-seeing Department, 123: Sillé-le-Guillaume, II. 361. Silvernail, Clarence Dale, Ie bon: Sisters of Charity, I. 39, 40, 42. Slade, F. Louis, I. 275, 286. Slade, Mrs. F. Louis, I. 258, 484. Sloane, William, I. 215, 216, 222, 226, OT bie Le ate Smith, Joseph Linden, I. 623. Smyrna, II. 385, 887, 390. Smuts, Gen. Jan, II. 395, 409. Soares, Theodore G., I. 608, 612. Sobieski, John, II. 458. Soeurs Américaines, II. 64. Soissons, I. 14, 15, 142, 153; II. 58, 135, 345, 346. Soldatenheime, II. 346. syHHTTUUTUUUUULLSILLLUUUJUUU UU662 INDEX Sophia, II. 288. Sothern, E. H., I. 620, 621, 626, 6338; II. 99. Social Hygiene, I. 113, 114. Soldiers’ Aid Societies, I. 47. Somme, Battle of, I. 7, 17, 182. Soudanie Camp, II. 390. South Africa, I. 72. Southampton, II. 69. Spaeth, J. Duncan, I. 350. Spanish-American War, I. 48, 52, 53, 58, 171, 192, 276, 294, 317. Spaulding, Frank E., II. 3, 7. Speer, Robert E., I. 305. Spiegelfeld, Baron von, II. 306, 310. Spinelli, General, II. 379. Spingardi, General, II. 284, 285. Sprenger, James A., II. 195. Springfield Training School, I. 260, 262, 302, 0205 Lie: Stafford, Fred F., I. 504. Stanton Camp, II. 69. Stars and Stripes, II. 18. Steiner, Major, I. 634. Steele, Charles M., I. 621. Stephens, Thomas Wood, I. 623. Stevenson, J. Ross, I. 297, 310, 610, 611. Stewart, Cora Wilson, I. 350. Stobs, II. 251, 254. Stokes, Anson Phelps, II. 1, 2, 5, 7. Stokes, James, II. 421. Strayer, George, II. 3. Students’ Army Training Corps, I. 180, 203, 218, 348, 408, 411. Student Christian Movement, II. 285, 370, 482. Students’ Friendship War Fund, I. 231, 235" Tt. 332: Student Volunteer Movement, I. 297. Submarine menace, I. 6, 77, 82, 108, 123, 1387. Sudan, II. 414-415. Sundelius, Marie, I. 339. Sullivan, James, II. 3, 7. Summerall, General, II. 29. Sweden, Crown Princess of, II. relief work, 280, 238, 300, 307. Switzerland, II. 319, 323. Symons, W. J., I. 495. Tart, William Howard, I. 240, 338. Tannenberg, I. 4, 6. Tarkington, Booth, I. 233. Tarsus, IE: 391. Taylor, A. S., II. 462, 463, 466. Taylor, Howard G., I. 606. Tener, W. A., I. 465. Thanes, II. 309. Thiaucourt, II. 177. Thomas, Augustus, I. 619. Thomas, Cyrus W., I. 519. Thorne, W. V..S., I. 2765. Tichenor, John S., I. 215, 217. Tichon, Patriarch, II. 4382. Tiflis, II. 426. Tokio, II. 41. Tolstoy, Leo, I. 74, 156. Tomsk, II. 276, 278, 423, 444. Torchy, I. 154. Total Abstinence League, I. 427. Toul, £. 1%, 1845 149s Tou srs Zee Z23: 138. Toulon, II. 347. Tours, I. 632; II. 37, 108-110, 150. Towne, Charles Hanson, I. 232. Townshend, General, I. 79; II. 394, 402. Towson, Charles R., I. 215, 217, 414. Traffic Department, I. 532-537. Transbaikal Provinces, II. 278, 428. Transportation Bureau, I. 366-382. Trench and Camp, I. 220, 351, 355, 356, 357, 858, 359, 360, 437. Tréveray, II. 120. Trez-Hir, II. 98, 151. Trier, I. 539. Trieste, II. 92. Tuchel, Germany, II. 226, 302. Turkey, I. 8, 19, 61; II. 388-392. Turner, T. W. D., I, 286. Tyler, John Paul, I. 614. UNIFORM Department, I. 528-529. Union Franco-Américaine Y M C A. See Foyers du Soldat. United Kingdom. See England; Great Britain.INDEX United Press, I. 233. United States, I. enters war, 9; Army, 13, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 77, 81, 82, 83, 84, 86, 88, 91, 98, 106, 119, 120, 136, 139, 152, 154, 155, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 208, 209; morale con- ditions, 117, 118; international as- perities, 171; a British opinion of the American Army, 182; Selective Service Act, 197; billeting in France, 466. 1st Division, I. 14, 78, 121, 153, 155, 156, 160, 161, 234, 447, 466, 606; II. 26, 58, 94, 118, 119, 127, 128, 129, 179, 189. 2d Division, I. 153, 154, 155, 156, 466; II. 35, 36, 118, 121, 128, 140, 181. 3d Division, I. 153; II. 118, 138, 141, 181. 4th Division, II. 181. 5th Division, II. 45, 181. 6th Division, II. 140. 7th Division, II. 45, 171. 26th Division, I. 154, 466; II. 123; 128, 138. 27th Division, I. 408; II. 137. 28th Division, II. 45, 138. 32d Division, I. 466; II. 126, 139, 181, 182. 37th Division, II. 140. Alst Division, I. 466; II. 126. 42d Division, I. 154; II. 123, 125, 182. 77th Division, I. 408; II. 137. 82d Division, II. 139. 88th Division, II. 127. 89th Division, II. 182. 90th Division, II. 182. 91st Division, II. 22. 332d Infantry, II. 90. 813th Pioneer Infantry, I. 177-178; with the combat divisions, 118-130; with returning troops, 163-178. Navy overseas, II. 75; naval air service in British Isles, 75-76; naval patrol and bases, 76-77. See also Navy and Marine Corps. United States Christian Commission, I, 50, 51, 53, 58, 276. cTEERLLELESEL ELL TUT ELL ene TET TEULLEEUUULLEL DULL Deco TTTETLDTTT LEU LL 663 United States Sanitary Commission, I. 47, 50, 538. United States Steel Corporation, I. 241. United War Work Campaign, I. 180, 236, 237; effects of influenza epi- demic, 238; other conflicting condi- ditions, 238; triumph of cooperation, 239; foreign cooperation, 240; re- sults of campaign, 248, 458; II. 366. Upton, General, I. 607. VALDAHON, II. 106, 113, 114. Valengay, II. 151. Vallejo, I. 434. Vals-les-Bains, II. 150, 154. Van Dyke, Paul, I. 629. Van Wie, Frank L., I. 228. Vannes, I. 469; II. 103. Varennes, II. 139. Vaucouleurs, II. 125. Vaux, I. 154. Venice, I. 92, 374, 376. Venizelos, Eleutherios, II. 383, 384, 386. Verand, General, II. 262. Verdun, I. 3, 7, 8, 17, 76, S27 b isle ule 122, 128, 176, 338, 341, 345. Verhovsky, II. 428. Vidalon, General, II. 145. Vierzon, I. 609. Villers-Tournelle, I. 606; II. 135, 136. Vimy Ridge, I. 160, 182. Virgin Islands, I. 426. Vittoria Veneto, I. 24. Vladivostok, II. 324, 325, 326, 430, 453, 441, 442, 449, 4538, 455. Voenny-Gorodok, II. 275, 276, 424. Volga Agricultural Expedition, II. 432. Volunteer Aid Detachment, VAD (Vads), II. 56. WALLACE, Colonel, IT. 92. War Camp Community Service, I. 95, 114, 237, 334, 405. War Historical Bureau, I. 485. War Industries, I. 413, 414, 415, 416, War Prisoners’ Aid, II. 230-243. War Roll, I. 305; card, 312. HU VUTTULULLUISIEUI LULU ULE1 | | . { 664 INDEX War Personnel Board, I. 249, 255, 258, 260, 270, 271, 273. War Work Council. See National War Work Council. Warehouse and Forwarding Depart- ment, I. 537-539. Warner, Lucien T., I. 255. Warren, Maude Radford, I. 233. Warsaw, II. 362, 460, 465, 466. Washburn, Charles C., I. 625. Washington, State of, I. 318. Watson, G. J., I. 495,- 497. Watts, Lieutenant Colonel, I. 610. Weaver, E. W., I. 362. Webster, Maj. C. R., II. 409. Welfare Work, determining conditions, I. 25-37; welfare work and the YMCA, 49-59; training of the Y MCA, 185-196; II. meanings and values of service, 200-214. West, E. S., I. 558, 562. West Indies, I. 208, 284, 424, 426, 437. Wheeler, Crawford, II. 427, 437. Wheeler, Col. W. R., II. 131. White, Frank W., I. 562. | White, William Allen, I. 233. Whitford, A. H., I. 228. Whitlock, William Percival, I. 517. Whittlesey, Lieutenant Colonel, II. 140. Wilder, Robert P., I. 297, 298, 613. Wiley, S. Wirt, I. 232. Wilkins, E. H., I. 352, 353. Wilkins, L. A., I. 352. Willey, George E., I. 589. Williams, George, I. 185. Wilmot, H. W., I. 228. Wilson, Bishop Luther B., I 296, 297, 604. Wilson, President Woodrow, I. 112, 115, ZB; Za, Ali, aos 4als Olle Ila 400, 447, Winans, Charles S., II. 474. Winchester Camp, II. 69, 70, 71, 72. Wolcott, S. C., I. 5389. Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps— W A A C—(Waacs), I. 63; II. 56. Women’s Cooperating Committee, I. 241. Women’s Royal Air Foree—W RAF —(Rafs), II. 56. Women’s Royal Navy Corps—W RN C —(Wrens), II. 56. Women’s Work in the World War, I. 100-101, 109, 218, 483-484; IT. 55-66, 81-85, 104, 108, 164, 197, 478. Wood, Maj.-Gen. Leonard, I. 401. World War, number of men called to arms, I. 3; relief and welfare work, 38; protection of forces, 45, 46; Red Cross in, 49; Y MCA in, 49; num- ber of prisoners, 80; America in, 90, 100, 192; Americans in combat, 152, 157; demobilization, 175; deaths from disease, 318. World’s Student Christian Federation, L187, Yapp, Arthur K., I. 70; II. 245. Young Men’s Christian Association, welfare work in Civil War, I. 51; in Spanish-American War, 52; Army and Navy Department, 54, 210; Act of Congress (1902) confirming YMCA army and navy work, 54; service in the World War, 49 and following pages. Young Women’s Christian Association, I. 94, 96, 397, 494; II. 108. ZEEBRUGGE, I. 182.sUSUTUTAVTUUESSUUESEIUULULUUUUUUUELEULELA DCU LULL TL Ce eee TTn TS erese oeeess “ai SEI SRNTIEES | } iiWtnta a ij i Ty ; HOLE EEE nd Tite TELL AEE PEG HEEEE ERED PELERPARLEEE REESE TEERAVEEERPRLRLERARRGDADRETEDERDEDDLSGURADORAUGGRIARGEISORARPAUERODRGARASEGRCORRREPRARCROER SS bitisii i Teeveeneedaiin Pepe SEREESECCOC ORDER TER } PERRESE ECERPEDRIERSESGD RL ORTEoEE REESE EERESU SEER: SPRESPERE) ; il | 1 sa Til 7 TUITE ULL TATU TTUPAVINVUTUTIVATADUUUDO POLO HET PU EEE TUTUSUIISITUIUNU CLO TTT ETE TE TELL TUTUUUSULAUTEULEUIULILUULSU EMU ESULUU LEE EELUL Wt PPTTTTLLLLDRe LL LL