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Show GEN. PERSUING COMMENDS AID , RENDERED AMY Port Exchanges Overseas Are Tken Over by the MilL tary Authorities Asserting that tho Valuablo aid rcn-I rcn-I dorcd by the war sorvlco of tho V. M. I C. A. had boon a largo factor In tho final groat accomplishments of tho Amorlcan army, General Pershing, In I a communication to D. C. Cartor, In I charge of association operations with the Amorlcan Expeditionary Forces, pays a splindld trlbuto to tho work which this agency accomplished under oxtromo difficulties nnd handicaps. "Tho V. M. 0. A. aorved tho army hot-ter hot-ter than could havo boon expected," I says General Pershing. . At Its own request the Amorlcan Y. M. C. A. has boon relieved from main-I main-I talntng post exchanges with the Ex peditionary forces Overseas, tho need for such sorvlco having boen relieved with the signing of the armistice. Cor respondent exchanged between General Gen-eral Pershing and E. C. Carter, In charf of the Y. M. 0. A. with tho amy, resulted In this decision. Car-ter Car-ter wrote to Oeneral Pershing January 3th, as follows: Dear Oeneral Pershing: A year and a half ago you requested re-quested the Y. M. C. A. to under-' under-' take oporatlons for post exchanges (or the Amorlcan Expeditionary I Forces In order that "offlcora nnd I . enlisted men may hot bo taken , away for that purpose from tholr paramount military functions of ' training and fighting." I As soon as hostilities ceased wo I raised with you tho question I . .. whether tlmo had not como for tho Y. M. C. A. to bo rollovcd of the operation of post exchanges ln view of tho fact that thoro was no" longor tho same prosslng doinand on man power of tho arm for training and fighting. When we '' first raised the question with you I it did not appear to you that It was feasible In tho host Interests of -maximum service to tho army that ' I - a chango bo mado. Now tho situ- , ' ' . atlon Is materially altered. .-Recent genoral orders from main headquarters and requests from ommandlng offlcora havo laid on he Y, M. C. A. Increased responsl- I bllllles In promoting educational, athletic and entertainment activities activi-ties In'tho Amorlcan Expeditionary Force. This Is placing a rapidly increasing burden upon our personnel. per-sonnel. The army Is nlso now preparing pre-paring for the delivery of nil supplies sup-plies for post exchanges which heretoforo havo been Imported, manufactured and delivered by tho Y. M. C. A. In view of the chongod situation I wish to know whether you do not think It would bo possible for the army nt a vory early dato to as-1 as-1 flumo full responsibility for the 1 maintenance of post oxchangas throughout tho American Expodl-Uonary Expodl-Uonary Force? Very cordially yours,, (Signed) 13. C. CAUTER, General Porshlng lmmodlatoly acter upon tho suggestion made by Cnrtoi ( and rclloved tho Y. M. C. A. of Its tasl of maintaining tho post oxchangea. Hi . Bald: I My Pear Mr. Carter: I hnvo recclvod your letter' of January 2pth asking whether. In vlow of prosent changed situation, It would bo possible for tho nrmy to assume full responsibility, for mnlntonance of poit oxchanges throughout Amerfcan Expeditionary Expedition-ary Force. As you correctly state, the Y. M. C. A. undortook tho management of post oxchangea at my request at a tlmo when It was of greatest Importance Im-portance that no avnllable soldier should bo taken away from vital military functions of training and fighting. As reasons which Ira-polled Ira-polled mo at that tlmo to request you to undortako this work no longer exist, I am glad to approve your suggestion In reaching this conclusion. Consideration has been given to now burdens In connection connec-tion with entertainment, nthletlo activities and education that you havo assumed. I have accordingly accord-ingly glvon directions that' army unlta themselves tnko over and oporato tholr wn -post exchanges. In making this chango permit me to thank you for tho vory valuablo services and assistance which the Y. M, C. A. has rendered to the American Expeditionary Force In handling those exchanges. Handicapped Handi-capped by shortago of tonnago and land transportation tho Y. M. C. A. has, by oxtra exertion, aorved the nrmy hotter thair could havo been expected, nnd1 you may bo assured that Its aid has beon a large lac-tor lac-tor In tho final groat accomplishments accomplish-ments of tho Amorlcan army. Very cordially yours, (Signed) JOHN J. PERSHING |
