Show Praises W Work orl of Y M. M C C. A. A Paying a high tribute to the work of t the e various war welfare agencies serving the A. A E. E F. F Secretary of War Var Newton D. D Baker who returned recently from a tour of inspection and investigation of the United States army array in France and the occupied portion portion portion por por- tion of Germany German has made a public statement wIth reference to the magnitude magnitude magnitude mag mag- and accomplishments of the Young Mens Men's Christian association overseas which in the words of the secretary of war war by reason of Its larger establishment its larger experience experience rIe ce and its larger facilities had the greater part of this work to do espe especially i lly abroad This statement was was made by Secretary Secre Secre- tary Baker tary-Baker Baker in n connection with the awarding of the Croix de Guerre to three Y M. M C. C A A. workers who served served sere sere- ed in France At the request of Dr John R. R Mott general secretary of the national war work council Y M. M C C. C C. C A. A made recently to the war dep department department de de- de- de p there Is is an official investigation investigation g gation on and survey survey of f the Red Triangle Triangle Trian Trian- gle work with the A. A E. E F. F overseas now under way Secretary Baker gave gae high praise to Its work from his personal nal observation during the war and since ince the signing of the armistice Represents America merica The Y M. M C. C A. A has represented the heart eart of America and has carried to soldiers abroad our affections and our ideals for them s says s 's Secretary Baker I do not know whether I Ican Ican Ican can can come convey to those who have not had the opportunity to see what went on there any adequate idea of the character of that service and the appreciation which the war department department department depart depart- ment and d the army or ur the United States State feel for the service rendered by the Y M. M C. C A. A both at home and overseas overseas ve se s. s For For the Y 11 M. M M C. C. C A. A women a and d men men workers sent overseas up to April 10 Secretary Baker has only words words' of praise to Honest Am Americans he calls them using the langu language ge of our soldiers Seventy- Seventy five of these volunteer noncombatant workers are buried over there in U their lr army khaki Fourteen were killed by shell fire in action two of whom m. m Vere were Y YM canteen workers workers- A American women Aiding Morale Of the part the Y M. M C. C A. A played in aiding morale and keeping beeping healthy and happy our two millions of soldiers soldiers soldiers sol sol- i I diers overseas he says When we survey this superb army which is now coming home with its broaded shoulders bronzes bronzed cheeks robust health splendid nerve and the high spirit t that at comes with great greata a accomplishment we must remember that among am among ng the formative Influences that made it possible was this social spirit which was carried from home homo to the line front-line trenches which shared the privations and dangers and was an integral part of the army for in no Mans Man's Land where the shells fell thick and fast tast there are the graves of th the Y worker side sido sideby sideby by side not separated in their faith finally finally nall united In their last resting place Helps in Trenches They The were at the front in the very line front-line trenches over which shrapnel burst and over which airplanes airplanes airplanes air air- planes hovered Under machine gun gunfire gunfire gunfire fire one could find the American doughboy at his listening post and I very lery often alongside of him the Y M. M C. C A. A A A. mr mm men n with his nooks magazines magazines maga- maga zincs papers and his little mUe aids and and I Comforts which carried to the very e edges ge of ot No l Mans Man's ans an's Land If I There were ere 2891 2591 American women women wom wom- e en Y M. M I. I C. C A. A canteen workers and theatrical entertainers sent overseas up to April 10 and Secretary Baker glorifies these self sacrificing workers work work- ers ers declaring the they have the love and full respect of our Am American soldier manhood In the huts the Y M. M C. C A. A man and wom woman n were found that found that extra extraordinarily extraordinarily extraordinarily ordinarily beautiful thing which the i Y M. M C. C A. A sent over over and aud which the i I doughboy learned to call an Honest to- to God to-God od American girl Sometimes her hair bait was streaked with gra gray and there was the relationship relationship relationship rela rela- of mother and son but ordinarily ordinarily ordinarily or or- the relationship was the tender tender tender ten ten- der relationship of brother and sis sis- ter I have had these fine girls say Mr Dir Secretary I live with a regiment of soldiers fifteen miles mUes from any other woman who can speak English and although I have been with that regiment a month I have never heard one man swear in my presence I I asked But do you always feel safe in s such ch a desolate place If Women omen Guarded I She replied with a laugh When I I lie down at night the doughboys voluntarily post a guard around my tent and I am never disturbed until reveille in the morning Of the work of the Y M. M C. C A. A on troopships in the overseas training camps and in evacuating the Wounded Bounded Wound Bound ed Secretary Baker says As I crossed the Atlantic during the war through the danger zone 1 found the Y M. M C. C A. A worker on the ship taking his place beside the sol sol- dier When that hour was over on all aU these ships coming and goin so in these agents of the high social purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose of America ministered to the sick and wounded ana ane with their amusements magazines books etc comforted entertained and advised them well Always on the JobI Job JobIn I In the long periods of training over there the Y M. M c. c A. A workers were cons con constantly l found organizing amusements aiding men in corresponding corresponding corresponding corres corres- with their friends at home giving counsel and advice ad in the embarrassments embarrassments em em- that arose in n the dally daily life of the soldier ministering to them by distribution of such things as could be provided by the generous funds of the people of American welcoming the incoming soldier and giving the outgoing soldier God God- speed i iThe if It The splendid work of these var war welfare agencies Is very largely duo to the fact says Secretary Baker that No army of an any size or nationality nationality nationality nation nation- including our own own ever before in the his history tor of mankind has had such a record of health cleanliness and high Idealism of purpose There were assembled about these soldiers not only influences of home and of neighborhood but the great organized ed agencies for dealing with life Ufe of f the young 0 |