V.M.C.A. WAR WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 190, 12 August 1919, Page 9

V.M.C.A. WAR WORK.

(To the Editor.) | Sir,—The letter by "Sapper" really ought to be treated with the contempt which it deserves: but 1 feel that I cannot ignore it, for although 1 hold no brief for the V.M.C.A. I shall stand up for it at all times. There arc so many thousands who, unhappily, are only too ready to believe ill before good, and whom 1 would "put wise." Tho "Sapper" quite evidently forgets that, whereas it was often possible that the same prices for goods obtained in the V.M.C.A. as in civilian shops, the profits ill the latter went to swell their own accounts, while the V.M.C.A. gave out abundant ''buckshot'" —chocolate, biscuits, fruit, cigarette*, writing material, etc. —and not only a few thousand cups of tea. as was suggested. Whence came all the necessary funds to provide recreation rooms, arrange concerts, and to buy properties for those same rooms'; Not from those shops, I'll warrant. 1 think that the V.M.C.A* workers will tell you that they never got such v heap of encouragement ns "Sapper" suggests was given by tho military authorities, and I know quite well that the organisation tried hard for a permit to use a lorry (motor) without success, and had to do everything by n couple of Ford cars, with occasional help from horse trim-port. Let anyone who doubts the Y.M. through "Sapper's" letter ask any returned soldier for his candid opinion of it* war work and immense benefits, and judge ol the reply himself. As for these mythical profits, "Sapper might bo able to see balance sheets for his own satisfaction on application.—l am. etc., MACHINE GUNNER. (To the l-'.lltnr.l Sir,—The letter in your paper under this heading is just what one might

expect from a "Sapper."' 1 would BUggetit to your readers that they ask an infantry : friend how much the average sapper knew about "No Man's Land." with ! machine pun bullets Hying like hail around, .and then ask him about the work of the V.M.C.A. up near the line. "The Sapper" writes as though he had a wide , experience of camps on thu "Blijrh-ty Kront," but does he know anything -about the huekshce V.M.'s at LaUvantie, tit Hill 03, at Hell I'irc Corner, the huckshi-e smoke* and chocolate distributed in the front Hue. and has he ever stopped to wonder where the money came from to renew huts destroyed by shell tire? There, was one on Ilirr ti":!. It was the boys in the forward areas who benefited, and rightly too, by the bucktdice tiling*, and | who appreciate t 1 "" V.M. I don't witsli , to belittle the work of 'the engineers, or | the efforts of tho S.A.. but hands off the V.M.C.A.—I am, etc. FRONT LINE.