SOCIAL SERVICES IN CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 137, 6 March 1941, Page 10

SOCIAL SERVICES IN CAMPS

Salvation Army Wish

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

ATTITUDE

"The Salvation Army is now raising in public what for some time it lias been raising in private, namely, the question of its representation in the military camps of New Zealand and. with the forces overseas,” states the “Outlook,” official organ of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. "It is claiming the right not only to have chaplains with the forces,, but to have huts and staffs with the forces overseas, and to have these erected and maintained by the National Patriotic Fund Board. At present these services for the troops are being, adequately provided by the Y.M.C.A., which as an interdominational body offers its services and grants facilities to all the Churches. The social services among the troops are at present adequately catered for by the Y.M.C.A. which has its Jiuts established wherever there are New Zealand soldiers, and provides entertainment and means for social relaxation for the men of all denominat ions. .

"It. is, no doubt, a worthy desire of the Salvation Army to wish to help the soldiers on active service, but their help etin he given and should be given in co-operation with the other denominations,” continues the “Outlook.’.’ “Every church is equally anxious to help the overseas troops. There is no reason at all why one denomination should be singled out for special treatment, and given special facilities which are denied to others. There are only two valid questions to be. asked in this matter : Are the soldiers on active service being adequately catered for in their social and spiritual necessities, and, how can the various Churches co-* operate to secure that adequate service?

“It is the duty of the National Patriotic Fund Board to see that adequate facilities are given for the social and spiritual welfare of the soldiers, and to see that the funds at their disposal are effectively and economically used. The facilities are already prbvided through co-operation with the Y.M.C.A. which is an undenominational body and has the confidence of the churches. If they are not adequate—and no complaint has so far been made on this score—then the board should see that the position is set right. Setting up and providing for a rival organization in the field can only serve to complicate what is now* an efficiqnt and complete system. Duplication of effort can only make for inefficiency. “Permission to the Salvation Army to set up rival social organizations in the fields of active service would be extremely wasteful and uneconomic. The huge cost involved would be far better expended in improving the present. services. If permission were to be granted on the lines of the demands made by Salvation Army Headquarters, it. would mean the building of new huts duplicating those which already exist, the provision and maintenance of a new and unnecessary supply of equipment, and the employment and payment of a large number of officers to duplicate (lie work of men already in the field. “Furthermore, if permission were granted to the Salvation Army to have these special facilities, every other denomination would have the right to expect similar treatment. At the present time co-operation is practically complete. The Roman Catholics, for example, are granted and use freely the facilities offered by the Y.M.C.A.', am! all other churches are willing to accept the situation as it. is. It is working well, and it can continue to work well. It would be nothing short of a tragedy if the present basis of co-operation were destroyed. “It is this spirit of co-operation which the demands of the Salvation Armyare breaking. We can honour the organization for its desire to serve to the utmost, but we believe that its best service can be given by co-opera-tion with other denominations in this special task of caring for spiritual and social well-being of our soldiers. To sink our individual preferences for the greatest good of others is the highest mark of Christian virtue.”