Y.M.C.A. AND SOLDIERS.

Northern Advocate, 17 April 1915, Page 6

V.M.C.A. AND SOLDIERS.

A GREAT WORK BEING DONE.

Recent advices indicate the extent to which the Young Men's Christian Association \ has' met the call to render social service to the British troops in training and at the front. Nearly 100- secretaries are in

France, over 900 men are engaged ac about 800 training centres in Great Britain, 10 men have been sent from England to. Egypt, 10 men are on their way With Territorials to India. Mor e than.£2so,ooo has been raised in England since August. Several hundred frame buildings, varying in size from 30.x 80ft to 30 x 160 ft and costing from £300 each, have been given for the work. The first building was given by Her Majesty the Queen, another by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Of the' membership of 2700 at the Great London Central building nearly 2000 have enlisted for active service, and the whole building and equipment (costing over £200,000) has been turned over to military social service. The Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, wrote to the National Secretary:—"l am requested to inform you that the work of• the Young Men's Christian Association, is much appreciated by the Government," and the War Department broke all precedent and contributed "£ 15,000 to th e V.M.C.A. funds. , That the activities have been efficient is demonstrated by the siastic appreciation not only of the men served,;ibut of all classes of the community interested in the welfare of the troops.. Mr. Michael Adler, the well-kat>vifn Jewish leader, urg'os his to support the V.M.C.A. V&ii'kj, declaring the fefforts to be , ins tfc&. best interests of the spiritual and material needs of the soldiers, arid,.]£o Jews as well as. Christians, no distinction being made. ;AinQng Army and Navy officials, H.HjjJi 'the Prince of Wales took .aii active interest in the work" association. The Firsst Lord of the Admiralty said:—"This is good, this >is magnificent." General Sir lan Hamilton declared: —"Your

association seems to be truly hitting the nail on- the head, and working for the good of the soldiers one and all."

In Australia also the V.M.C.A. has taken upon itself the/work of seeking to render social service in the \arious centres. The Brisbane A3-

sociation has had several men employed and supplied equipment at different training centree from Brisbane to as far north as Thursday Island. Thjj! Sydney Association has had equipment and men at training centres in New South.Wales. The ißalJjgirat Association maintained a man and equipment at Queenscliff for some months. The Adelaide. Association has been conspicuous in the extent of its service to the men in camp at Morphetville and in having promoted the scheme f° r sending men with the troopships, going abroad. The Perth Association has also maintained men and equipment at the training camp in West Australia. To the Melbourne Associaj tion has fallen perhaps the heaviest task in carrying on its work at the main concentration camp, at Broadmeadows. When the first tent was erected last August the work was inspected by the Minister for Defence, the military authorities and the, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, who all urged an -extension and increase in the equipment, with the result that two more tents were erected and the whole have been maintained ever since. In addition to the work carried on at the various centres, eight men have ; been sent away with the* troopships,' and are being maintained in Egypt or en route, and several hundred pounds have been sent from Australia to carry on the social work) ;in Egypt and at the front. To at-{ j '■ tempt to tabulate the measure of service would be impossible, but it is certain that not alone in the material and personal service is the limit of value;'but in the opportu-" nity of linking tU e men up in activities for mutual advantages, whereby the highest and noblest qualilties of the man and the soldier are developed. At a recent meeting of official representatives of the churches, held in Melbourne, a resolution was passed, "That there is a form of service in the interests of the soldiers which can be most effectively carried out by the V.M.C.A.," and expressing a desire to co-operate. Following this, the field service committee of the V.M.C.A. has invited a number of prominent representatives to join in its administration, so that the work may be more widely extended. At no time- has there been any serious criticism on the quality of the work done, but the extent has been limited by the local funds available. An appeal is now being made for £3000 to carry on and extend the work up to December next. It is desired to improve the equipment arid service at Broadmeadows, to send more men with the troopships going abroad, and to further assist the work among the Australian troops in Egypt.

New Zealand will require another £ 500 to carry on the fine work now being done at Trentham and Egypt until December next. An officer has recently written from Cairo that the discipline has improved over 50 per cent, since the V.M.C.A. tents were erected among the New Zealand troops, and that the men spend their time in the tents in'the evening instead of going into Cairo as formerly. Contributions may be sent to any local V.M.C.A., and the money will be forwarded through the national committee.