Y.M.C.A. ARMY DEPARTMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16285, 19 January 1915, Page 6

Y.M.C.A. ARMY DEPARTMENT.

WORK ON THE TROOPSHIPS. Mr Goorg<: W. Shapley, one of the, Adelaide Y.M.O.A. secretaries with the First Australian Expeditionary Force, writes:-- " 1 wisli you conkl juet look out on tho crowd of fellows on tin l promenade deck busy -writing—for to-morrow we roach Aden, and news has conic through that letters to Australia will not be censored, and therefore may be closed. At Colombo 7000 letters wero taken off thu boat; there will bo more than double that .number posted to- : morrow. Most of the 21,000 letters are on Y.M.C.A. papor. When announcing tho freo gift oi writing materials I told tho follows that they received it on tho understanding that the first letter should bo to mother On Sunday night after the service ono of the younger officers wished to see me in his cabin. Ho asked for a temperance pledge, saying:—"I have been listening to tho service to-night, and thinking, and am desirous that I shall never be guilty of corning to my work 'muddled.' The best safeguard is to be a T.T." Only the day before, in hie cabin, ho had pulled a bottle from, under his bed and taken a "nip " in my presence. Next morning early three young fellows introduced themselves as "the terrible three"; they had the night before decided to give up swearing, but a f ter a chat, decided to go the whole- length of tho Straight Life Pledge. Ono was noted for the length of his vocabulary, and it ia splendid to see the change in his life. Tho •'straight life" plodgo reads:—"l will this day turn from all known sin unto God; I will trust Jesu6 Christ as my Saviour; I will confess and follow Him, and this I do freely, fuliy, and for ever." On luesday evening after lecture another of the younger officers, yvho had lost hold of spiritual things, assured rne ho would try to get back to his E roper relationship with God. One bigearted fellow had practically wrecked his life since coming to aea. I shall never forget how he put out his arm and said he would give it if the past could only be blotted out. He feels his hopelessness— shortly I hope to have him full cf hope." Saturday afternoon was an ideal day for the sports, though a bit warm. The chief event, finals for the light-weight championship boxing, resulted in a great display of scientific boxing. The prize was originally to have been worth 255, but the committee asked us that it be doubled for this event, as it was ono of the best exhibitions of the trip. The wrestling was exceptionally good. The winner received a 25s wristlet watch; the second prize was a 12s 6d set of brushes. The tug jf-war had to bo postponed because all the rurai of our part.cular company had that day been inoculated, and their arms were 'ore. On-i set of, tho heavyweight heats was of UMitual interest. A sergeant and a prnatn were matched. It was nut discover" I until after the fight that tins was a put-up game to enable a private to pay off an old swore on his N.C.O. The private wo:: easily. There was no sign of vice, and the private's sportsmanlike conduet in refusing to take advantage of his opportunity was warmly commended. The concerts are proving very popular, and it is remarkable how high class music holds its own against the comics. Some of it has been really of the Conscrvatorium style. Long after " lights out" a fellow came into my den as low spirited as could be, and told me he was going to the v war because life wasn't worth living. He wanted to sign a Straight Life Pledge, but I told him to come in again in a few days. I just mention this to show how the Y'.M. stands for a " haven of rest" for some chaps. After church parade a young man who came in for some stationery, told mo something of his experiences. He was a barman in Adelaide at one time. I showed him a Straight Life Pledge, and he signed it. He was one of the first to join the Army Testament Corps, and on asking for a look at his book I saw that he had read as far as the Atjts of the Apostles. One evening at our usual sing-song, a senior officer told an incident that moved everybody. Ha had a daughter who up to tho age of six was dumb. The grandmother kept assuring the parents that the child would talk, because she was praying for it. With emotion the- officer Isa-id: "Boys, when I was coming away she put hex arms around my neck and said: 'Daddy, I will be waiting for you to come home again!' " Then one of rinx finest young chaps sang " My Mother's Prayer." It was a great service, and when they stood to sing the closing hymn, " Abide With Me," it was a seen? never to be forgotten. Then came a really fine case. A lad of 19 came in almost heartbroken. He unfolded the usual story of the influence of evil companionship. Left home a Rechabite, but he had broken his pledge —he had also broken a promise to his father not to gamble. Since attending our meetings he had been thinking, and now was penitent. " You don't know how I feel over this 1" he said. " I have to write back to the lodge and apologise, and send them this pledge; but what hurts is that my father will have to reid this letter to the meeting, for he is the secretary of it." Presently he told me that he had always been a cause of worry to his father; he would argue with him against religion, and his father's last words were: " It would be easier to part with you if you yvere only a Christian." "But," said he. " I am from to-night going to bo one, and I will' send them home this Straight Life Pledge; it will be as good a Christmas box as I can give them." Monday began the letter-writing week. Then I caught three men who came for paper. The first, a fel•low from the way back, was quite willing to set out with Christ as his Captain. The next was a youn.g naval man, and shortly he, too, started on the Straight Life course. Finally came the greatest victory of all—a Scotsman, son of a Presbyterian minister. I asked him if he were going to write home. Aye, he was. Then 1 asked him to look at himself fas the folk at home pictured him, and also just as ho really was. It meant locking the door, but after a long battle he surrendered to the King of Kings. The work is not simply an outburst of enthusiasm, but it is solid and permanent. It would not be right for me to take any of the honour of it. Chaplain-colonel MTheo's straight talks and the personal work done by many constitute tte real agency. What is most pleasing is toe predominant effort to suppress everything eviL The effort is genuine to cut out and suppress all undesirable language and yarns. TB'E CONTEMPTIBLE ARMY. "THE ENGLISH MERCENARY." HIDDEN SOLDIERS. NEED FOR PATIENCE. (Fhom Ocs Own Coheespondent.) LONDON, November 27. The protests which have found their way into the British press against the common habit of talking of German "cowardice," aa if it wero an outstanding trait of the charactor of our enemies, finds a counterpart in the German press. A writer in The Times says in several German newspapers ho has read protests against vulgar post-cards holding up the British nation and army to ridicule. One soldier writes; —"After one has been desperately fighting against the English for days vainly trying to turn them out of their trenches, -only at the end to be forced out of one's own quarters by a savage English charge, it is somewhat irritating to receive a post-card from home depicting a regiment of those same Englishmen fleeing in wild disorder and abject fear before tho charge of a company of German soldiers armed with telescopes and surveyors' tripods!" One of the editors of the Berliner Zoitun.g am Mittag. who is serving as a first lieutenant in a German regiment, sends his paper a very interesting analysis of the feelings of the German soldier towards the British from the time they first went out to "catch the English." as they used to sav .._•• -\Ve advanced bv long and short marches through Flanders, the great cemetery, towards the west. We thought of the pictures that the comic papers are wont to give of Tommy Atkins, and looked forward to the prospect of gathering in a first-clans tennis racket from the war equipment of one of these 'smooth-faced rascal?.' There were a few who warned us against a possible nnder-cßtimation of the English, but their misgivings wpre auictod bv pointing out that these were mercenary troops before us, men hired for a few pence a day to fight, bare of patriotism and incapable of sacrifice.. Sooner than wo thought we were upon the enemy. One morning on our march someone called out: 'Her© is the first dead Englishman!' There he lav. the Englishman; the first we had seen in this campaign, dead, stretched out on his right side. Tho bullet had gone clean through his heart. Very young, slim and einowy of body, becomingly clad rn his field-grey khaki uniform. The young, beardless* face was snowy white, and his left hand cramped on his chest. One more mother will soon bo shedding bitter toare! Shortly after we discovered in a house two wounded English officers, and confiscated their diaries, which contained manv valuable notes, while an hour later tho first English prisoner was picked up by a patrol and passed along our column. Ho naturally was of great interest to our soldiers. 'Looks like a chauffeur—wonder whether the mercenary' can shoot—looks more cut out for the football and cricket field!' Another hour passed, and then the comrades of our prisoner gave us an answer to that question. In ' <■'~_ they gave us a practical derri'Mi;;t."a's>n -st/,-.h a clear de-nvni-'ration thai our ?>t.l t-ali.w was reduced

to half its size after the first few encounters. One swldenly realised that the English mercenary could not b« routed with ju.st a, hurrah and a y«ll, and wo learned from personal experience tliat thc&e smooth faced gentlemen used their long legs not always for running away, but sometimes for desperate ;ind dangerous churgns. Within a few flours we learned that we had facing us an opponent not to be under-estimated. Tho Enirlish trenches wero mostly so arranged as to he quite invisible to the naked eye. When wo had got into the first, trench we were astonished at their systematic construction a.s regards depth, side protection against splintering of shells, breastwork, and flooring. The trenches were nearly aJI excellently arranged for a long stand. We Were particularly astonished at the steel and iron plates built into the The floors of thn trenchos were designed with an eye to maximum comfort. Our men captured there a mass of excellent preserves, corned beef and ham, and manv also secured one of tho shaving outfits which nearly every English soldier carries. When we had taken a position it frequently occurred that we found a disproportionate number of dead to very few living defenders. At any rate it looked like that at the first glance, but wo soon discovered that a largo number of the ' killed' wore fihamming, and these wero easily 'tickled' into life with the bayonets. Frequently it happened that severe infantry machine gun firing broke forth from the edge of a wood. Firing was directed against tho wood, and we then advanced against it in short rushes, only to find on arrival that tho ground was practically clear of soldiers, and that nearly all the shots had been fired down from the trees. The English infantry had hidden itself in the treeand had even hauled up machine gutis. This trick of hiding in the tree-tops seems to have been concerted among- the Allies, for one finds them all doing it—French, English, Belgians, Russians, Serbs,, and Montenegrins. Let us beware of under-estimat-ing our opponents, even if they are but the English mercenary. Our advance in Flanders can proceed but slowly step by step. Everyone who fought at Ypres knows that to obtain a decisive result in that district •will oaJl for the exercise of patience —and very great patience." KEW AIR WEAPON. INFLAMMABLE DARTS FOR ZEPPELINS. In a long message sent from Belgium to the Daily News. Mr William Rid 3d ale describes the new weapon with which the members of the Flying Corps are being armed. The Germans, he says, will probably find out all about it in due course. It is a new pattern dart, not dissimilar in appearan&e from that in use by the Taube and Aviatik experts. But it has a singular virtue of its own. In its head is fixed a highly inflammable material which immediately ignites when the dart passes through any substance. The dart continues to fall, but the fire remains behind. The value of such a weapon in countering Zeppelin attacks can as yet only be imagined. But it is calculated that one dart dropped into the envelope of an airship would cause it to burst instantaneously into flame. These darts aro to be dropped automatically, 50 or 60 at a time, and they spread over a considerable area in their downward flight. The cost of them is approximately five francs each. THE MILITARY HOSPITAL SCHEME. TO TBI KDrTOB. Sib, —The Dunedin division of tiie British Medical Association was directed by the Council of the Association to urge upon the public the need of voluntary help to supplement what the Government is doing to establish proper hospital accommodation at Trentham for the troops from the whole of New Zealand. The council, which is the governing body of the Medical Association in New Zealand, after full investigation and with the approval of the Minister of Defence and the military authorities, came to tho conclusion that the Trentham Hospital scheme is the most worthy that can engage the attention and support of the Medical Association. The Hon. Mr Allen states: ".Any vountary financial assistance to the Trentham Hospital scheme will be very welcome, and I shall be pleased to hear that your efforts are successful." Tho Dunedin section of the medical profession has opposed the wishes of the central body of the association, and is anxious to help the Belgian doctors and chemists. No one can condemn their desire to embark upon any form of private philanthropy, and 1 wish it all success; but this Dunedin section of the association thought fit to telegraph all over the oountry matter likely to damage the Trentham Hospital Fund, which was, and is, the approved and official fund of the Medical Association. Your readers will arrive at their own conclusion upon conduct of this kind. I enclose a cutting from the Dominion, giving a statement of tho position from the Director of Medical Services in New Zealand, and I shall be glad i.f you will publish it in the public interest. Surely there are many people in Dunedin able and willing to provide financial help for the comfortable treatment of sick soldiers at Trentham, their own kith and kill from Otago and elsewhere in New Zealaud, and I trust you may see your way to receive donations for this purpose for transmission to the general treasurer of the fund, Mr Gore, box 156, G.P.0., Wellington.—l am, eta, J. S. Elliott, Chairnmn of Council B.M.A. Wellington. January 16. [We have already published the statement by the Director of Medical Services to which oiir correspondent refers. One point in Dr Elliott's letter, betraying a misapprehension on his part, may be cleared up by him. The Dunedin section of tho British Medical Association is unfairly accused of having telegraphed all over the country matter that was likely to damage the Trentham Hospital Fund. The responsibility for the publicity which has been given throughout New Zealand to the resolutions of the Dunedin division rests with the Presg Association.—Ed. O.D.T.] THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE AND THE WAR. TO THE EDITOB. Sib, —It has appeared to me that the publio of our city and the surrounding districts have not yet come to fully realise the very important and most humanitarian part which the Order of St. John of Jerusalem is taking in connection with the present great war. The order has, in conjunction with the British Red Cross Society, undertaken the care of the sick and wounded soldiers, and to enable it to fulfil this important trust it some time ago made a general appeal for assistance, in pursuance of which the local St. John Ambulance Brigade at once instituted' a branch of Queen i Mary's Needlework Gruild for the preparation of the neccssary articles of clothing, etc., and also took steps in tho direction of helping the order with funds to. carry out its laudable work. A considerable amount of success has attended the efforts which have been put forth by the members of the brigade and * their friends, and when we oome to consider tho nature of the object in view, I am forced to the conclusion that we have not done one fourth of what we sJhould do for tho cause. Although wo are hero far removed from the scene of battle, many of us have friends and relatives amongst those who have gone from our shores to assist in the Empire's need, and who will no doubt ere long tie in the firing line. It will no doubt happen that some of them will be amongst those who pass into tho hands of the hospitals organised and equipped by tho Order of St. John. That being the case, does it not behove us to make an extra effort to do something substantial at the present time. I admit that we have had many claims upon us, but this claim possesses merits which must appeal strongly to all of us. I feci sure that any desiring to assist will bo supplied with full information upon applying to Mr J. W. Breen, district secretary, or Miss Hooper, lady superintendent of the brigade.—l am, etc., January 16. Red Cross.