SHOWING THE WAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1917, Page 2

SHOWING THE WAY.

, THE Y.M.C.A. AND THE MUNITION DEPARTMENT. To make and keep the munition worker, as well as the soldier and sailor, interested in clean helpful things, both mental and physical is one of the great aims of the Y.M.C.A. Not by compulsion or argument are they attempting to do this, but by having the right inducement always at hand, doing its own propaganda work of healthy development. Responsible for 150 munition workers' canteens, serving approximately by this means some 200,000 workers" daily, the Association has in addition ten hostels, accommodating 3000 men. The largest of these hostels is able to take in 700 men, and the service at the canteens never ceases day and night,, maintained largely hy voluntary workers. Regular weekly concerts are arranged for those centres in the London area, and educational lectures are given. Athletics in every branch are encouraged, not merely the gymnasium idea but by em.playing personnel of nearly 1500' men. emulation. The recreative leagues formed for football and cricket arc offered contests, when all the good old contentious spirit is let loose in tugs of war, races, and .other feats of strength. League cricket during last summer included clubs from twenty-one different factories, represented by 700 players. These were enrolled and,amongst them were to "be found several first-class county players. Wh6re football is concerned the club is formed of men from forty different factories, and these constitute a playing personel! of nearly 1500 men. These games and sports are never allow ed to interfere with regular work, and works managers declare' in favor of games as promoting a corporate spirit in the factories. So valuable has the Y.M.C.A. work among munitioners become that they are opening new canteens at the rate of six each month, and they have been enabled to give valuable assistance to munition workers in France. At the invitation of the French Minister, the bead of the Association's munitions department went ove,r to help in forming a social and educative centre in Paris. "T really must say." wrote a soldier to one of the canteen worker?, at one of the greatest munition factories' in England, "I cannot imagine how sr.ldiers could write to their friends if :t. hadn't been for the great work of the Y.M (T/V." And of the men this worker said, "They arc magnificent, often under verv trying circumstances. Knowing them has raised n:v opinion of humanity immeasurably." Wherever there is a v crying n»:'d, (he Y.M.C.A. goe=, and it finds a ,vav \o help even thos-'e who seem hevond help. It i» the universality of the Association's work, that inikr.e it so appealing, that, and its obiect towards weak humanity.