Y.M.C.A. AND R.S.A.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 1682, 31 May 1919, Page 5

Y.M.C.A. AND R.S.A.

•Tq the:l?ditpr. of. the l'TimaruHeralS." Sir, —I hare followed with great interest the varying correspondence on the Y.M.C.A. and the U.S.A. Throughout nil 'I note a distinct tendency of the Y.M. to brag about the enormous auiount of good work it has done, in this war. I have over four years actual active .-service, 'and linivG' there-i •fore come into contact and hncl dealings with the Y.M. in three different theatres of war. Thev. started in 1914 with what?. ! practically to the average man in the street.. and thev finished ir 1919 the'most talked about elm tittle oreßT"safciori in 'the worM. iWliv? heca"«? thev have boomed themselves ceaselessly,. using alwavs the pnlr)i«r as a medium. appealed for funds' tr-' carrv on their work, and t.bev <mt fhem to, the. extent of Several 7m'l'i~ns sterline:. This, -money was nil -to Tie <riv-?n to the soMiers (in frporlc\ in +Ti ( M>fc»*w'..iT : f wa-i'- low T>av to necessary secreta.nes.. etc: They,-.cer-tain I '/ s«r>riK-»t cofoa. biscuits. "ntews- ; r>an°rs and nu»»cv sniirb-ip S to the •ho-sR in . th e actual ' : .frp"t'.: ( h'.lt biin<!(*lfc'-hnrT in carry up?sthe stortra. look n.ffnr \ .M. duf-nu+s. and: in was tbo rreneral factotum of tho "Y .*\f.. T. i' p'epi where* ■ the "n"fl. wn'-lr-nf +'hry Y.IT . "<yni PS in. In shoiiVT a man T»« stranded the Y.M. was the very last nlace a man would ffo to because of th° De+t.v tinfioyi'i'T fmestions lie was asked. In Np".- Zealand thip great ma.inrity of soldiers simnly detest the Y.M. ' For pronf of this, local affairs prove it, ai"-T also at T^to'-na.

Now, .sir. take the Salvation Army. I am not a Salvationist, nor do I know one Salvationist in Timaru, but I like to see fair play Has ever anyone in Timaru noticed a big glaring advertisement stating the grand work of the. S.A. P Has ever anyo.no heard the skipper .of the team at Gab'tes' Corner yelling: himself, hoarse, "boasting about the things the Army does for our boys? Does anyone blow what is the most popular religion in the Digger Army? Does anyone know that the S.A. at JJotorua, supplies . approximately a thousand of the finest meals free to the patients at Rotorua, besides innumerable picnic parties, concerts. • socials, e + o. Does anyone know where thousands of Diggers had writing material etc. mailed to them without stint? Does anyone know the open door of welcome in London where any human soul : n need of any of this, world's necessities, from svrmy.tJiy to a comfortable bed and itreakfast, and no nuestions asked, could b e found? | Peonle, ask the soldier friends r«P -wnirs which was- the most popular. Y.M. cv i S.A. Of ronrcp, tn.ke the maioi-? + v ■ Now, sir. T. think it is time the Y M lnW.dfV- The R"ldi=*r of ■'■"-day is entirely ' ,: *Ee i '»nt from the s~M-'«r whofoncfrfT 5p I) n e battles, and this is ! a yonrio- man's fifbt. Hut l et n= hnve fair play and hats off to the "Sally." —-1 am, etc-, SALLY ADMIRER.

To the Editor of the "Timaru Herald" • Sir,—My statement as to tha exchange rates was based on the personal experience of myself and two other returned soldiers, and as Mr Smithson. states that the Y.M.C.A.. Headquarters -'ssued their schedule of rates I can only come to the conclusion that all the secretaries did not keep strictly to these rates. Certainly" the biggest troable arose when we first arrived in France at the end of March, 1916, and after we had our first Eng- J lish leave, which was prior to the ( Somme offensive in July, as after that,! we had very little English money. The Y.M.C.A. prior tc 1917 bad not got their wonderful system in full working order., and there were very few dugouts such as Mr Allan describes on the roads to and from the line, so that it is hardly surprising that I never got a free cup of cocoa, etc. Undoubtedly in a vast organisation like the Y.M.C.A. some members of the staff would not be suitable, but it is a peculiar thing how many men you meet who have grievances against the Y.M.C.A., some ill-founded no doubt, but nevertheless they are there. You rarely hear such complaints about the Salvation Army ■or th° Church Army, a.nd there must be some reason for it. The following is an experience of one man which X am permitted to relate. He came out of hospital in France, and as is usual in sucii cases bad no money although there was a considerable sum due in bis pay book. There was to bo a pay in the camp he had been drafted into in about two weeks and he requested the local Y.M.C.A. secretary to allow him to run up a small score of about 5s for cigarettes at the canteen. This was refused, it being pointed out that it' this was done for one case all thos men would bo on the game. Y9t on going to the Salvation Army canteen he was met with the "Certainly you can run up a score/' On paying bnek tho <*« he owed on pay day the Array chaplain seoniM very sin-prised at the nm.'iirot, and in order to make sure thnt he v.*ns rebbfhr> man «r.vp h : m ihrce ptHrois ns hsi'-k I hnes!i. Tb ; ". ip'-n is n im-pit r/b-o.irer of the >v"it but cevfsunly obipcts to the Y/M.C. \ and I can quote; t!n7,»ns of on*® 5 ! tho f-'iine. 1? or>» o'-Tnisft'on could do "his v.-bv !!o; the other, wbii'li 90 .mu'.'h letter pi;l oxiiy