Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1918 — Y. M. C. A. HUTS DESTROYED IN GERMAN ADVANCE [ARTICLE]

Y. M. C. A. HUTS DESTROYED IN GERMAN ADVANCE

Chicago, March 9. (Special)— Y. M. C. A. secretaries in Russia have been compelled to retire before the German advance toward Petrograd and many of the Red Triangle huts have been destroyed, according to cable dispatches received by the National War Work Council here. All secretaries and workers are, however, reported to be safe. A cablegram just received from Russia read: “All front Y. C. C. A. huts captured by Germans are destroyed. Secretaries are safe. Association plans will be pushed forward.” In a later dispatch, Jerome Davis, national secretary o fthe Y. M. C. A. for Russia says: “Majority of secretaries have gone to Siberia. Keeping representatives at Moscow. Releasing secretaries desiring to return to America.” Many of the Y. M. C. A. workers are remaining in Moscow, it is stated, to await new opportunity for service. Native Russian secretaries I lave assumed opportunities for carrying on the work of the Y. M. C. A. in Petragfad as long as that is possible.

Y .M. C .A. work has been in progress at more than 100 centers in Russia. The effort was undertaken at the request of the Russion government and made such an impression that through the various changes the association has continued its work almost without interruption. The work ranged from huts in the front lines to building work in Petrograd, Moscow, other important Russian centers are at the great concentration camps. The association work did so much to uphold the morale of the Russian troops and to emphasize the fact that America, a sister republic, is in the war, that the Germans started the bitterest kind of propaganda against it. Steps were taken to meet this propaganda and the work has continued amongst the soldiers and has been abandoned only as they withdrew in front of the German advance.