Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 146, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 June 1919 — Relief Goes On After War Ends [ARTICLE]

Relief Goes On After War Ends

Work With American Expeditionary Forces to Continue for Some Time. EFFORTS ARE CO-ORDINATED One War Worker for Every 150 Men and One Hut Operated for Every 900 Men— Headquarters Inaugurates New Plan. Paris. —Although the tumult and the shouting have died qver here, and the captains, having assisted in effecting the exit of the kings, are themselves beginning to depart, the American program of war work with the American expeditionary forces “carries on” with increased resources and effectiveness. The other day the American expeditionary forces took stock of the agencies from the homeland that are serving the doughboy. The stock-taking was preliminary to the newly instituted general headquarters program for co-ordinating the work of these agencies to the best advantage of the men. And the results are illuminating. With approximately 1,500,000 doughboys still in France and occupied Germany, there is now one American war worker over here for every 150 men and one hut operated by an American war work organization for every 900 men. The totals as given in the resume for all the war agencies, exclusive of the American Red Cross, are-9.618 men and women workers and 1.656 huts. ■Of the total number of workers, 8.350 are representatives of the 1 oung Men s Christian association, leaving the overseas war work strength of all other ' organizations at 1.268. Of the total number of huts. 1.507 are operated by the Young Men’s Christian association, and dhe remainder, 149 by all other war work agencies. All Increased. The stock taking showed that every one of the American agencies has- increased its personnel in the five months since the signingof the mistice —the Young Men's Christian association, for instance, having addled 726 workers to its strength. With these resources at haiid the general staff of the American expeditionary forces has undertaken to supervise and regulate the service given to soldier* by the auxiliary organizations. General welfare officers are to be appointed, one to each combat division, each similar unit of the service of supplies and each higher headquarters. Their duties will be to supervise

j athletic and amusement' programs; de- . terratne'the proper disposition of huts, j restaurants and entertainment halls; recommend readjustments where roe—- : reational facilities are Inadequate or where there is duplication of effort, and to notify war work agencies of the location of all units. They will decide whether there are too many or too few war workers in their territories and where necessary, will obtain details of non-commissioned officers and men to aid the war workers. " The welfare officers, will have jurisdiction over free distribution of food and supplies by the various war work organizations. 1 The Yohng Men’s Christian association, which is operating 1.600 huts In France, is said to have expended half the amount which will be available to it for use in France. It .has operated the canteen service at a loss. Witlp the army taking over the canteen service, however, the expenses of the Young Men’s Christian association will be reduced. r Some idea of the expenditure made

for war work in the period which passed with the institution of the program of -co-ordination Is shown in the record of the Young Men’s Christian vested 84.500.000 in overseas huts and their equipment up to the first of the year, with an average maintenance cost of more than 870,000 a month. It gave away in combat areas from last May to the end of November goods valued at more than $”00,000, and its Christinas gifts to the doughboys last year represented a value of more than $500,000. Its loss in the operation of canteens, done on borrowed capital, was $600,000. It has expended $1,750,000 for-sporting goods for free use of the soldiers. It has leased and operated 37 chocolate find biscuit factories and seven sawmills In France to meet the needs of the work. It has distributed more than $2,000,000 worth of books, literature and Bibles free to the soldiers. The entertainment bill of the Young Men’s Christian association overseas for the last six months had increased to $400,000 a month in February. In three months after the signing of the armistice It gave 11,181 moving picture presentations, representing an aggregate of 83.085.000 feet Of film. The Young Men’s Christian association has transmitted free of charge for the soldiers up to April 5 of this year 312,316 remittances to the value of $18,627,797.65.