592 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



French woods long after the sun had gone down. 



The men of the Y. M. C. A. are worthy of such 

 unselfish assistance, for they are working night and day 

 to perform the deeds of service and of helpfulness which 

 are making the lives of the American soldiers and sailors 

 so much happier. Without any more thought for their 

 own safety than the soldier displays they disregard danger 

 from shot and shell in order that they may be near 

 "the boys." In their little shelters right up close to the 

 firing line they pass out hot coffee and cakes of chocolate 

 and give the final word of cheer to the fighters just he- 

 fore they go "over the top." They are there to help 

 them and welcome them when they return wounded from 

 the trenches or the charge. They give them food and 

 drink, help to furnish first aid, often giving up their 

 own beds in order that some soldier who needs rest may 

 lie down and get a little nap. 



The danger to which they are constantly exposed and 

 the nature of the work they are doing is best shown by 

 the fact that a large percentage of the "Y" men close to 

 the front are hit by flying shells and wounded or killed. 

 These soldiers of good cheer are brave men, worthy of 

 the nation's highest praise, encouragement and support. 

 But wherever these workers are, at home, in the camps, 

 in the ports where the American troops land, in the dis- 

 tributing centers in France or in shelters close to the 

 jumping off place into "No Man's Land," they are doing 

 a service which in the opinion of army officers and 

 laymen alike is of the most vital character in help- 

 ing to maintain the efficiency, both physical and men- 

 tal, of the men who are fighting the battles of de- 

 mocracy. 



There are approximately 2,500 American Y." M. C. A. 

 workers, about 300 of them women, now serving Ameri- 

 can and French soldiers in almost 1,200 different cen- 

 ters throughout France. The familiar Red Triangle 

 holds out its inviting sign to all alike ; and no group of 

 soldiers when looking for a place of rest or amusement, 

 has to seek far afield. These havens dot the landscape, 



shining out amid the hell-like night blaze of battle "like 

 good deeds in a naughty world." 



There is scarcely a comfort, except that of actual 

 home, which the "Y" does not supply to Uncle Sam's 

 fighting men. Moving pictures and lectures, school fa- 

 cilities and books, writing rooms and athletic outfits, 

 pianos and phonographs, games and tobacco cutters 

 these and innumerable other things are among the out- 

 ward signs of home surroundings which the organiza- 

 tion provides for the soldiers. 



One of the biggest phases of its work is the handling 

 of the six hundred post exchanges of the American 

 Expeditionary Forces. The total sales at these exchanges 

 are expected to amount to $75,000,000 a year. Every 

 month from three to four thousand tons of post ex- 

 change supplies go from America to France, while addi- 

 tional supplies are purchased in England and France. 

 Eight factories have been taken over in France by the 

 Y. M. C. A. to fill the needs. Five of these factories are 

 for the making of chocolate, of which the American 

 troops eat 920,000 pounds a month, while the other three 

 make biscuits and cookies. 



In a single order recently the Y. M. C. A. bought 

 1,337 tons 0I tobacco of all kinds, chewing tobacco being 

 purchased by the half-dozen carloads. At one time there 

 was a single shipment of 900,000 cigars on the seas 

 for the post exchanges. 



In times of emergency large quantities of these sup- 

 plies are given to the men. The post exchange enterprise 

 is not a money-making one but the effort is to have it 

 self-supporting. All goods sold at any time by the Red 

 Triangle are handled through the post exchanges. All of 

 the other vast facilities furnished by the Association are 

 free. Approximately one million sheets of writing paper 

 are given to the men every day. A fleet of about two 

 hundred trucks and automobiles are maintained to trans- 

 port pianos, books, stereopticons and other articles needed 

 in the "Huts" so that none of them may be lacking even 

 for a day in many of the requisites to the comfort and 

 welfare of the American soldier. 



'FOLLOW WASHINGTON TO THE END' 



TN CONCLUDING a patriotic and most impressive 

 * address before the recent convention of the Southern 

 Pine Association at New Orleans, Mr. John H. Kirby 

 said : "It is our duty as Americans, as true-blue Amer- 

 icans and men, to get behind Washington in our program, 

 whether we think it right or wrong. 



"Our boys this very minute, over yonder, millions of 

 American boys are 'going over the top' and offering 

 themselves as willing sacrifices upon the altar of Liberty, 

 to the end that the blessings of peace and the spirit of 

 Democracy and Liberty may descend to our posterity. 

 Let us not falter, let us go forward whatever may be 

 the sacrifice and hold up their hands. Let us go for- 

 ward as one man and co-operate with whatever plans 

 Washington may formulate, not only for our industry 

 but for all other industries. Let there be no "slackers' 

 among us, whether we approve or disapprove of the 



plans that are formulated in Washington. Let us bear 

 in mind that fathers in this country have given their 

 sons to this great cause ; that mothers have kissed their 

 boys in khaki farewell, not knowing but that it was for 

 eternity ; that brave young wives have placed the sword 

 in the hands of their husbands, and bid them 'Charge.' 

 For God's sake, can we falter? Civilization is in the 

 balance, Humanity is in the balance, Liberty is in the 

 balance. Whatever Washington's plans may be to get 

 men and send them over, provide for them, transport 

 them ; whatever bans they may put on industry, or what- 

 ever orders they may give out, let us obey. Let us say 

 to Washington, as true-blue Americans, whether we 

 think they are right or wrong, we know that the more 

 men they send, the fewer we will lose, let us say to 

 Washington : 'Win this fight, win it quick, and we will 

 follow you to the end, just point the way." 



