"SECOND TO NONE"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 183, 23 April 1918, Page 3

"SECOND TO NONE"

SALVATION ARMY'S WAR WORK

A SOLDIER'S SPONTANEOUS

TESTIMONIAL

The present crisis in the world-war which lias raged for nearly four years is throwing into high relief the details of organisation behind the lines designed to provide rest-places and recreation for the troops when off duly. In the backward sweep of its lines the British Army, we are told, was forced to abandon some of the buildings and equipment of the societies and associations engaged in this work. And this loss emphasises the need for iucreased contributions" to the many funds which'are used to provide comforts for the soldiers.

At the present time the Red Jersey Committee of 'Citizens is appealing for .fiyids, to bo expended through the warorganisation of the Salvation Army, a body of earnest men and women who are doing wonderful worli for the soldiers, and are not talking about it. The Salvation Army lias never had a publicity 'department. It has never ventured into print to laud itself and its good works. But it has received many thousands •of letters of appreciation, which, if published, would have thrown even inoro light upon this steadfast Army and its splendid work. To take an example, here in Wellington, the following letter written by a soldier who has been in battle many times is well worth reading, if only for its manly spontaneity. It is dated from the Returned Soldiers' Club and addressed to Adjutant Hosking, the officer in charge of the Bed Jersey campaign. It runs:—

"Dear Sir,—l see you are conducting a campaign in Wellington to raise funds in aid of the Salvation Army war work. I called in at the Paddy's Market today, and what struck me was not the number of people in the hall, but {lie number outside. If the people of Wellington knew one-tenth of what your great army of workers are doing for our sons at the front, the largest hall in New Zealand would not hold the people who would flock to your fair. ''I remember one camp in Franco where there were upwards of 25,090. men. There were, dozens of canteens of all sorts, but everyone was closed to New jiSealand soldiers except the one run by the Salvation Army. In that hut a man could get every comfort possible, and if ho had no money he would receive a good hot meal for nothing. ' "I remember going into ono of tho many Army -huts where dozens of hot stoves were going as hard as possible, cooking soup, eggs, and making tea and coffee for the men as they marched in from the .trenches cold and wot, and smothered in mud. No one but a soldier can realise what a hot meal means under these conditions. I believe the Army work among our boys stands out on it's pwn. It is second to none. I know of instances where tho Army workers have gone to all sorts of trouble to help the soldiers going into and out of the trenches. I have known them and met them in. every part of the' battlefield, sharing tho same dangers as the soldiers. "I trust, sir, that your appeal meets with the support it deserves." "Only a soldier knows," it is true, but those who are here at home liavo enough imagination to -realise what help and comfort after battle and at other times means to weary fighters. Anything that the homefolk can do is so small beside what our soldiors, or supermen, aro doing.