Y.M.C.A. WORK IN EGYPT AND THE DARDANELLES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1520, 9 March 1916, Page 4

Y.M.C.A. WORK IN EGYPT AND THE DARDANELLES.

The following is an interesting communication from the Cairo correspondent of the Y.M.C.A., received in New Zealand, of the work of that Association amongst the troops in the Near East: — Far from home and friends, cut off from family ties and influences, with insufficient money to enable them to frequent the better-class resorts, amid surroundings which were entirely novel to most of them, and which not unnaturally whetted their curiosity • and tempted exploration, the men were at the mercy not only of the temptations that were, dangled before their eyes, but also of the pernicious subterfuges of the low element that unfortunately abounds in the Levant and battens on the innocence and inexperience of its victims. The weak point about the situation was that there was no special organisation to cope with such a large body of men as Egypt was called upon to accommodate.

Realising that something must be done without delay to meet the emergency, and that morally it ought to take its part, the Egyptian branch of the Y.M.C.A., which had carried on its routine work up till then, stepped into the breach, despite the fact that funds were low and an adequate staff was not available. Its aim has been to fill the lacunae in the social organisation of the country, and to counteract its demoralising influence by giving the men sqme place which-they could frequent without restraint, where they could purchase good food and extra comforts at reasonable prices, and where they could find amusement and generally spend their spare time pleasantly. Right loyally and thoroughly has the Association carried out its selfappointed task, and the G.0.C., who has had to introduce many stringent regulations for the protection of the troops from the parasitic element already referred to, admits that in his endeavaur to keep the men out of the clutches of these monsters, and to maintain the morale of his army, he has found the greatest assistance in the activities of the Egyptian branch.

Wherever a camp has been created the Y.M.C.A. has pitched its tent —at first an ordinary canvas one, but later on one made of matting. Each tent is run by a voluntary secretary, usually a University man, who merely looks to the Association for his board and lodging, and who is responsible tor the organisation oi his particular area, At each of these centres the men find material for letter writing, papers to read, games to play; they can get good square meals at ridiculously low prices, and they can use the tent absolutely as their recreation room. Every evening there is

something doing—concerts organised by the secretary, or by private individuals, in which the men take their part ; popular lectures, competitions, boxing matches, etc.

In passing, it is interesting to note that since the Association started operations among the troops here it has distributed 3,500,000 sheets of paper and as many envelopes, and that at the present moment it requires 400,000 sets every month. One wonders how many of these letters would have been written had it not been for the intervention of the Association. Those at home who have loved ones at the front, or have experience in such matters, will be able to realise what an amount of pleasure and happiness these letters from this distance must have brought into thousands of homes in the old country, and what good the maintenance of the link must have done to the writers.

In addition to providing the men with pleasant and congenial resorts, the Association has carried on educational work that is well worthy of record. French and Arabic classes have been organised for those men who wished to make some acquaintance with those tongues, and the knowledge thus acquired has proved most useful to those who profited by them. Moreover, the Association has throughout adopted a most broadminded policy. Its work has been purely interdenominational, as can be seen from the fact that ministers of every creed are allowed to hold services in the tents on Sundays and feast days at hours arranged amongst themselves.

We who are on the spot are, perhaps, best able to judge of the work done, and what is thought of the Association’s enterprise can be gnaged from the fact that the Anglo-Egyptian colony is cooperating cordially. The lectures that are periodically given are delivered by prominent officials; the language classes are all held by local English men and women ; at every concert residents come down to assist, and when “a rush” is on the secretaries are reinforced by temporary volur.'e’rs. Whilst, however, this is eloquent of the opinion held locally —■ and the warm acknowledgments of the military authorities, from General Maxwell downwards, and the appeals for help from the C.O’s., attest to the utility of the work—the great test of its success must be the manner in which the men avail themselves of the facilities offered them. Go to any tent on any afternoon, provided it is not a day on which manoeuvres are on, and you will find it full. Watch the end of a parade, or the conclusion of the tea hour, and you will see a long procession of men making for the tent with the familiar letters, “Y.M.C.A.”, outside, where they will spend the rest of the evening. The hum of voices and the contentment that is evident as you walk through is surely the greatest proof that could be required of the men’s appreciation of the efforts that are being made to make them happy.