The conference enthusiastically endorsed the plan proposed and devised methods to co operate in securing the fund needed in 30 days. Two days later a meeting was held of the International Committee; theproposition was approved, the National War Work Council ap pointed and the first meeting called for 28 April. William Sloane became chairman, Cleveland H. Dodge, treasurer and Dr. John R. Mott, general secretary. George W. Perkins was made chairman of the finance committee; Lucien T. Warner, chairman of the committee on personnel and John Sherman Hoyt, chair man of the committee on activities.
It is well known how much vaster the Amer ican forces became by land, sea and air than was at first anticipated. The Young Men's Christian Association with heroic effort ex panded its services to meet the crisis.
The advantages of this work to the comfort, the morals and the spirit of the troops was so great that requests came from the French gov ernment for a similar service to the French army. Later an urgent appeal was cheerfully responded to from both Russia and Italy. Under American leadership work for French troops was carried on at 1,350 Foyers du soldat and in Italy at 2,000 case del soldato. The British associations in the same manner did an extended work for the British soldiers in England and France. This effort was carried on under the leadership of the National Secre tary, Sir Arthur Yapp, who was knighted by King George as a recognition of this service.
The Canadian associations under their own National Council ministered in an equally thorough manner to the Canadian army; about 700,000 Canadians were enlisted, of whom about 100,000 were sent overseas. This work over seas was in charge of Lieut.-Col. Gerald W. Birks of Montreal and in France under the direction of Maj. Ernest M. Best. This service began in Canada in August 1914 and was car ried on during the entire war. The Young Men's Christian Association of Canada was made a part of the military establishment and the secretaries became officers in much the same manner as chaplains. The first secretary to give up his life was Capt. Harry Whiteman of Quebec, who died from overwork in northern France. The first secretary to receive the British Military Cross was Capt. Frank Guy Armitage.
The work for the American army was di vided into two sections, (1) the home camps; and (2) the work overseas. Overseas, E. C. Carter, who had been national secretary of India, was placed in charge at Paris. The first problem of the War Work Council was to secure funds. To these appeals the citizens of America responded with great liberality. The first request for $3,000.000 met with contribu tions amounting to $5.000,000. So vast did the work become that this amount subscribed in May 1917 was exhausted by October and it became necessary to borrow large sums. A second campaign, of which A. H. Whitford,
general secretary at Buffalo, was director, was inaugurated in November 1917; an appeal was made for $35,000,000 to carry on the war work at home and abroad for one year. This appeal met with a response of $54,000,000. In the mean time other 'agencies beside the Young Men's Christian Association had become enlisted in a large way. As the association had been the pioneer since the Civil War in this form of effort it furnishes the standards and most of the methods undertaken by other agencies. In ac cordance with the desire of the government Commission on Soldier's Activities appointed by the War Department, the various agencies, ex clusive of the Red Cross, which were engaged in promoting welfare work for the army and navy combined their budgets for ajoint campaign for November 1918. The budgets were ap proved by the commission and a total of $170. 000,000 was asked for. Of this sum the allot ment for the Red Triangle work was 58 per cent. Dr. Tohn R. Mott was made director general of this campaign and Mr. C. S. Ward, the originator of the short term campaign method for securing funds, was associated with him. In spite of the excitement incident to the signing of the armistice during the campaign the effort was successful, the subscriptions to /203,000,000—the largest volun tary offering for religious welfare work ever made.
It is impossible to portray here the enormous work done for the troops. Some facts about the activities carried on on the home side of the Atlantic for the year ending 30 April 1919 are as follows (Year Book 1919): Different men served, 4,000,000; number of employed officers, 4,600; funds expended, $30.000.000: number of units, 1,171; attendance at entertain ments, 27,000,000; participants in athletic sports, 2,500,000; lectures given, 39044; attendance at educational classes, 5,404,000 at Bible classes, 2.085,000; at religious meetings, 14,181,000; de cisions for the Christian life, 195,414. A most effective service was also rendered by the local associations throughout the country to soldiers on liberty leave, and a carefully organized work for the men in transit on the troop trains. The problem of personnel was most difficuh; only men beyond military age could be used and the proportion of those interviewed who were qualified and were physically fit to stand the arduous work required was less than one in 10. Short term intensive courses of training cow ering one month were established at the Spring field and Chicago colleges in June 1917 and later at Silver Bay and Blue Ri4e.. In several of the large camps similar courses were coo ducted. the largest at San Antonio. Tex. Approximately 4,000 students received the train ing of the short-term courses. For the nice who were to go overseas, an additional course of one week was conducted by the War Work Council at Columbia University.