ays of the
war most of our young male workers joined up; whether we liked it or not
we had to get the help of ladies, and our more enterprising leaders felt
that after all there were some things in Y.M.C.A. hut work ladies could
do almost as well as men. Things have moved since then, and now we know
that much of the work can be done infinitely better by women. In many
cases women have been entrusted with the actual leadership of huts, and
have carried through the duties magnificently. The Red Triangle has
given the woman her niche in the Y.M.C.A., and for the great programme
that awaits us after the war her help will be indispensable. It has,
moreover, given the woman who had home claims an opportunity of doing
war work that really counts, in her spare time. The Queen and Queen
Alexandra have been graciously interested in the work of the ladies of
the Red Triangle, and many of the ladies of the Royal House have
rendered conspicuous personal service, amongst whom might be mentioned
H.R.H. Princess Christian, H.R.H. Princess Louise, H.R.H. Princess
Patricia of Connaught, and H.H. Princess Marie Louise, whilst H.H.
Princess Helena Victoria as Lady President has given time and strength
to the work without reserve, and we owe very much to her. In the camps,
ladies have given the home touch that means so much to the men--games,
music, decorations, and flowers have come within their domain; they have
managed the libraries, and have in most cases taken full responsibility
for the refreshment department. Their personal influence has been
invaluable. We remember visiting a camp somewhere in France. It seemed
to us the roughest camp we had ever seen. The leader told us of an
encounter he had with one of the worst of the men on the occasion of
his first visit to the place. He had just got his tent erected, and the
man chancing to see it asked what it was. When told that it was the
Y.M.C.A., he replied, 'You b---- men are just what we d---- men b----
well want,' and that was the language of the camp. Eighteen months later
we were there again and the camp was like another place, so great was
the change for the better. The C.O. told us he attributed that change
almost entirely to the ladies of the Red Triangle. It so happened that
one of the ladies committed an unpardonable military offence. She
returned to England two or three days before her permit expired. Later
on, application was made in the usual way for the renewal of her permit.