John R. Mott to Woodrow Wilson

Detroit, Michigan

Mr. President

Saturday, on my return from Virginia, I found awaiting me your most kind letter of April 25th, expressing your appreciation of the service rendered by the Young Men's Christian Association to the enlisted men in the past and also of the larger plans which we are now projecting. This letter was presented by me at the first meeting of the War Work Council, held in New York that day, where we had present leading laymen from all parts of the country. The letter was received with the deepest satisfaction.Mr. Fosdick has reported to me, on behalf of the Secretary of War, that you have signed an Executive Order covering the request I presented for an order recognizing the place and work of the Association in the training camps. This will greatly facilitate the work to be accomplished and is profoundly appreciated. He also said that the Secretary of War had referred back to you my remaining request, namely, that an Executive Order might be issued defining the status of regularly accredited Association secretaries at work among American enlisted men or in the armies and prisoner-of -war camps of Europe. I assume that the memorandum which I left on that subject was returned to you by the Secretary of War. I was sincerely grateful for the sympathetic way in which you received this request and assure you that such an order from you will be of the greatest possible help. I need not reassure you that we shall use all vigilance and firmness to see that it is not abused.

Very sincerely yours,
John R. Mott


The President,
The White House,
Washington, DC