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work for the magazine in articles of a general nature。 The fullpage battle pictures； painted from data furnished by those who took actual part； were universally commended and exhausted even the largest editions that could be printed。 A source of continual astonishment was the number of copies of the magazine found among the boys in France； it became the third in the official War Department list of the most desired American periodicals； evidently representing a tie between the boys and their home folks。 But all these 〃war〃 features； while appreciated and desirable； were； after all； but a side…issue to the more practical economic work of the magazine。 It was in this service that the magazine excelled； it was for this reason that the women at home so eagerly bought it； and that it was impossible to supply each month the editions called for by the extraordinary demand。
Considering the difficulties to be surmounted； due to the advance preparation of material； and considering that； at the best； most of its advance information； even by the highest authorities； could only be in the nature of surmise； the comprehensive manner in which The Ladies' Home Journal covered every activity of women during the Great War； will always remain one of the magazine's most noteworthy achievements。 This can be said without reserve here； since the credit is due to no single person； it was the combined； careful work of its entire staff； weighing every step before it was taken； looking as clearly into the future as circumstances made possible； and always seeking the most authoritative sources of information。
Bok merely directed。 Each month； before his magazine went to press； he sought counsel and vision from at least one of three of the highest sources； and upon this guidance； as authoritative as anything could be in times of war when no human vision can actually foretell what the next day will bring forth； he acted。 The result； as one now looks back upon it； was truly amazing； an uncanny timeliness would often color material on publication day。 Of course； much of this was due to the close government co…operation； so generously and painstakingly given。
With the establishment of the various war boards in Washington； Bok received overtures to associate himself exclusively with them and move to the capital。 He sought the best advice and with his own instincts pointing in the same way； he decided that he could give his fullest service by retaining his editorial position and adding to that such activities as his leisure allowed。 He undertook several private commissions for the United States Government； and then he was elected vice…president of the Philadelphia Belgian Relief Commission。
With the Belgian consul…general for the United States； Mr。 Paul Hagemans； as the president of the Commission； and guided by his intimate knowledge of the Belgian people； Bok selected a committee of the ablest buyers and merchants in the special lines of foods which he would have to handle。 The Commission raised hundreds of thousands of dollars； with which it purchased foods and chartered ships。 The quantities of food ran into prodigious figures； Bok felt that he was feeding the world； and yet when the holds of the ships began to take in the thousands of crates of canned goods； the bags of peas and beans； and the endless tins of condensed milk； it was amazing how the piled…up boxes melted from the piers and the ship…holds yawned for more。 Flour was sent in seemingly endless hundreds of barrels。
Each line of goods was bought by a specialist on the Committee at the lowest quantity prices； and the result was that the succession of ships leaving the port of Philadelphia was a credit to the generosity of the people of the city and the commonwealth。 The Commission delegated one of its members to go to Belgium and personally see that the food actually reached the needy Belgian people。
In September； 1917； word was received from John R。 Mott that Bok had been appointed State chairman for the Y。 M。 C。 A。 War Work Council for Pennsylvania； that a country…wide campaign for twenty…five million dollars would be launched six weeks hence； and that Pennsylvania's quota was three millions of dollars。 He was to set up an organization throughout the State； conduct the drive from Philadelphia； speak at various centres in Pennsylvania； and secure the allocated quota。 Bok knew little or nothing about the work of the Y。 M。 C。 A。； he accordingly went to New York headquarters and familiarized himself with the work being done and proposed； and then began to set up his State machinery。 The drive came off as scheduled； Pennsylvania doubled its quota； subscribing six instead of three millions of dollars； and of this was collected five million eight hundred and twenty…nine thousand dollarsalmost one hundred per cent。
Bok； who was now put on the National War Work Council of the Y。 M。 C。 A。 at New York； was asked to take part in the creation of the machinery necessary for the gigantic piece of work that the organization had been called upon by the President of the United States to do。 It was a herculean task； practically impossible with any large degree of efficiency in view of the almost insurmountable obstacles to be contended with。 But step by step the imperfect machinery was set up； and it began to function in the home camps。 Then the overseas work was introduced by the first troops going to France； and the difficulties increased a hundredfold。
But Bok's knowledge of the workings of the government departments at Washington； the war boards； and the other war…work organizations soon convinced him that the Y。 M。 C。 A。 was not the only body； asked to set up an organization almost overnight； that was staggering under its load and falling down as often as it was functioning。
The need for Y。 M。 C。 A。 secretaries overseas and in the camps soon became acute； and Bok was appointed chairman of the Philadelphia Recruiting Committee。 As in the case of his Belgian relief work； he at once surrounded himself with an able committee： this time composed of business and professional men trained in a knowledge of human nature in the large； and of wide acquaintance in the city。 Simultaneously； Bok secured the release of one of the ablest men in the Y。 M。 C。 A。 service in New York； Edward S。 Wilkinson； who became the permanent secretary of the Philadelphia Committee。 Bok organized a separate committee composed of automobile manufacturers to recruit for chauffeurs and mechanicians； another separate committee recruited for physical directors； and later a third committee recruited for women。
The work was difficult because the field of selection was limited。 No men between the military ages could be recruited； the War Boards at Washington had drawn heavily upon the best men of the city； the slightest physical defect barred out a man； on account of the exposure and strain of the Y。 M。 C。 A。 work； the residue was not large。
It was scarcely to be wondered at that so many incompetent secretaries had been passed and sent over to France。 How could it have been otherwise with the restricted selection？ But the Philadelphia Committee was determined； nevertheless； that its men should be of the best； and it decided that to get a hundred men of unquestioned ability would be to do a greater job than to send over two hundred men of indifferent quality。 The Committee felt that enough good men were still in Philadelphia and the vicinity； if they could be pried loose from their business and home anchorages； and that it was rather a question of incessant work than an impossible task。
Bok took large advertising spaces in the Philadelphia newspapers； asking for men of exceptional character to go to France in the service of the Y。 M。 C。 A。； and members of the Committee spoke before the different commercial bodies at their noon luncheons。 The applicants now began to come； and the Committee began its discriminating selection。 Each applicant was carefully questioned by the secretary before he appeared before the Committee； which held sittings twice a week。 Hence of over twenty…five hundred applicants； only three hundred appeared before the Committee； of whom two hundred and fifty…eight were passed and sent overseas。
The Committee's work was exceptionally successful； it soon proved of so excellent a quality as to elicit a cabled request from Paris headquarters to send more men of the Philadelphia type。 The secret of this lay in the sterling personnel of the Committee itself； and its interpretation of the standards required； and so well did it work that when Bok left for the front to be absent from Philadelphia for ten weeks； his Committee； with Thomas W。 Hulme； of the Pennsylvania Railroad； acting as Chairman； did some of its best work。
The after…results； according to the report of the New York headquarters； showed that no Y。 M。 C。 A。 recruiting committee had equalled the work of the Philadelphia committee in that its men； in point of service； had proved one hundred per cent secretaries。 With two exceptions； the entire two hundred and fifty…eight men passed； brought back one hundred per cent records； some of them having been placed in the most important posts abroad and having given the most difficult service。 The work of the ot