The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-11-12
TO ABOLISH USELESS
CHRISTMAS GIVING
This Is Rerort Made by President
Made Last Night by Mrs.
August Belmont
(By Associated Press.)


| New York, Nov. IA country
wide appeal for the abolition of TIT
useless Christmas gift and a plea fol
intelligent and thoughtful giving In
stead were voiced last nieht by Mrs
AUGUST Belmont, president of thu
S3u"s, at the opening meeting of tht
1915 campaign to be waced by thai
organization against insincerity
comrulsion and waste in Christina.
| giving.
1T this meeting the membership
rolls of the Spurs-the Society fol
i the Prevention of Useless Giving
! were thrown open to all residents OF
the United States who mi"ht want tc
enroll AGAINST the foolish Christmas
"ift' Having grown from a hand ul
to more than 5000 within few
weeks during the last Christmas sea
son. the Spues have outlined for this
year national campaign and hope
to establish societies In all cities and
towns throughout the country.
Mrs. j. Pordon Hartman presid-
ed at last nights meeting. District
Attorney Whitman. newly enrolled
as member, and Francis Crownin-
shield delivered addresses. Mrs. Bel
mont was the orator of the evening.
The original purpose of the society.
she said, was to prevent compulsory
giving by girls in stores and fac
tories to their employers. the custom
of collective giving which the girls
felt they could not afford but which
they could not avoid without embar
rassment and possible loss of their
positions. This was one OF the chief
objects Of the society, she added, but
not the only one. Another prime
attainment sou"ht, she said. was
general cultivation. by all classes Of
eivers, of more thoughtfulness and
expression. We do a"Hr0yo o' il
when it is for the man lower down
instead of for the man hioher up.
1--WE do not disapprove of collec-
tive giving when 1t Is done on the
spur of the moment" she said, cor
for some particular cause, because
then 1t means that you have collect
ed sense Of human fellowship Of
which the money collected is but an
expression. We do not approve of II
for the man lower down instead of
for the man HIGHER up.
"Some persons think that we on
pose giving. Far from It; we do
not oppose giving, but we advocate T,
Piving-eivlng that Is
done with the Christmas spirit OF
good will as DISTINGUISHED from CIV
ing that Is compulsory, from fear or
with the hope of obtaining reward
that reward be the favor of !
the man higher up or advancement.
The world at large should put more |
Of the Christmas spirit into giving.
Christmas should be a time for ev-
cry person to do his or her share.
"Some folks say to us. OF course
YOU want to promote useful giving
The word useful has many chances
of meaning. Usually when one
thinks Of useful present. 1t Is
present decidedly mIddle-class or
commonplace. So we do not attemDt
10 promote useful giving in the com.
monty accepted definition OF that
word. The thing we are really ont
10 do is to abolish something. We
'eel that when we have done that
here will follow rood sense In civ
M and that everybody will be prof
ted thereby.
1--WE rroYose to decrease the cost
" the riet and increase the GOOD
will: to nate the he'rt Of Father
Christmas reio'ce by little acts Of
,indress, unsplrshnees, bv puttine
houoht into the Pift we sent our
'e1r ones. Give Penorouslv; but
rom your heart. with all your
hourht. non't make a business Of
'ivin~. mako II an art. Font waste
vhpt sNo"ld Re season of good will
RELY given"