The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-26
TO BRING
FATHER CLOSER
PROCLAMATION BY MAYOR OF
CLEVELAND SUGGESTED AS
WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION
AND EMoLUMENT-APPEAL TO
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF 500 CITIES

A plan to bring father and sons in
closer relationship and to
a bond of fellowship between them
during the hours Of business relaxa-
ton, is suggested in a communication
received by President Emery from
prominent men of Cleveland. where
the father and sons movement has its
inception, and 500 similar letters are
being sent to different chief executives
Of cities.
Dear Old Dad is the title O ia IA
mll1ar song to many, and the appella-
ton Dad" rather than smacking of
d~lsrespect, is intended with most of
the young me as a term Of endear-
ment, and the young men Of today re-
Ter to Dad" as to a chum and pal
for it is admittedly a fact that this
~companionship Of fathers and sons
1s growing and becoming dearer. as
the boys take positions of trust ear
Her In life, perhaps, than in former
years, n find that the advice of
their father Is worth more to them
than they can estimate.
On New Years day and thro,leh-
u the succeeding days, it is urged bv
those back of the Father and sons
movement, that fathers and sons give
expression to this inherent desire for
companlonshtp, counsel and advice re-
gardlng their mutual problems. and
the mayo of Cleveland will soon is
u he following proclamation, which
Mayor Murphy considers worthy Of
consideration.
The Proclamation.
ust does not require Of the
mayor a proclamation with regard to
New Years day. but at the beginning
OF he new year 1t seems
tnat our attention should be directed
with special force to those simple re-
lat1onshtps' n virtues upon which
the s~oundness Of all social organiza~
ton must depend. In our Intricate
industrial and commercial organizao
tion the importance of the factory and
the workshop, the hours of labor and
the daily wage, become Of such nress"
ing concern as to ~overshadow fine
more fundamental and primary reIao
ton of. life. ~
"A wholesome society rests unon O.
sound family relation, and neither
nor hours Of labor, nor the cost
OF !tVlng, can long matter much I'M
Tess those who are to work and are to
!lVe nave sympathy n honor and
iove In their privatel ives making
them worthy as citizens. In CITY life
especially the family tends to be scat
tered by divergent interests. and one
great agency for combating the nero
lis Of city life must be a strenetheninp
OF the family relation. We must draw
father and son closer together in thai
hours Of relaxation. and provide
amusement for the daughter and the
mother o a common and whole
some source.
L therefore, take great pleasure in
responding to the invitation of those
who have interested themselves in the
Father and Sons movement and point
ing out to the people of Cleveland the
social value and high consequences for
sound morality involved in their M
dertaking. The very quality of faith
rnood and >sonship is such that both
inspiration and restraint flow from
each to the other, and II we can as q,
city people begin the new year with
the resolve that our sons shall he
more u companions and our fathers
more our comrades 1t will add coil to
n sweetness Of our private life and
to the value of our citizenship.
(Signed) Newton D. Baker.
Mayor"