Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-09-12
HOW CAN / AID
SANTA'S SHIP?:''
This Is the Question Many Rock
Island Children Are
Asking.
SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED
Clubs Are Being Formed or Existing
Organizations Are Taking
Up the Work.
What may | do?"


and girls who want to help load the
Christmas ship that is to be sent by
the children of America to the children
of Europe's blood-drenched fields.
Those children that now have but one
parent-their mother-and it is feared
there will be many left orphans before
Christmas.
To lose ones father; Here and there
throughout our city is boy or girl, a
woman and man grown, who knows
exactly what it means. And he has
very keen recollections of the first
Christmas passed without the presence
of his funloving, big boy father. Yes,
indeed, it will be sad day for Euro
pean children, even with the gifts we
pile upon them. There are emotions
that cannot be understood until ex-
perienced. A lady who knows The
Argus said it was a good deal like
sending flowers to a funeral. There
are families who do not want flowers
at such a time and this lady had that
idea. AS the branches of flowers
came, showering fragrance within the
closed room wherein her brother lay
dead, a light diffused with them and
as she read the attached cards she
found herself thinking. Yes, they un-
derstand, they lost their brother" and,
His father died a year ago" Each
flower bore mute sympathy and
brought its message so plainly. I'VE,
too, have suffered and understand" 1t
helps. The kindly heart clasp Thus
the children of Rock Island can make
of Christmas 1914 time of understand
[ f,,r, l1,fl
dren of America can say in the
hearts language. I'VE sympathize; we
want to leave a message of love to
you and yours in these Christmas
tokens"
Chicago Children Prompt.
1t is very lovely to see how the chill
dren of Chicago are rushing to the aid
of the Herald, sending in promises
and telling of what they are doing.
The grown-ups, too. from all over are
sending letters of encouragement and
asking for advice.
A woman is sending the toys of her
dead child. Surely halo goes with
that gift. That is real sacrifice. The
mother who climbs the steps to the
attic and opens the lid of a trunk
where certain little trinkets, soft little
garments lie. fondled and wept over
whenever life's way grows so full of
problems ones heart is breaking, can
understand its import.
What an opportunity this gives to
the women whose arms are childleSs.
To fashion the clothes so much needed
and of which their adept fingers are so
capable. Just wait, and see what l
am going to send to my Europe baby"
ore such said to The Argus. And
here's a funny state of affairs. The
chief of firemen at one station told a
Chicago reporter, my men know how
to knit and do all kinds of fancy work
Sure we'll have some gifts for the
kiddies'' At this distance it's hard to
tell if he was joking about the knitting
part, but there's no reason why the
fire laddies couldn't be in at the max
ing of a gift. A reporter for The
Argus is going to find out if such tai
ent is here, so get OUT your knitting
needles.
The Des Moines Capital has an or
ganization of children numbering 500.
called THE Happy Tribe" and the
Capital. like The Argus, is one of the
the big undertaking. 1t has sent out
call to its tribe and something doing
will be the order.
Suggests a Name.
Is there a Cats Paw club in Rock
Island? There's name for your
Christmas ship club, girls. The Argus
saw it in one of the newspapers. The
girls of that club are making com
forter, and it's JUS beginning, said
the secretary Those nice soft Angora
paws. Such a comfort. Hurry up and
grab that name.
So you see, children dear, what a
stampede the Christmas ship is caus-
ing. Write letter to The Argus tell
ing what you will try to do and it may
be inspirational for some other boy or
girl and thusly the tribe will increase.
Here is list of the newspapers that
are representing the boys and girls
al you'll find The Argus among tn
letter RS:
Atlanta Constitution
Birmingham (Ala.) News.
Beloit (Wis.) Free Press.
Cedar Rapids Qowa) Republican.
Corona On. Y,) Queens Chronicle.
DeS MONIES capital
Dixon (Ill) Telegraph.
Decatur Qll) Herald.
Detroit Times.
Fairmont (Mfnn.) Sentinel.
Franklin Grove OlI.) Reporter.
Hannibal (Mo) Journal.
Kansas City Star tTimes).
Louisville Courier-Journel.
Lumber World Review.
Los Angeles Herald.
La Crosse (Wis.) Tribune.
Minneapolis Tribune.
Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Murphysboro Qll) Independent.
New York World.
New Orleans Item.
Omaha Bee
Usage Qowa) News.
Pittsburgh Leader.
Pittsburgh Post