Arizona republican., 1915-01-29
The Mouth of the Gift Horse

The Republican has deprecated gifts in the name O the American Teope to the people. of any of the warning nations of Europe except Belgium, which was in nowise to blame for the war and where suffering is extreme. There also be .uffering in Germany France England. Russia and Austria. But those nations all elected to go to war and should have taken into account all the consequences of the It was forced upon none of them Notwithstanding alliances and ententes, in which the people had no part. none of them should have entered the conflict unless it had reason to believe that could for it's people, which is the supreme duty of gov ernment
 Yet in this country societies have been formed for the relief of French -combatants, British non-combatants and French and British soldiers in the field in the matter of clothing ana comfort that in more pleasureabIe surroundings they may he enabled to kill their enemies. In these move ments many eminent Americans taking part in Violation of the spirit of neutrality.
 But especially foolish though we'll -meant, the movement for the relief" of English suffer CTS" the foolish in view of the difficulties the British military authorities were having in secur ing enlistments and in dstTacting the attention of the wealthy classes from cricket, golf, tennis ard lap dogs. The Jason" santa Claus" ship fitted with a cargo, described by the Northamp ton Independent, a copy of which (. subscriber of The Republican has sent this paper
 Here follows the English papers remarks upon what it calls An Amazing American Agglomerl- tion:"
 Quite little Christmas comedy transpred tue town hall night this week. A number of our leading ladies and gentlemen, including the mayor and mayorcss and Sir Henry Randall met to decide the distribution of the precious gifts which our American cousins in their brmmng benevoence, had sent over In the good ship Jason. The hearts of people in both continents had been thrilled With joy at the newspaper descriptions of the wonderful argosy of and other gifts which this santa Claus" ship bringing to shores for the families of our gallant soldiers and sailors Never had such floating fairyland been heard Of before. Visions of the joy that would radiate from these gifts in the thousands of patriotic households privileged these presents and it was felt that this toachmg proof O American sympathy would do than the purchase of Sulgrave Manor to Anglo American sympathes. Feelings such as these filled the eXpectant minds of the Northampton commit tee called to open and deal with Northampton's share in this argosl, which, after much telegraph ing 10 the local government board. had al last lived, for doth not expectation make blessing dcerer still" Alas, it is also that
 loft expectation fails and most oft there
 Where most 1t promises"
 When the precious packages be opened terrible shock was experienced. The first article a frowsy skirt which d servant would scorn to wear. other articles of clothing. which might have come out of Peticoat Lane
 
 deeper more surprises forthcoming-lilapid dolls, hats, little bags of monkey nuts cotton derclothng and ramshacke collection of cheap toys. many of which fit only for the ash box Never has there been ruder disiusionment Worst of all the discoveries little packets Of common soap Fancy insulting the patriotic houssholds of Northampton with half penny worths of soap I pity any distributors who made the attempt They would run the risk of needing the soap remove the consequences from their own persons The problem now ls what snail be done with the bulk of the articles for they would disgrace even a tumble sale. Why earth such a lot of rubbish should be sent over passes ones comprehension, unless that the has left with nothing to wear and no money to buy soap. One well imagine how the delight of the Northampton committee quickly turned into dismay--Wlich was intensified by reasor of tho fact that the promise of these articles had prevented the committee from making arrange ments for supplying each household by their own efforts They required thousand articles for each home to, be fully served, instead of which they found $50 mostly worthless Happily tho santa Claus" fund already started by the mayoress has resulted in a good collection toys locally or the disappointment would have been deeper still IL Is to be hoped that other towns have fared bet ter than Northampton out of .he much boomed benevoence of our American cousins The spiri. prompting the gifts all very we'll but sub stance provoked comments which will draw merciful veil
 We have only to say that do know which was in the taste the spirit which moved the ontfitting and the sailing of the Jason the English expression of "appreeation'