The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-04-15
Everybody Get
Behind the Broom,

MORE than 5000 cities and towns
AVA will this year participate in
opening weeks" in the National Clean
Up and Paint Up" campaign, accord.
ing to Allen w. Clark, chairman of the
National "Clean Up and Paint Up
Campaign Bureau, st. Louis. Many Of
these committees, Clark declares, are
thus breaking away from the old
established clean up" or annual
bath" idea and are striving to make
their improvement programs continu-
GUS performances
Files in the bureaus offices, which
indicate that the organization has in
reality become national clearing
house for the dissemination of com.
munity betterment ideas, show that
last year more than 1000 cities and
towns made an effort to "clean up and
paint up" This year." commented
Chairman Clark, 1T looks as though
we would cooperate with more than
5000 communities, in each of which
some live civic leader is trying to i'm.
prove living conditions. Though a
majority of these campaigns will start
with an opening week. a definite
program of activity, we know that the
bureaus success has been chiefly due
to the fact that we try to get away
from the old-fashioned annual clean
up idea that has become odious to
many civic leaders and an annual joke
in many cities. The plans of the
bureau call for continuous campaigns
that bring permanent results and help
form worth while civic habits"
The Work to Be Done.
The work of the bureau this year is
more comprehensive than ever before.
Everything that will beautify, pre-
serve, improve sanitation, reduce fire
risks, and better health conditions has
been carefully provided for. Among
the things which local Clean Up and
Paint Up" campaigners are doing this
year are: Cleaning the streets and
alleys, front yards, back yards, cellars,
stables, atticks; the removal of ashes
and rubbish; cleaning up vacant lots
Of rubbish and weeds; eliminating
breeding places of flies and mosQui.
toes; planting and care of trees,
hedges and flowers; and the liberal
use of paint on everything that
needs it.
1t is this constructive, permanent
nature of the Improvements effected
that has won the endorsement of
national leaders in every branch OF
civic uplift work. Among those serv
ing this year on the National Bureaus
advisory committee are:
Mrs. Clarence Baxter, Kirksville
Mo-, chairman of the Women's Com
mittee, and also vice chairman of the
civics department of the General Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs, and chair
man of the civic and health depart
ment of the Missouri Federation OF
Women's Clubs. DR.. S. J. Crumbine
Topeka, Kan, president of the Asso
citation of State and Province Health
Officers of North America. H. s. But
tenheim, New York, editor of "The
American City" Clinton r. Wood
ruff, Philadelphia, secretary Nationa!
Municipal League and editor of the
National Municipal Review" Mrs
Philip North Moore, st. Louis, ex-presi
dent National Federation of Women's
Clubs. William Woodhead, San Fran
cisco, president of the Associated
Advertising Clubs of the World. p S
Ridsdale, Washington, D. c., executive
secretary American Forestry Associa
ton. Richard B. Watrous, Washing
ton, u. c., secretary American Civic
Association.
Paint and elf-Respect.
The one most important factor ir
spreading the gospel of cleanliness
thrift and civic pride, which the
Bureau is trying to do, is the work
Of newspaper editors throughout the
country, asserts Chairman Clark. Fol-
instance, here is what Paul Brown
editor of The st. Louis Republic, has
to say Of the movement:
thousands Of American cities an6
towns have taken up the National
Clean Up and Paint Up campaign
that originated in st. Louis three sea
sons ago. It has been Endorsed by
thousands of civic, commercial and
women's organizations all over the
nation. The cities that have made
themselves a part of the movement
are cleaner and better cities because
of it. The Republic aided in launch
ing the initial campaign and is glad
to know that the Federation OF
Women's Clubs is planning general
st. Louis campaign for this spring
This will aid in making st. Louis the
Healthiest City, for paint Is the great
preservative and powerful aid in
sanitation. Add to beauty and economy
the fact that paint has a sanitary
value, and the arguments apply with
added force to the big cities. Nat.
urally the paint dealer profits by such