New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-01
This Is Boozers' Day.
Tell the Booze Goodby and Come In
We Will Help You

The old man was q boozer-had been
a boozer so long that H. could hardly
realize he had ever been anything else.
But the sign said; I'VE will help
you!"
lie suddenly remembered something
he hadn't thought of in a long time
how he had stood with bowed head be
fore the altar of a London church,
while the Bishop Of London said the
words that made him a minister OF the
established Church Of England.
But that was forty years ago
lie went inside, walking down a
long hallway until he came TO door
on which was printed Memorial Hall.
He opened the door and stepped into a
large room where five hundred men
and women. most of them as tattered
and fororn and hungry as himself sat
in comfortable chairs, where men IN
uniform stood on platform singing
hymns. where a band was playing,
where the Salvation Army was eX-
tending its annual welcome and help
ing hand TO boozers.
Signs Tell Cold Truths
The old man stood in the doorway
for a moment. Finally he stumbled
forward and sat down on chair IN the
rear Of the big room. Everywhere he
looked he saw signs:
Booze has robbed YOU OF all thaS
is good -,
YOUR back. the JOY from YOUR
heart!'
He suddenly thought of his mother.
Of the vows he had made when he be-
Of ha tryffn "a an
borne with him for many years. and
then died lie WINGED every time he
saw a sign, and he saw them every
where. all of them damning him.
On the platform the men in uniform
began TO sing Lead, Kindly Light.
His mother had sung that, and
his wife. and it had been sung IN his
church in England.
He suddenly began TO cry, just as
other old men all about him were cry
ing. lie looked at the floor. and not
at the signs on the walls, just as other
old men all about him were looking at
the floor.
The band suddenly quit playing, and
the men i'm uniform were silent. one
of them rose and walked TO the edge
of the platform. This man was Colo
mel w. A. Mcintyre, who conceived the
plan Of making Thanksgiving Day a
Boozers' Day.
81 am glad TO see YOU" said Colonel
Mcintyre. eve picked you up in the
cutters and from the benches and on
the Bowery and brought YOU here. We
want 10 help you because II is our
duty TO help you. We want to help you
helm Yourselves. II you want us TO help
YOU we will give you food and shelter
tonight and tomorrow we will get
YOU work. And if you are not able
TO work VIC will take care OF you until
YOU are able to work. We Will give
YOU friends, for every man has friends
il he will only take them. You are
not friendless! How many of you are
going to come down here in front and
sit in these chairs and tell US you want
US to help you help yourselves"
lie Leads the Way
Nobody moved for an instant.
Then the old man who had been
preacher got up, twisted his ragged
hat in his hands and said:
81 want to try. I'm old and don't
know whether | can make It, b. !
want to try, Ill want friend. "
Gone down here" cried Colonel
Mcintyre. 81 am your friend, and every
man behind me here is your friend!
So the old man stumbled down the
aisle. The band began to play, and
everybody ell over the house sang
Hear Me While / Pray" and IN every
part OF the room old men, and old
women, too, who had been nothing