The Ordway new era., 1916-07-14
CLEAN UP, PAINT UP!
An editorial By BRUCE BARTON
in n"Eyery Week."

- t1Af T. III uuluu tWO lOWHS. EuIcT-
ing one, the railroad runs between
two rows of dirty back yards filled
with tin cans and rubbish. Entering
the other, it passes houses neatly
painted, back yards with flowers in
them, and streets swept clean.
These two towns had the same pop
ulation five years ago. But recently
two new factories have moved to one
OF them; real estate values have ad-
vanced; new houses are being built;
everybody is prosperous and happy.
And the residents of the other town
cannot understand their bad luck"
A real Clean Up and Paint Up"
campaign would have taken the bad
luck town out of it's rut.
This year more than 5000 cities
and towns in the United States are
conducting "Clean Up and Paint Up
campaigns.
Many men and women go through
life without ever doing anything for
their community. Clean Up and
Paint Up offers you your chance.
The greatest miracles of modern
times have been performed with bon
fires, drain pipes, soap and paint.
The Philippines have been made a
healthier place to live in than the
average American town. Typhoid has
been stamped out of Serbia. The
Panama Canal zone has been trans
formed from dismal unhealthy
swamp to a wholesome place for
homes.
Last year Cleveland, in its "Clean
Up and Paint Up campaign, disposed
of refuse suffi cient to fill train three
and one-half miles long.
Another middle western town gath
cred its boys together, and, by offer
ing a reward for each 100 tin cans,
abolished it's unsightly back yards
in a single day.
There is no better test of the civil
lization of a community than this:
How much paint does it use?"
A wise man said that.
1t is not given to you to found
religion or make a great invention or
discover a new continent
But you can make your town
cleaner, better place to live in. And
by SO doing you give little push to
the chariot Of civilization.
NINCE Hercules diverted the river
s. t2 renovate the Augean stables
"Clean Up" has had its place in
the worlds vernacular. With Spring
the desire to refurbish comes sub
consciously into the hearts of men
and women. and communities. But
without direction and sustained effort
the expression of that desire. in the
form of the ordinary Clean UP Day
or Week." is apt to result in super
fetal sally against filth.
Years ago Allen w. Clark, a St. Louis
editor. made up his mind that this
natural "Clean Up" instinct could be
turned to account, that it could be
developed into real campaign work
ing toward definite ideals and accom-
plishing permanent results. And so,
in May 1912. Mr.. Clark founded the
National "Clean Up and Paint Up
Campaign Bureau, with headquarters
In St, Louis. He hoped that thor
ough-going movement, national In its
scope and practical in its principles,
might take the place of the annual
bath" idea as expressed in the old-time
clean up day" or week"
A National Civic Movement.
For four years the scope of the Ma
tional Bureaus service has rapidly ex-
tended until this year it is co-operat-
ing with more than 5000 local COM
munities in the organization and di-
rection of real "Clean Up and Paint
Up" campaigns, not days" or
Coptipupus camDaiPnS for
homes and hometowns beautiful, sani-
tary and safe, conducted by permanent
committees, and involving the coop
Grafton of city and town officials, club
women, commercial organizations, the
children, fire prevention interests, all
business men and property owners,
is the goal aimed at by all OF the
National Bureaus propaganda.
Mr.. Clark declares that the bane OF
any community is the citizen who
lacks even a semblance Of interest in
the community, and that, strange as
it may seem in a democracy, absence
of this interest seems to be pretty gen.
orally prevalent in the average Ameri-
can community. Such citizen would
have "The Town" or 1.-THE City," what
ever those names may signify when
the body of citizens is eliminated,
keep the streets and alleys clean, pre-
serve the public and individual health,
eliminate nuisances, make everything
in town spick and span and satisfac-
tory-while the citizen sits back and
looks on.
The real "Clean Up and Paint Up"
campaign, organized on the plans of
the National Bureau, gives everyone
something definite to do to help make
their hometown beautiful, sanitary
and safe. And the campaigns edu-