The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-30
Davis Tells How Even the Humblest Is Permitted to Do Something for the Country
APPEALS CAN TOUCH EVEN THE HEARTSOF
 FAR-OFF AMERICANS
Work of Little Cash Girls in Stores Is Made Subject of Great Salon Among Art Treasures
By RICHARD HARDING DAVIS.

Paris. January 15.-(special Correspon- dence. )-In the United States. owing to the war, many have grown suddenly
 rich, those already wealthy are increas- ing their fortunes. Here in France the
 war has robbed everyone; the rich are
 less rich, the poor more destitute Every franc anyone can spare is given to the
 government, to the Bank of France. to
 fight the enemy and to help preserve
 the country.
 The calls made upon the purses of the
 people never cease. and each appeal Is so
 worthy that it cannot be denied. In con-
 sequence, than when the war began, there
 is not so much money for charity. Peo-
 ple are not less willing, but have less
 to give.
 So, in order to obtain money, those
 who ask must appeal to the imagination. must show why the cause for which they
 plead is the most pressing. Instead of asking bluntly. as in the early days of
 the war for lump sum for the wound-
 ed, for the men in the trenches, they
 now specialize. They advertise just which
 men will benefit, and in what way;
 whether in blankets, gloves, cigarettes,
 masks or leaves of absence.
 Those in charge of the charity and re- lief organizations have learned that those with money to give like to pick and choose. A tale of suffering that appeals to one, leaves another cold One gives | less for the wounded because he thinks | those injured in battle are wards of the state and from the state should receive relief. rewards and pensions But for children orphaned by the war he will give largely So the petitioners dress their shop-windows
 To the charitably disposed, and over
 here that means every Frenchman, they
 offer bargains They have white sales,
 "rummage sales" fire sales" As at
 our expositons we have special days
 named after the different states, they
 have special days for the Belgians. Poles.
 Serbs. For these days they prepare long in advance. Their approach is heralded' advertised. All Paris, or it may be he whole of France knows they are coming. Christmas day and the day after were
 devoted exclusively to the men in the trenches, to obtain money to bring them home on leave. Those days were les
 iournees du poilu The services of the
 best black and white artists in France were communicated. For advertising
 purposes they designed the most appeal ing posters.
 Unlike those issued by our suffragetteS calling attention to the importance of November g. they gave some idea of what was wanted. They did not show Burne Jones young women blowing trumpets, or those who might have stepped from the front page of Vogue They were not symboical or allegorical they were lhomely, pathetic, humorous, human They were aimed straight at the heart and pocketbook They showed the poilu re- turning home on leave, and on surprising his wife or his sweetheart with her hands helpless in the washtub, kissing her on the back of the neck.
 In the corner the dog danced on his hind legs barking joyfully They showed the men in the trenches. and while one stood at the periscopes the other opened their Christmas boxes; they showed (Continued Page Three)