The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-11-29
The Comradeship of A Big idea.

Kenosha is lighting new fire under
the melting pot this week. Marshall
inc her forces under the Kenosha
plan" with the willingness to render
service as the only qualification for
membership she is eradicating the last
resemblance of class in Kenosha and
drawing all men in the city into one
one great company of Comrades for
big idea. !"
The melting pot has been simmering
in Kenosha for wears. We have all
been coming little closer together and
now in the JOY of service to mankind
and service to our own--for every ore
of the boys who marched away under
the flag is :" our own we are learn
ing new fellowship. 1t is the fellow
ship which means something. 1t means
wipino out a lot of the old lines which
we drew in our selfish enjoyment of
citizenship and the tearing down of
lot of foolish barriers erected by those
who went before and returned by the
present generation just because there
was no great cause to tear them down
The Kenosha plan, interesting every
man in the welfare of the other and
all in the common call Of the great de-
mands of the common country is going
to bring us together into one great
brotherhood of equality of service and
equality Of opportunity.
The button of the Half Hour Fund
is now the button of responsible, re-
liable citizenship. 1t demonstrates to
the world that Kenosha has used the
melting pot effectively. That men and
women in Kenosha are beginning to
know that the real badge of manhood
and womanhood is the badge Of service
rather than the badge Of birth place.
Brothers all in a great movement 90
win the war, to alleviate suffering and
to throw protection about those we love
and others who are fighting for us,
Kenosha men are uniting on basis
which is the correct basis. Every man
who wears the button has declared him
self in on the things that Kenosha
ought to do and that Kenosha is doing.
Every one of these men have come in
on an equal footing. Every woman
who wears the button of the patriot
has declared her willingness to do her
full share. TO be one Of us. To be one
Of the women Of Kenosha who believe
that service to nation is the first
real test Of citizenship.
This great movement is going to be
reflected in all the future life of Ke-
nosha 1t is going to draw all of our
men and women closer together. Tt
is going to mean new and different
feeling in the future. 1t is going to
mean that men and women who believe
in equal bearing of burden and the
cheerful bearing of an equal burden are
entitled to an equal opportunity
The man or woman who declines to
be part of this great movement is
slamming the door in the face of his
future. He is declaring himself out
of the community sympathy. He is
declaring himself a Stacker to his city
and to his country.
The invitation FOR membership in
this great comradeship of big idea
is not limited invitation. 1t goes
to every one alike and every one is
supposed to come into it under the same
condition 1t means the fair treat
men5 of great problem by all the
people with the understanding that all
of the people are to have equal credit
for meeting it squarely and solving it
fairly.
1t combines religion and patriotism
Tt helps to raise the flag on the battle
field, it help to bring humantarianism
back of the lines. It's watch word is
"Thg privilege of equal service"
AS there is no distinction in the re-
cruiting of the great army of men and
women who are to create the great
fund in Kenosha there is going to be
no distinction in the expenditure of
this fund. Every worthy movement
to aid our boys at the front is going
to have the support of the city of Ke-
nosha. There will be no line of color
or nationality for they are all our boys
and every one of them is entitled to
the same solicitude from grateful city.
You can not afford to be out of such
movement. Talk it over with your
conscience. Ask yourself if you can
decline to wear the button of the Half
Hour Man. Ask yourself it you want
some one else to be doing the work that
you should do. Be honest with your
self. We have no fear of the answer
YOU must make.
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