The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-06-20
AXE Over All Transportation Says u S. Board of Trade
81 Say Unto You, This Poor Widow
Hath Cast in More Than They All"
BY Echo June Zahl
10 CROSS loRELEil

~ Like the fabulous maiden VINO sat
the dangerous rocks and sang
fishermen to their destruction, I. Echo June
zahi Joined the Red Cross singers Tuesday
night. and rode IN automobile thru the
main streets Of Seattle, warbling my sweet
cat. Turing men and women 10 the downtown
street corners 20 listen TO the speeches Of
the male element In our machine.
wore white uniform. sprinked with
red crosses, which had been loaned 20 me
at Red Cross headquarters
As my voice roared. My Country. 'Tis OF
Thee" sometimes missed the high notes"
Ms Red Cross sisters didn't wonder az my slips
They too. we're missing few For II wasn't
a coterie OF grand opera stars. skilled In all
the mechanical trllls OF the human voice. with
whom I was singing Iuat young girls who. all
day long had worked and ncwed for the Red
Cross. and who nov topping OFF the even
ing with good old national airs. sacrificing
pleasure. self and time to the gripping appeal
for lfcsavng on the blood-soaked battlefield.
Near Pioneer square our machine stopped. bu,
didn't stop singing until a crowd had
gathered
Then State Senator Ralph d Nichols. the
speaker In machine told rhc people THAT
We WERE At WAR
looked ont over the crowd
Well-dresaed people they were for the most
part prosperous. wellfed. and-DRuGGED
WITH COMPi.ACENCY
There was no outburst OF cheering for Senator
Nichols uttsrances.
The crowd showed its appreciation only by
scattering handclaps when Nichols Numbered:
we are behind President Wilson We are
behind Uncle Sam We must win"
few hnls csm~ off sshsn ~e sang f-The S,es
spanglsd Banner" Most OF them surEed on.
saw one young woman apologize TO a pass
Ing friend. who saw her in the crowd
WE ARE AT WAR
The cry re-echoed in my ears
/ wanted desperately TO Jump down among
those sleek men and women and CONVINCE
them that country Is facing the gravest
crisis In it's history.
wantet desperately to them awakened
TO a realization Of why were there. singing
America" and The star Spangled Banner. %
and tho "Marscillaise." that they. ont OF their
abundance. might emerge from their irritating
complacency. and give give-giYe. that the Red
Cross work OF mercy may 30 on across the sea.
The speech ended. Our auto had started
again. when woman pushed thru the crowd
and eiambered up on the running board She
was dressed In a black, ilifittina suit. In the
flare Of the stree, lights. ! could zee wrinkles
around her eyes.
"Here." she said. holding up two silver dollars
to Senator Nichols.
81 can't take contributions now" he said ~
would be glad n you would bring II to the
Arcade building"
"eu. am a widow" she said ~ work all
day. leave the house so early In the morning
and Get nome 30 lste AT niDnt that csht oet
up there. Please take my money"
Senator Nichols took the money.
stole breathing spell from The Star
spanglad Banner 10 look after the dark figure
OF the woman. az she swallowed in the
crowd
on the morrow. perhaps, she would get along
without sufficient food.
For to give with a woman like this Is TO
sacrifice.
Yesterday on the first day OF the Red Cross
collections Seattle gave sl05.O00 toward the
$500 900 which this city must raise.
The rich came thru handsomely