Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-19
Where Is YOUR Boy?

Have YOU a son, or a brother or
nephe9r CT any other relative In the
arm or tho raw" service of the Unit
"a states" II not you may be thank
ful In a measure and inclined 70 say;
\ am glad that have no one to worry
atou'
- lave .og rot"
Have you, an American citizen, no
strong fcclre for the boys who are
going across" CT for Their parents
and friend Z GOA have not we sus-
pct -e- 4gaM.v % our affection for
tn relative YOU might nave had with
their
Ana acaln i YOU have no direct
person2l interest in any brave young
nan come. hero In France or going
n. X 4, ar opinion that YOU are
messing somcthins that might be very
dear ~ YOU IN chimney corner hours.
PERHAPS YOU have not known the
thriu IL kindred sympathies aroused
By the inquiry How is it going with
YOUR boy Perhaps you have not
looked your interest into a father s
ewes as YOU asked What do YOU
hear from tho boy"
Then YOUR true patriotism remains
unstIrred
You may say that you have no near
relative 70 so. but that does not ex-
cuse you, for thousands of fairly we'll
educated Young men now in OUR
service have no near relatives to take
active interest in their welfare or ILL
fare When their comrades with de-
letters and tokens they turn away
with a new sense Of art-hunger and
friendlessress. Is It any wonder that
they are tho first material for the ex-
ploiter OF intoxicants and immortality"
II you have no direct personal touch
with ono Of these boys who is far from
home and perhaps heartsick with the
hopeless and useless waste of it all,
then you can add to the sum total OF
your usefulness in the world by get
ting the address OF one Of more If the
boys in army and navy, and writing
little letters Of cheer and encourage
ment and hope 10 them. 1t is not nee
essary that you send costly gifts for
they will prize your letters more-the
looking ahead TO a personal letter
when other boys get their mail.
Perhaps II WOULD he a gamble as
70 the quality Of correspondent you
would draw, but isn't It worth a trial?
You might draw prize-capture g
Friendship that would be lifelong and
mean something fne in eternity.
You may be middle aged or elderly
man or woman. without children or
young relatives and somewhat out of
touch with the Younger element, hut
in the service are thousands Of young
men who welcome the new terms
"godfathers" and "godmothers" of
the boys" Those terms can hardly
be misunderstood they aptly apply to
men and women who. in their lack of
bows in the service Of the country
have adopted some one whose for
tunes they will follow with ever-in-
creating interest and devotion-"MY
boy" they are saving with pride
they had never known
You may never have given it a
thought but We promise you new in
teres, in life, new thrill Of love Of
country and that brotherly love Of
which He told us two thousand years
ago. II YOU viii get YoU boy on tho
firing line. on a ship OF the navy, or in
one OF the great camps Of young men
now training to 20 across"
when YOU ask YOUR neiChhor about
Ills boy, YOU should he able to say to
him \ have boy now. who is
writing me how much good it does him
20 have somebody interested in him
how he counts the days to the next
letter from home, how the little
mementoss from tho godfather or
godmother' are treasured. and how. If
ne ena! - swept bN the deadly rain
his last thought shall he of YOU"
The father or mother in whom YOU
oonhde will understand
What started you off on that
'trsin?" you may ask of the editor
q was this, a little note handed In by
he father Of one OF the boys in the
navy who has seen the look OF yearn-
ng In the eyes Of a comrade when his
own letter from home came to hand
That note reads:
Some OF our boys would like god