The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1917-11-22


Skowhegan's subscrip ion was
about $4,000, or half of the amount
called for. In other words Skowhe-
gan did so per cent of the buty i'm
posed upon her And what was the
- reason?
1t may have been the fault of the
teams who acted as agents. 1t may
have been that the quota was set too
high. 1t may have been that the
giving of money did not sound as
worthy as the proposition of loaning
it at four per cent. 1t may have been
that there is no money in Skowhegan.
Whatever the reason Skowhegan fell
far below the mark.
Since last Thursday morning fifty
men have been throughout the length
and breadth of this community ask
ing the people to give of their surplus
funds for the needs of the Y. M. c.
a. Practically all persons approach
ed were familiar with the work of the
SCARED Europe. Nearly all we're cog
infant of the fact that the United
States is really at war; that today
some of the boys from Maine fight
ing in the trenches; &hat they will
need the care and comfort afforded
by the Y NJ. c. A.
Skowhegan may have. done we'll.
Five thousand dollars is quite lot
of money but it doesn't represent the
surplus wealth of Skowhegan. The
men who did the soliciting were con-
frOnted with many negative answers
and the general plea seemed to be
that money was too scarce. Some
residents of the town who own their
motor cars; who spend money lavish
1y for outward show maintained that
they were heavily in debt and if they
gave anything it would have to be
done on borrowed money. One mem
didn't know there were so many poor
rich people in Skowhegan
One of the most prominent men in
town declared that he wouldn't give
anything. He allowed that the Y.
NJ. G. A. would get a small percent
age of this money and the rest would
go for graft. This man doesn't real
ize apparently that the L. S, is at
war and that this is not the time for
true Americans to be talking graft.
Another citizen heard of this remark
and angrily asserted that II the Y. M.
G. A. didn't get but penny from
every dollar he would give that penny
and sacrifice 90 cents.
Such graft arguments sound like
the rawlings of a deceased mind and
would not be spoken by true pa
triot. The money raised in these
drives is used for the Y. NJ c. A.
and nothing else These are times
of war and blood shed and not days of
pork barrel politics.
1t was a great experience to work
on these teams. Many types of hu-
man nature Yere discovered which
were not known to exist and 1t may
be said here that the men of moderate
means were the ones who did the
most giving. One man, who has
served the Government in various ca
pacities declared, Will l give any
thing. Well | guess not. If the sol
diers can't take care of their own
morals that isn't my lookout Let
them be real soldiers and eat hard
tack The first line trenches would
be an excellent place to put men of
this type
But Skowhegan must be poor OF
course the Association is grateful for
the donation of a dollar But some
of the men in Skowhegan who gave
dollar could easily have afforded
twenty-five or fifty dollars, if one is
TO judge from everyday appearances.
One of the leaders, in discussing the
trouble is that the people have not
been educated to the war They don't
even realize that this country is at
war but when some of tie boys from
this town return with maimed limbs,
crippled for life, then they will aWak
en- to the fact that there is a war: that
SkoWhegan is in the war and must
do her part She has already done
her part in the giving of men but
money is what is needed now. Money,
more money and then some.
Much of human interest developed
during the drive. Human interest
dwells among the humble 1t isn't in
teresting to confront man who is
amply able to give and won't but when
a man is approached who has strug
gle TO keep his family properly cloth
ed and fed and this man takes from
his worn purse a five dollar bill and
says. here take this and put it
where 1t will do the most good" that
is interesting. And that was done in
SkOwhegan on at least one occasion.
1t wasn't done for show. This man
has a lot of friends among the boys
who have gone and he wants to give
Of nf hn