New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1917-05-05
DEFENSE SOCIETY NEWS.

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diversion and new form Of enter
talnmcnt, giving the spice Of va
riety to national life. The dance
craze has had its day and the
cabaret Is passing, and the war
and the many activities connect
ed Herewith make contrast
which the American people make
believe to take seriously, but as
yet do not.
For the women, it is fun
Judging from indications at Wash
lngton, albeit Mrs. Wilson has en-
listed to do her bit IN the conscr
Eatlon of resources and has been
followed by the women Of the
Cabinet. For instance, at a recent
meeting of the local Red Cross
Mrs. j. Borden Hartman called
for volunteers for ambulance
service, saying that all who joined
would be given course Of .prac-
teal, mechanical work on ma
chlnes-and every woman in the
room except zone stood up.
We need volunteers badly for
clerical work who will hclp,g"
asked another leader.
And onl Y the woman who would
not be chauffeur arose and of
fered her services. "Chaufl'cur.
ING, especially with the novelty
of tlnkerlng with mae hinery. was
fun clerical work was real
Work-Whlch is exactly the atti-
tude of the American people rs
whole.
SO, too. with the men. and Tn
cIc Sam is forced to resort to .2n-
to fill the ranks in the
army.
Recently, the Government |
asked for 1S3,S9S mcn to bring |
the army up to the maximum wa.
strength, each State being given
an allotment in proportion 70 its
population, and the results we're |
and astounding.
The great State of New York. |
asked to furnish 1926, recruited
l27 men in one day, or per-
,entage of .0O7. Massachusetts
was asked to raise 6,732 men, and
recruited SO III one day, just
rifle better than New York had
lone. New England, the "Cradle
If Liberty gave these other
igures: Maine, allotted 1881. re-
'ruited II; New Hampshire, al
Gifted $50, recruited O; Vermont,
lllotted 10, recruited 2; Rhode
Stand, allotted 1884, recruited II
Connecticut, allotted 222S, re-
ruited IA.
Some other States, picked out
t random: Pennsylvania, al
Cited Is, 800. recruited 225; Hi
lois, allotted 1926, recruited
80; Ohio. allotted 1914, recruited
4; California, allotted 4754, re-
ruited SO; Texas, allotted 1892, |.
ecruited 112; Michigan, allotted
$40, recruited 110; Wisconsin,
looted 1866, recruited 80. The
avs total for the. whole country
Ias 2240.
At this rate, Pennsylvania
Tould require 6S days, counting
to raise its quota; Wis
onsin, 155 days, or five months +
'ermont, $50 days, or nearly d.
ear; Michigan, Al days, provid-
d that record were maintained;
Connecticut, 1876 days, or five
lonths, while New Hampshire
18th continued Indifference never
'ould raise its quota at all.
And yet at the very time when
lese figures We're recorded the
eople of the nation had been told
f an attack by a German sub
larine on an American warship
,ss than 100 miles from New
DIRK city, which, it has been testi-
ed by navy officials, easily can
e 'bombarded by an enemy man =
{ war without the possibility Of
return shot from an American
I'm. 4
From all Of which Washington Z
convinced that the people of 7
lie country must wake up, and o.
axe up their representatives N n
ongress, who, despite their p
of the national crisis, /.
ave to be driven to take even d
reflective measures for the Ma u