Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-10-04
WAR LIBRARY WEEK
BOOKS FOR SOLDIERS
A Million Dollars For A Million Books
Library War Council
AT Work


Along the line OF the meeting held
here on Monday night in the old Sen
ate Chamber at the State House. the
following from the Christian Science
Monitor is of special interest:
The object of the war library
week campaign. now being waged
throughout the United States. under
the direction of a committee appoint
ed by the Secretary OF War. and with
the approval and assistance OF Presi-
dent Wilson, appeals strongly to the
thoughtful citizen. If anyone is en-
pertaining the impression that this
movement for furnishing books for
the soldiers is not really practical,
moments consideration should con-
vince him that the reverse is strictly
true
1t is worth noting, at the start,
that the chairman of the Library War
Council of the American Library As
ISOLATION. the group of people already
referred to as having charge of this
undertaking, is Frank A. Vanderlip,
who has just resigned the presidency
of the largest bank in the country in
order TO contribute his services to the
government, without pay. until the end
of the war. He may be also an ideal
list, but no one will dispute that he is
a practical man. The Council an
nounces that it will buy books, build
and maintain libraries at thirty-two
training camps and environments of
United States soldiers, sailors, and
airmen at home and abroad The
library, il adds, must follow the sol
der, with its sane, recreational, and
promotional Influences While con-
tributions have been invited of books
of fiction, such as adventure, sea stor-
les, detective stories, historical novels,
and collections of short stories, books
of drama, history, biography, heroism,
travel in countries where the war is
going on, books on patriotism, cour-
age, and good citizenship, also books
for the uneducated, as well as French
grammars and dictionaries, yet the
emphasis is now being put on contri-
buttons of money. Among the works
which will need to be bought are
technical boks on aviation. wireless
telegraphy submarines, automobiles,
signaling, drawing and lettering.
"A Million Dollars for Million
Books for Million Men is the slogan
of the campaign to be completed on
Saturday. The Council directs those
willing to help financially TO leave
the money they may wish to give at
public libraries or banks, and to make
checks payable to the Library War
Council There are convincing evil
dences that the movement is popular.
In Boston, for example, however, ac-
cording to the statement of member
of the Council, while the response as
shown by gifts in small amounts is
hearty, there is need of contributions
in larger sums in order to make up
the city's apportioned total Of $4,000.
1t is not improbable that this situa-
ton is typical of conditions in other
parts of the country.
This means of helping to win the
war, as we'll as of bringing genuine
assistance, greater intelligence, and
wholesome entertainment to the de-
tenders of the nation and of democ-
racy, is open to all, since ways are
found for presenting the opportunity
to men, women, and children general
ly in their everyday haunts. With
the appeal and the organization reach
ing throughout the country, it will be
surprising if the required fund is not
promptly oversubscribed."