Webster City freeman., 1917-08-21
THE SOLDIERS $1,000
COMFORT FUND
Difference of Opinion as to How the
Money Raised by Citizens
Should Be Divided.

A question has arisen over the
distribution of the $1,S0O soldier
comfort fund raised by the people
of Webster City and Hamilton coun.
ty at the big soldier farewell festi-
val given on the outing club grounds
few weeks ago. OF course, no ink
ling was had at that time that the
Webster City organizations would be
broken up, and the fund was sub
scribed by the friends of all the SOL
diers for all the men then on the
roll call. The maneuvers and drills
were put on by the companies as a
whole and nearly every man worked
individually to make tho occasion a
success.
AS result of the draft to the
Third Iowa, ninety men will fail to
receive the benefits of the fund un-
less some plan is found whereby a
distribution can equitably be made.
This is made doubly hard, for Col.
Hyatt has said that it is quite pos
sible that the transferred men will
not be kept together, but be distrih-
uted among several different COM
panies; that there is no guarantee
that Supply company men will join
the Supply company of the Third,
but may be added to the ranks, and
so on among other organizations.
The committee, representing the
people of this community, having
the days celebration in charge, in
cludes z. e. Mason and Captains
Hale, Smith and Martin, and these
gentlemen desire an expression of
the wish of the citizens in regard to
what shall be done in the matter.
There are two distinct viewpoints
held by those in charge, both of
which have the right ON their side
in some particulars.
For instance, a very general Opin-
ion is held among the downtown
business men that the boys who left
here yesterday morning should re-
ceive their share of the benefits of
the comfort fund. The money, they
say, was given to the organization as
it then stood, and if no other ar
rangements can be made, it should
be divided among the individual
members and each mans share sent
to him personally. Divided pro rata
among the boys, each will receive
about 81. Seven dollars is not much,
but it is a positive fact that the ma
jority of the soldiers went away
broke. 1t matters not, they think,
what the men will do with the mon
ey after it has once passed into
their possession. 1t is their right
to spend it as it hest suits them.
Officers and lfien of the remaining
members of the Webster City contin-
gent feel rather differently about it.
Knowing the needs and failings of
the army, they are qualified to Judge
in what manner the fund will do the
individual the most good. To di-
vide it, fully half of the legitimate
benefit will be lost. They say that
whatever sum is turned over to the
company is company fund, audit
ed by the government once n month.
A vote of the company is taken
through the commissioned Off
GERS, each of whom is in charge of
bunk tent, and represents the
feeling of the men in his tent, as
to what purpose the money shall be
put. There are only certain things
for which such fund can be used
under government regulations. For
instance, it cannot be spent to buy a
keg Of beer. Regarding the trans
ferred men, company men say that
c company of the Third regiment,
which it is presumed the local COM
pany boys Joined, comes from Shell
don, Iowa, and that company has al
ways had the reputation of having
the most generous comfort fund OF
any of the regimental companies. In
brief, the officers and men believe
that they will profit most by having
the contribution left intact, subject
to the jurisdiction of the company
as a whole.
Enlists With New York Company.
F. J. Anderson of New York City,
husband of the former Miss Zoe