The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-08-21
WANT MILLION
TO BUY BOOKS
FOR ''R00KIES"
Men at Cantonments Will be
in Need of Reading
Material 5.

Washington, Aug. N.-One of the
most interesting developments of war
times was Announced today to the
War Service Committee of the Amer
lean Library association in letter
from a rookie in a camp some
where on the map telling Of a revo-
lutionary innovation in the game of
poker.
"A good book beats royal flush,
write this rookie, land is the only
thing known that can beat this COM
bination of cards. Old regulars had
told US this when we first came to
camp, but we thought they were
merely spoofing. Now, among lot
of other things, we've learned that
they were right about the books.
Almost all of the boys here would
rather read than play cards, any day,
and our most exciting gambling when
a book appears is to draw straWSs TO
see who'll he second and third and
fourth on the waiting list. Any book
will do. Some like novels and some
like histories, and some like books OF
travel. But in a pinch we'll find good
reading in even an arithmetic or
grammar"
Steps to meet this need already
have been taken by the American Lii
brary association, which through
committee on camp libraries has
started a campaign to raise 100000
to build libraries at the 30 canton
ments and encampments of the new
army, to supply the. men with DOCKS
and to provide good reading for the
sick and injured, at home and abroad,
for the men in the trenches, and for
sailors af1oat and ashore.
Each city and town in the land is
asked to turn 5 per cent. of its popu-
lation- into dollars, for the pleasure
and good of the young men they have
sent into the war. The base of the
Statute of Liberty in New York was
provided through contributions of dol
lars and multiples of small amounts,
and the library war service committee
| feels that this library fund also should
be provided by widely popular sub
scriptions.
In letter to Secretary of War Ba-
| ker, Chairman Raymond B. F'osdick,
Of the Commission on Training Camp
Activities of the War Department,
| said:
THE American Library associations
plans comprehend the erection of a Ii
brary building in each of the canton
ments, with the Y. M. C. "A. buildings
and the Knights of ColuElbus build
| ings as distrlbutive points. To put up
these buildings and obtain the neces-
sary books and magazines will cost
approximately 81. oOo, 900, and the Amer
lean Library association will assume
entire responsibility for raising this
sum-. 1t already has named war
council, and I understand that Pres
ident Wilson has been successfully APP
pealed to, to countenahce this plan.
/ It in no way conflicts with any plan
the Red Cross has in mind"
| AS is the case in and around Wash
ington, a need of books for the sol
diers may be seen at any camp OR
lace where detachment of men is
standing guard over bridges. or wa
| terways or other property. The boys
at the score of such guard camps
around the national capitol are cheer
full and optimistic, but they yearn for
occupation in their spare hours.
| Hope is entertained that the $1,000, :
600 needed will be subscribed in a
short time, and the library war SER
vice committee is anxious that's every
man, woman and child in the country
should have a finger in the pie" or
at least a. dollar in the fund.