Connecticut western news., 1917-09-06
AMERICAN GODMOTHERS.

The American SO1mOGnerS s League for the American Soldier. is something
 to which I would like through the
 medium of the News to call the local
 women's attntion. This League organ.
 ized in New York sends all supplies for
 the material needs of soldiers through
 the Red Cross Chapter. have been
 member of this league for sometime.
 There is no subscription, to this
 league. Every woman who joins
 merely agrees to adopt one or more
 soldiers and to send him a letter or parcel Cor both if they wish) each
 month to an adopted soldier CT soldiers.
 A list of things is printed from which
 to select, and a member is at liberty
 to add practical articles for the soldiers comfort. To me, the most beautiful
 idea is that of letter writing, to these adopted sons of Godmothers. Has any, one thought of the many many soldiers
 who are without home ties or but few relatives, who are going to take their
 lonely way to this war2-M Many will
 have sweethearts perhaps, but it is mother tenderness, mother love that
 these boys need, and long for though
 they may hardly know it themselves.
 Here is the great opportunity for the older woman to de~a great work,
 noble and beautiful work. This week
 our soldier boys are leaving us. Are
 there any without home ties? The send
 offs we give in our towns and cities furnish brief spectacular evidence of our patriotism, love and good will for
 the soldier boys leaving us, and our cheers, our manifest of good will, is perfectly all right in it's way but tears bravely kept out of the eyes perhaps, are causing both hearts and throats to ache with an almost intolerable pain.
 After it is all over, and the boys are gone, let there be none who has left us carrying with him feeling of per. sonal loneliness. There will be relatives and friends ill plenty for some A few for others, but let not those who seem
 to be without, either one or both away from us, taking with them the thought tbat nobody really cares for them feel ing. It breaks we'll nigh, the heart, to think of this possibility and there sh )uld be no son of mother who should go from among us feeling wholly motherless. It is all very we'll
 to have sweetheart, but the deepest strongest deathless tie of all is mother love, and so many tales are told of soldiers, sick, or wounded or dying, who call for mother, as would seem tu prove that she is first and last in sol dier's heart. So then here is the oppor- tunity for matrons to become God. l mothers, to try and fill as far as pos. sible the empty place in the mother lc51 boys heart, by sending to him, at lccst now and then letter, filled with | sEch rows of home, and messages of cheer and friendly interest as would | suggest themselves in a kindly women's | heart. What an incalulable axGoant of l good that can be done to our soldier | lads in this way? Do we net know that the rich mans son, the we'll to do. and what is called the upper class will r over supply their soldier boys, with comforts and lavish attentions in SD far as army regulations will make it possible.
 Friend s letters, love letters, home -etters, and quantities of home gifts are always showered upon the rich and prosperous sfamilies soldier lads who ire in the army, but this is not natter of complaint, but let us remem- 'er that the blood that is shed for free. lom, has become sacred blood, and in Ill history has flowed freely, most from the velns of the lowly md humble folk, that furnished the ,reat bulk of the armies of the world, ust the blood of the common soldier. 1 Without him there could be no wars, 10 victories. Every young man leaving { or war duty this week has laid his food and body as sacrifice upon the ( ltar of Liberty. He has become some. hing sacred, as all sacrifcial things | re. He may be poor, illiterate, of not { luch account in the general scheme of ,