The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-10-09
VERMONT WOMEN S PART.
Now Have Opportunity to Put State on
Map.

Nermonters have many times been
forced to realize that it is very, very
easy for the outside world to oct a
false conception Of conditions within
the state, and THAT it Is very. very diff
ficuIt to overcome false statements once
they have been made broadcast through
out the country.
One OF the most recent Of such ex-
periences was the calumny which was
heaped upon this commonwealth be-
cause of the small number OF enlist
ments made in the regular army. Out
side commentators took no account Of
the fact that young Vermonters were
responding to the appeal of their GOV
ernor to enlist in the national guard.
and the common question was, i" What 5
the matter with Vermont? IT is no
longer worthy Of its splendid tradi-
lions; has is become unworthy Of Ethan
Allen, Stannard, Dewey, and the long
list Of heroic figures the state has fur
nisbed the nation in the past2''
And then, when the official figures
were published and it was shown that
Vermont had sent more Young men in
TO the military service Of the country
than most states OF the Union, being
sixth from tie top in this regard ana
far above the state where most Of the
adverse comment originated; did those
critics Of Vermont who had east cruel
and uniustified asperSions on her record
make amends? One or two. and that Ks
all. To correct is much more dificu1t
than to make the error. and SO there
are thousands of readers who still have
a lingering thought, faint remem-
brance about Vermont being q Stacker
state.
Now it happens that Vermont is 90
ing to be advertised again The Wash
ington authorities have cleverlv ar
ranged to publish by states the daily
reports Of enrollments in the conserva-
ton army during the week of October
III when every housewife in the nation
will be asked to sign a food admins
tratlon pledge card, the campaign for
which has already been begun in Yer
mont. In this way every state will be
compared all over the country and every
newspaper reader viii know whether
Vermont IS doing we'll or i'll.
Since this is publicity that cannot
be avoided, it naturally follows that
every housewife automatically becomes
Il state publicity agent, for upon the
|rcsponse made BY the housewives in
signing the pledge cards will depend
Vermont S record and how she stands
| IN comparison with the other states. 1t
goes without saying that Nermonters
are willing and anxious to do an that
+ lies within their power TO assist the
government, but they must not only be
willing, they must also, in this case
/ be willing to display their willingness
/ by signing the pledge card.
Most of the housewives are thrifty
| Waste here is not to be compared with
what IS discovered in some other see
tions. But because woman is already
thrifty IS no reason why she should re.
.frain signing the pledge card. She owes
lat TO her state TO sign and TO put her.
self on record. For the state goes on
trecord Tor good or had precisely in ia.
fcofdance with the record Of the indi-
lvidual Vermont woman
The opportunity is presented, to show
Iconclusiyely to the rest OF the country
that Vermont is still the most American
of the commemorative. We must MOI
Through careIesSness or thouahlessnes,
let it appear that we are tagging behind
IN our applied patriotism. No opror
Itnmty for criticism of Vermont In the
pledge card campaign should be oiver
any one. Let each woman realize. then
Ithat the good name OF the state is en-
TRUSTED to her at this time. 4 full. en-
rolIment in the conservation army, by
widespread and general signing Of tn,
Ipledge cards, Will let the nation know
where we stand. Hoover expects Yer
mont to respond with characteristic,
sturdiness. That is the only respons,
that Vermont can make and still be tr7.
TO herself.-St. Adams Messenger.