The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-10-11
YOUR DUTY TO YOURSELF.

YOUR DUTY TO YOURSELF.
Reader. let us seriously consider for
ii moment or so your duty to yourself.
to your home. this great common
wealth and the nation.
In Your present security. during
Your season Of success and rrCfit, it
has perhaps. been hard for you to re-
aliZe that this nation is ut war. But
the passing Of only Il few months now,
perhaps not so long. will f0rcibly bring
home that fact to you. Young men
from Bossier Parish are now in
France, behind the trenches, it Is true.
but soon they will be filling the trench
es and actively engaged in the blood
lest and most gigantic war the world
has ever known. The casualty list
from among these young men is one
thing that will bring you face to face
with tn" truth that this parish is in
the war with this great nation.
The war is now more than three
years cd. 1t has claimed death list
represents much more than one-tenth
Ct the native population of the United
States. Think Of it, The five million
hosi ital Ee'ls in Europe have been
thrice filled. Think of that! 1t is Il
gigantic struggle. friend, and it is
going to take ccoi, skilled and well d.
rected thought and generalsllip. coupled
with unflagsing training. prompt and
penetrating execution and the intelli-
gent Outstanding of the resources Of
this nation for it and its allies to
win cut.
In the above we speak only the
truth. and You should become cOnvinc-
ed of that fact
\ naval and military authority Of
this country whose timely warnings of
sc,ne years ago went unheeded. and
through which neglect to recognize our
duty dire calamity could have come to
the nation, and through needing it
surely we would have been well
equipped to-day to cope with tile
enemy, has again spoken, this time in
relation TO the present situation. He
says the Tutonic powers have dug
themselves into the very heart Of Eu-
rope and denies the possibility of starv-
ing them into submission. He suggests
that the draft law he amended to in
clude men from nineteen to forty years
CT age. and even fifty, if found neces-
sary. He further states that only
America can win this war. and urges
that we he not deceived by our Prov
ess here at home.
In Il word. he believes it is up to
America to bring about peace for the
world and says that to accomplish that
end every man and every woman in
the nation must, after some fashion.
get into the struggle-be UP and doing.
And don't believe he is far wrong. for
he is not. He Clly speaks the truth.
The writer knows of just Il few fam
lilies in BoSsier Parish who are cutting
and otherwise conducting their house
holds SO as to help win the war. Some
few families are buying so per cent
less flour, about - per cent less sugar
and perhaps as much as 30 per cent
less meat than before war was declar-
ed. There is the right spirit-and the
right course in ut least one direction.
But, on the other hand. he has good
reason to believe that there are many,
many families in the parish who are
living to-day about as they have always
lived-thinking only Of themselves.
not of the future and not of the reali-
zation of the vastness of this great
struggle. which may develop into the
severest test IF the resources of this
entire nation.
The time is now ripe for the correc-
ton of this state of affairs-for the
shifting of sentiment and practices of
many of our Teci.le.
Friend, what of the day when you
send around tC your grocer's for Il
sack of flour and the message comes
back t. You that he hasn't any in
stock and can't get it! What of the
time when meat, meal. lard and sugar
become so scarce in the market and so
prchihitiye i'll price that they can no
longer be purchased by the poor man?
don't hoot at these suggestions. for
that Is the condition that will later
confront You if the war lasts
The military authorities Of the coull-
try and the leaders in public thought
tell us that food will win the war, and
SO ii will. So it follows that we of the
SCath, who enjoy the benefits Of good
seascas, Il mild climate and soils that
yield abundant crops. must increase
our production of foods for man. We
have not during the past even fed our
selves. but it remains for us to dc even
more than that. Aud 1t must he done
If the nation survives-and what of
your Toasted security if your nation
goes Gown in defeat?
On every little plantation and every
little farm in this parish there should
be Il sriSt mill or some other means of
producing good, wholesome corn meal.
The few there are that are operated
fcT say from four to six months each
year can ahoIt be counted on the fin
gers of Your two hands. The grist
mills, large and small will hnya tn