The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-08
SMOKE FUND GROWS
ON BRITAIN'S DAY
"Sun's' Readers Respond to
Call Of Heroes Still in
War in Europe.
WUOOPING UP FOR XMAS
Tobacco a Greater Need Than
Previously and Holidays
Are Approaching.
WHOOPING UP FOR XMAS

As tho soldiers return from France
the accounts OF what the smoke fund
did for them in the trenches grow and
the viva voce testimony to its worth
Is added to the written story as 1t has
appeared piecemeal from their letters
and postal cards mailed to the fund
and It's donors from the battle fronts.
This oral testimony is very good to
near and soothes the ears Of those who
have so gladly kept the fund growing
and vital without such encouragement.
n II Is too bad that tho splendid band
OF contributors to the smoke fund
can't hear the boys talk about the
DAYS they passed without tobacco
when everything conspired. as 1t
seemed. to discourage them; when
they realized, as If it were a new thing,
how far they were from home. when
the damp and wet and mud got into
their spirits as we'll as their garments
4 and they saw only the doleful side Of
| their adventure. In the nick of time,
the men say, while they suffered from
homesickness and worse, up would
come the camions of The Sun To-
hacco Fund and there came to them
the realizing sense of a great force of
sympathy and love behind them at
home.
This wonderful cheer never failed to
arrive when 1t was needed most. As
visiting soldier remarked to the
smoke fund last week when after being
back only two days he made his first
call anywhere. TT wasn't entirely the
tobacco, although it often happened
that we had been without smokes for
q week or more and actually needed it,
but it was the feeling that we were
not forgotten by our home folk while
far off in a foreign land No sooner
had the smokes been issued than
everybody frightened up, jokes which
/ had not been heard for days were
brought out again and we were diff
ferent men. Anybody who wasn't
there can never rightly estimate how
much cheer and help THE Sun To-
bacco Fund gave to us boys"
II is too bad, the smoke fund re-
peats, that the donors cannot hear
these things said. Perhaps some Of
them have thought that the tobacco
sent over with the aid of their con-
rributions only caused a physical eff
feet and this statement that its in
| fuence was farther reaching, was
spiritual, will be more than grateful
10 them, though Il has to come at
second hand.
Indeed, there are soldiers who say
plainly that without this fund their
great work might have occupied longer
IN the doing, that without this offset
10 Encouragement. bad weather and
gloom, the final triumph might have
been put off to the beginning OF the
new year. While this Is undoubtedly
an eXageration, born of gratitude, the
fund donors will realize that there is
something in it. And they may con-
graduate themselves on what they did
10 help win the war. That first line
in France would never have attained
The strength and efficiency that it did
had It not been that the second line,
formed by the home folk, had backed it
mp 10 the limit, in smaller as we'll as
greater things. The soldiers say and
he donors know that the service
which was rendered by THE Sun To-
hacco Fund (and this fund includes
the donors II it is not actually them
selvesI proved practical and effective.
The object Of the fund never varied
from the first. 1t began simple and
northumberland continues - simple;
and 1t was TO give the soldiers what
hey wanted. when they wanted 1t
and in the way they wanted it.
The Work Not Yet Done.
The soldiers who came in 10 see
THE Sun Tobacco Fund as a first
duty, and, as they politely say, a pleas
IRE, do not stop with kind words; they
nave a little admonition TO give and
mis- they sometimes express brusquely
a'er the manner of camps and some
hHes they merely insinuate IL. This
IS TO Impress the smoke fund with the
.aet that its work is not done while
nero remain any American soldiers
abroad The admonition was not
'ec"ssary for the fund itself. but how
about the donors? Are they under the
mistaken idea that because the SOL
ul'rs now in Europe have no fighting
10 20 they no longer want to smoke?
yesterday was Britains Day, an
o-h'r Of the series of world indepen.
uehGe days, in the celebration Of which /
americans joined most heartily with |
VI" British, the French, the Italians.
N" belgans and all other good friends |
=" democracy. II was a day when one |
'aN Tie chance to pause and think |
""ht our soldiers in an amazingly |
,''' tme accomplished for the world |
was day Of thanksgiving and |
l'"'"e also TO a higher power than 1
any human force for those thinning
PERSONS who know that our victory |
""A que to a combination of human
'"' divine agencies. All over the
''''S there went up expressions Of |
S''I'"dc Tor the great gift Of victory
To" steps towards "A regenerated
N'I'' mat have been taken, and there
WI, up also prayers that these steps
lert.ou. e - N'
"1r praise OF Great BritaIn's part
- IN" world conflict our graduation
our own part in it were fine and
~ U.1hL pledges were made by count
human beings To rule their lives
I, a'H Tor the rule of peoples on the
,'e''S, standards At the same time
' hIgh thoughts did not absolve
WI. Do'y from going on 10 complete the
,'". The leaders OF the Entente ara
,oo".''eno" to gather the fruits OF
'"'ph and divide them with the ma