New Britain herald., 1918-02-20
COMMUNICATED.
SUGGESTION TO SMOKERS.
For Those Boys lover There" NOth- ing Is Too Good: So Provide
 Them With What UnciC
sam Docs Not,-omokCN.


 { It is self-eyiclent that in the pres , ence of the cruel carnage and suf- 1 ferins of the battlefield one would not 1 lightly introduce reforms that can 1 wait for peace times; therefore. with l out questioning the assumed neCcS- ! sjty of supplying our soldiers with to- bacco, or providing for them the oc- caSional rum punch to offset the bad effects of the cold, wet, trenches,
 l would consider what seems to me the Wisest and most beneficial way of meeting the boys wants.
 Many newspapers invite special 1 contributions Of money whcreWlth to buy tobacco for the boys Popular movie stars out of the largeness of their hearts are giving of their best to help to supply the boys. Soldiers who come to us to tell us of the terrible hardships of the trenches bog for a more liberal supply of tobacco for the deserving fighters at the front: and they also pray that we withhold judgment while We at homo may not be able to appreciate their desire for the covered Stimulant.
 Wha tcVer our own belief with re- gard to the use of tobacco and Stlmu- lants, it is only q small thing on our part to give the boys our WhOlo- hearted consideration: if We love them for what they are doing for us in this awful hour and for the whole trembling world, we can do no less than deny ourselves for their sake.
 It seems to mo that it is but fair for us to assume that what the boys at tho front feel is an absolute ncc- essity for them, there. is but q luxury for us here; and if an individual Or a nation is obliged to sacrifice for good cause why not let our sacrifices begin with our luxuries?
 But the giving up of some luxury can hardly be considered q sacrifice. Nevertheless, what would cheer and bless the boys lover therc' more than the tobacco they long for, would be the knowledge sent to them with the tobacco that we at home are really denying ourselves for their sake. sacrifice has little reality until it is felt A self indulgent smoker, for instance, may gladly contribute out of his opulence. money, to help to buy tobacco for the boys; but, the mean time he would not think of donylnE; himself the good smoke which he craves. To come to the point: since the government does not include to" bacco as part of the necessary supply for our soldiers the boys have to de" pend upon charity for such extras then, would overloWing love at home allow the boys to beg for an extra ray of cheer? Has a single smoker at home awakened to a patriotism $" practical as to impel him to say t0 tho ! longing soldier boys--whilc the war l lasts I shall neither smoke nor uSS l toba eco in any form. but, instead, shall send all that I would use to you ]
 Would not such self-denial be a l better way of supplying extras for our 1 brave boys, than to allow girls, who | should be doing something more na- tive to their eiTlhood. to beg for the 1 boys tobacco funds. CT in some eaSF selfish way to meet their requests more or less heartlessiy?
 The war is to be won by the na lions which sacrifice most, and most wi11ingly Our voluntary sacrifices Ht home should be commensurate with the sacrifices the boys are obliged t0 make at the front: then, why nor forego the pleasure Of the tweed at home. in loving consideration of the boys at the front? Let all our money and other means go to 'Cnclc sam for the highest and best needed to win the uncompromising victory TOT which a world dem ocracy IS prav1ns' but let all our boys incidental eH' tras be supplied by our voluntarily denying ourselves every luAury or selfish indulgence at home
 But, says the good -natured smoker there is enough tobacco for the boys and for us: there is no need or even considering such hair-splittjng ideal istic hints.
 It cannot be denied that a prosper ous nation is more or less entrenchcd at home in ease and unacknoWledged selfishnesS: and what our ooES at the front most need from us, IS a home" backing of unseltiShne+S that IS true and real enough to be felt by them. I am by no means advocating an inn practicable idealism when 1 urge a watching and praying, on our part, which takes form in such positive self-sa crifice as involves a elf-forgct- fulness which remembers only the boys.
 As it is, the boys may be magnan- i1nous enough to be glad to know that we are at home in comfort, denying ourselves only what we must, for their sake, while they, in comparative misery. with their lives in their hands are fighting for us
 In the absence of a genuine demon stration to them of our unself1shness, do we now feel as near to them 2 loving wife proves herself his pal and 1 a true sport, by, at any cost to her self. taking up her watch as near as possible p the rope. while her hus- hand fights to win the victory in the 1 ring that shall make her prouder of him?
 And could a real sweetheart do less than be near enough to her lover to be able to lend her special shout which must encourage him to smash the other fellow?
 DO we love our boys at the front enough, in some such appreciable way
 J1o |