The Ordway new era., 1918-05-03
Wedding Rings, Coffin Plates,
TMmhes, Pins, SiIverware,
Among Donations.
PROCEEDS TO HELP AIRMEN
Work Under Supervision Of Aviation
committee-EspeeIalI to Equip
Boys Who Have Received
Commissions.
BY ERNEST POOLE.
(From the COMMITTEES on Public In


formation, Washington, D. c.l
II war has darkened the world with
hate. 1t has also opened windows in
the minds Of millions of people whose
outlook was once narrow, but whose
imaginings now go on wings out over
the nations of the earth. And this is
especially true among the people of
the United States.
In New York the other day visited
a crowded little room upstairs at 259
Fifth avenue. The room was filled
with mail packages and with boxes
large and small of the trinkets and
treasures sent here from homes all
over the U. s. A. to be sold in order
to help the lads who are going to fly
lover there" In France.
From the window looking down I
could see long lines of shops where in
the old days before the war" poured
endless crowds of shoppers. I pic
years, and thought of countless
shopping streets In cities and towns
all over the land where In generations
gone by people have bought Christmas
presents. wedding rings mad birthday
gifts. I thought of the numberless
keepsakes that have been stored up In
American homes and that have grown
dear and intimate. Now. from these
homes In New England and In New
York and Chicago. in Denver, Seattle
and San Francisco. and Galveston,
Memphis and New Orleans these same
small household treasures have come
by thousands every week to this room.
And the busy women of the commit
tee sort them out, and some are sold
and the rest are melted up and sold.
and with the proceeds clothes and
other comforts are bought for the men
plies uniforms to the men. but not to
the officers. When boy gets his COM
mission he must at once set about get
ting clothes, and for those who can
not raise the price the aviation COM
mittee steps in. And also for those
privates who are being rushed off to
France each week. and who lack many
extra things that will make life less
arduous, the committee again acts as
a kind of foster mother.
Equipment for an OFFICER.
Here is the average equipment the
committee supplies to an officer:
set of underwear.
leather helmet.
pair aviator's gloves.
1 leather flying coat.
trench coat.
pair leather breaches.
pair aviator's boots.
pair woolen socks.
pair aviator's goggles.
wooden set, sweater. helmet. socks
wristlets and gloves.
The committee has made a splendid
start. Formed only a few months ago
as part Of the National Special Aid
society, 1t has already collected and
sold $32 900 worth of trinkets and has
spent that amount on clothes. 1t is
hard to keep up with the growing de-
mands, for the word has gone out
among the flyers. and they keep COM
ing to this room. But as the demand
is increasing. SO is the supply. for the
committee has sent its appeal out all
over the country:
"Send jewelry. silverware. gold.
and odd bits-nothing is too small;
nothing too large. From our store Of
trinkets and treasures let us give help
to the wings of the United States.
Gold and silver. solid or plate. donated
to the committee are melted in the
United States assay office and the
proceeds used to help the aviators.
Send old or new jewelry. watches.
chains. table and toilet ware, vases,
candlesticks. souvenir spoons, coins.
cigarette cases. umbrella tops, eyeglass
mountings. thimbles. dental gold and
platinum. Any broken bits can be
melted. Articles in perfect condition
give1 Be patriotic. Open your heart
and your treasure box"
Long ago the treasures began to ar
rive. From New England and all
through the East down to the old
plantations; from New Orleans and
Denver. from mining camps in the
mountains and from lonely prairie
farms. from Arizona ranches, from
booming Oklahoma towns and from
forest hamlets in the Northwest the
trinkets have come pouring In. And
some take the mind far back into
years when the nation was thinking
Of far different things.
Daniel Boone Family Relic.
A set Of fine old silver spoons from
the family Of Daniel Boone: q gold
medal prize won by @. B. for elocu-
ton in B college in 1894; gold
wedding rings Of every conceivable
kind and size; rings with intimate
words inside; rings with clasped
hands; huge seal and signet rings; old
fashioned linked bracslets: brooches;
goggles; grandfather's glasses; and
silver plates from cofilns (removed at
the time Of the funeral and set up over