New Britain herald., 1918-03-09
GEORGE AIDE 0N
 RED GROSS WORK
HumoriSt Becomes Serious While
 Discussing World War
(Advice to Americans Between tho
 Ages of Thirty and Fifty.)

work in support of the boys at the front will be shouldered cheerfully by men and women a little too old for acrobatic service, but not yet frosted at the temples
 They will supply part of the money and most of the pep" needed to supply and encourage a huge army in the field.
 It is for them to realize that we have passed the period of doubting and question answering.
 We have come to the days when hustling must supplant conversation.
 It was all right six months ago to spare an hour day in trying to con- vince some one with vacant eye and a dark mind that we were really justified in accepting the insolent challenge thrown at us by Germany.
 You are to be forgiven if, ever four months ago, you spent valuable time trying to convince a sluggish minority that
 First-Government bonds are safe investment.
 Second--Pro- German propaganda are to be hit in the head.
 Third-The Allies are to be trusted.
 Fourth-The Red Cross is above suspicion and does not obtain either money or knitted goods under false pretenses.
 Fifth--All taxes which have been levied are Justified by extraordinary and unprecedented conditions.
 Sixth--This it not a rich mans war: it was not precipitated by any Wall Street influence; it is not concerned over private investments; it is not a grand benefit for munition makers.
 Seventh-Fair promises have no value when they are made by a crimi- nal who finds himself backed into a corner.
 Eighth-That men in our training camps and aboard transports and stationed somewhere in France are being safeguarded as American sol diers never before were looked after as regards wholesome food, proper moral guidance.
 Why enumerate further?
 Abe Martin met d feller down in Brown County that never heard of Tony Pastor and we have a. taxpayer in our township who thinks the world is flat, and you can find cabaret per formers in New York City who don't believe there is such a. place as Iowa. and clairvoyants still find customers, and you can name people who will consult a patent medicine "ad." in preference to doctor and old Jethro over in Shelby Township, carries a dried-up potato to keep off the rheumatisc.
 Tn every community you will find 8 contrary minded sediment of the human race-people who keep them selves somewhat in evidence by noisily denying facts which are self evident to all of their neighbors who happen to be in the full enjoyment of sanity.
 They are somewhat like frogs, i. e., they make an awful noise in propor- ton to their number.
 Now, If you will take the trouble to check up in your immediate the people who, from the beginning of the war, have been full of doubts and questions and are few in number and of precious little importance, except as atmos- pheric disturbances.
 Also, did it ever occur to you:
 That the man who had bought most liberally of government bonds never questioned the safety of his security?
 That the woman who was knitting the most socks and sweaters never believed the silly stories about the Red Cross being crooked institu- tion?
 That the soldier boy about to board a. transport and join his comrades of France and Great Britain never was known to doubt the sincerity of the men with whom he WIS soon to join shoulders?
 No, indeed!
 All the walls and misgivings and fish stories are put into circulation by a. few picayune outsiders who were just built to be obstructionists and somehow can't help it.
 They are in a class with the Tories who feasted the aristocratic British officers while Washington's army starved at Valley Forge.
 They are a hold-over of the ValIan- dingham clan that reviIed Lincoln and gave an underhanded copperhead support to the cause of slavery, even after it was doomed.
 They are the kind of people who oppose public improvem ents, will not buy tickets for the Chautauqua, criti- cize the minister if he smiles in pub lie, and attach the presumption of guilt to any woman attacked by scan dai.
 They are the small bores, the two- by-fours, the gnats, the sand flies, tho ticks put on earth to teach good the quality of patience.
 The time has come to ignore them.
 If we can not lock them for safe keeping, at least we can shut them out from our daily program and go ahead with the important work laid out for us
 This is no time to waste hours and vocal energy in trying to prove that two and two make four, and water is wet, and the sun sets in the West, and the mad dog of Prussianism must !,