The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1918-08-03
STAND PAT ON CRITICISM.
Belle Helene Citizens Reaffirm Senei-
ments Previously Expressed.


Relic Helene Citizens Reafirm Senti-
ments Previously Expressed.
Belle Helene, La, July 81, 1918.
Editor Chief:
The action of the citizens OF the
Belle Helene community IN mass
meeting, condemning the company OF
rice planters from st. James Tor re-
fusing to subscribe to any OF tne
methods adopted by the government En-,
10 raise funds for the success 7,
prosecution of the war an. to aiie-
viate the suffering Of the soldiers
called to do our countrv's flgntlhg.
was a mild criticism of the company
as q whole for refusinp to SUBSCRIBE
ANYTHING in Ascension out OF an an
ticinated $4,000 rice crop now
growing on Belle Helene. | must ado
that this company of planters ne.
pended upon the co-operatlon OF Ine
citizens of this community to pre-
mare the land and plant this crop, a.
thew came here without Su1hclent
taans and labor. and their success IS
d,7e LARGELY to the cooperation OF our
people. . "a ,,,,h
The resolutions adopted and pup.
Hshed in the Donaldsonvllle Cnle1 u
july IS were particularly conaemhaa-
tory of the action OF Mr.. II. " !;
Bourgeois, the resident member ana ana
manager of the company on belle
Helene. l have been an actlVe So
licitor in all Of the drives to raise as E
funds for the government ana the
Red Cross. and am in a position TO
Give some Of the causes that prompt
ed the citizens of this community 70
lake some action regarding Mr.. d. y.
Bourgeois attitude.
Tn The third Liberty Bond drive,
personally solicited Mr.. Il. U. BOUT
peois to buy bonds, and met WIN
2 refusal. I then requested that ne
subscribe to at least $50 bond as an
evidence Of his willingness to neip'
re again refused, saying that ne
needed his money to carry on mis-
rice crop. Da,,,
In the drive to raise the belie
Helene precincts quota of the Red
Cross war fund, under my direction
as captain Of this precinct, WIZ. =. =
Falcon went to Mr.. H. O. Bourgeois
solicited contribution and met WltI
prompt refusal, and after persisten.
b urging Mr.. Bourgeois contrl pu.eo
one dollar ($1) under protest, sayine
to Mr.. Falcon that "France Is gettine
lust punishment from God TO-
things that France had done to Ger
many in 1870 u.
AZ commander of the forces in thu
sixth ward in the War. Savings
Stamps drive, / went personally K
Nh. III. %. Bourgeois and explained K
him that I had been informed tha1
I measures inaugurated to raise ou1
nnota Of funds for War Saving:
Stamps had been adopted over tnt
entire state, and that I hoped ~
would willingly meet the allotment
made to him. MI. Bourgeois pro
\ tested, saying that he was doing ill'
part toward winning the war nv ra1s
inp food for the country. REMIND
ad him that asa patriotic Amerlcal
his governments expected him TO ever
lys,.sE B some SAC sgifices i'll necessary II
ss;i,, II, D 1890
D nj fl, us said III Mr. Bouirgeoss that III
attitude toward all measures to rals
funds for the government and 70 70
the relief Of the soldiers suggeste
the existence of q desire 70 MI ~
own pockets rather than desire =
help feed the nation, and that, Tn
public would take this view; but q
argument and persuasion failed =
get a subscription for any amount 70
War Savings Stamps from MI
Bourgeois. Nor does the statemen
of the gentlemen from st. JAIME
show that Mr.. III. @. Bourgeois ha
subscribed to any Of the funds TO
war or relief purposes, which furthe
confirms the correctness of the view
Of the citizens of this communlt,
regarding the attitude of Mr.. Fl. g
Bourgeois.
The foregoing are the causes tina
prompted the resolutions condemnlnl
acts that suggested the existence 9
prof German sympathies. And Will
the resolutions were signed by onl
Messrs. Klos, Falcon, Lorio an
Many, they were adopted with tn
8 unanimous approval of the citizen
of this community.
Our citizens of this community ar
fair-minded, unprecedented and law
abiding, and would not conscioust
be guilty of imposing stigma upol
an innocent person; but, the conciu
sions reached by our citizens. an
voiced in the resolutions prevlousl
referred to, are supported by fact
that can hardly be misunderstood
and the sentiments conveyed il
those resolutions are herewith re
affirmed by the citizens Of this com
nlunity.
The gentlemen Of st. James who's
names appeared at the bottom Of
letter published in the Donaldson
vile Chief aad Times-Picayune ar
not subject to the resolutions com
planned of, only in so far as thel
failure to subscribe as mentioned Il
the beginning of this letter. Thi
thew know, and it appears to US tina
their letter is intended to distrac
nuhlic attention and thereby saw
their local manager from the igno
minv Of a deservedly harsh publ
= 'sis' w. B. STUART.
I. the undersigned, hereby affirm
that Mr.. H. o. Bourgeois made tn
statement to me contained in thl
letter, and mentioned as having beel
saio = - D. =. FALCON.
We. the undersigned citizens Q
the Belle Helene community, d
hereby approve all Of the contents o
this letter, and also re-affirm tn
sentiment as expressed in resolution
published in, the Donaldsonville Chief
July Is, 1918: