The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-11-14
THIS WEEKS DRIVE.

The United War WORK Campaign Is
now awaiting generous response 10
call for funds. We should remember that
a large number of our soldiers must re-
main abroad tor many months. Much
police work will be necessary, and IL is
likely that several German fortified towns
will be garrisoned by them. Certainly
no considerable number of our boys Will
return to the United States until the
peace negotiations are concluded. Even
if the government should bring home
300, 600 a month during the winter and
spring it would require at least 7 months
to complete that task. During this per-
iod, our boys will need the care, the en-
tertainment and the ministrations of the
associations which ask for the fund to be
raised this week. This fund is just as
much needed cover there" and it is Just
as much our duty to raise it, as the send
ing of previous funds has been. The
money will be honestly expended and
will bring comfort and cheer to the lone
some, the weary and the sick ones. A
celebrated writer has wisely said: 1.-The
morrow of victory is more perilous than
it's eve." 1t is our duty to see that the NOR
row four victory is not perilous and that
the period of rehabilitation is not allowed
to become period of Decentralization. For
such a purpose, we should not hesitate to
give freely to maintain clean and healthy
sports and to carry on this work there
are now about thousand competent
physical directors in France and many
more will henceforth be needed. These
must be equipped with an immense
amount of supplies For evening enter
tainment miles of moving picture films
are being sent to France every week, and
this supply must not cease. In no other
way have the soldiers had decent place
of amusement Wholesome entertain
ment features of various kinds will be
needed more and more as discipline re-
lakes Burroughs will be longer and more
general after the fighting is over. The
soldiers of England and of France can go
home, but our boys are 5000 miles from
home, and we must as far as in us lies,
send home to them. Our war work
agencies ask for funds to enable them to
carry on their work more effectively than
ever and have laid out program for
educational and religious work. Night
schools, regular church services, libraries,
etc., are to be extended, and made more
available. The educational program pro-
vides for specialists in every line of
practical study and great quantities Of
text books have been bought and shipped.
AS far as possible the purpose is to send
our boys home stronger mentally and
better fitted to be useful citizens than
when they left our shores. These and
other plans of the war work agencies
provide for keeping the altar fires burn
ing over there, and the influence of Amer
lean homes and American fathers and
mothers strong and vibrant in every one
of the French villages where our soldiers
may be quartered. Never before has the
home and the school followed the soldiers
of any country straight up to the firing
line And now, as far as possible, these
influences are to be enlarged and REIN
forced. In every hut near which our
bows are encamped there is to abide big
Id hPIneTS
and the other things of which we have
written These are the purposes for
which Waldo county is asked to contri-
butte her share of $l7O,OOO.OOO We must
not stop half way. When the boys come
home we must be able to look them in
the eyes without shame, and as men and
women who have nothing to apologize
for.