Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-02-09
LOCAL COMMENT

The sympathy Of this entire COM
rnunity goes out to the mother and
sister Of Ralph Fletcher who are anx-
iously waiting and hoping for his name
among the survivors OF the U-boat at
tack upon the American transport
Tuscania. These women have given
two sons and brothers to their country
and one is now in France with the
Rainbow division. Theirs is a real
sacrifice for the defense Of our homes
beside which everything else that any
Of the rest of us can do shrinks in
comparison until we. too. have sent
members Of our family to war. Ralph
was an unusually popular and promis-
ing lad and everyone of us sincerely
and anxiously hopes for his safety.
&
The speakers who accompanied the
state chairman of the war savings
stamp campaign to Marshalltown made
! it clear that our government expects
everybody to invest in war savings
stamps and to gave the amount Of their
deposits out Of their income. The two
| Liberty bond issues were taken by
| only ten million people out Of los mil
lion. Tho war savings stamps which
can be had IS at a time must be taken
by thirty to forty millions Of people.
The bonds were paid for either out Of
surplus money on hand with the indi-
vidual or out of money borrowed from
the banks which was already on hand
and deposited there by others. The
Liberty bond billions all came out Of
surplus, money already earned. but the
war savings stamp billions are ex-
peotsd to be taken out Of current in
come. The country must save money
as we'll as fuel or food or our sur
plus capital will be tied up in the war
and business will be choked and
strangIed until men are out Of Job.
This means that everybody, men, wom-
en- and children who did not buy bonds
must buy war savings stamps by deny
Ing themselves some other expenditure
and those who bought bonds out Of
surplus capital must now buy stamps
with savings from their current in
come. The unessentials Of normal life
must be given up and the money saved
invested in the war at 1 per cent COM
pound interest payable in five years.
4
IL Uk1o on CHe county
board Do approved at Ames the entire
amount Of state and federal aid avail
able for Marshall county in five years
and perhaps forever, will be spent on
the Lincoln highway and county road
between Marshalltown and State Cen
ter. Warning to farmers on other
roads has been published in these col
umns and unless they organize and
come forward with some inducement
the prize money will have been spent.
Farmers on the south road to State
Center because Of competition with tho
north road which Is the official Lin
coin highway from the forks west have
offered to contribute a dollar per acre
toward the Improvement Of their road
II there are no other offers they will
be entitled to the state and federal aid
money. The law which provides this
money was enacted for a hve-year
period only. The expense Of tho war
may prevent an extension Of aid to
roads beyond tho present ffve-year
period so there Is danger that when
| this $4,000 Of outside aid Is spent on
the road to State Center there may DO
no more prize money offered. A far
wiser plan would be to lsy out q two
or three-year project Of improvement,
spread the aid funds over more roads
and use more volunteer contributions,
but 1t Is not up to the county Ibourd t.
go out soliciting. Their Job Is to build
roads with the money which Is avail
| able. Those who want roads graveled
or hills cut down in some other direc-
ton should get busy.
4
There is no excuse for the farmers
in the vicinity OF Clemens and State
Center being the only ones to take
down big money from their cooper
awe creameries. That sum Of $117,-
S65 paid to farmer patrons of the
creamery at Clemens would buy just
as many autos and. pay for just as
many liberty bonds If it had been COL
lected by farmers in the vicinity Of
Albion lAscomb, Green Mountain, Le-
Grand, Gilman, Laurel, Vancleve, Mel
bourne, Rhodes, or any other village
in this county. All it costs Is an or
ganization Of farmers and SIS, 900
plant Cow money will solve the labor
|problem on the farms during the war
by making an all the year around Job
for q married man and his family as
helpers on the place.
q.
The searchlisht Club Is to fbe con-
graduated for its decision to cut out
public dinners during the war. Tho
food actually conserved may not be 4
factor but tho example set IL consist
emit with the preaching Of all who are
leaders In tho community. We must
exhort every family, wage worker.
merchant and farmer to save and con.
serve food and It Is glaringly incon-
sistent for those who must do the ex-
horting to gather once a week 200
strong for big feed in public. Regu-
lar meals Tor their families go on at
home just the same. The dinner in
public Is an extra but its real fault IS
its bad example. Those who preach
should practice what they preach.
aLATTERY TO VERNON CLUB,