Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-05-02
CUT OUT ALL
TIE USELESS WORK.
The Only Effort That Counts
Today Is Something That
Helps Win The War.

that some men are engaged in nom
essential work in every town in the
country. In Athens. Ga. a census was
taken 10 find out the exact wastage of
muscle that could lie turned TO war
work 1t was found, according TO con-
seryative reports, that the non-essen-
tional house servants alone. in that
town of 10000 people, could furnish
the labor for cultivating enough land
TO produce at a moderate yield $4,000
bushels of corn.
There is only one test 10 apply 10
any human effort today for the de-
termination of its value-and that is,
does it help win the war?
Usually within few hours ride of
towns where men are engaged in work
that is utterly useless from a war
winning standpoint there are farmers
seeking labor 10 produce crops-crops
that viii help win the war-crops
without which we cannot win the war!
In every town local public senti-
ment can cause these non-essential
workers to go TO farms and help win
the war.
DO you suppose Hindenburg is los
ing sleep over the surplus servants in
Athens, Ga? Do you suppose the Kai-
ser worries because a town of 10000
keeps enough useless house help to
produce 5000 bushels of cOrn-if they
were on farms? But, when Athens,
Ga. actually has $4,000 additional
bushels of corn to show for the work
90 &c hay
town in this country has taken husky
men from such jobs as running eleva-
tors, standing in liveried glory in front
of hotel doors, checking grips, driv
ing taxicabs and doing a score of
things women can do or the public
can do without or individuals do for
themselves then the blasphemous
braggart of Berlin and his companion
butcher will find in Athens, Ga,
something fearful and foreboding-
something to give them the dread that
comes to all beasts when they sense
the real arousing of a superior foe.
Your town is Athens, Ga Every
town is Athens, Ga. That particular
place is named here merely for the
sake of illustration, because it hap
pens that Georgia extension workers
took a careful survey there and the
figures are available as substantiation
of general statements applicable to
practically all towns in the country.
You know we can't win the war with
out food; you know food can't be
produced without farm labor.
As long as your town continues to
employ men in non-essential work
while farmers in the county need help,
YOU haven't gone to war! You may
buy Liberty Bonds and give to the
Red Cross, but you are not at war
when farmers seek help and you con-
tinue husky men in needless work.
Your windows may fly proud service
flags, but you are contributing to the
Huns effort to crow with sombre
crepe those brave banners.
After the survey Athens, Ga, was
asked these questions:
Have you a boy in camp or fighting
in France? He is washing his own
clothes. perhaps, doing his own dress
ing. cleaning up his own place of
abode and working many hours per
day in the midst of danger. He is do
ing these things without useless ser
wants. Are you better than your boy?
DO you want him to do your fighting,
and be his own servant, and at the
same time go hungry, because your
surplus servants we're not sent to
farms to grow food for him."
You must answer that Your town
must answer it.
Apply the acid test: Is this work
of war value; can the man now doing
this non-essential work do valuable
work on a farm? On that basis
Athens, Ga, found between 800 and
500 men uselessly employed in a town
of 10000 For example, the survey
shows forty licensed chauffeurs, with
the conclusion that thirty-ive are
non-essential Women could take
their places or owners could drive
their own cars. Those men handling
farm tractors would be really helping
to win the war. Eight men were run
ming elevators, all of farm qualifica-
tions and all listed as non-essential,
bCNdu0G III e1AiOiAACA bAAANC cNAiNAAS 81
Athens girls are already running the
elevators most satisfactorily. Eight
cen males who make their living shin
ing shoes were listed as non-essential
workers upon the theory that neatly
polished shoes in Athens, Ga, do not
| help the American Army break
through TO Berlin, whereas these
eighteen strong men at work in the
! fields to produce food will help us to
! win-the Athenians shining their own
shoes the while if necessary.
| And so the survey continued
| through various Observation-Disclosures
less deliverymen, soft-drink dispens-
| ers. surplus servants And farmers
not far away DESTROYS of labor to pro-
/ duce war crops!
Will your town do as Athens, Ga,
! declared it would-turn non-essential
| town workers to an activity that will
really amount to something in this
war?
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