The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-05-08
CUT OUT USELESS WORK.
The Only Effort That Counts To-day Is
Something That Helps Win the War.

We all know, in a. general way, that
some men are engaged in non'essential
work in every town in the country. In
Athens, Ca, a census was taken to find
out the exact wastage of muscle that
could be turned to war work. 1t was
found, according to conservative reports,
that the non essential house servants
alone, in that town of 10000 people,
could furnish the labor for cultivating
enough land to produce at moderate
yield 10000 bushels of corn
There is only one test to apply to any
human effort to-day for the determine
ton of las value-and that is, Does il
help win the war;
Usually within few hours ride of
towns where men are engaged in work
that is utterly useless from a warwin
ming standpoint there are farmers seek
ing labor to produce, crops-crops that
will help win the war--crops without
which We cannot win the war
In every town local public sentiment
can cause these non essential workers
to go to farms and help win the war;
Do you suppose Hindenburg is losing
sleep over the surplus servants in At
hnta, Ga? Do you suppose the kaiser
worries because town of 10000 keeps
enough useless house help to produce 75-
900 bushels of corn--if they were on
farm? But, when Athens, Ca, actually
has $4,000 additional bushels of corn to
show for the work of the useless SER
vants-when every town in this coun-
try has taken husky men from such jobs
as running elevators, standing in liver
led glory in front of hotel doors, check
ing grips, driving 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
butchers will find in Athens, Ga, some
thing fearful and forebuiing -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 il |
ustration, because it happens that Geor
ria extension workers took a careful !
survey there and the figures are avail |
lble as substantiation of general state |
nents applicable to practically all towns
n the country. You know we can't win |
he war without food; you know food |
ant be produced without farm labor.
As long as your town continues TO EN-
10y men in non -essential work while
armers in the country need help, you
aven't gone to war! You may buy
liberty bonds and give to the Red Cross,
ut you are not at war when farmers
eek help and you continue husky men
4 needless work. Your windows may
y proud service flags, but you are con-
ributing to the Huns effort to crown
18th sombre crepe those brave banners.
After the survey Athens, Ga, was
sked these questions:
Have you boy in camp or fighting
France? He is washing his own
othes, perhaps, doing his own dressing,
Gaming up his own plate of abode and
orking many hours per day in the
lidst of danger He is doing these things
ithout useless servants. Are you bet
n than your boy? Do you want him :
, do your fighting, and be his own ser {
mt, and at the same time go hungry,
,cause your surplus servants were not :
mt to farms to grow food for him?" |
You must answer that. Your town a
ust answer it,
Apply the acid test: Il this work of q
ar value; can the man now doing the (
IN essential work do valuable work on \
farm? On the basis Athens, Ga, found
,tween 800 and 500 men uselessly en- +
Dyed in a town of 10000. For exam
e, the survey shows licensed chauffeurs n
it'll the conclusion that thirty five are !,
m essential. Women could take their
aces or owners could drive their own n
RS. These men handling farm tractors
Duld be really helping to win the war.
ght men were running elevators, all of II
rm qualifications and all listed as non n
sential, because in another office build r
z in Athens girls are already running
e elevators most satisfactorily. Eigh- "
en- males who make their living shining A,
oes were listed as non-essential work
upon the theory that neatly polished II
oes in Athens, Ga, do not help the W
neriean army break through to Berlin,
lereas these eighteen strong men at
,rk in the fields to produce food will
lp us to win--the Athenians shining
cir own shoes the while if necessary HI
And so the survey continued through
rious ifications-useless delivery al
m, oft-drink dispensers, surplus SER W
nts. And farmers not far away de- :
Gus of labor to produce war cropsl
VIII your town do as Athens. Ga, de-
red it would-turn non-essential town
rkers to an activity that will really
lOunt TO something in this war;