Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-06-21
WHAT is WAR WORK {:
Helen s. Harrison, President Women
Civic League, Winter Haven, Fla.

| Harrison, president of the Civic
| League of Winter Haven, entitled
What is War Work 2" and published
IN the National Federation Magazine.
mas received flattcring comments from
leaders of community and municipal
work OF the country; being character
lZed as the best article of the kind
yet published" Believing an oppor-
tunity to read this highly instructive
as well as now famous article will be
appreciated by our own people, we
herewith print the same i'm full 1t is
a. valuable help to all aiming to arrest
the strong current of destructive
| forces sweeping over the land, in
evltably following in the wake Of war.
| 1t gives Winter Haven n publicity of
the type she may we'll be proud.
When the Committee presented its
program even the entry of our country
INTO the war did not seem so serious.
and many predicted that before the
summer was gone Peace would bless
the earth once more. The situation
now is all too ominOus, and some are
saying that Russia becomes Il supply
base for Germany to draw upon for
food and men that this War is far
from an end. and the result far from
assured. With conditions as these be
fore us there are some who argue that
ali Civic organizations should cease
10 exist as such, and their energies
be given to the making of hospital
supplies and comfort kits for our sol
dicrs, in other words 10 War Work.
This brings us to analysis of the
term "War Work" now heard on every
side. In the great organization Of
forces by which our Government hopes
10 do its part in Dcmocracy's fight
many avenues of service are illuminat-
cd which we formerly never connected
with thoughts OF War. We who have
been born and reared in the piping
times of Peace, until three years ago
thought Of War largely rs bodies of
uniformed men on the march giving
battle, and then the horrors of blood
shed and suffering. But now we are
learning that War is Il question of
food, factories, fields, homes churches,
schools. books and music; of work
study and diversion The wealth of
all these re-houSeS must hc drawn
upon if II country is to make its best
fight, and the supply in these must
be kept above normal in order 10 meet
the abnormal demands Of stormy
times when Destruction like Gagged
beast runs wild over the world threat
ening to destroy everything that man
holds dear, and even the citadcls Of
his faith and trust.
When the riches of these store
rooms run low, or become exhausted,
then thc country is doomed. the battle
lost, no matter how many soldiers are
in the field, and how many fight To
look after these institutions, to keep
them ut their best, this i. defense thAt
will help 10 win in any war, and this
in the War Work in which every man.
woman and child can take part. The
uncertainties of Il time like this bring
recklessness and laXity such as are
never known ut normal times. To
combat these, to !, nr up The life
about US from which our Army must
be drawn and to which IL lnust re-
turn to protect the springs from:
which the rivers Of naturn' strength
are fed, this is War Work rs we sec
and know ii now, just as eel MS the
carrying of gun The country has
called upon one draf. OF our young
men TO make ready to follow the flag
but it is calling upon thocc who are
not to fight, to make ready also, the
boys who are now sixteen, anC the
boys WHO are fourteen and en- down,
and each draft should be made into
better men than those now going.
Likewise TIE young women IL service
must have behind them other classes
coming on, each one better fitted for
service than the preceding one OF
the Knowledge gained from expert
ences of Today.
This can never be unless those in
Stitutions which make citizens are
watched and fed and kept running at
War time speed, as long as War lasts.
The work of construction must not
only keep pace with destruction, but
must pass it, if our country is to win
, for Democracy and to prove. itself a
worthy standard bearer in these acid
testing times of struggle.
What Patriotic Women Sh0u!d Re
: member
| Authorities say that our Army rep
resents only forty per cent of our ell
cheney. The other sixty per cent is
with the ranks that must stand be-
t hind and keep the home fires burning.
4 To keep them at their best, to iool;
after community life, 10 make the
street from which the soldier went a
cleaner street lOf MN 10 fctuIi tpi
s the school for his children better than
\ the school he attended, the civic life
+ from which he draws inspiration
= better and finer with each passing
year-this is War Work for you ana
l me, just as necessary rs amy branch
of War Work, and this is what am
asking you as a civic League of pa
triotic women to remember.
During the past few months ! nave
1 talked with boys who had been called
+ from their homes to the cOlors, VINO
| could not read or write. They had
never been from home until they went
to camp to train for War! Think of
the ntted loneliness Of such a boy
, shut off from his people and all that
has made life for him by the lack Of
an education to which he had Il right!
Called by a great, rich country-to
make, if need be, the supreme sacri-
: flee for that country which has failed
to make him an intelligent citizen
and this is the State that has given
birth IN moro Presidents than any