Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-05-22
THE new RED CROSS
BUTTONS HAVE YOU ONE
You VIII Be Wearing One Soon
if You Do Your Duty as
Patriot.
1T is THE RED BADGE
PATRIOTISM. GET ONE
Big and Little, Rich and Poor. Old
and Young, the Red Cross War
Fund Appeals to You.

Have you seen the new button?
You'll be wearing one soon if you do
your duty as patriot, hnmanitar-
ian and christian.
It's little square emblem, white
with blue border enclosing a
red sross. On the face il says
Second War Fund" On the re-
verse, Save Life"
Those who contribute to the
second Red Cross war fund which
will be collested next week are en-
titled to wear it. They will be urg-
ed to wear it in order that those
who do not may be conspicuous.
Get ready to wear the new button.
The fund will be collected.
Collected" is right; for who will
bear to avoid or delay contribu-,
ton according to means to the Red
Cross war fund? The people are
ready to give that fund all it needs.
No fund, no bond, no stamp for
war purposes meets so ready and
willing reception. Scarcely amy
person in Iowa is so poor as to be
unable to have part in this rund
of mercy and human need. And
mark this, the person who gives
dollar that means sacrifice has
given more than the other who
gives largely out of great means
and feels no sacrifice. Lih-Tality
to the Red Cross, patriotic sup
port of the government aad the
port of the government and the
army and navy are not to be
measured in dollars and cents, but
by sacrifice. One man may give
thousands and not lack a gallon Of
gasoline for joy riding. Another
may give a dollar and lack meat
upon his table The little button
on the coat lapel spells patriotism
and loyalty and true charity and
love of humanity precisely as it
spells sacrifice.
In the face of a need so great,
with the picture of that terrible
battle that surges back and forth
across Picardy and Flanders, with
! the great suffering, with the crowd
! ed first aid and dressing stations
overflowmg and to overflow with
! the tide of the wounded and mang-
led men, with the millions of pale
children between whome and star
walton only the American Red
Cross stands, with weary women
and aged men lacking every COM
fort and even every necessity Of
| life, with the trains upon trains of
tortured and worn and diseased en-
shaved French and Belgians being
thrown across the lines now that
the Huns has squeezed the, last
ounce of strength and life from
them, with all that the Red Cross
means of succor and help and the
saving of life and health to those
unable to help themselves there
are few wro can keep good COM
pany with themselves unless they
wear the little button that is in
itself the badge of public and of
self approval.
In this war and in the war that
a,.;,
wages eternally against human kind,
let us all have a share of helpful
ness. That share is not measured
by figures on a check or the numer-
ala upon a banknote but in desire
and ability. The widows mite
here, as in that elder time, may
outweigh gold, given grudgingly.
1t is to be part of the mighty work,
to carry our load according to our
strength, to be of and in the finest
organized charity that the world
has ever known or shall know.
Big and little. rich and poor,
old and young, the Red Cross war
fund appeals to you.
Watch for the little red butaon,
seek it out. Ask for it. 1t is the
red badge of patriotism, charity
and kindness. Wear it proudly
and prayerfuly, the red blossom of
love that sprang from the red
fields of battle to bless a torn and
wounded world.