The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-11-20
PATRIOTIC SPIRIT 4.
0E 0URsPE0P[E ::
IS APPRECIATED
BYRON f. BROWN, BOARD OF
COMMERCE SEC'Y. VIEWS Eff.
FORTS OF LOCAL PEOPLE.

Byron r. Brown, secretary OF the
local board of commerce, who some
! time ago wrote a greetings to the
boys in khaki and blue, this week
writes the following letter to the
"home folks" in recognition of what
they have done in the matter Of help
ing win the war.
Mr.. Browns appreciative article in
review of the past year and one-half
of efforts on the part of the local peo-
pie is as follows:
To All the Folks at Home:
A few weeks ago it was my pleasure
to write a letter, through the Belding
Banner-News, to our boys in Khaki
and Blue and it seems to me just at
this time it would be equally appro-
pirate to write one to all the folks at
home.
During the past week we have car
ried through our drive for United War
Work funds and as usual Belding goes
over the top magnificensfy. Our quo
ia is something over $4,000 and we
believe when the subscription cards
are all in our total will show nearly,
if not quite $4,000. This, it seems
to me, is the browning effort for Beld-
ing at the close of the war and only
further emphasizes the magnificent
spirit shown by our citizens from
start to finish.
1t doesn't take long to figure up
that practically every citizen of Beld-
ing has to economic, figure a little
closer in their expenses and work a
little harder in order to do his bit in
these various campaigns. This is
truly a laboring mans town, every
one works and we are proud of the
fact that we can and do. True we
have our Bolsheviki, every town has
them but / am glad to be able to say
truthfully that they are SO few and
far between that we can overlook them
entirely. On the other hand. the
people at large have acted so willing
w whenever and wherever they have
been called upon either for mony or
time, that it would be impossible to
praise any particular few. As a
great big whole we have shown that
we at home are just as anxious for
the nations best interests as our men
who are in Uncle Sans army and
navy, who have cheerfully given up
their life's work and strenuously fitted
themselves to face danger and hard
ship to make the world safe for hu,
manity.
We at home have been doing our
bit and / know that the boys over
there fully realize this fact and ar
as proud of us as gre are OF them.
We have shown that we desire to
shoulder our part of wars burdens by
contributing to our utmost in time and
money, to make more pleasant the
surroundings and more cheerful the
long hours of those who are engaged
as our representatives in a holy war.
Our citizens have shown that they
are men and women with souls, men
and women with big vision and it is
their voluntary and cheerful giving
that makes the gift doubly acceptable.
It's this real personal offering, this
real personal sacrifice that binds with
golden cord our best thoughts and
acts and makes these an inspiration
for those who are holding their lives
cheap for the glory, the honor and the
safety of America.
1t is this spirit that makes Belding
what it is and what will make the
boys in khaki and blue as glad to see
us when they return as we shall be to
see them. When this time comes
there will certainlyeb be great rejoicing
yet mingled with this tinge of sorrow
when we consider those few golden
stars which stand for those who have
sacrificed their all.
The rain drops that fall on our SER
vice flag. as it hangs in our street,
represent a mothers tears for these
boys that have gone. So let US not
forget, in our hour of rejoicing. the
sympathy and warm grasp of the
hand that is due those mothers and
families whose soldier boys have sac
rificed their lives for us.
: Sincerely yours,
Belding Board CT Commerce,