Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-10-24
RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES NIL
Not Catholics, Protestants or Jews
But Just Americans.

But JUST Americans.
The war has taught US many les
sons that we needed very much t
learn; it has made impossible thing
not merely possible but essential
And there is hardly man or woman
| in America who has not in some de
gree been lifted by it CIT of his olt
prejudices, onto a higher, broade
plane of thought.
This autumn, il the week of No
vember Ills we. shall see the truth
of that statement splendidly demon
strated. Ir that week TIE seven agen'
cies engaged in war work for our sol,
diers and sailors are to unite in a
great campaign for funds with which
to continue their ministry.
Of the seven agencies two are Prot
estant, the Y. NJ. G. A. and the Y. W.
C. A., one, the National Catholic War
Council, embracing the Knights of
Columbus, is Catholic; the Jews arc
represented by the Jewish Welfare
Board, and the other three, the Amer
ican Library Association, the War
Camp Community Service and the
Salvation Army have no denomina-
tional affi]iation. For year they
have served the army and navy as no
troops were ever served before; they
have regarded themselvs as co-labor-
ers, yet there has. been inevitably in
their service some spirit of rivalry.
"They cannot be brought together,
men have said. "You cannot unite
Catholics, T'rotestants and Jews"
Yet on September 5 President VIII
son issued simple letter suggesting
that in their campaign this fall, they
appeal to the country together, IN
stead of individually. And on the
very evening of that day meeting
was held in New York consisting OF
five Representatives of each orGa1ilza-
ton. On motion of representative
of the Catholics, John r. Mott,
Protestant, was nominated Director
General of the Campaign; the mo-
ton was seconded by Mortimer L.
Schiff, representing the Jews, and
unanimously carried. And in that
spirit of unanimitya:the seven organi-
cations that "could .not be united" ."
are proceeding shoulder to shoulder,
with solid front.
The impossible was achieved in
single day; what years of discussion
and convention had failed to. bring
about the larger spirit, which the war
has engendered achieved without an
effort. That such a spirit of concord,
devoted to such cause, should disap-
pear with the conclusion of the cam
paign is i'm possible. Men and women
who have thrown their souls into a
great common effort do not easily
lose touch with leach ;other. There
grows up in them a mutual regard
ard attachment that is far stronger
than the differences of ereed:and race.
The campaign of November: will be
a magnificent thing for the boys over
there, ybutits influence on the n en-and
women eveT here will extend far be-
.yond the campaign itself, to solidify
end fortify the nation in, ALI years to
come.>
The sum sought by the seven agen-
cies is immense,' s17O,5OO,OOO-the
largest single giftfever asked of any
people at one time. Yet compared
with the figures to- which Sthe war has
accustomed US, it is small. Measured
against the huge; total which we shall
pay to keep our boys under arms
next year, this sum which is to pro.
vide for their comfort and cheer, be.
comes almost; insignificant. 1t is less
than ten cents day for each boy
less than the average man spends for
cigars. It will be raised-not grudg-
ingly. but in spirit of splendid en-
thusiasm. The country will go over
/ the top for the Big Seven as it has
gone over the top for the Liberty
Loan and and the Red Cross. And in
The fervor of its sacrifices it will have
won for itself great and lasting
reward. The gift which goes out to
bless the boys in France and in our
camps and on our great ships every
where will return to bless the givers
a hundred fold.
They will have learned in their Civ
ing a finer patriotism, a larger toler-
J ance and a wider appreciation of the
good that lies in every creed and
faith The United War Work Cam