The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-25
By MATLACk PRICE.
vics.Prssident of the National Com.
rnistss Of Patriotic Societies.

Vics.Prssident of the National Com.
mittss Of Patriotic Societies.
w FAR, destroyer of many things.
W has brought the poster into
w its own. has made the poster
fulnl Its greatest destiny. Enthu-
siasts Of the old days of the poster.
about the time OF the Worlds Fair at
Chicago, could never have foreseen
that their favorite form Of art, even
then a very ephemeral by-product Of
the studios, would come to hold, las 1t
does to-day. the forefront OF the stage.
Certainly we have proof for all time
that art Is capable of rising to the
worldwide call to arms. that art Is
more than a pleasant Incident in life. q
on-essential form Of aesthetic and in
tellectual entertainment.
And posters, SO long thoughtlessly
dismissed as ranging In value from, the
amusing product Of an artists idle
hours to mere advertisements" now
stand before us as q more forceful
aid to nationwide publicity than any
other means employed by the Gov
eminent or by other war activities to
reach all the people every day, every
where.
The call to arms was sounded by the
recruiting posters; food conservation
was put constantly before the nation;
the loans were proclaimed and stimu-
lated; the Red Cross set forth its vast
and merciful mission-the poster
came triumphantly into its own, to
perform its daily, its hourly service
toward winning the war.
Started on May 28 Last.
On May rs, 1918, THE SUN an
nounced a nationwide competition for
posters designed to speed up ship
building Here, indeed. was an in
spirational theme and one which
brought a splendid response from the
length and breadth of the country.
making this one Of the most signif-
icant poster competitions on record.
Outlining the main purpose Of the
competition, the first announcement
contained the following paragraph:
1.-THE big thought to be developed by
those who submit designs for posters
Is that the man in the shipyards is
the man OF the hour He Is just as
important in the nations scheme Of
things as the man in the trenches
His is the second line Of defence. There
must be no weak spots In it. Unless
he stands behind the man in the
trenches, eight hours a day, six days
a week, our millions Of men in France
are not going to be able to resist the
pressure Of the Hun. without ships,
and more ships. food. munitions and
supplies cannot be transported to the
other side."-
There are 154 shipbuilding plants
located on our two coasts. and in these
about $4,000 men are on the job build
ing ships. Then there are approx
mately 1000 plants Of which the out
put has to do directly or indirectly
with shipbuilding, so that in all it is
numbers about $500 900 workers. upon
whose industry and loyalty depends
the successful issue Of the war.
The War Department has recently
instituted a bureau devoted solely to
building up and maintaining morale
in the American fighting forces. both
here and overseas. and an identical
purpose actuated the Shipping Board
with regard to its labor army In hold
ing the shipbuilding poster competi-
ton.
The posters were required not so
much to recruit labor for the ship
yards and for the plants which sup
plement the work OF the shipyards, as
to stimulate the men already at work.
to impress upon them the Importance
of their work. Of speeding up; to i'm
press upon them in unmistakable
terms their identity as fighting men.
Practical Psychology in Idea.
The proposition Is one of practical
psychology. and for the poster de-
signer there existed not one but many
appeals which might be taken as the
motive of the poster.
Primarily there was the shipworker
himself. the big. two listed man. work.
ing with wood and steel and iron and
fire to put an endless line Of ships