The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-31
County Food Administrator Sends
Letter to Chairman Elder in
Which He Points Out Rea-
sons for Meeting.
MADISON PASTORS HELP
Catholic Priests There Are Giving Up
Their Services and All VIII
Urge People to
Attend.

George B. Stewart, county food ao-
minisrato at Fort Madison,
I exceedingly the fact that ministers
of Keokuk protested the proposed
meeting under the auspices of the
United States governments 1904
commission at Keokuk, February 10.
Mr.. Stewart in letter to Mr.. Elder
expresses his views in the matter,
and declares that he believes the
ministers have not fully understood
the circumstances.
Mr. Stewart writes:
FORT MADISON. Iowa, Jan 80.
191S.-Mr. J. F. Elder, Keokuk, Iowa.
My Dear Mr.. Elder: l was sorry to
read the protest of the Keokuk Min
isteriaI association against the meet
ing for Sunday evening, February TO-
am sure that the members of the
association could not have under
stood the circumstances fully.
Mr. Lord and the other members
of the Back From the Trenches
lecture team are sent out by the gov
eminent not only for the purpose OF
talking food conservation, which is
only incidental, but of giving people
a report of the life of our boys In
France, including the activities OF
the Y. NJ. C. A. and Red Cross, from
personal investigator who has Just
returned from the front.
Mr.. Lord recently delivered his
lecture in Washington. President
Wilson and the members of his cabi-
net were present and praised the lee
ture most highly The team can
only be in Iowa few days, and
under the arrangements made by the
government, enters the state at Fort
Madison, where a meeting will be
held in the afternoon, and it was
necessary to arrange for the meeting
at Keokuk in the evening. There
can be no question as to the pro-
priety of the subject for Sunday
evening meeting.
On our executive committee here
we had two protestant ministers and
two Catholic priests The protestant
churches have no Sunday afternoon
services. The Catholic churches do.
The Catholic priests stated that they
would be pleased to dispense with
their Sunday afternoon services and
at the morning service will advice
their congregations to attend the
meeting. The protestant ministers
will announce the meeting at their
morning services and urge their con-
gregations to attend the meeting.
The chance TO hear Mr.. Lord is a
rare opportunity and Sunday is the
only time available. / feel certain
that il the members of your Minis
terial association understand this
matter fully that they will withdraw
their protest, and l should think that
they would feel like dispensing with
their evening services and co-operat-
ing to make the meeting great
success. By doing so they would not
only conserve coal, but would give
their congregations chance to at
tend meeting which the govern
ment considers very important The
government has planned the meet
ing. 1t must be Sunday night, or
not at all. l do not believe the min
listers desire to oppose a measure
deemed necessary by the govern
ment at this time.
Yours very truly,
GEORGE B. STEWART,
County Food Administrator.
Mr.. Stewards letter perhaps will
emphasize the Importance of the
meeting in February, and will out
line in specific way just what it is
hoped to accomplish by the meeting
at which the commissioners will