The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-02
A LITTLE RECOGNITION, PLEASE

Every red blooded American, male
or female. wants to help somehow in
this war; all not only want to do ii
but also want to say it. Every one is
filled with pent up desire to yell
out, ''I'm for it in any way that I can
help" Those who go their usual way
with but a passive interest in the
progress of things lover there; salts
fled, contented with their present in
active condition; their willingness to
let events take their course as they
may. are Slackers-just that-Slack-
erk.
To those of US who walk on Kansas
avenue daily and who, because of age
or other good reason cannot get
into it,; to those of US perhaps es-
pecia1ly who have sons or daughters
or both lover there in the thick of
it, there comes question and a per-
tinent one. AS we walk down the
street we meet many men within our
governments age limits who appear
to US perfectly eft" for service. There
comes to us the question: "Wsll,
what's the matter with you? Are YOU
disqualified? You look all right, why
are you not in it? You ought to be
ashamed of yourself" ,
Frequently that attitude, is terribly
unfair and unjust. Oft times instead
Of criticizing him we should take off
our hats to him or her. For example
the general manager of the Rock IS
land gets a word from Washington
that 10 trains OF 10~coaches each are
wanted at Fort Sill to move from
5000 to 1000 troops on a certain cay
The trains are furnished and begin to
move. Regular traffic must be main
tanned and yet those troop trains must
be got thru. Some train dispatcher
must be called upon for an extra
night Of duty. To him is given the
responsibility of moving each one of
those trains at proper intervals-safe-
ly and secretly. For the night, the
safety of 5000 to 1000 soldiers is
given into his hands. The RESPONSE
bility is great and the strain is pro-
porHonately so. He sits at the in
strument thru the long night, faith
fully, and does his work correctly and
by ten O'Clock the next day the last of
these trains has been carried safely
and delivered frsm his division to an
other division and he comes YEARLY
up the avenue for a few hours of
much needed sleep. Some of US meet
him and the inevitable question comes
up. You Look fit, I wonder why you
don't don a uniform and get in it?"
AS he meets your eyes, perhaps he
feels your question. Perhaps he
thinks: I can't stand these question
ing looks any longer I'm going to
quit my dob and go.
- Let's be fair to that young man
let's have q way OF letting that young
man know that we know that his
last 10 or IL hours work has been
just as important and just as essential
as that of the colonel lover there"
who has led his regiment thru a VIC
torious assault.
There are hundreds of thousands of
young men who are doing this or
other equally important work which
is absolutely essential to the victor
ious wagfng of this war Let's have
congress design a service bar or but
ton-not to be lightly distributed
which Immediately and strongly says:
This man or woman is doing his or her
full duty in essential war work.
Perhaps the young man we have
mentioned is the father of young
children He should have a tangible
way of showing those children in
years to come that he. too, did as full
duty to our government as did the
man who carried rifle "over there"
1t would be a source OF satisfaction to
the wearer, and a merited recognition
by our government