Charlevoix county herald., 1918-03-22
CHARLOTTE FIRST
1907" CITY IN U. s.
MICHIGAN TOWN "G0ES
OVER THE TOP" IN
w. s. s. CAMPAIGN.
WHO Will Be Next?" Is the
Query on Every
Tongue.


OF the treasury departments new
movemant for the sale OF thrift
stamps and war savings certificates,
In order TO enlist In government flu
ancial aid hundreds of thousands OF
wage earners and small investors.
who dc not find 1t convenient to alb
sorb Liberty loan issues, Charlotte is
now allie to point to the fact that
there Is not a single citizen within
her borders who Is not the possessCr
OF one or more thrift stamps and wa.
savings certificate, the first town In
the nation to make that record.
This result was attained only after
strenuous activities on the part OF
practically every inhabitsnt of the
town, from the mayor down to the
smallest school boy.
Dress Your Dollar In Khaki"
Thrift stamp stations were In
score OF drug stores, groceries, the
local postoffice, and elsewhere, and
over the streets were displayed AS
"Dress Up Your Dollar in Khaki
Save and Serve-Buy War Savings
Stamps Don't Be q Spender. Be
Saver"-"Thrive BY Thrift, Buy Wrr
Savings Stamps" and every occasion
was improved by speakers and clubs
and musical organizations to spread
the gospel Of saving in small amounts
The campaign started January 20,
and lasted three days. On the twenty
eighth "a rousing meeting was held at
the Phoenix hotel; speeches were
made by Joseph p. STANDARD, of De-
troit, and E. j. Files, of Charlotte.
Tuesday night 28 teams made up OF
two men each left the war savings
headquarters which had been estab-
lished at the community association
office and started their city-wide cam
| paign. About one-third Of the city was
covered on the first night. Everything
was made as easy as possible by
printed forms and advertising in the
local newspapers, as well as by bali
ners stcetohed across the streets, win.
dow displays and a series of personal
letters to each Individual in the city.
People Flocked to Pay.
One man in each OF the selling sta
tons gave practically all his time to
taking care of the rush of people who
I wished to fill up the thrift cards aud
/ buy war savings stamps after they
had made their family 100 per cent
from purchases made from the soli-
citors. The postoffice and the banks
did record business during the three
day campaign, many employees work
ing over. time checking up returns.
During the campaign the headquart-
ers office looked at all times as
though some political meeting were
in progress, people flocking there by
the scores to make their purchases.
The spirit of making Charlotte the
first 100 per cent city in the nation
prevailed throughout the entire com.
munity. One practical joker remarked
to one of his friends that a new ma.
lady had settled over the city, and
called 1t "Stampitis".
Thrift is Big Lesson.
The national war SAVINGS commit.
tee is now on the alert to see which
Of other small towns enrolled in the
year-round war savings campaign will
be the first to follow Charlotte, and
thus be second on the list OF 100 per
cent cities. The fact of becoming 100
per cent is not considered by the gov.
eminent to be so important financially,
much as there small savings are need.
ed by the treasury department to pro.
secute the war, but its chief value lies
In the lesson OF thrift which the great
American commonwealth will derive
from local drives of this sort and their
success. The government has repeat.
edly gone on record in this war say.
ings movement that the fundamental
purpose of 1t is not only to raise the
$4,000, 100000. allotted as the neces-
sary quota, but to inculcate the spirit
of saner. spending and investment in
stead OF boarding, which will be one
OF the biggest constructive lessons Of
| the pntira war tn thic roouotry