Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-11-09
BUY SOLDIER A
CHRISTMAS BOX
Rock Island Business Man SeRds
Argus Check for $50 As Nucleus
for Lonesome Label Fund.
ASKS VOLUNTEER Gifts
Contributions To Be Handled
Through Red Cross That None
Shall Be Forgotten

Expressing the hope that not one
OF the two million or more soldiers
who are serving overseas may go
Christmasless q prominent business
man, with a big, warm heart, has
sent to The Argus q check for $50
which he asks be made the nucleus
of a fund with which to purchase
gifts for the boys over there who
would not otherwise be remem-
bered.
Christmas is but six weeks away
and if any contributions are to be
made to the fund they should be
sent at once and The Argus will
be more than pleased to accept any
donations that will be given. .
Last year with only a start of the
American army in France large
number of soldier boys were oblig-
ed to suffer the great disappoint-
ment of receiving no gifts when
their comrads were remembered
with things from the homefOlks.
Can you imagine a. homesick, lone
some boy, 5000 miles away fight
ing for a country that has appar-
emily forgotten him? 1t will take
no stretch of imagination to pic
ture his keen disappointment and
the hurt that the neglect must oc-
casion. Officers have repeatedly
said that one of the keenest disap-
continents of the soldiers life is
his failure TO receive letters from
the home folks. How much greater
must be the hurt during the holi-
day season that should be so happy.
General Pershing, with the assist
ance of the American public, has
seen to it that every soldier boy in
France has been given Christmas
abel. The boys have been instruct
ed to send these to their nearest
relatives in order that gifts may be
returned to them. Others have been
instructed to send their lebels to
the American Red Cross if they
have no near relatives and that or
ganization will see that they are
rem en- bered.
1t is for this fund that the $50
given by the Rock Island man who
signs himself "a Friend" and who
refused to have his name printed, is
to be used. The money as it is col
Iected, will be turned over by The
Argus TO the Red Cross. whose spe-
Gil branch of service will employ it
in the purchase of Christmas gifts.
Nov. % Limit
The time is short, Nov. 20 is the
last day on which articles can be
mailed and it is therefore neces-
sary for those who wish to con-
tribute to the fund to do so at once.
Do not delay your contribution.
The Rock Island chapter of the
Red Cross has made application
through central division headquar-
tiers for a share of the lonesome
labels for overseas Christmas par
cells.
A great number of requests have
come to the local chapter of the Red
Cross for the privilege of filling
boxes for men in service who would
otherwise not receive them. inter-
est has been aroused because of the
announcement that the Chicago
chapter OF the Red Cross is filling
10000 such boxes which will be
sent TO those men who, having no
relatives to whom to send their
coupons or through some other I'M
fortunate circumstance, would be
missed" in the distribution of
Christmas cheer.
If it is in any way possible the To-
cal chapter win secure a share in