The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-01-24
Letters from the People

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a. Letters from the People 20 70
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Mr.. Editor:
/ am a believer in the four
minute speech idea and think it
should be kept at work. How
ever the opportunities to reach
the people in the ordinary way
contemplated by a speech are
not numerous in a community
like this. 1t has occurred to me
that if a number of good four
minute talks were printed in the
forum of the Courier they pos
sibly would reach more people
than in any other way. 1t is my
opinion that there are quite a
few people in this vicinity who
could produce something along
this line quite worth reading and
that might prove an inspiration
to more and better effort by 9TH
ers. / am enclosing something
along this line and l hope it will
be followed by more and better
ones.
1t is not nv purpose at this
time to impress you with the
necessity of every patriotic citi-
zen standing behind the govern
ment in this war with such avail
able forces as he may posses, be
it money, brains or individual
effort, military or otherwise, for
if you are not convinced by this
time of the Importance Of doing
this, further argument would be
futile. But what / have in mind
to suggest and endeavor to en-
phasize at this time in the brief
est possible manner is the neces-
sity and Importance of keeping
everlastingly at it.
1t is not an uncommon thing
for people who are at heart pa
triotic to a degree, when their at
tention is called to Red Cross
needs or some other equally
worthy service in connection
with the war to make answer
that demands of this nature are
too frequent and give this as an
excuse for lack of interest or for
refusing to contribute. 1t seems
to me that we should get firmly
fixed in our minds and keep it
there, the fact that war is con-
tinuous proposition and knows
no respite and that to let up at all
in vigilance or effort would only
retard results and lend aid and
comfort to the enemy.
The enemy is making war
its entire business at the time,
leaving every industry and enter
prise that does not contribute di-
rectly to war results to anguish
and wait and these efforts
to make us and the rest of the
world vassals of the Kaiser are
absolutely continuous.
1t seems to me, therefore, that
those of us who are not in the
active military service Of our
country at this time should count
it a privilege as well as a duty
not only to give but to give per-
sistently and continuously to-
ward the cost of maintaining ev-
cry association that has for its
object and aim the alienation of
the suffering entailed by this
world war upon those who are
the victims of circumstances in
connection with it as well as for
the benefit of our boys in khaki
who are not only facing all the
dangers attending it continuous
ly, but who may be called on at
any time to make the supreme
sacrifice.
The old saying that the hotter
the fight the sooner it will be
over should prove true in this
case and let. us therefore bend
every energy and every force we
possess to the end that not only
will our boys in the trenches be
protected and cared for in every
possible way but that by the con-
tinuous and persistent efforts
this war will be brought to a
speedy and triumphant end.
To this end let us pull togeth-
l. q n