The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-03-01
Rock County War Funds Drive.


for the general relief and recreation of
the heroes who are supporting the ira
dition of the flag on foreign soil. This
attitude is also great point of inter-
est in the cantonments of America and
the great American camps at the front.
When the call was issued by the
president of the United States for men
and money to defend our honor and the
cause Of democracy, the hearts of men
of all creeds and colors were stirred to
the. depths by the love of country and
the appeal was answered nobly.
Can we as individuals, safely housed
and sheltered, pursuing our everyday
tasks, forget for one instant the fact
that. thousands of brave boys are at
this moment in France, fighting your
battle and mine? And can we hesitate
to do all that lies in our power to bring
comfort and health to this soldier?
From true citizen of the United
States there can be but one answer to
this question.
Every drive that has been made
through Rock county for funds for the
support of any organization approved
by the president and his war board has
been taken care. of in splendid man.
ner.
But one thing stands out prominently
- Tko r1n tr.h
uted to the first fund started for the
purpose of backing the boy fighting your
battle and my battle in Europe was in
variably the man who came through
for the second and third demand, and
so on through the whole number of
drives for funds for the soldiers needs.
The manner in which these drives
were pushed across was not efficient;
they taxed the same man again and
again, and left out entirely a great
part of the residents of the county who
were perhaps just as patriotic as the
generous giver, but had been over
looked in the rush.
Further than this there are many in
stances where the man who gives in
this proportion can only not afford to
give as much as he is giving, but is
actually depriving himself and his fam
lily of the necessities of life thru the
love of country.
When the prominent men of the
county discovered that these men were
were really taking the very shoes from
his little childres's feet to contribute
to the welfare of the boys at the front,
it set them to thinking and when the
Rock County Council of Defense War
Committee was suggested it was So
luton to great economic problem.
This organization has volunteered its
services to the Rock County Council of
Defense. Therefore they are the ac-
credited representatives of the govern
ment. In order to arrive at basis
fair to all, it has been determined that
every person must do his share. You
ask how can anyone determine the
true and just share of another? The
answer is it not only can be done, but
it has been accomplished in other COM
munities. A financial census of our
people has been compiled on scien-
tific basis which includes each individu-
ual residing in Rock county, and the
net worth and income of each is ascer-
tanned and the proper amount to be
assessed was determined to be two
mills on each dollar of property and in
come possessed by the individual to
take care of the required budget for
the year.
The men who volunteered to under
take this task has access to all the
necessary sources of information. You
are assured it is not a haphaZard esti-
mate nor series of wild guesses. Of
course inaccuracies will drop in. How
ever you will find such inaccuracies to
be rare exceptions.
The whole county is now divided into
two great classes of people, the loyal
ClCIZCIlS dLlu tLlC SldChCIO.
Everyone now belongs to one of these
two classes. It is needless to discuss
the first class except to say, Bully for
you, but the shakers
There are several varieties of this
type. The average Stacker will not re-
fuse to offer a compromise on the
amount assessed to him, but care will
be taken not to permit anyone to pay
less than his fair share.
1t is our duty as citizens to come in
contact with these people. They have
not been thinking along the right lines.
1t is strictly up to US as patriots to re-
construct their thinking. Make them
realize that their neglect and attitude
can do more to defeat our armies than
Won Hindenburg. 4
Our boys haye gone to sacrifice even
unto Death. They have placed them
selves at our mercy, and they say that
eff disaster comes to me my country
and my town will take care of me and
mine" Now it is up to us to live up
%..% fhn ,toy,