The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1919-02-22
CITIZEN PROPOSES
MEMORIAL BUILDING
John S. Weaver Starts Agitation for
Splendid Testimonial to Our Honor
ed Sons Who Fought for Us.
WOULD MAKE FITTING TRIBUTE.

The service flag that swishes its
folds across the Shore Road, covered
over with stars, is an indication that
u City did its part in making up that
yirile force of men that sent the Hun
Keeling back into his own country. Il
was hung as an honor to the men who
were then going out for US, but now
they are coming back TO us, and new
duties confront us. We need more
than the service flag today. The
stranger passes under it without any
emotion, and even the casual towns
man only sees in it the evidence of
what the town did in the war. Only
the fathers, and mothers, and wives,
and brothers and sweethearts of the
soldiers can grasp its full meaning.
Today the boys are coming back to
US. Many of them were taken out of
good paying jobs, and at only $50 per
month were sent over to face German
%bayonets, bare their breasts to German
machine-gun bullets, and open their
lungs to vicious German poisonous gas
all this sacrifice that we here at
home might be saved from the awful
enace of German frightfulness. Now.
what can we do in return. This ques-
ton confronts us here in P~leasantville,
as well as it does in every other com
munity. These returning men don't
want charity,-they have grown too
big for that; and yet we W it to
them that we keep alive in the Com
munity, and in the heart of every citi-
zen, that splendid sentiment of pa
triotism without which our country
would soon die.
The City owns a magnificent plot of
ground just adjoining the City Hall
why not put on this tract a building in
memory of the two hundred splendid
boys who went out from among us,
and dedicate it to the use of the Com
munity? Why not equip it with a good
gymnasium, where our young men can
go to give play to that physical energy
that every healthy American possess
es? Put in it a reading room where
the tables will have on them the best
daily newspapers and magazines. Put
into it plenty of games where inno-
cent and interesting hours can be
spent in good fellowship. Equip 1t
with a modern Comfort Station, which
is so badly needed in City. Put in
a Rest Room where out-of-town people
can go when they have waiting time
in the City. Connect it up with our
Public Library in some way so that
some books may be put on the tables,
for the use of travelling men who may
stop over in the City. Put in a Music
Room, where young people can come
together and enjoy themselves in song,
or for practice for our various public
gatherings, etc.
What are we going to do with our
yirile, f~ull-blooded, active and restless
young Americans anyway? The sa-
loon with its vicious liquors will soon
be a thing of the past, thank God. But
what are we going to put in its place?
The saloon is full of that free, open,
jovial good-fellowship that has kept its
doors swinging all the time. Men
meet there on the level, and there are
no restraints imposed. When these
are closed, are We going to drive our
people out into the streets? The
churches seem TO be doing very little
to meet this vital need-they lock
their doors between services. 1t is
true they have their organizations for
the saints, but what about the sin
ners'? What are We going to do with
the young Americans, in whose veins
the red wine of life runs riot, whose
nerves are all atingle with youth and
health. whose energy runs up
and down their spinal column every
minute? Right here lie the fields
white unto harvest, and the Devil has
his sickle in already. Let us be care
full that the brothel does not replace
the saloon, because in that case our
last stage would be tenfold worse than
our first.
Why couldn't we make a building
such as we spoke of above fill the pur-
poses of rest, recreation, amusement,
good fellowship, enjoyment and pleas
ure for our young and growing popula-
ton? It's inception and completion
would be a splendid tribute to III sol
der boys. and its benefits and influ-
ence in the town would be ~far-reach-
ing. Something should be done-what
shall it be? Let US hear from our
townspeople. The Chamber of Com
merce will give its aid to any project
that aims for betterment and progress.
Let us make a long pull, a strong pull
and a pull altogether.
JOHN S. WEAVER.
MARRIED.