The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-11-23

UNA - RAA00 ~ ~ 800 suos
means busy days ahead for the Ia
dies comprising the committee.
Letters are coming from children
in all parts Of the city. Some Of
them contain pitiful recitals OF
family poverty. but the committee
has discovered that It u unwise to
take any written statement for
granted. Each appeal Is personally
Investigated by q member Of the
committee. There Is q call At the
address given in the letter for the
purpose Of veriAcation. II the sit
uAtion Is found ~ represented, the
names and ages Of the children are
obtained, together with the Christ
mas desires of the little folks. The
names are fled away alphabetic-
ally by the committee, and several
days previous to Christmas the
buying tour u begun. Absolutely
no favoritism IL shown. Tho COM
mittee takes the total Of the con-
tributed fund and makes 1t 90 as
far ~ possible m providing little
things that mean % much to child
Eood at Christmas time. Tho COM
mittee does not assume to relieve
cases Of family distresA Such
cases arc taken care Of By the
charitable organisations Of the city.
The Argus santa Claus serves only
the childrea. he poor children, Of
Rock Island, not with food and
cloehing, but With Christmas gifts.
A child at Christmas. you doubtless
understand. Il you know childhood,
would prefer . toy drum Or . doll
to . suit Of clothes or . dress.
A citt1en asked The Argus yes
tcrday II he might have the names
Of . few poor children in order
that he could take care Of them
personally instead Of giving money
to tho committee and having the
latter prpvide the gifts. He was
Informed that the committee would
gladly supply him names, but that
he should make sure to perform
his part In Dc earlier years of
the Santa Claus fund the commit
tee LEFT II optional With those wish
Ing to JOIN IN the enterprise wheth-
er they should contribute money or
buy tho gifts for children whose
names wore supplied By the CON-
nittee and personally deliver the
temembrances 1t the homes Of the
children. Tho idea worked out
well. generally speaking. but the
committee found some Of the per-
sons to whom names were given
failed IN their obligations, with
consequent disappointment to the
little folks who had been over
looked. Therefore tho committee
Is hesitant about supplying these
names unless all uncertainty b 70
moved.
The committee b thosuukniy Or
ganized, It has its work perfectly
systematixed. and prefers to take
care Of the little folks who look to
The Argus Santa Claus u their
never-failing friend.
The children who are remember
ed by The Argus Santa Claus are
not objects Of charity and should
not be considered a. such by those
who contributs toward the fund.
The committee aims to spare the
befriended families al embalrass-
ments and publicity. The automo-
bile4 bearing The Argus gifts carry
no signs. % Inst when one Of the
cars stops bofUre . homo neighbors
have no way of moving but that
the car belongs 70 some relative
or friend Of the family visited The
Argus seeks no gain from the pro-
motion Of the Santa Claus fuHd.
and wants no credit oSher than the
comfort It gets from moving that
through the enterprise It has for
ycars fostered II has been able 10
keep alive tho fAith Of Rock Is
lands childhood IN Santa Claus.
The Argus has always believed
there were Enough good fellows In
Rock Island 70 Sc 10 It that the
poor kiddies Vere peotectsd and
The Argus has not guessed VfUng
yet, for every yoGr In the past
there has besn plenty OF money
contributed BY she good fellows 70
meet the purchase reQatrements OF
ne committee. Il you havent con-
kihated. and iufsad doing "a, the
yugplt1ee uyo0 yoa - = % With
fDut delay, 1nf the sooner the com
6ittpo has. the noe0el fwnAs ou
2And the eoooer*lt WI ~ enaAled