Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1920-07-08
THE GREATEST MOTHER

| 'They called 1t the greaf est mother
in the world" and never was title
more richly deserved, for no small
boy, sobbing for the parental arms
because he had cut his thumb, turn
ed to his mother more instinctively
than did the American soldier turn
to tre Red Cross in his hour of pain
asd suffering.
Such is the unanimous testimony
of every man returned from over
seas, and we at home may well be-
lieve it, for we, too, have sought in
stinctively the Red Cross when dis
asters have overwhelmed our COM
munities and whole cities have been
ravaged by fire and flood.
Mother always made that cut thumb
we'll She bound it up, she wiped
away the tears and perhaps, if it
hurt particularly much, she kissed
the place-which always seemed to
help most of all
The greatest mother in the world
has been no less successful. No sol
dier ever came to her in agony that
was not cured were curing possible;
no community ever lacked for her
assistance. She was there at the
first cry.
What would we do without her?
only those who have cut thumbs
with none to cure and comfort
For two years she was away and
we missed her ministering to the
needs of our own unfortunates and
the unfortunates of other countries.
Now she has come back-the moth
er of America it is for us to
strengthen her arms for that great
work for others that only mothers
dol
We salute her and we pledge our
best-Mother of America, greatest
in the world
Amy person who doubts whether
the Fourth Roll Call of the Ameri-
can Red Cross is meant for him can
lecide easily enough by asking him
self a few questions.
Do you belong to any sect or or
ganization which, by it's creed, for
bids you to help another or to as
sist in a movement designed for the
help of others?
Then the call is not meant for you.
Do you believe that health is a
matter of no Importance whatever
and that every enterprising commun-
ity should have policemen, firemen,
jails, theatres, skyscrspers, church
es and schools, but no hospitals, no
doctors, no nurses, no sanitation, no
clinics, no provision for the preven-
ton of disease anil the relief of suf-
fering?
Then don't join the Red Cross.
Is it your opinion that when a city
Is swept by fire or inundated by
food, when it's families are made
its men killed and MAIN
I'd, its women and children brought
20 starvation and thirst, they should
De left to their own resources and
should have no organization on which
hey can cali for salvation?
Then you do not believe in the Red
Cross and should not join.
Are you so young that tn whim-
Der of crippled puppy is beyond
aour comprehension, or so old that
be cry of little child does not
penetrate your senility? ~
Then the Red Cross iss not within
our understanding and it does not
eek your sympathy. e
Are you so blind to misery, so
eaf to pain, so hardened to pity, so
roof to all feeling of your fellow
nan, that you do not care dollars
gorth what becmes of everybody
lse in the world?
Then don't join. The Red Cross
an get along without you.
Only remember-should the time
yer come when you yourself suffer,
Then your eyes are wet with tears,
then your own face rs contracted
nth agony, and when your own
ands are uplifted in supplication for
uccor, your refusal won't matter.
The Red Cross will help you-just
1e same.