The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-12-30
EX-SOLD|ER PLEADS
FOR AMERICA FIRST
MAN WHO SAW BELGIUM AT ITS
WORST, ASKS THAT WE HELP
OUR OWN PEOPLE.

| The following article, so ably written
and so timely, is given space in this
| paper in utter violation of a rule, sup
posed to be iron clad in this office,
that no communication will be pub
lished without the signature Of the
writer But this article, which appeals
to our Americanism, and contains so
much of truth and justice and right,
is permitted space, despite that rule.
The eX-soldier calls. the attention of
the American people to Americas
needs in a very forceful manner His
communication follows:
"a Dough- Boys" Plea.
| Our Bible tells us that it is more
blessed to give than to receive. We
grant it. But charity begins at home.
Armenian ReliefS are not in order
when the poor in Moscow are barely
existing on the merest necessities of
life. Their children doing without
shoes, their sick without medicine,
and their men without work. | heard
today of one family where a child has
gone without shoes all this year until
Santa Claus laid a pair beneath her
bed on Christmas morning. In order
to get Santa to do this the father
bribed him with 1915. To get that I
amount he sold calf skin for rs cents
and borrowed the $500. A calf skin
and $500 for a little pair of shoes
so that she could go out Christmas
morning and build a snow man in the
yard! She had been wanting to do
that since the first snow of the season
The finest spirit in the world douat-
ed needed necessities which were de-
livered this past week to many of cur
needy ones. But these will soon be
gone-then what? People of Moscow,
work must be found for the unem-
ployed of our town. If not work, then
donations.
Aid for the starving Chinese is not
in order until some Of our ex-soldiers
are taken care Of You remember the
item in our local paper about week
ago regarding 500 gassed ex-sOldiers
who are without means or hospitals in
Arizona. Gone there and sent there {
to weather out their remaining days.
effected in lungs and spirit. Home
less, friendless and many counting
their remaining months of life on one
hand. I
What are you going to do about the :
starving Americans? Will your con-
science allow you to pass the soup
ines of the thousands and thousands
Of unemployed in our own country? t
Are the Armenians and Chinese Or |
any other race to take precedence =
over our own blood and especially the
of our uniform, who are II
n sore needs at the present time?
70 thine own brother be true.
If Moscow were to have a terrible I
calamity tonight, who would aid us? ::
Who would you expect to? Would it :,
,e American for Boise and Spokane !,
0 ignore our fate and allow Canada !,
o ship in foods and clothing2 AS we :,
at among our ruins and dead, would :
Troy and Palouse dance merrily on to :
he merry strains of a popular fox :
rot? They would not But suppose :
hat they did, and Canada was the one :
o aid us. What, do you suppose,
yould the Canadians think who
to come here and saw that
uch condition existed?
I was in Belgium when the Ameri- u
an Belgium Relief" was holding g
orth at different points. | saw Red g
ross women, tired and cold, and SOL y
iers detailed for that work, bespat- s.
cred with mud and soaked with Bel IL
ian rains going ceaselessly to and q
% in their work of mercy. l stood o.
t the side of the slippery roads ard Il
-atched them pass. With a thrill il
said to myself, sI'm proud to belong ~
a nation of christian people, which to
doing SO much to help these poor d'
eople who have lost their all" Then &c
went east, three hours ride from OF
lis scar of desolation and ruin into pt
lie capital of Belgium. How many ds
OGDEN shoes and patched clothes do be
ou think l saw in BRUSSELS? NONE. it
ommon news dealers wore better tn
othes than | have worn since |
sceived my $50 bonus. The cab
'ets-and there were many of them,
IN the entire night. Theatres blazed ds
nth in binding mockery to the DESC pi
tion and ruin nearby. | asked five m
fferent business men in BRUSSELS. to
i'd all were wearing jewels, what W as til
,ing done for the poor along the nj