, 1925-05-07
MAY 18TH WILL
BE POPPY A
IN THIS CITY

May 18th is the day that has been
set aside by the American Legion,
Fred Duncan Post No. 20 and the
American Legion Auxiliary, for the
sale of peoples, the funds derived
from the sale to be used for the
thousands of disabled war veterans
and orphans of the past great war.
These sales are held each year,
however, in many cases the residents
do not know just how the funds are
used. One half of the money collect
ed from the drive is sent to the Ma
and the other half is used for the
365 disabled veterans at the Sheri-
dan hospital in this state. Although
the veterans at the Sheridan hospital
receive disqualification and compen-
sation from the government, they do
not get the little things, Injuries
they might be called, that the able
bodied person has and enjoys. Dur
ing the past year, from the fund de-
rived from the sale of peoples and
from donations, it IA possible to
send the Sheridan inmates a number
of victrola records, birthday boxes,
Christmas boxes, and the like. These
gifts were immensely appreciated by
the disabled soldiers and it helped
them during their many hours of
suffering inc lying in bed.
Already the American Legion Aux
iliary and the Girls Friendly So
ciety have made about 1000 peoples
but it is estimated that about 5000
are needed. The inmates at the
state penitentiary have offered to
help in the making of the peoples
a spirit which is greatly appreciated
by the American Legion and Auxil-
larry and the residents of the city.
Mrs. w. F. WEIGH is chairman of
the Poppy Drive and any persons who
wish more information ON the mat
ter, or wish to make any donations
to the cause will please call Mrs.
Welch.
Al further reasons why Poppy
Day is a necessity, even years after
the ending of the World War, thirty
thousand American service men are
patients in government hospitals.
Twelve thousand of them have tuber-
culosis, and another twelve thousand
have mental or diseases. Six
thousand pear wounds of battle or
scars Of diseases other than tuber-
culOsis. Outside the government hos
pitfalls are many thousands of service
men who ought to be in them, men
sick in their W homes or in pri-
vate hospitals.
The tubercular and mental classes
are increasing at such a rate, how
ever, that the men who know most
about it refuse to prophecy when the
peak will be reached. Each of them
increased seventy per cent in the last
a And 1t is the work of the
American Legion and Auxiliary to
see that these men and their fam
lilies are given the care necessary to
relieve the mind of the man in the
hospital as to the condition OF his
family at home.
1t stands to reason that a man
cannot be helped mentally or other
wise IL he must have The worry about
the conditions at home. We are
fortunate in not having any known
case of want or distress of any e
service man in our district. How
ever that does not relieve us of the
obligation OF assisting of those not
in our district. Dur obligation to the
ex-service man will not be ended as
long as there is one man in need OF
our assistance. That Is the only way
we have of paying them the great
debt we owe them for making the
supreme sacrifice for us in our time
of need. And 1t is not n m~isstate-
ment to- say that they made the SUI
preme sacrifice. The man in the
mental hospitals have more than
made tina sacrifice. Some OF them
will never recover their reason and
TO the minds of most OF us that Is
worse than death.
There are many who do not know
the Significance of the Poppy and
why It is used instead of some Other
flower or emblem.
In the spring of 1919 after the