Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-05-25

The poppy memorial flower of the
American Legion and the American
Legion auxiliary, will be sold on the
streets of Douglas Saturday by vol
unteer members of the Douglas auxil.
larry.
The little red poppy, which sprang
from the soil of sentiment after the
World war, as a memorial flower of
the legion and the auxiliary, has had
many struggles to keep it's place il,
our hearts as a memorial emblem, be.
cause of the inroads of commercial
ism so prevalent i'm this present age.
In many communities the poppy was
recognized only as a red tag to be
sold on the streets to make money.
1t is therefore with the fdea of en-
deavoring to establish the poppy in it's
right place in the hearts of legion
naires and auxiliary women, and
through education have the public III
general learn to know and love the
poppy-not as a red tag to be bought
and worm indifferently, but as an enl-
blern of sacrifice to be worn in rev.
erent understanding-tha this his
tory of the little red flower is given:
The idea of wearing the poppy in
memory of all who died in the World
war was presented to the American
Legion by one who, from all informa-
tion obtainable, was the first in
America to thus wear the poppy-Miss
Moina Michael of Athens, Ga. The
greater part of the following was
taken from her history of it's adop-
ton.
1t was on the morning of Novem-
ber 8, 1918, while she was serving on
the staff of the Y. M. G. A. overseas
headquarters at Hamilton hall, Column
bia university, New York, that a SOL
dier placed in the hands of Miss Moina
Michael copy of theS ladies' Home
Journal with Col. John McCrea's "We
Shall Not Sleep" illustrated in it.
Alone in her office, Miss Michael
read and reread this beautiful verse
which immortalized the poppy, and
studied the graphic illustration. She
caught the message and as she had
dedicated herself to the service of her
country ON the night war was de-
clared, she at that time made a sec
ond dedication - TO KEEP THE
FAITH and always wear a poppy of
FLANDERS fields as sign of remem~
brance of the sacrifices made by those
who fell. She wrote this dedication
in verse, which ends with
"And now the torch and poppy red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that We have died for naught;
We've learned the lesson that ye
taught
In Flanders fields"
AS she was penning the last line
of this dedication, a committee from
the 25th conference Of the Y. NJ G. A.,
which was meeting there at that time,
brought her check for $40 in appre-
citation of her efforts to make an at
tractive hostess house at their head
quarters. In giving her thanks she re.
piled that she would buy bright red
poppies, Flanders fields poppies, =
showing them the verses she had writ
ten. The verses were read before the
25sh conference, which was meeting
there and the idea presented. The
conference was also impressed ana
that afternoon Miss Michael bought
silk poppies and after the adjourn
ment of the conference the men came
downstairs and asked for poppies to
wear-the first scene in America OF
wearing the poppy for all who died.
The artnistice was signed-other
conferences adopted the poppy. Mem
The international Club. Quality and
Service,>in Aqua Prieta. .-Advt.