Laurel outlook., 1944-05-10

er was the one touch of beauty
which survived amid the hideous dc.
structiOn of war. Along the edge OF
the trenches, beneath the tangled
barbed wire, about the ragged shell
holes and over the fresh graves it
raised its brave red blossom. 1t
seemed to be the one immortal
thing in that region where death
reigned. The soldiers of all nations
came to look upon it as the living
symbol of the sacrifices of their
dead comrades.
1t was a poet who first gave ex-
preston to the idea. Soon himself
to lie beneath the peoples, he wrote:
"In Flanders fields the pop
pies blow,
Between the crosses, row on
row"
Even before the men had return
ed from the war, the perfect little
poem of Col. John McCrae had
winged its way around the world,
carrying the picture of the peoples.
Returning soldiers brought the vi
sion of the poppy fields back with
them, engraved indelibly in their
hearts with the memories of the
comrades they had left on the Dat
tle-front. Spontaneously the poppy
took on a sacred significance. 1t
became the flower of remembrance
for the men who had poured out
their life's blood around the roots
of the little plant.
Memories of the war dead always
bring thoughts of those who did
not die but came back doomed to
years of hardship and suffering,
sometimes worse than death. In
the poppy was found a way to link
the honoring of the dead with SER
vice for the living victims of the
Soon after the war patriotic
organizations in different countries
began to conduct sales of peoples
made by disabled veterans, to raise
funds for relief work among suf-
~eXservice men and their
families. A double significance be-
came attached to the poppy. Wear
ing the little flower came to mean
honoring the dead and helping the
The poppy also became the me-
mortal flower of the British Legion.
Other American veterans organiza-
followed the American Legion
and Auxiliary in adopting it as
their official flower of remembrance.
Soon many millions of the little red
flowers were being worn each year
all parts of the English-speaking ,
world, to honor the World war
lead and to aid the wars living
The nationwide sale of memorial ,
'oppies was begun by the Legion ]
Auxiliary in 1921. At first I
silk poppies made in France by /
French widows and orphans were
lsed. In 1922 the first peoples V
made by American veterans were f
PRODUCED in the hospitals of Min I
lesota, and this work has steadily S
expanded until peoples are being y
made in more than so hospitals and d
disabled veterans workrooms in 40 t
ifferent states.
The crepe paper poppy was Sc t
ected as the official poppy of the U
american Legion and Auxiliary be- 1
ause it provided the maximum of n
York for the disabled men, with II
he minimum expenditure of ma e
The fabric poppy was con- s.
ldered, but it vas not selected be- Z
ause making this poppy would not Fl
rovide sufficient employment for
disabled veterans. c.
By 1924 it was seen that the pop d
Y program lent itself more natur-
lily to the work of women than of "
len, and the American Legion gave ~
lie Auxiliary complete charge IF %
lie national program. TINS was a u
eavy responsibility. Wearing the u
over was the nations annual tri- /,
ute to the World war dead. From N
distribution of the flower came
large proportion of the welfare
I'D relief funds of both organiza-
ons. Seldom has such a gigantic
.lterprise been placed solely in the
inds of women.
How we'll the Auxiliary measured i'd
} to the responsibility placed on W
5 shoulders is shown by the de- fr
'lopment of the poppy program. =;
ach year approximately 100000 y.
mericans wear Legion and Auxili- oil
peoples in tribute to the war
.ad, contributing for the flowers SO
'er a million dollars for the well fiji
re of the wars living victims. HI
pa
of