Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1918 — PATRIOTISM THAT COUNTS [ARTICLE]

PATRIOTISM THAT COUNTS

The newspapers of this country have permitted the news to get out that they are giving much space to doing the work of the government in promoting those undertakings that must be forwarded if the war is to ibe won swiftly. Other institutions have done all of their share in this sort of work, and the newspapers have acknowledged the patriotism of these institutions and individuals. But has it ever occurred to you that the billboards — the outdoor signs that are everywhere in evidence —have carried and are carrying the sort of patriotic publicity that count? Isn’t it a fact that you have been rather more impressed with what you have seen displayed on those' signs than you have been by anything else in the various publicity campaigns that have been carried on? Don’t you remember the striking phrases that have been presented in colors —-like “What’s the use of your money if we don’t win this war?” and things like that? As a matter of fact the Liberty Loan and Red Cross and other campaigns were tremendously advanced by the fact that their objects were stated in brilliant and effective colors on the sign boards in city and country. And all this vast amount of publicity was the patriotic contribution — in a large measure—of institutions like the Thomas Cusack Company. No other one concern in this country has dorie quite so much and so effective work as the Cusack people —and others in their line. The Cusack Company is referred to for the reason that it is pre-eminent in its business in this section of the country, but there is no doubt that other companies in the same line of business have been giving this same splendid aid to the government. And the Cusack Company has become to a certain extant the victim of the propaganda it has carried on. It has contributed some thousands of running feet of appealing display to the promotion of the good work of the federal fuel administrator—and this as in spite of the fact that in the operation of the regulations of the fuel administration it was inevitable that it must cost the outdoor sign people a very considerable share of their business.

For, whale the rest of us were just sensible of the darkness at night in the streets, the outdoor sign people were being hit hard in the pocket}ook —for if their signs are not lluminated at night they cannot very well collect from the people they sell their space to. All day long their signs worked, but those that must be illuminated at night were dark.

And the spirit that has been exhibited by the Cusack Company has been the most commendable, taking that form of patriotism that :is expressed in giving of your substance to the country. And this spirit is quite in keeping with the general attitude of the company toward thing that have had to do with the public welfare in Indianapolis and elsewhere. By their enterprise they have changed the billboard of an elder day that was an artistic offense to a thing that at least pleases the eye. They have redeemed the unsightly places that were decorated by tin cans and made them tp—he agreeable by the camouflage of tne attractively painted sign that hid unsightly things. They have given •;he motorists on country roads something to talk about when the natural scenery became a bit oppressive—and finally they came to the rescue when it was necessary to exploit the aims of the government in the war.

John B. O’Brien, the Indianapolis manager of the Cusack Company, is not at all impressed by the fact that he and his company have performed a patriotic service of the first importance; nor is he worried because the company has stood a substantial loss by the temporary interference with its business. “That,” says Mr. O’Brien, “is merely a part of the fortunes of war. We were glad to be able to do our bit in a way that counted, and, as we must win the war, what happens to incidental business doesn’t matter spmpch’’ __ It is a fine spirt—this exhibited by the Cusack people, and in happier times it should be remembered. And it might well be emulated now by other people who are complaining about the hardships they suffer in" business by reason of the operation of* some of the conservation orders —for most of us only suffer a little loss of business, whereas the outdoor sign people have enlisted acres of the space that is their capital in the aid of the government in carrying on the war. Editor—We are pleased to publish the above taken from “The Union” a labor paper published at Indianapolis. It bears upon a subject which we have discussed in this paper and may seem to be at variance with our position. But, we take our hats off to patriotism no matter by whom exhibited.