ADVERTISING.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 255, 18 September 1916, Page 6

ADVERTISING.

Sweet are the uses of advertisement, says—Mr Dooley, I think. It is a piece of sound American sense, and makes a good text. I have taken it to introduce a subject which has been much in my thoughts sin e I joined the Branch to which I now belong. That is over a year ago, 1 believe, and this is the first meeting which I have been able to attend, so you will admit that I am well qualified to take an outside view. lam taking my own case as typical of .1 good numbf r of members who are prevented by illness or other cause from the attendance they would enjoy. In ihe discussion on this paper, 1 want you to bear in mind our ignorance. It is not deliberate. I have not been able to attend meetings, but have looked all the more eagerly for any news of the Union’s doings. I’ve had to look, too! People who don’t care and don’t look probably don’t see. That means, a good number don’t know what our Union is doing, or if it is alive at all. And evil-doers nny be afraid of things they can’t see, but “the Trade," that doesn’t admit it i* doing evil, certainly will not be afraid of Unions it doesn’t hear at work. 1 do not think the Unions advertise the r work enough, and I do think they would be much better advertised if

the members always remembered themselves as members instead of separate individuals.

The Trade makes no such mistake. If the Trade, in the person of any member, helps in any cause, or gives to any cause, that gift is made in a public-spirited way, so that the whole public may know and applaud. So-and-So gives ,£ioo or /.500 or £IOOO to the Hospital Ship, or the Belgian Fund, or the Public Hospital. We all think better of a man for giving so generously, but when a man’s name is identified with his trade, the trade gets part of the benefit of our appreciation. In other words, that trade gets an advertisement, and a good one too. Now, W.C.T.U. members are not all in a position to give by the £IOO, but they all give, they have given, they will continue to give, as much as they can spare. W hy >hould not the W.C.T.U. be as well advertised as its enemy? The Temperance Party is as good a giver as the liquor trade. We give in small sums, you will suggest. Well, every circumstance

can be an advantage or a disadvantage. It just depends on the way you look at it. If “Front a W.C.T.U. member were tacked on to the acknowledgment of every sum given by a W.C.T.r. member, titose initials would be seen very often, and the Union would greatly benefit. We want to frighten our enemy. Let us see we are up and doing, helping in everything, leaving n> field untouched for him to declare that in that we show no public spirit. If \\e think a little more, we can make him shrink from those initials .is from hoh water. Advertise the I’nion —Advertise ! It can do no harm, and will surely do good. When 1 go into the town 1 look around for white ribbons. It is a surprising thing to see more than one or two in one day. Yet I must pass more than one or two members in the street. Why do they not advertise the mounting membership of the I’nion, and sprinkle the town with badges, so that all who pass up and down may see we are not one or two, scattered and feeble, but an influential proportion of the population. White bows are such a cheerful sign to a stranger. Then the best advertisement, and in many ways the easiest, is the personal appeal. How often do you say to a neighbour, “There’s going to be such an interesting W.C.T.U. meeting next time? We've all been studying the subject, and the discussion will be worth hearing.” The neighbour may not go, or if she goes, may not join, but you repeat the invitation a few times, and she will go before the year is out, if your interest advertises the meeting enough. Hut remember, she won't come unless you have something to offer her. Your own interest and enthusiasm is the best guarantee that she will find the I’nion worth joining. Another form of advertisement. Quite frequently there are letters in the papers about this, that, and the other question that is discussed at local meetings. Hut it is very seldom a letter is seen referring to anything said at a W.C.T.U. meeting. Yet the W.C.T.r. docs quite as important work for the country as any football club. I nearly said racing club, but that is going too far. Let us be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, but there is no need for us to work undciground like moles! Given time, moles can shift

hills, but if we use the faith that is in us we can shift mountains. We are doing it. Not the W.C.T.r. alone. We are not divided in a fight against a greater foe than our army is fighting in Flanders. W’e number every soul that has been harmed by the Trade, a mighty army, a noble army, a pitiful army. So many crushed women, so many sodden men, so many crippled babies. An army worth fighting for, a history worth leaving to the coming centuries as our gift. These are ours if we are faithful to our faith. You may say the victory is not yet. It is coming nearer every day. Why should we keep it a secret ? W e can’t. Everyone is going to know, sooner or later, that we are winning. We’re winning—let them all know. Advertise our Victory! Advertise our Union! Advertise! KATHERINE MERCER.