Harnett County's Precious Contributions to War, Feb. 20, 1919

From Everywoman’s Magazine, as reprinted in the Dunn Dispatch, Feb. 20, 1919

Harnett County’s Contribution to the War

Before our Government sounded the call to arms the patriotic men and women of Harnett County had heard the call of distressed Belgium and France, and at the beginning of our own country’s connection with the world war had partially mobilized her forces and with other communities throughout the United States was contributing to the distressed condition of those who in the future were to become our allies in arms.

Our own country’s call to arms, however, was heard by thousands of people whose ears had been deaf to the appeal which came from the other side of the ocean. It was the signal for the kindling of fires of patriotism upon altars which had hitherto been cold, and when the annals of our country’s contributions shall have been fully and authentically gathered from scattered and chaotic records and our own state’s contribution shall be accurately recorded, I confidently believe that no citizen of the county of Harnett will be ashamed of the page which records is county’s contributions.

It is impossible now to give a complete record of this contribution. By far our most priceless gift of all will be our brave and courageous sons, the flower of our young manhood. And here I find that we have no record except those within the draft age who have entered the service since the 5^th day of June, 1917. Great numbers of our young men had volunteered and entered the service prior to this date. I can give their numbers only with approximation. Of the young men of draft age entering the army, navy and various training camps since the 5^th day of June, 1917, not including volunteers who are not of the draft age, Harnett county furnished 732. I think it is safe to say that, including volunteers who entered prior to said date and the volunteers outside of draft age, she furnished at least 1,000 fighting men, or 4 per cent of her population. A number of these have made the supreme sacrifice and will not return. Some have returned already with the mark of severe wounds received in the line of duty, but most of this thousand young men will return to their native county with strong bodies, increased vision and broader sympathies to lead the future constructive forces of our country.

Proud as we are of the record of our fighting men our army and navy by no means holds a monopoly on patriotism and among those who stayed at home and stood “by the stuff” could be found many a soul just as heroic as were to be found in our fighting forces and the contribution made by them toward winning the war or in making the path to victory easier, or in making the hardships of our fighting and fallen heroes less severe, while not so heroic, was just as important as the part played by the men on the field. Harnett county had two chapters of the American Red Cross, the Harnett chapter with headquarters at Lillington, which contributed to the war fund $4,502.70, and to the Red Cross fund $1,360; total $6,802.70. But the greatest contribution of this chapter to the war work was 6,415 articles, representing the work and energy of the women connected with that chapter, consisting of hospital garments, surgical bandages and pads, and scores of other articles which space forbids me to enumerate in detail, besides 3,200 pounds of clothing sent to suffering Belgians.

The Jarvis chapter of the Red Cross, with headquarters at Dunn, was equally active and contributed to the war fund $8,000 and to the Red Cross fund $2,892.59, total $10,393.59, and has to its credit contributions in hospital garments, bandages, pads, etc., 6,327 articles. We are especially proud of our Red Cross records because when asked by the state committee to raise $2,000, we went over the top by $10,000.

In the matter of the purchase of liberty bonds and war savings certificates, Harnett has not been slothful. To date (December 10^th), Harnett has subscribed for $325,000 in war savings stamps and certificates and has purchased in the three last liberty loan campaigns $501,500 in liberty bonds. The country was not used as this unit in the first liberty loan campaign, and no other county has no record of her purchases of the first issue. In aid of the prosecution of the war and to show that our hearts were on the right side and incidentally to increase our own income in the future we have made a loan to Uncle Sam, therefore, of $925,050, besides our loan in the first bond issue of which there is no record.

Our county has, of course, had here and there within its borders its slackers, shirker and deserter; the persons who insisted on riding while others pulled, the one who profited while others gave, the one who rested while others tolled, their number has been noted and the record is fairly moderate.