100 years ago in The Record
Tuesday, Nov. 20, 1917
The city Chamber of Commerce recommends that Troy charities consolidate into one organization to achieve wartime efficiency, The Record reports. The Chamber plan covers organizations providing charities to civilians in Troy. Organizations like the Soldiers’ Welfare League and the Navy League, which provide services to local soldiers and sailors in camps across the country will remain independent since their activities count as “war work” rather than charity. At this afternoon’s Chamber meeting, C. W. Tillinghast Barker, W. Leland Thompson and M. W. Shaughnessy are named to a committee tasked with planning the consolidation with city charities. “In the recommendation placed before the board of directors it was pointed out that such a move had been made in many of the progressive cities,” our reporter notes, “With so many separate bodies in operation benefits are often duplicated, the same family receiving help from more than one source. With such mistakes eliminated the service of the bodies could be considerably enlarged so that a larger number of families could obtain aid. “As for more definite details, they are not at hand.”
Over the top
“Troy is not content to do its bit,” an editorial writer notes today, It does its best.” The city recently surpassed its goal for the nationwide fundraising campaign for Y.M.C.A. war work, but our writer recognizes that Collar City civilians will only be asked for more money in the months to come.
“Sixty and some odd thousand dollars is not an amazing sum for Trojans to raise. They could easily raise more. But they, like all other Americans, already have been called upon to subscribe to two Liberty loans and to contribute to Red Cross and other organizations.
“Moreover, they expect to be called upon to subscribe to more Liberty loans and to contribute to more war funds. They expect to pay their way as they go in this war. This should be the spirit of every community in the country.
“Defeat or victory for the United States is up to the American people. If they continue as ready to make sacrifices and to loosen their purse strings as they have been since the United States entered the conflict [in April 1917] victory is assured.” The Brightening Outlook November hasn’t been very good for America’s allies in the war against Germany. Russia’s government fell to revolutionaries determined to make a separate peace while Italy has suffered major military setbacks.
Today, however, our editors point to an Italian counteroffensive, the sinking of several German submarines, and British victories in the Middle East as causes for optimism, though Russia remains “a discouraging feature.”