Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1917, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Stella and the girls arrived on December 22nd. Pitt came out on the 24th. We certainly had some family this Christmas – 17 at the table and two in the kitchen, and we had a fine dinner. I had Eugene Hall come to the house and pose us and he got one good negative. Had to use a flash as the light was very poor. I have wanted this for a good many years, and I am pleased to get it, even if it is not as good as a gallery pictures.”
It was the end of 1917. The United States was involved in a world war and the future remained uncertain. On Dec. 22, 1917, the “Daily Chronicle” reflected on America’s first Christmas of war (De Kalb, Illinois, page 4):
“1917 marks our first Christmas of war. Suddenly the spirit of the Christ child has taken a new meaning, ‘He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it’ is a precept now being put into practice. Fathers and sons have put aside peace-time pursuits to give their lives for world righteousness. And every wife and mother who has bidden them goodbye with a smile on her lips and a light in her eye has given her own life vicariously. She is ready to suffer separation, anxiety and sacrifice that righteousness may prevail. As this first Christmas season approaches, her hearts thrills with the thought of her own contributions to these momentous times. Individual gift-giving sinks into insignificance. Something bigger has come to life. She is losing her life that she may find it. It is a giving of self. Christmas cheer fills her own heart in helping to bring it to cantonment and camp. Already she has sent comfort kits and Christmas packages for those on the front. Now she is devoting herself to those soldiers still here and to their families. ‘How can I do most to help win this war?’ is the question she continually asks herself. And always she turns back to her own kitchen to find there her real work in the present struggles for the world’s redemption. To keep a stout heart and a steady aim, our soldiers must be well fed. This she knows. She also knows that the FIRST Christmas of war for her now marks the FOURTH Christmas of war for the brave women of France. They have known the thrill of that first Christmas when they gave of their still plentiful stores. Since then there has been for them two Christmas seasons when they gave from their more and more depleted stores. They are now facing their fourth Christmas of war, still with a brave smile and courageous spirit, but with an ever tightening food supply. Insistent has been their warning that the next few months will mean actual deprivation and need if abundant help is not forthcoming from the food supply of the United States. Every woman in America is preparing her Christmas baskets, in marketing for her Christmas dinner, in arranging for entertainment and festivity, should feel this enormous responsibility of sharing her food supply with those fighters and friends in France. Less wheat in bread and pastry; less butter on the table and on cooking; more turkey, chicken and fish in place of meat; more fruits and sweet-meats in place of candy and sugar desserts – all these requests of the Food Administration should be borne in mind in preparing the Yuletide menus. It is woman’s most direct and most important part in the world war. It is losing her life to find it and it is hastening the day when there shall be real “Peace on Earth. Good will to Men.”
We all know that there was a small percentage of the population who did not follow the rules and did not care about rationing supplies. We can see this now during the recent pandemic. This same segment of society still places themselves first at the expense of others. Citing individual rights, they jeopardize the rights of the others, just this time it is the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
Pandemics, natural disasters, military conflicts, economic downfalls and other crises bring out both the best and the worst in people. Do you solely focus on yourself during a difficult time, or do you become part of a community effort to take care of others? If your are more concerned with your self, than you would have ignored food rationing during WWI, just as you would ignore any kind of shelter-on-place or social distancing actions now.
To be continued…
