---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 21
number: 10
published: 1918-08
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: "Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, \"Editors' Table: Win the War but Save the Youth,\" *Improvement Era* 21, no. 10 (August 1918): 915–922."
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera21010unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera21010unse
start_page: 915
end_page: 922
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1918-08)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera21010unse
  publication_year: 1918
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1918, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Editors’ Table: Win the War but Save the Youth

<!-- page:915 -->

EDITORS' TABLE                         917

              Recognition of Noble Work

     The House of Representatives of the United States, June 7,
paused for a moment in its regular business to express its appreciation in applause to the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, for its contributions of wheat to the
Government for the use of the starving women and children of
the allies, and for the use of our soldiers and sailors in the army
and navy of the United States.
     Representative Milton H. Welling was recognized for five
minutes to present this matter to the House, he having received a
communication from Mr. Herbert Hoover, of the United States
Food Administration, accepting the gift and expressing Mr.
Hoover's appreciation of this service by the women of the Relief
Society who had thus tendered over two hundred thousand
bushels of first-class milling wheat to the United States for the
cause of human liberty, and for the saving of the lives of thousands who might suffer for the lack of bread to eat.
     Mr. Welling paid an eloquent tribute to the women donors
and closed his remarks on the occasion by saying: "These
women, with solemn pride, have given their sons to fight for the
freedom of mankind. They now turn over to the uses of humanity these precious savings of more than a generation to bind
up the broken-hearted and bring back life to the helpless victims
of this pitiless strife."
     Mr. Hoover had notified Representative M. H. Welling, that
it had given him pleasure to write a note of thanks and appre-

ciation to Presidents Joseph F. Smith,     Anthon H. Lund, and
Charles W. Penrose.
     When the news of the gift was flashed to Washington, even
the most prejudiced observer was moved to admiration and applause.   Over forty-two years ago, President Brigham Young
gave a mission to the women of the Relief Society to save grain
against a time of famine. He appointed President Emmeline B.
Wells to head the movement. The women from early days have
gleaned wheat, have gathered it in aprons, have solicited it from
husbands and friends, until special granaries, and finally elevators, were built to store the millions of pounds thus collected.
Representative Welling's eloquent tribute and the applause of
the House to the women for their half century's labor, and now
their patriotic gift, were well deserved.
     That Emmeline B. Wells, her associates and the splendid
mothers of the Church have been faithful to their trust in this
matter is evidenced by these unprecedented results. It is not
often that one woman lives to inaugurate, and to carry forward
a specific work for forty toilsome years, and then living to see

<!-- page:916 -->

918                        IMPROVEMENT ERA

its prophetic fulfilment. Such a mission, however, has been accomplished with the aid of her associate workers, by President
Emmeline B. Wells. We are justly proud of the achievement.

                             Unjust Profits

     Economy should now be the gospel of the people. England
has learned that no great nation can go through this war without
paying its share in sacrifice and money. Profit and patriotism
do not mix. When England entered the war, London merchants
expected to see their ordinary trade disappear, and they were
ready to shoulder any burden the war might impose, but trade
has not been wiped out. The reason for this is that the workers
are getting very high wages, and they are raising their standard
of living.  This is even so with us.    Ordinary coal miners in
Utah are making $20 a day in some mines.
     The formerly more prosperous middle class in England
have had greatly to curtail their scale of living. They are giving
up what the munition and industrial workers are gaining. Their
incomes and profits have been reduced; their taxes have been
increased, and they are feeling heavily the costs of the war.
There has been a great levelling of classes, and this surely is a
distinct social gain.   We may look for like conditions in America.
Luxury must cease; profiteering in business must cease, and the
big manufacturers as in Britain must give to the cause of the war.
In Great Britain they are giving as high as 80% of their net income.
     In Utah we are subscribing among many other things, for
$9,000,000 for War Savings Stamps. To meet these obligations
and others it is absolutely necessary that the people of this state,
(and like conditions apply to the whole West), must increase
their production and reduce their consumption, both of manufactures and of food. Every manufacturing industry must be
shifted to necessities, while luxuries and things unnecessary must
be abandoned. We must be thrifty and economical. Our manufacturers, and dealers, must learn that it is unpatriotic, yea even
treasonable, to profiteer. The producer and the workman alike
must learn to sacrifice, to give, to economize. But down with the
business man or workman who would take advantage of the
times to profit unjustly

                              New Books
      Two Thousand Gospel Quotations, is the title of the latest addition to
home literature.   The hook contains classified quotations from the Bible,

<!-- page:917 -->

EDITORS' TABLE                               919

the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great
Price, the authentic and accepted Church works. Judge Henry H. Rolapp,
well known in the state and the West as a leading jurist, a successful business man, and a lover of literature, is the author. The book is unpaged,
but every paragraph is numbered from one to two thousand. The book has
a table of contents, a  complete enumeration of names of all persons and
places mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants, with a short summary of
statements affecting each of them, as set out in the Revelations, with citations indicating where such statements may be found; also an extensive
word index, enabling the reader readily and quickly to find any desired
passage. The volume is subdivided into thirty general heads with two
hundred and four sub-heads, which in turn, are divided into two thousand
paragraphs. The thirty general headings are on such subjects as:      "The
Holy Trinity," "God the Eternal Father," "Jesus Christ the Son of God,"
"The Holy Ghost," "Man's Pre-existing relationship with God," "Satan and
his work," "The fall of man," "Death and the Resurrection," "Atonement
and Redemption," "Apostasy from the teachings and Church of Christ,"
"The Restoration, Fulness of the Gospel," "Restoration of the Boob of
Mormon," "The Bible and other Holy Scriptures," "Continuous revelation,"
"Joseph Smith, the Prophet," "The Priesthood of God," etc.
     Remarkable dexterity in plan, painstaking research, and a marvelous
aptitude for classification and arrangement are evident in the work. Every
verse in the Doctrine and Covenants is either quoted or cited under some
appropriate heading. As a whole the unique little volume will be a welcome
acquisition to the desk of every student of the gospel, of the establishment
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints upon the earth, and of
the principles and doctrine of the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.
It is neatley bound and printed, published by the Deseret News.

      Love and the Light, an Idyl of the Westland, a new poem by Orson F.
Whitney, has appeard in print, and is being widely circulated through the
Reading Course of the Mutual Improvement Associations.            Competent
critics have pronounced the work one of the most delightful poems ever
written by that well-known author. The poem is a love story with a purpose.
The story delightful, the purpose noble. Like all Idyls, the story is simple,
calm, and more concerned with situation than with movement, though containing enough action to insure the undivided attention of the reader from
the beginning to the end. The influence of higher criticism, the notions
of present atheism, and the effect of super-education, which have recently
crept into the hearts and minds of the young people to the detriment of
their religious welfare, are interwoven with a love story of the lives of the
hero and heroine. At the same time the doctrine and the philosophy which
the author aims to implant in the heart, ard counteracting those influences,
are presented in clear and unanswerable argument which the reader naturally
absorbs as the story proceeds. The word pictures of western scenery, particularly the indescribable Grand Canyon of the Colorado, and the spirit of
the south-west, are impressive and fascinating. The little songs and poems
incorporated in the general text are beautiful and attractive gems. "The
Educator" particularly, is a poem within the poem, for thoughtful consideration and contemplative reading. Many a young lover will adopt the
little poem, "The Portrait," for his own sweet love (page 24).    If he is a
true man, in later life, he will delight in the song of "Hope to Memory"
(page 34). The unsuccessful wooer will find comfort, perhaps, in "Misanthrophy" (page 54). In it, at least, he will find a vent for his distrust of
human nature. When found in a vein which seeks to quench the spirit of
a love which spurns oblivion, the young man will find comfort in the poem
"Good-bye" (page 91). Thousands who are waiting for "Sammy" to come

<!-- page:918 -->

920                      IMPROVEMENT ERA

 marching home from ihe present conflict, will find comfort, joy, and re-
 freshing satisfaction in the poem "Mustered Out" (page 110).
      In the Idyl, marriage and home life are advocated in most beautiful
 sentiments. The conversion to the truth, first of the hero and at length of
 the heroine, is brought about naturally in a way brimming with human
 interest; their meeting, their separation, their return through force of
 condition, their religious experiences and conversion to the gospel, and
 their final union in love as man and wife, are beautifully set forth. In our
 estimation the poem stands first among the numerous productions of the
 noted poet and historian.

                 Messages from the Missions

 Elders and Lady Missionaries of Dayton, Ohio, Southern States
                            Mission
     Elder Golden Taylor incloses a photograph of elders and lady missionaries laboring in Dayton, Ohio, Southern States Mission:       "Daily we see
the hand of the Lord manifest as we press forward in our endeavors to bring
the people to a realization of the restored gospel. During the winter months
the anti-'Mormon' lecturers have been busy in the various large cities of
this state, trying to arouse public sentiment against the work, but never in
one instance have they been successful. Good weather is returning, and we
are taking advantage of it on the street corners where we find eager and attentive audiences to listen to our message.'

        In iM

                                             wh*     1

    "Bottom, left to right: Ethel Varley, Provo; Conference President Theo
Blechert, Salt Lake City; Terrence C. Heaton, Orderville, Utah; Nettie
Pearce, Montpelier, Idaho; top row, Geo. J. Davis, Shelley, Idaho; Golden
Taylor, Provo, Utah."

<!-- page:919 -->

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<!-- page:920 -->

922                       IMPROVEMENT ERA

                      The Work in Los Angeles
    Conference President Thomas M. Irvine of Los Angeles writes of the
work in that district:
   A goodly number of people in Los Angeles have expressed a desire to
have the principles of the gospel explained to them. Opposition is not so
prevalent as heretofore, and many invitations are extended to the missionaries to return and explain the plan of life and salvation. On account
of the scarcity of elders we have not been able to do as much country work
as we had planned on doing, but reports from the elders in Arizona show
that they are enjoying the spirit of their work. The people are anxious and
ready to learn the gospel truths of "Mormonism." The elders are trading
as much of the country as possible before the weather becomes too hot. In
some cities of this mission we are having good success in our street meetings, but in other places the city officials have assigned us such poor locations to hold our meetings that we do not have the success desired. We
hope, however, that in the future these conditions will be greatly improved.
—Thomas M. limine.
                       Turned to the Great War
    Elder Leo G. Robertson, writes from Newcastle, New South Wales,
Australia, April 19: "The elders laboring in the Newcastle branch of the
New South Wales conference of the Australian Mission, have realized many
blessings from the Lord in the past, and are receiving daily new testimonies
of his goodness. This branch has just recently been opened.       We have a
goodly number of Saints and friends, but generally we find a spirit of
indifference prevailing among the people in religious matters. Their minds

are turned towards the great world war. Most families here have been
called upon to furnish men for the fighting forces. Elders, left to right:
Wm. H. Dittmore, Pleasant Grove; Leo G. Robertson, Springville; Leonard
Fuller, Eden, Utah.  We    receive the Era and obtain much joy   and pleasure
in reading its contents, as do also the Saints and friends."

<!-- page:921 -->

MUTUAL
                             WORK
     Y. M. and Y. L. M. I. A. Annual Conventions, 1918
                            Dates of Conventions
                  —
August 3 and 4 Alberta.
                  —
August 10 and 11 Taylor.
                   —
August 17 and 18 Big Horn, San Juan.
                   —
August 24 and 25 Young.
                             —
August 31 and September 1 Panguitch, San Luis.
              —
September 1 Bingham, Cassia, Fremont, Hyrum, Nebo, Sevior.
                        —
September 3 (Tuesday) Wayne.
                        —
September 7 (Saturday) Bear Lake.
September 7 and 8— Kanab, Morgan, Oneida.
September 8—Jordan, Malad, Montpelier, North .Sanpete, Pioneer, South
     Sanpete, Tooele.
                        —
September 13 (Friday) Teton.
September 14 and 15— St. George, Star Valley, Union.
September 15— Benson, Cache, Cottonwood, Ogden, Rigby, Summit, Yellow-
     stone.
September 21 and 22— Carbon, Deseret, Parowan.
September 22— Bannock, Box Elder, Liberty, North Weber,          Salt   Lake,
     Utah.
September 26 (Thursday)—Uintah.
September 28 ^nd 29— Duchesne,
September 29— Alpine, Blackfoot, Ensign, Granite, Idaho, North Davis, Port-
     neuf, Tintic.
October 13— Bear River, Juab, Pocatello, Shelley, South Davis, Wasatch,
    Weber, Woodruff.

     The following stakes will hold conventions in connection with quarterly
conferences in October and Novemb r: Beaver, Boise, Curlew, Emery,
                                                                        Mil-

lard, Moapa, Maricopa, Raft River, St. Johns, St.
                                                  Joseph, Snowflake.

                                 PROGRAM
        For Conventions held in Connection with Stake Conferences

                              Saturday, 4:15 p. m.
        (Sunday, 9 a. m., where held separate from stake conference)

                       Joint Meeting of Stake Boards

                                                           and for the
1    Checking on Plan and Preparation for this Convention
                Work                               General Board Member
      Season's
2.   What Has Been Accomplished?
       a.  In summer meetings and rallies.
       b. In war savings.                            ,   , ,,
              (1)  How many war savings societies organized !
               (2) How many $5.00 certificates purchased?

<!-- page:922 -->

924                            IMPROVEMENT ERA

         c.   In social work                                 Stake Board Member
 3.    Name three of your greatest difficulties as Stake Boards.           What
         three things have contributed most to the success of the work of
         your Stake Boards                              Stake Board Member
4.    Helpful Hints                                        General Board Member

                      Saturday, 7:30 p. m. (Sunday, 10 a. m.)

                Joint Meeting of Stake and Local Officers
1.    Making the M. I. A. meeting an attractive, social, entertaining and
         educational center for the community (15 min.)
                                                     General Board Member
2.    Special Activities, 1918-19 (20 min.)           General Board Member
3.    Community singing:
         a.   What to sing.
         b.   When to sing.
         c.   Getting everybody interested.
         d.   The leader and the organist.
         e.   Demonstration (15 min.)                                Local Officers
                 recommended that five to ten minutes be spent each evening
              It is
         in community singing; this period may follow prayer and precede
         the correlated program.    It is   not a song practice but spirited infor-
        mal singing of songs of home and country.
4.    The Advanced Senior Class (15 min.)
        a. The subject.
         b.   The teacher.
         c. Obtaining membership                          General Board    Member
5.    General discussion.

                       Sunday, 9 a. m. (Sunday, 2:45 p. m.)
      Separate Stake and Local Officers' Meeting, Y. M. M. I. A.
1.    What scouts, under good leadership, have done and could do for
         this stake         Member of the Stake Presidency or High Council
2.    The Classes                                       Local Class Leader
3.    Efficiency standards for 1918-19              General Board Member
4.    Missionary work in the home field             General Board Member
         Get the Spirit of the Lord and work hard under its influence.

      Separate Stake and Local Officers' Meeting, Y. L. M. I. A.
1.    The Y: L. M. I. A. Missionary
         a. Her work as an enlistment officer.
         b. Her influence (15 min.)                          Stake Board   Member
2.    Class Work, 1918-19 (20 min.)                        General Board Member
3.    Why Reports are Called for (10 min.)                 General Board Member
4.    My Idea of an Efficient Y. L. M. I. A. (15 min.)       Stake Board Member
5.    Discussion

                      Sunday, 10:30 a. m. (Sunday, 2:00 p. m.)

                             Stake Conference
       Members of the General Boards of Y. M. and Y. L. M. I. A. and
                                                                           Religion
Class are allowed 20 minutes each to present the following
                                                                  subjects-
1.    Applying Religion Class work to Ds/ly Life
                                           General Board of Religion Class
      Service to God
2.
3-    bervice to Country
                                      General Loard Member Y. L.      I A  M
                                  ......General Board Member Y. M. M. I. A.'
