In addition to the large organizations smaller ones are busy all over the country in aiding the soldiers. Almost every town has some group of people who are giving service to the men in the camps. In every city and town through which the troop-trains have passed on their way from the camps to the harbors where the soldiers would be placed on board the transports, women have fixed food for the men, and children have aided them in carrying this food to the stations. Large sums have been raised to carry on the recreation service in the camps, both here and in France, and the response of the American people to any request for the soldiers and sailors has been speedy and inspiring. The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts of the United States have been noteworthy in their work for our country. Three hundred and twenty thousand Boy Scouts aided in the work of selling the bonds of the Third Liberty Loan and of the sale of War Thrift Stamps. The Girl Scouts have done all sorts of clerical and special work for the same cause, as well as for various others. The children of every public school and almost every private school in the United States have worked in some cause or another for the winning of the war. With the men and women of the country they have earned their place on the patriots’ roll. CHAPTER VIII THE AMERICAN’S PART Entering the great war after it had already waged for nearly three years, the United States learned many of the lessons that experience had taught to the Allies, and outlined a programme that was designed to promote speed and efficiency. Every programme that is dependent upon human action is, of course, imperfect; but the programme of our country in this war has, at least, given to the citizens of our land opportunity for service in the prosecution of the war. No man, woman, or child in the nation need be idle or useless. He has the chance now of helping his country as he has had in no other time in her history. [Illustration: Boys at work in their war garden No ... child in the nation need be idle or useless. He has the chance now of helping his country as he has had in no other time in her history] Why should the American help America? There is, to begin with, in the soul of every human being a love of country that should come next to a love of God. Love of country is not only next to love of God, but is part of genuine love of God. No man who loves his God sincerely fails to love his country. Even those countries which have not been kind or just, or fair to their peoples, countries where men are not given the chance for freedom or opportunity, have their patriots. But the United States of America, more than any other country in the world, has given to her people liberty, justice, opportunity, freedom. It is, therefore, the grateful duty of every American to do what he can to keep his country what she has been.