April 27, 1922 



The Florists^ Review 



29 



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HERE'S A GREAT CHANCE 



AMERICAN LEGION HELPS. 



To Promote Mothers' Day. 



In their efforts to make Mothers ' day 

 another Easter, so far as sales of flow- 

 ers and plants are concerned, florists 

 have this year as powerful a body sup- 

 porting them as could be found in the 

 country for this purpose, and the co- 

 operation offered the trade is complete 



The American Legion and its wom- 

 an's auxiliary are urging the observ- 

 ance of Mothers' day both nationally 

 and locally. They are arranging pro 

 grams in honor of the day and are urg- 

 ing not only their members, but tlu' 

 public as well, to honor home ties by 

 wearing flowers and sending some to 

 mother, Sunday, May 14. 



These two organizations, whose mem 

 bership totals more than a million, have 

 gone even farther than that in assist- 

 ing the trade. On this page will be 

 seen a specimen advertisement, drawn 

 up by the officers of the American Le- 

 gion, which may be used by florists in 

 their local newspapers to urge the pub- 

 lic to observe Mothers' day. The only 

 stipulation that is made by the Amer- 

 ican Legion is that no florist 's name 

 nor the name of any florists' organiza- 

 tion be affixed to or used in connection 

 with the advertisement, lest the Legion 

 be open to the charge of assisting in 

 commercializing this day. 



Posters and Matrices Free. 



A matrix or electrotype of the adver- 

 tisement will be furnished in the same 

 size as it is reproduced on this page, if 

 a florist desires, or it may be had in 

 3-column instead of 2-column width. 

 The publicity committee of the 8oci 

 ety of American Florists has authorized 

 the distribution of these matrices and 

 electrotypes by H. V. Swenson, liUo 

 North Michigan avenue, Chicago, as in- 

 cidental to the national publicity cam- 

 paign. Every florist can also obtain, 

 through the same channel, from one to 

 five large window posters bearing the 

 same reading matter. In connection 

 with this also goes the caution that 

 no name or any other material be added 

 to the poster so as to commercialize it. 



To call the attention of florists to this 

 opportunity for promoting the use of 

 flowers on Mothers' day, the publicity 

 committee of the S. A. F. has sent out 

 a circular, in which it is truly said: 

 "Never before in the history of the 

 flower business have the florists been 

 given the opportunity for such genuine 

 and wholesome cooperation. The mil- 

 lion members of the American Legion 

 are observing Mothers' day for what 

 it means. They have sought the whole- 

 some cooperation of the florists of the 

 country because they recognize the 

 meaning of flowers in the proper ob- 

 servance of this day. Every florist is 

 urged to get back of this movement. ' ' 



How to Co4>perate. 



The circular advises the following 

 methods of cooperation among florists: 



"The best method to follow, we be- 

 lieve, would be for all the florists in a 

 «ity to get together and place and pay 



for the space for the Legion advcrtise- 

 iiicnt collectively. Then individual flo- 

 rists can run advertisements of their 

 own choice in the same issue of the pa- 

 per, if they wish. The advertisement, 

 of course, can be repeated as many day.s 

 as desired and in several papers. 



"Please unite on this at once and 

 send your blanket request at the ear- 

 lit'st date possible. 



"One poster will be mailed each F. 

 T. D. member immediately when 

 printed, without his request. This is 

 done for the reason that it is the only 

 list of retailers available. Send for 

 more posters for distribution to non- 

 members, and same will be sent at once. 

 If more than one poster" is desired, it 

 will be mailed on request." 



Origin of Idea. 



The idea of cooperation between the 

 two national organizations for the pro- 

 motion of Mothers' day had its active 

 impulse at the national flower show at 

 Indianapolis, when George Asmus, of 

 Chicago, held a conversation with 

 James E. Darst, acting for the na- 

 tional adjutant of the American Le- 



gion. The following letter, from the 

 latter to the former, explains the Le- 

 gion's cooperation with florists: 



Pursuant to onr oonvorsatlon lu IndiaiiaiKjIis 

 March 31, I uin submitting specimen of uil- 

 vertising copy to be used l)y ttie Society of 

 American Florists In its campaign preceding 

 Motliers' day, Sunday, May 14. 



You will remember that I told yoti that the 

 American Legion and the woman's auxiliar.r 

 planned to unite in national, as well as local, 

 observance of Mothers' day. The Legion has 

 more than 11,000 posts in this country and the 

 auxiliary approximately S.-'iOO, a combined 

 membership of well over a million. Since talk 

 lug with you I have conferred with the national 

 commander and the otlier national officers, 

 and they approve the plan of submitting copy 

 for use by your organization. 



As I explained, this informal agreement Is in 

 no sense an alliance between our orgunizatious, 

 nor is it to be construed as an endorsement by 

 the Legion of the Society of American Florists; 

 however, we happen to be working toward the 

 same end on this occasion, the observance of 

 Mothers' day, and eoSperation can be mutually 

 beneficial. 



In the observance of the day, the woman's 

 auxiliary, composed of mothers, wives, sieters 

 and daughters of Legion men, will be in charge 

 and win be supported and backed by the Legion, 

 locally and nationally. The auxiliary is obtain- 

 ing, or has obtained, the cooperation of prac- 

 tically every civic organization and intends to 

 make the observance complete and successful. 

 The Legion is playing the role of assistant in 

 this one instance and is giving the auxiliarj' 

 full credit. Of course, the full strength of the 

 Legion will be bock of the movement. You 

 will note that in the advertising copy I have 



MOTHErs DAY 



SundayM^14- 

 is your day. %u served 



home and counti^^ and know 

 what Home ties mean. 



Vkar/i^Jou/er 

 mJijon(prafipurJ\/^jih^ IDjriie, 

 to ner Jfyxm £anth£ ii/Uh Jier. 



QobCJuudi inj}emcmh/anceqfh£r. 



Jiie American J^e^ion and ihe ^jneriam Jiuxiliarif have 



The S. A. F. Publicity Committee Vill Furnish Matrix of this Advertisement. 



