News From Barnegat, 1917

New Jersey Courier 20 Apr 1917:
Now that flags are seen flying from every available place it should be remembered that to fly your flag between sunset is considered disrespectful and even more so thatn not to display it at all. If you have real feeling for your flag, put it under cover at sunset.
Last week a party of secret servicemen visited the farm of Moritz Groepler at Beach View to look over the place to verify the report that they had a wireless station and were supplying news to Germans and were working against the U.S. in various ways. They found nothing whatever and were satisfied it was the work of some busy body who wanted to circulate reports for pure malicious purposes. Mr. Groepler has been an American citizen for many years and is as loyal as any of us, as this is his country by choice and we need have no fear of him or his sons as they have always been good citizens in every way. We should be careful about starting rumors in these critical times, as ...[indecipherable]...are too ready to do injuries before they know the truth of the reports.
It's very well to talk about war and how many men we can send to the front, etc., but it is the men with no boys who are the loudest for war. When it touches your own home, the war spirit seems to fade. But don't think that because you have no boys you won't feel it, for your neighbors' troubles will be yours and the pangs of war will reach us all in ways we least expect. The rich man puts up his money, the poor man puts up his life: if the rich loses, it's his money, if the poor man loses, it's his life. If the country wins, the rich are richer, and the poor man, if he lives through it, returns to his home down and out, ready to help pay the rich man back his money.
Just 142 years last Wednesday, since Paul Revere made his great ride.
Charles Asseline has put in an up to date loom and is making anything from a rag carpet to a Persian rug.
We hear there are to be no boats on the Sandy Hook route this year.
Mike Thomas has moved his family to Lakehurst and given up his run here.
With advancing prices it will be necessary to join the army to get enough to eat, as al foodstuffs will be reserved for their use.
Judge Jeffrey's stand on the liquor traffic was a step in the right direction and we sincerely hope he will carry it out and let them know he is the Judge of Ocean County during his term. Paying for a license does not grant the privilege of breaking the law, and if there is not enough money in it legally then they should quit. If any other merchant could not make it go honest he would soon be jugged when he did not abide by the law.
Borden Cranmer, assistant keeper at Penfield Reef Light, is home for a few days.
Howard Gaskill has the interior of the Opera House looking up to date, white and gold trimmings, studded with 51 electric lights. He bought the dynamo in separate parts, assembled them himself, and runs it with an auto engine.
It is presumed that our sea fishermen will all be called in service for coast patrol this season.

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