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Show In the many communities where campaigns are being conducted to raise USO's $32,-000,000 $32,-000,000 war fund for service men's recreational activities, the donors will be interested in knowing that the "boy next door" who was called to the colors is really enjoying USO hospitality as the result of their donation. This week USO reports an increase in-crease of 48 USO clubs since April !, bringing the total in Continental United States and overseas to 474. The 474th was opened in down, town San Francisco under the direction di-rection of the Salvation Army last Friday, May 29. This dedication marked the beginning of USO operation oper-ation 700. Also since April 1 USO reports an increase of 26 units such as mobile service to troops on duty at isolated posts, troops-in-transit, etc. This total is now 12G. It must be borne in mind that when USO was organized last year it promised the public pub-lic a total of 339 operations. The war changed that figure. With the enlargement of all military services, the induction into the fighting forces of millions mil-lions of the "boys next door." USO kept apace with the war and Navy Departments until today its operat;ons are more than twice those pledged and growing weekly. Figures compiled this week, according ac-cording to Ray Johns, chief of USO operations, show that 3,000 dances are held monthly; entertainments total a minimum of S00 weekly in addition to 900 weekly programs of sports and athletics. These figures are cf record and do not include hundreds of informal parties, which, while important to the USO program are so numerous they can not be officially listed or even estimated. i -. - A drive is under way in Idaho Ida-ho for support of the Senior Citizen's Grants Act. The Act calls for the provision of a minimum of $40 monthly, and medical, dental, surgical, optical, hospital, nursing care, etc., to all Senior citizens over 65 years old who conform with state and federal feder-al laws governing eligibility requirements. re-quirements. The Act also prohibits pro-hibits liens on certain properties proper-ties Only tliose whose annual income is less than $4S0, or whose monthly income is less than $40, and who have been residents of Idaho during dur-ing at least five of the last ten years are eligible for the Grants. A measure of this kind deserves a thorough investigation by each eligible voter of the state. We refuse to direct you to sign the petitions now being circulated, however, we do ask you to display enough patriotism to take the time, at least, to study the provisions, etc., of the Act. We agree whole-heartedly that a measure along this line must be adopted. We had hoped by now to see a fedearl act in force. However, progress in that direction direc-tion is noted, because the federal government has agreed to provide fifty per .cent of the amount of money needed to finance a program of this kind. |