Page:What to do for Uncle Sam; a first book of citizenship (IA whattodoforuncle00bail).pdf/105



Uncle Sam believes that it is just as much a public work to make people happy as it is to guard them or feed them. The United States would be a pretty poor place to live in if there were no parks, or art galleries, or libraries, or museums. Nearly every town has one or all of these, supported by public money. In them boys and girls may have a good time and learn a great deal, too, without expense.

You run down to the library after school because you want very much, indeed, to take out that new book of adventure the boy next door was reading last week. There it is. The librarian stamps your card. The splendid story and its many pictures are yours for two whole weeks. Getting the book was so simple a matter that you did not stop to think of the work of the Government that stands behind the library.

Someone wrote the book, first of all, and because it is such a fine story that it needs protection. Uncle Sam copyrighted it. Every newspaper, book, map, photograph for publication, and piece of music is taken care of in this way by the United States Rh