Groundhog Day 1918

On the eve of Groundhog Day, Gossips shares this bit of jocularity for the day which appeared in the Columbia Republican for February 5, 1918. (The Columbia Republican was a weekly newspaper, published each Tuesday. In 1918, Groundhog Day fell on Saturday.)

The Garfield mentioned was Harry Augustus Garfield, son of President James A. Garfield, who in 1917 had been appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to the position of Fuel Administrator. His task was "to increase production, reduce hoarding and profiteering, encourage conservation, and regulate prices," a job that was particularly critical because, during 1917 and 1918, there was a coal shortage.
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