Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18
ORDER OF THE LOYAL LESION
Members of Vermont Comman.
derry and Guests Enjoy Banquet.
Colonel Dickman Declares That while
the Officers OF the Army stand
for Preparedness They DO Not
Court War.

The cath fall dinner of the Com
mandery of the state of Vermont
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of
the United States. was held at the
Van Ness House last evening II was
Immediately preceded by reception
In the hotel parlors. and prior to that
a stated meeting of the commandery
was held at its headquarters in STAN
nard Memorial hall At this meeting
the application of Daniel d. Tompkins,
U. S. A., for admission to the Com
mandery as an hereditary companion of
the first class by right Of Inheritance
was acted upon favorably.
RECEPTION AND BANQUET.
At 1880 o'clock the officers of the
commandery gave reception in the
parlors of the Van Ness House, sew
eral of the commissioned officers of
the End United States cavalry. their
wives and a number of Burlington peo-
pie who were guests of members of
the commandery being present. In the
receiving line we're Colonel Joseph T.
Dickman. u. S. A., the Junior vice
commander of the Vermont Com
mandery, Mrs Dickman. Colonel H. S.
of Mrs Dlckman. Captain Ira L.
Reeves. the newly elected president Of
Norwich University. with Mrs. Reeves
and her sister, Miss Lillian Smith, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry II. Noble OF Es-
sex. N. Y. The guests were presented
by General T. S. Peck.
At S:15 o'clock the company, number
Ing 60. sat down to a banquet in the
n In tv,in re- 81
long table at the west end Of the room
were seated Colonel and Mrs. Dickman,
Mrs. Thibaut Captain and Mrs. Reeves
Miss Lillian Smith. Bishop and Mrs. G.
Y. Bliss, Mr.. and Mrs. II. II. Noble Mr..
and Mrs. Robert Roberts Colonel II.
S. Foster, Lieutenant Charles w. Fos-
ter and Miss Dorothy Dickman. On
the wall behind the speakers table the
commandery banner and the Vermont
state flag were draped on either side
of the Stars and Stripes. Grace was
said by Bishop Bliss. The Second
Cavalry orchestra furnished music.
while the excellent banquet was being
served.
THE SPEECHES.
| Colonel Dickman began the post
| prandial exercises by a reference to the
|
standing army who would be the ones
to do the fighting IL the United States
should go TO war. Despite the idea Of
many that. because the men of the arr1v
stand for preparedness they court a war
these men who would be at the front
and who have made a careful study #
| war are the last to want war declared
AS an Illustration Of this Colonel hi &
tod h. 80
ment. who would be the last to want 10
fight a raging fire at an early morning
hour with the temperature 90 degrees be-
low zero. The life on a battle front is no
more tempting to the army officer ard
his men.
The first speaker introduced by Colonel
Dickman was Capt Ira L. Reeves L. s.
A., (retired), the new president of Nor
witch University. Captain Reeves spoke
Of the service which cadets of the uni
versity have given to their country in
time Of war, the graduates and past
cadets having served in all Of the wars
OF the, country from the Black Hawk TO
date. many holding important commands
Captain Reeves took his statistics from
the records OF the university Two cadets
served in the War OF 1912. another In the
battle of Pittsburgh. others in the 81. TX
Hawk war. On the breaking out Of the
Civil War the graduates and past cadets
were among the first to offer their sow
Ices. and In every State in the Union
they were active in drilling and instruct
Ing troops for the war and 80 gave their
lives In the service Of their country A
number entered the service in the Mexican
war, and their services were Offered
Immediately on the breaking out OF the
Spanish American War. The Norwich
University men have also performed dis
tinguished service. George Dewey, the
hero Of Manila bay. being a graduate in
the class Of '55
The next speaker was Robert Robert.
OF this city. who told many interesting
experiences which no had as youth
when he was too young to enlist for the
CIVIL War. one about the enlistment OF
Gen. T. S. Peck Of this city being re.
ceNed with especial enthusiasm Mr.
Roberts also spoke OF the marine hos
pital located where the Home for Desti.
tute Children now stands. In closing
he said: "At tho time Of every grea,
struggle the civilians should bow with
respect to the officers of the standing
army who are the only ones who are
able to round the army into shape fol
the defense Of their country"
Henry Harmon Noble OF Essex ~ Y
was also called upon by the toastmaste,
and responded with brief remarks The
last speaker was the Rev. George w
' Davenport, who stated that it was upor
his entry to the hotel for the banquet
= that ne first learned that the Loya
Q Legion believed in nnprcparedness. stat
= ing that the first he knew he was tt
! speak was at that time. In his remark,
= DR. Davenport urged preparedness or
/. the part Of the United States He sale
= we have not yet reached that poin
where We can overlook certain amour
Of prepa redness. The horrors OF tn,
, present war are nothing to those which
may come in wars of the future L
the United States Is prepared for wa
d she will be in better condition to ex
: tend the hand IT brotherly love to othe
= great nations
The exercises came to an end will
n the singing OF the Star Spangled Ban
r ner.'
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