The Alaska daily empire., 1916-07-05

If the man who wrote q Didn't Raise My Boy To Be a Soldier, and the people who sing it, also the dear old souls who are members of the American Union Against Mil- itarism, and also those who are op- posed to preparedness-if all could only have been up on Mount Juneau and looked down on Juneau yester- day. they would all have put their hands up in the air and said; "Oh, what's the use?"
 New York City. Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, D. C., and the other little burgs down in the States have held preparedness pa rades. The parades might have been larger but never was the enthus- iasm greater than it was right here in our little Juneau. It is esti- mated that full 150O men, women and children took part in the pa rade yesterday. Many were afoot, others were on horse back and oth- CTS rode in autos, but 1t Is fair to say that 1500 is good estimate. The children were out ins force, the little girls dressed in their white dresses and the boys in uni forms or their best bib and tucker. The streets were also lined with spectators and if the census man had been on the job yesterday the figures would have been large.
 The day was just right for an out door celebration, not too warm nor too cool. While Old Sol forgot to make his presence noticeable he put the fear into old Pluvius and the latter kept in the background un- til after i o'clock when, unable to restrain himself longer, he just opened his flood gates and let some mighty big sprinkles fall. But at that, many were, as the day was supposed to demonstrate, prepared, ana the little drops of water fell on the tops of umbrellas.
 The crowds were good-natured, there was TO rowdyism and every body seemed to have good time.
 Early yesterday morning, that is shortly after o'clock people be- gan gathering on the down town streets along which the parade would pass. Others were busy ind ing out where their organizations were forming in order to get into the line of march. Lower Front street was mass of humanity. Fi- nally the rat-a-tat of the drum was heard and Juneau's first prepared ness parade began to move J. c. Hayes, one of the Marshals of the day, astride of a gingery steed which felt it's own importance, led the marchers. Then came old Glory carried by stalwart J. K. Neville at whose side marched John T. Spick- ett, just like in the good old min strel days.
 Then the "ahs" and "ohs" fol- lowed for there was Juneau's finest, Chief of Police Harding and Officers Harding, KesselinG and Houmuller, all logged out in the new uniforms. The biz four never looked to the right nor the left and as the brand new badges glistened on the blue coats, there was pride depicted on the faces or those on the sidewalks as the officers of the law marched quickly pass
 G. A. R. Men Ride.
 Juneau's band, with stirring mar tial airs marched gaily along setting the time and pace for those on foot who were following.
 old in years, but young for the affairs of the day. came the veter- ans, the c. A. R. men. They were not marching Their marching days were over and they rode in a gaily decorated automobile. The Span- ish American war veterans made natty appearance and the tweEty two men showed their military ex- perience by their swinging stride.
 Trail Blazers in Line.
 The old pioneers. the trail blazers of the Northland, were next line and many times a liberal hand clap ping greeted them. Then to add ex- tra dignity and full importance, preparedness, the Terri torial and the city officials marched next. Gov. J. F. A. Strong, District Judge R. w. Jennings and Mayor B. D. Stewart were side by side, walking every foot of the way. The