The midland journal., 1916-05-19
Has Greatest Civic Parade Of
Nations History.
LINE MOVES FOR IL HOURS
Hundreds of Thousands OF Spectators
Cheer Throns Made Up OF All
Glasses and Including
Many Notables.

attitude on the question OF national
preparedness by holding the greatest
civic parade in the history of the coun-
try. A host of, men and women, esti-
mated at more than 10000, represent
ing all walks of life in the nations
metropolis, marched for IL hours, 20
abreast behind bands playing patriotic
airs, athrough fiag-bedecked streets
lined with hundreds of thousands of
cheering spectators. All the profess
sions and trades which make up the
complex life of the city were repre-
sented.
In one division were the street
sweepers in their uniforms of white,
while in another were the dignif1ed
justices of the Supreme Court of New
York. There also were the clergy
nearly 200 representing every denomi-
nation in the nations greatest city.
Lawyers, physicians, trained nurses,
veterans of the Spanish-American
War-all were in line. But the most
popular division was made up of the
city's 10000 National Guardsmen-in
fantry. cavalry and artillery-who
brought up the rear.
This" declared Major-General
Leonard Wood, in command of the De
partment of the. East, who reviewed
the parade, "is the greatest argument
America has ever known in favor of
preparedness against elements that
are at present unknown Every pro-
fession is represented by its best-by
men whose duties bring them in touch
with the affairs of state The same
applies to the various trades. 1t shows
an interest in preparedness that
amounts to a national awakening.
That is what we need. 1t shows that
the time has come to do something in
the matter of national preparation"
March Twelve Hours.
The great civic army began march
ing at $50 A. NJ, and the last of them
had not passed the reviewing stand in
Madison Square until $50 o'clock P. M.
The mammoth pageant began auspi-
ciously. Just as Mayor John P. Mitchell
and party of municipal officials left
the City Hall at the head of the first
division. an aeroplane appeared above
lower Broadway and hovered around
the great skyscrapers.
The paraders marched rapidly, more
than 10000 passing given point with
in an hour. When the first division dis
banded, after walking the full length
of lower Fifth avenue to Fifty-seventh
street. the Mayor, accompanied by
Major G General Wood and Rear-Admiral
Nathaniel Usher, in command of the
New York Navy Yard, left their car
riage and took seats in the reviewing
stand Except forlan hour for lunch
con they remained until the parade
was over.
Governor Whitman, who viewed the
demonstration from a fag-draped bal
cony of the Union League Club, de
clared it was the most remarkable ex-
ample of patriotism and civic pride he
ever had Witnessed
Speaking as a citizen" said the
Governor, Il should say that every New
Yorker who saw the parade should
have been inspired with pride.'
With few exceptions the marchers
carried small American flags Most
of them also wore buttonhole en-
blems
The new armored motor battery, the
first thus far acquired by any National
Guard in the country, was greeted with
cheers all along the line of March
There were seven regiments of in
fantry. three of coast artillery, a part
of the First Cavalry, batteries of field
artillery. the signal corps. engineers
and the Inotorcar battery.
Edison Heads Contingent.
Thomas A. Edison, Notwithstanding
his So years, tramped along with the
stride of man half his age, at the
head of contingent of % members of
the Naval Consulting Board of the
United States. He expressed great
satisfaction with the demonstration
after it was all over.
"Such parade needs no express
sion," declared the inventor. "The fact
that marched in it expressed my
sentiments exactly"