The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-06-23
OFF TO THE WAR .

Palatka has felt the thrill and a tee
ny-weeny mite of the sob stuff Incl
dent to grim-visaged war. We had no
organized company of soldiers to send,
but Palatka was the home of the Sec
ond Regiment Band, one of the Or
ganizations that will sound the tocsin
for actual hostilities and play the
martial airs that inspire to noble
deeds. Up to the present this band
constitutes Palatka's only contribu-
ton to the possible war with Mexico.
The call came on Monday evening
BY Tuesday evening all members of
the band were in readiness for de-
parture, which had been arranged for
Wednesday morning.
That same evening the band gave US
farewell concert on the street and
vast crowd was present to listen to
the music and feel the patriotic thrill
that accompanied the inspiring rem
dition of Dixie and the Star Spangled
Banner by company of our own
Young men who have been called to
assist in making the wholesome in
fuence of that banner felt in land
that has failed in appreciation of its
Importance as the emblem Of a first
class world power.
A magnificent silk flag was held
aloft in the center Of the band circle
during the concert, and when the
Star Spangled Banner was played,
heads were uncovered. while a mighty
cheer followed the rendition.
We had been reading of the posi-
hilities of war. The summoning Of
these young men from the ordinary
pursuits of peace and the knowledge
that they were going to the front,
BROUGHT war so much nearer than the
headlines of the printed page.
In the crowd stood young wives
locking with tear bedimmed eyes on
their husbands about to be snatched
from them; mothers and fathers and
sisters also, to whom war was be-
coming something more than daily
story of far-off doin@s. There were
some tears and an occasional sob,
But the men and boys of the COM
panv were also making some sacri-
fee. If they were saddened at the
thought of going, they hid the evi-
dences of it. They were every inch
men-all of them.
Palatka peonle standing by could
not help but feel a pride in this or
canization. No one voiced this pride
nublicly, and it was mistake. Col.
Hilburn or some other of our public
speakers should have been on hand to
givo it voice and bid the band god
SNeed.
The News is going to do it. 1t is
qoi1g to tell these young men that Pa
1atka honors them for the cheerful
ness with which they start out on this
Journey to a possible field of carnage.
II knows Of the sacrifices many of
them are making for their country
and it wants to tell them that wheth-
er they are called upon to endure the
privaions and sufferings incident to
actual hostilities or not. that the spirit
Of cheerfulhess with which they took
the chance, was an eXemplification
of the very best qualities Of Ameri-
can citizenship.
And we want to tell them that if
fight they must, that they can enter
the scrap with the assurance that
through the celestial transom the God
of their fathers will keep watch over
the American soldier, because he
fights not in the greed of conquest,
hut for those principles only which
will make for justice and the future
happiness of mankind.
All honor to the Second Regiment
Band of Palatka!
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Pleasant A. Holt has been defeated
as a candidate for president of the