Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-02-29
REV. S. T. SMYTHE
Spoke Before the Rotary Club in Guild
Hall of st. Johns Church
Thursday Evening.

A most interesting evening in the
history of the Rotary club of Wausau
was that on Thursday evening, at the
Guild hall at ST. Johns church, on
which occasion Rev. S. T. Smythe,
president of st. Johns Military acad-
emy of Delafeld, delivered an address
on when Clouds Burst and After"
Over 100 members of the club and
their ladies and friends were present.
The tables were arranged in the din
ing hall and were attractive with cen
ters of yellow daffodils. The Rotary
banner was stretched across the west
wall and a large American flag on
the east. Schultze's stIinged orches-
ira furnished popular airs and famil
lar songs were sung under the direc-
ton of r. E. Puchner.
Rev. Smythe was introduced by
President Alfred H. Zimmerman, and
after preliminary remarks he entered
upon his subject of the evening. He
told of going to Europe with thirty
five young men, to see the sights of
drals and institutions of learning.
They first went to England, then to
Holland and Belgium and it was there
that they saw soldiers drilling and the
prophecy was made by one of that
country's prominent citizens, that
some day there would be a war of
those nations of such magnitude as
was never known in the worlds his
tory. They went by the river Rhine
to the city of Heidelberg, and his
description of that great river; its cas-
ties and beautiful banks, was a part |
of the address very much enjoyed |
1t was while going through the castle |
of Heidelberg they learned that war |
was imminent between Austria and |
Serbia, and at five o'clock, July 29th, |
it was so proclaimed on the streets |
and in less than two hours the great |
armies of that country were going to |
the front From that moment follow
ing the advice of friends, Rev. Smythe |
and the young men of whom he had
charge, bent their energies to get out
of the warning countries and their
trials in getting home were truly ex-
citing. After much trouble they |
reached Switzerland. All of their
money which was as usual in travel
ers' checks, was of no use. Not one
dollar of it would be taken except that
it was in gold, and the members of |
the party had $4,000 with them. They
finally purchased a steamer in Italy,
through the efforts of Mr.. Vanderbilt, |
and over 300 Americans started on |
their way home, which they finally |
reached in safety, after many hair |
raising episodes. At one time they |
were stopped by an ugly looking craft |
which bore down on them with terrific |
speed. 1t was British boat and after !!
finding out that the passengers were |
all Americans they were allowed to |
pursue their way without molesta- |
ton. At another time they were
stopped by an English submarine.
Their joy at beholding the shores of
America was uncomfortable. The in
cidents connected with the attempts
to get out of the various countries,
the mobilization of the armies; the
efficiency shown in military matters,
especially in Germany, made the ad-
dress one of the most intense interest.
Rev. Smythe was perfectly neutral in
all that he had to say and when he
sat down the applause was so long and
so vigorous that he arose and, as
climax, said few words about the
horror of stirring up class hatred.
Rev. Smythe was rendered a rising
vote of thanks for his most excellent
address. There were present quite a
number of the former students of ST.
Johns academy.