Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-21
StateSboro Turns "Anti'
Meeting Into Patriotic Rally

Especial Dispatch to The Journal)
STATESBORO, Ga, Aug. 18.-Citi-
zens of Statesboro and Bulloch county
this afternoon turned a meeting called
to oppose the selective army law into
an immense patriotic gathering at
which resolutions opposing the sending
of United States soldiers overseas with
out the individual consent of each were
overwhelmingly killed by a substitute
resolution calling on all good citizens
to support sthe president in this war.
Although the meeting was widely a6-
vertised as one that would protest
against the new army plan, little oppo-
sition TO it developed and even speakers
who admitted being against the passage
of the law asserted that it now should
be absolutely supported.
The resolutions, passed by the vote of
1S9 to 80, were;
That IL Is the sense of this meet
ing that it is the patriotic duty of
all good citizens to support the
president of the United States in
this dark hour of the worlds great
est war.
The first thing to evoke applause was
when Sam ]. Williams. former sheriff,
Confederate veteran and now more than
- years old, was brought into the
courthouse between two flagbearers car
rying a United States flag more than
fourteen feet long. ID. .-
FOR WILSON, TOP TO BOTTOM.
Upon motion of T. J. Denmark, state
bank examiner. ex-Judge John F. Bran
men was placed in nomination for chair
man, but he declined, stating that 1T
being understood that the meeting was
against the new army plan, and he being
Wilson man from bottom to top, would
not preside.
Mr.. Denmark then placed in nomina-
ton A. NJ. Deal, who was made chair
man. and j. S. Kenan, secretary. Mr..
Deal in accepting the nomination.
stated:
81 want it understood that when the
adjutant general calls upon me for any
purpose whatsoever that my answer will
not be no to any demand that he might
make This statement provoked ap-
plause.
Mr. Denmark then stated that he de-
sired to suggest wisdom and modera-
ton, and that no person hurt the feel
ings of any other person; that he did
not call the meeting, and was no tr-
sponsible for it; that he had one boy
already in the army, three more at home
that were ready to go; that he opposed
the selectIve army law on principle be-
fore it passed, but that it was too late
to turn back now. He declared that,
although he was more than fifty years
old. he was ready to go, and that to
end the war our backs must never be
turned to the enemy.
Judge Brannen then took the floor
and said that he had one boy that was
on the border who now was in the army
and two more now subject to call; that
President Wilson had not declared the
war until after insult was given and
the people had made ii known they
wanted this country to declare war and
fight.
At this point a resolution was offered
by Herbert Franklin, farmer, the pur-
pose of which was to urge upon con-
gress the passage of house resolution
5181 by Mason of Illinois. Mr.. Franklin
spoke in favor of his resolution. Mr..
Joiner, also a farmer stated that he was
opposed on principle to sending United
States soldiers across the water unless
each soldier was willing to 60
Greene S. Johnston then made short