Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-03-23
RICHMOND ALIVE
WITH PATRIOTISM
Not Since Days of the Spanish
American War Has City Been
So Stirred - Threatened Up
heaval in Police Department.
They Are Drinking Bayrum.

ands of American flags are to be seen
waving about the city i'll n continuous
display such as has never been seen
here since the Spanish American
war, and the streets are filled with
soldiers who have just returned from
the MeXica II border The last of the
local troops to arrive here was the
First Squadron Virginia Cavalry,
formerly the Richmond Light Infan-
try Blues, who came back Sunday
morning, anti paradcd through streets
lined with thousands of people who
gave them the biggest demonstration
of its kind since the troops were
mobilikcd.
y natural state of unrest exists
throughout the city because of the
unsettled condition of Americas re-
lations with Germany, and scarcely
am hour passes without an Extra"
announcing some of the later de-
velopmcnts in the State Department
| Current opinion is now conclusive
that decisive break with Germany
cannot be avoided, and that this
country will be in state of war with
the Central powers within II short
time. Numerous bodies of men about
the city have volunteered their SER
vices to the government in case of
need, and Adjutaht General Sales
has announced that instructors and
drill masters will be supplied by
| the government to such bodies upon
request.
Patriotism in Movies and Theatres.
The impending stir-up in the city
government. which has been lowering
about the municipal offices for many
weeks, has been almost forgotten in
the face of the widespread prepared
ness movement that is sweeping
over the community. In all the
theatres, and similar places Of
amusement, America" and "The
Star Spangled Banner" are regarded
as regular part of the program,
and when the latter is played the
| audience rises as one man and re-
mains standing until the selection
is finished. Last week in one theatre
| President Wilson was shown in
picture, and the crowd burst out into
performance had to be delayed for
some minutes until the house had
! quietcd down. Following this, the
orchestra struck into "The Star Span
/ glcd Banner" and the audience stood
up for encore after encore, displaying
| the real spirit of patriotism that
seems to really be abroad over the
land. Preparations for n mobiliza-
tion camp for the full war strength
of the State are being carried on as
speedily ut the military headquarters
here, and detail of officers have been
making tour of the State to select
the site for camp.
Drobihitinn 7 ,,,. N;oI,lJ
The prohibition laws continue to
be violated in large measure, and
violations have increased, it is said,
since the abolition of the so-called
Purity Squad" of plain clothes po-
liceman by the chief of police. These
men were detailed to the special task
of detecting prohibition violators and
persons guilty of the socalled $50
cial evil" and the means they adopt
ed at times proved very distasteful to
certain individuals. Finally, the squad
made several mistakes and placed
certain citizens in a very .embarass-
ing position because of the errors.
Then the clamor came for the aboli-
tion of the purity squad, and upon
the insistence of the "wet" press, all
the men were ordered back in uni
form.
Prohibition leaders are dissatis-
fled with these movements, and per-
sons well qualified to know state that
there is to be decided shakcup in
the police force here, as well as in
other departments of the city gov
ernment. The new law, which has
closed the door in the face of John
Barleycorn, is causing much comrno-
ton, and while on the one hand one
set of forces state that if The officers
of the law do not enforce the anti
liquor law these officers will have to
get out, another set of forces insist
that if the prohibition clement per-
sists in its uncompromising stand
against personal privilege" anoth-
er vote of the people will open the
portals and allow booze to flow again.
The outcome is interesting to con-
template, for it promises vertablc
revolution in police powers of State
and city governments.
Senator Martin in Town.
Senator Thomas S. Martin has been
in the city and presumably has been
feeling the pulse Of the powers that
be: Operations have begun for the
political campaign which is to start
early next month, and it is thought
"Tom" came down from Washing
ton to get his men lined up properly.
The campaign promises to be a
strenuous one, with the machine"
forces putting forth an heroic ef-
fort to overcome the seeming anti
machine sentiment that is threaten
ing their bulwarks. Attorney Cen
eral Pollard 10 running q strong race,
political wise-acres say, and it will
not be a surprise to great many
people if he comes away with the
gubernatorial pennant in mis- hand.
Westmoreland Davis, while pur-
suing an ardent advertising cam.
paign, seems not to have acquired
considerable following so far.
Dr;pL;po R,yru,, NJ,