The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-09
Bands and Patriotic Ad- dresses to Feature Rally To Be Held at Capitol Park Tonight
REVIVAL MEETINGS
 WILL BE POSTPONED
Colonel Smith Will Preside and Able Speakers Will Be Heard-Will Display the Spanish War Flags

The people of Birmingham will rally at Capitol park in n big mass meeting tonight at s o'clock to demonstrate their patriotism and
 enthusiasm in backing the United States in the war with Germany.
 At this gathering the organiza-
 tion of the home guard for the
 protection of the life and property
 of the district will be launched and
 active plans set under way to se-
 cure the 5000 married men needed
 for the various companies.
 In order that there might be no con- flict and that all the people of the city and district might be free to attend this rally tonight, all rival meetings have been called off: It is stated that several proposed military organizations which had called preliminary meetings for to- night will not gather, but will attend the big. rally and mass meeting at Capitol park. The Birmingham Civic association has called off it's patriotic meeting sched- uled for tonight, as has also the Jefferson Rifle club which was to meet in the
 
 -lesm sseu eql sdoJsq peueo sSupseu Ing was announced will also be post poned until liter date.
 The meeting tonight will be called to order by George B. Ward, president of the city commission, who will introduce the chairman, Col. T. o. Smith Among the other speakers for the occasion will be Borden Burr, Sydney J. Bowie, Com missioner James Weatherly, Fred M. Jackson, Frank Willis Barnett, H. F. Waters of Avondale, Commissioner John R. Hornady, J. B. Wood and c. P. Bed- dow.
 PLENTY OF BANDS
 The Boys Industrial School band will play throughout the meeting, as will the fife and drum corps of the Boy Scouts, under direction of Dr. Elwyn Ballard It be on hand so that there will be no lack of martial music to stir the latent patriotism of the crowds.
 Resolutions will be adopted pledging loyalty and support to the government, and also calling for the organization of the home guard. The following are mem bers of the preliminary committee on or ganization of the home guard: George L. Watkins, Lucien c. Brown. Charles E.. Rice, F'erd Tschudy, R. A. Brown, Craw- ford Johnson and George M. Morrow, Jr. Col. E. l.. Higdon, who commanded the regiment formed in Birmingham and north Alabama during the Spanish Amer ican war, urges that all members of that organization be present at the mass meet ing tonight. He announces that all the old flags of the regiment, used during the war with Spain, will be on display in Saks' windows today and will be carried to the mass meeting. These flags were presented to the regiment as it left for the front by the women of Birmingham.
 SOLDIERS URGED TO COME
 The former members of all National Guard units, of the navy and army, and all Confederate veterans are especially urged to be present at the meeting. Wom- en are invited to come and it is expected that they will vie with the men of the city and district in showing their loy- alty and patriotism in this crisis.
 The Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company has arranged to provide ample cars to all parts of the city and suburbs and there will be no delay in maving the people both to and from the meeting, officials of the company an- nounce. The company has also arranged to provide a special car without cost to transport the Boys Industrial School band.
 Martin Egan, chief of police, will have an ample force of officers on the scene to handle the crowds during the meeting. The proposed resolutions pledging loy- alty, which will be submitted at the meeting, follow
 To the President of the United States: Be 1t resolved, in mass meeting assem- bled, as Americans faithful to American ideals of justice, liberty and humanity, and confident that the government has exerted its most earnest efforts to keep us at peace with the world we hereby declare absolute and unconditional loyalty to the government of the United States and pledge our support to you in pro tecting American rights against unlaw- full violence upon land and sea, in guard ing the nation against hostile attacks and in upholding international right.