The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-11-15
BENEFITS OF
Y. M. c. A. TOLD
CANADIAN SOLDIER BRINGS MESSAGE
Milton A. Miller Delivers Stirring Ad'
dress at High School Mass Meet
ing Launching Local Drive

those serving under the sign of the
Red Triangle was brought to the peo-
Pile Of Hood River county Sunday af-
| ternoon by A. E. Erwin, wounded
Canadian soldier of Victoria, B. c..
who arrived in Portland Friday to tour
the state in the interest of the week s
Y. M. C. A. drive. Every chair in the
big high school auditorium was filled.
hundreds of those present parents of
sons already in France or on the way.
Members of the Y. M. c. A. soliciting
teams, composed of go professional
and business men and orchardists, were
seated on the stage.
In bearing and gesture still showing
the effects of German shells, the
young Canadian told his personal ex-
periences.
81 shall never forget it, he said.
''We returned from week of waiting,
week of fighting. Our clothing had
been sodden for a week. Some of our
comrades had gone west, as we SOL
diers say we never refer to death over
there. We were a dispirited lot of
men, but there at the very entrance of
the trenches as we emerged we came
upon the headquarters of the Red Tri-
angle, and we men were served soup
and coffee. A company of English en-
tertainers gave us a performance.
Soon some of our own men were at
the piano playing and others were join
ing in the chorus of The Long Train,
or Take Me Back to my Home in Ten
nessee.' Before we left that Y. M. c..
A. room every man of US felt that he
himself could lick the German army. "
The young Canadian told of the bap-
tism of fire of him and his fellows.
He briefly sketched some of the details
of history of the fighting of 1915.
"The British government considers
the Y. M. c. A. work so important, "
said Mr.. Erwin, "that all sports and
entertainment are left in absolute
charge of the Y. M. C. A. secretaries,
35 Of whom are with the Canadian
forces. Nor are the Y. M. c. A. men
out of danger. Nearly always they
are up at the very front in the range
of shell fire. Very often they are
working in conjunction with the infan-
try. ! could tell you Of numerous ia
talities among men whose work it is to
make it easier for US boys over there.
The Y. M. c. A. is doing great work
in keeping up the spirit and morale of
the soldiers"
Mr.. Erwin was followed by Milton
A. Miller, collector of customs, of
Portland, who delivered stirring ap-
peal TO the people of Hood River to
contribute readily and cheerfully to
the fund. Mr.. Miller sketched the
early history of the Republic. He told
of the patriotism and heroism of Ma
than Hale, who regretted, as he was
sent to an ignoble death by red coat
hangmen, that he had but single life
to give for his country. He recalled
the sacrifice of George Washington,
who paid from his own pocket the sum
of $65, 900 to members of his COntinen-
tai army.
"In their weakness" declared Mr..
Miller, "our fathers established this
republic. In the strength of our 100,
900 600 men and our 1920, 900. 900, 600
of wealth we must preserve it. How
| in the face of the sacrifices of Nathan
Hale and George Washington can we
fail to respond to the calls that are
now being made upon us? How, when
we have boys by the millions today
displaying the spirit of Nathan Hale,
can we deny our comfort and support
by failing to contribute to the Y. M.
C. A. fund that will be raised this
week?'
Mr.. Miller praised the women OF
America and Oregon for their sacri.
fees and their participation in the pa
triotic activities of the nation.
"lf the women of the world had the
vote, as they have here in Oregon" he
declared, 1--WE would never have hao
this war.
Frequently Mr.. Miller was greeted
with bursts of applause, but one of the
most lasting outbursts of hand clap
ping followed this statement:
LET us take some of these German
sympathizers here and tell them we
are going to send them back to Ger.
many. We would hear from them 8
howl like that from some trapped wilc
animals on your hillsides. They would
have to be bound hand and foot, if we
ever got them back.
Recently | was talking with Geo
H. Hines, secretary and curator OF
the Oregon Historical Society. He
told me of German family down ir
Washington county. They came tc
America to better their lot. They
prospered and purchased farm. anc
| finally one day the father declared his
intention of returning to Germany tc
visit his old mother. One day while
in his old home city he was standing
on a street corner discussing some
topic of the day. Suddenly he felt 8
hand on his shoulder and an officer tolc
him that he must cease such criticisms
| Il know you,' the officer told him, 'anc
| / will not arrest you, but will war;
you that such utterances must not be
made again.
"'That old man returned to the home
of his relatives, he bade them goodbye
and returned to his American home
I do not want to remain longer, ht
said, 'in such a land. | want to gel
back to where | can breathe the air oi
freedom. And thus l say to you pee
Pile here today, tn those of foreign ma
i tions who have come among US and car
only find fault with our affairs now al
this time of crisis, to them let us say
if you are not pleased go back to thai
country from which you came. )"
Mr.. Miller told of the plans Of ths
German government when they begar
the war in 1914. He declared that h.
had heard recently in Portland from
the lips of w. T. Foster, president Of
Reed College, who had just returned
from a tour of Europe bringing bacl
with him incontestable proofs, of th'
plans of the Hun.
why, do you know" said Mr.. Mil
Ter, ''the Germans had planned on tax
ing their army across Belgium ant
reaching Paris? There they woult
have moved down a section of tina
wonderful city, and then thev woult
have called for the submission O
France. If it had been refused, they
/ would have moved down another sec
&:1~ .-l thar A&nShor ov1 o1nfkar