The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1917-06-06

Amid martial strains of music thous.
ards of citizens Greenwood and Lee
fore county both white and colorec
today took part in a demonstration
second to none in the history of this
section of the state. Greenwood turn
ed out enn1ass to do honor to the mil.
lions Of young men who are today
registering for any service their Coun.
try wants them to do, and to pay tri.
bate to those who have so nobly
volunteered their services in the sew.
eral branches Of the Federal arms.
\ monster parade, the hosting OF
"Old Glory" to the top of a high flag
pole erected on the Court House
House grounds, a deep and stirring ad.
dress by Hon. G. T. Fitzhugh of Mem.
phis, and the presentation of the flag
to Battery c., on behalf of the j. Z
George Chapter, United Daughters OF
the C~onfederacy were the features OF
the day. The ceremonies ended just
before n o'clock. The parade start
ed from the Court House just after
the clock struck ten.
Hundreds of ears took part in the
parade and thousand of citizens lined
the streets and occupied placed in the
line. Two of the features of the par
ade were a float representing the Bat
tleship Mississippi and the float of the
Red Cross Society.
After the Flag was raised Senator
Wilmington, who acted as master of
ceremonies, introduced the speaker of
the occasion. In making his introduce
tory remarks Senator Wilmington al
luded to the gravity of the day and
~applauded the patriotism of the Lee
fore county and Greenwood boys.
Mr.. Fitzhugh in opening his address
spoke of Greenwood as being the most
progressive city in Mississippi and of
his appreciation of the invitation to
address the people of this county upon
such an occasion. His address was a
masterpiece. Eloquent from the first
to the last word, full of patriotism,
with pride and with admiration for
America and her allies yet with room
for a scathing denunciation of Ger
many and her methods.
Captain Fitzhugh paid glowing tri-
butte to the Red Cross and to the Old
Veterans. He spoke of the work that
the Boy Scouts could do now and of
what they might have do to in the
future. He alluded with spirit to the
patriotism which fired the young mar
to enlist and to organize companies
for service.
June the fifth, he said, would be, a
red letter day in history. It is a Holy
Day for those who are doing their
duty and are registering and will
prove to be a day of condemnation and
of humiliation for those who shirk
their duty, he declared.
In glowing terms he praised the
French and their efforts for Demo.
cracy. Efforts growing direct from
the seed which Lafayett ecarried bach
to that country after he had helped
America to win her freedom. He pic
tured the British as friends ever since
the war between that country and hel
colonies, now the United States O.
America.
He followed the path of Democracy
down through the ages from the time
of it's frtist recognition in the Amer
lean Revolution to the present time
when fully four ffths of the world
is self governed. He declared tina
the only black spots of despotism OF
the face of the globe today are Ger
many Austro-Hungary and Turkey.
With words Of fire he bitterly in
dicted the German espionage system
which while declaring friendliness TO
other countries had her ambassador
acting as spies.
Loving tribute was paid to Belgium
the little country whose noble resist
ance to the German invasion saved
great part of France from being tax
en-. He mentioned the action of Gel
man naval authorities at Manila an
and compared it with their: claims a
to what the neutrals in the preser
war should do.
America he declared, is not in til
war from any debt of gratitude, sh
owes France or England or becaus
of petty violations of international la
but for the Every life of Democracy
1t is the most momentous undertal
ing that the United States has eve
entered upon, declared Mr.. Fitzhugl
The speaker was cheered hearth
when he declared Freedom and Lii
erty-That is Life"
Mr.. Fitzhugh said that all coul
help the government by aiding in SUI
plying munitions and supplies. Il
went into details as to the number