St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-04-04

named as auditors Tor the club.
A splendid banquet was served by
Mrs Samuel j. Somervile assisted 10y
an able corps OF young lady. mattresses
included among whom were several
nurses from Brightlook Hospital.
During the banquet excellent mu-
sic was rendered by Noels orchestra
with Miss Lillian Ryan. piano, d. A.
Noel as first violin, F. L. Reed. clar-
met, Fl. +. Coakley, cornet and A. D.
Stroy, saxaphone.
The rooms were handsomely decor
ated with bunting and a profusion Of
the Stars and Stripes. Each plate was
set with a napkin pinned with q lit
tie American flag for the buttonhole.
Arthur F. Stone presided at the
meeting which was open to ladies as
we'll as men and which was called to
order as soon as the cigars had been
disposed of. Mr.. Stone spoke eloquent
1y of the crisis which this government
is facing and the principle which is
involved in the great conflict that is
being waged over all of Europe clos
ing by introducing Col. Reeves as the
one man in Vermont best adapted to
speak upon the subject which is up
permoSt in the minds of all Ameri-
cans.
Col. Reeves admission of his lack
Of ability as an orator with the pow
er to use terms and phrases to start
his hearers blood to tingling with pa
triotism and desire to fight for their
(, country was proved much amiss by
round after round of applause that
followed many such statements as ''if
we are to take part in this war we
must hand over more than dollars
and cents
/ In opening Col. Reeves spoke of the
attachment he had always felt for
! ST. Johnsbury and its people. He re-
! ferred to the meeting as the first OF
! its kind to be held in the state and
! the sure forerunner Of many such
/ gatherings to be held throughout Yer
! mont and the United States.
He declared that the State of Yer
mont was living up to tradition by do
ing more at the start than any Other
state to prepare its troops for the
conflict at hand, showing that the great
! big state of Massachusetts with all its
wealth and vast population had voted
only as much money for the cause rs
did Vermont which was about to pass
| bill providing for an appropriation
of practically IS per capita. He eX-
planned that in advocating this ap
preparation before the committee o.
public safety he had stated that the
value of having VermOnts sons sc
out properly CARRIED and equipped
could not be measured in dollars ant
cents.
He continued: I'VE are today con
fronted by a situation that but few
realize the enormity of. We have be
come calloused to the frequent sink
ing of ships with the loss of Ameri
can lives and property that we do no
now at first thought realize the seri
business of it. The situation today be
fore the country is very serious.
do not wish to present any gloomy -pi
ture but there has to be a reason 70
such a meeting as thic.
II am as much a paciticist as any
one and | will go as far as anyone I
S prevent war until the honor of m
country is in danger.
1.-The United States has tried its ley
S ell best to be neutral. Nevertheless
our feeling for the French which date
C back to the days when we were strue
/ Cling for independence and our nat
: ural fondness for the English ha
y had tendency to~make us. pEo-allX j
. feeling from the first. Until today W
are awaiting special session Of Cor
c gress to see if we are to be at wa
h with the Central Powers. This is II
!, time to talk politics, but l wish
O say a little as regards the Presiden
- Every President we have had who he
been in the chair in an hour of crlS
has come in for severe criticism. Eve
;. President Mckinley was criticiSe
| more severely: than President Wilso
has been for not acting more quick
at the time of the war with Spai1
: When the popular clamor was ON
> Havana the amount of ammunitiC
Il available for the United States arm
II would have lasted the regular enlis
II ed force, small as it was, but 6 mir
II utes Whether President Wilson h;
II moved too slowly or too hastily nor
II Of US have the right to judge. +
II is confronted with a problem. II
II magnitude of which no President W.
II ever confronted with before.
A "If we are to take part in this AVE-
II we must hand over something besid,
II dollars and cents. We must go int
Il it Fundamentally. There mustn't /
II a single citizen hold back from tt
II path of duty. We mustn't stop sho
II of sending every man possible
II France. If you were to travel in Ell
Il rope after the war would you like /
II be able to merely say we financed I'll
II war that brought all this about" "
II would like to see the American fla
II on the battle lines
X Col. Reeves then spoke at consi(
II cradle length on the necessity of PR
H paration calling attention to the fa'
Il that there were but $4,000 availab
II troops in the regular army and tn;
r the Vermont National Guard which
II better fixed than the average did NJ
h have more than so per cent of til
X necessary equipment. He maintaine
II that it would be. nothing short of mul
Ii der to send them to the front unle!
Il they were properly clothed and trai1
II ed referring to the battle of Bull RI
Ii as a slaughter.