The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-05-01

witness the most elaborate fag-rais-
ing ceremony attempted in Mt. Yer
non for many years, the Stars and
Stripes were hoisted over the erecting
room of the G. e. G. Cooper foundry
Saturday morning to height of 125
feet.
Money to purchase the flag, whose
dimensions are 10 by 80 feet, was
obtained by general donation on the
part of all shop and office employees
of the concern. The hag-pole is 40 feet
high and stands on roof of So feet.
A large platform was constructed
at the southeast end of the erecting
room where the ceremonies took
place.
Seated on the platform were the
officers of the c. & G. Cooper Co., 45
members of Joe Hooker Post, No. 81.
G. A. R., Mayor Charles A. Mitchell,
School Supt. p. C. Zemer, Postmaster
Frank Harper, while in the rear was
the combined G. A. r. and Sons of
veterans drum corps.
For some time prior to the opening
of the exercises, the drum corps rem
dered martial music at intervals. The
large stand was beautifully adorned
with bunting and at a point in the
center front was large portrait of
President Wilson, draped with flags.
CROWD OVER $500
The crowd gathered early and it is
estimated that, when the exercises
| opened, fully $500 people were pres
ent. School children from the various
schools marched in bodies to the
scene of the fiag-raising. Shortly be-
| fore 1O:30 the Cooper works closed
down for the day and the employees
| fiocked to the stand
D. B. KIRK PRESlDES
d. B. Kirk, treasurer of the Cooper
company, called the assembly to or
der and stated that he had been Sc
lected by the shop men to preside
and announce the program.
!
The exercises were opened by the
singing of America" by the school
children and audience, led by Prof
Chubb This was followed by reci-
tation, "Old Flag by Miss Helena
Pack. The young girl appeared in a
dress made of flags and rendered the
recitation with full voice that could
be heard by all of the large crowd
She was vigorously applauded when
she concluded. President c. G. Coop
er of the Cooper company was pre-
sented and, in a few words, intro
duced the speaker of the occasion,
Hon. Ralph D. Cole of Columbus.
COLE HOLDS AUDITORS
For over an hour, Mr.. Cole main
tanned the rapt attention of the
throng. He stated that the occasion
demonstrated that the people of
Knox county are loyal to the govern
ment. He referred to the RESPONSE
bility that confronts the United States
in entering the war and recited the
causes that led up to the break with
Germany, showing that it was clear
ly the fault of the kaiser's govern
ment that relations were severed and
a state of war declared.
He pointed out the one great issue
Germany claims the right to take
the life of American citizens who were
pursuing a peaceful mission on the
high seas. The United States en-
phatically denies such a contention.
"a nation" said Mr.. Cole, that is too
cowardly to fight for it's rights on the
sea is too cowardly to fight for its
rights on the land"
"suB" WARFARE PIRATIcAL
The speaker stated that whatever
might have been the issues surround
ing the war in Europe, the one ques-
tion that had of necessity brought
the United States into the conflict
was the ruthless use of the submarine
by Germany. He drew distinct line
| VI SiCoNo6C bOIWCOh oSy dhu SlNl
lization. He accorded to Germany the
full right to stop vessel of neu
trail nation and investigate its cargo
and, if it contained munitions of war
to seize or destroy the vessel, but il
had no right to kill the people on
board-the former being civilized
methods and the latter piracy, which
had been driven from the seas over
a hundred years ago.
KAISER BLOCKING FREEDOM
He stated that the one great issue
now before the world is that of uni
versal freedom and that the only
thing that stands between the
German people and their free
dom is the kaiser. America must
unite its inventive genius and me
chanical skill to destroy the subma
rine menace as that will be the only
method. he said, by which the grea,