The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-26
COUNCIL OF DEFENSE.
Community Meetings Held at ReItrs
School House, Graham Church and
Mayesvillc.
From The Daily Item. Sept. %.

chester township. held at Reid,s
school house last night was not large.
ly attended, but those who were there
manifested much interest in the talks
and the plans of the Sumter County
Council Of Defense.
Mr.. j. M. Kolb, member of the
Privateer township committee Of the
County Council Of Defense called the
meeting to order, and presided.
Mr.. S. L. Krasnoff. of Sumter, deliv-
cred unique and eloquent address in
which he very clearly set forth the
difference between living under an
autocratic monarchial form of govern
ment, and living the United States
under an enlightened and free democ-
racy.
He spoke very feelingly of his ex-
perience in Russia from whence he
came to the United States, of his boy
hood days there, and what his parents
and sisters and brothers and others
of the non-aristocratic classes had to
undergo in Russia compared to what
America has done for him and his
family.
He showed very. clearly and con-
vincingly to his audience just what
they had to be grateful for as free
citizens Of the United States, and COM
pared Prussian and Russian oppres-
sion to American liberty of thought
and action.
His Interpretation of freedom of
religious and political thought and
action in this country, as compared
with what the Russian and Prussian
governments think poor man or poor
woman Is entitled to. judged by his
personal experience as one of the
prosecuted natives of Russia, and as a
fortunate naturalized citizen Of the
United States, SO forcibly impressed
his hearers that two gentlemen pres
ent. Messrs. j. NJ. Kolb and w. J.
Ardis made Mr.. Krasnoffs presenta-
tion of the blessings of American cit
izenship the subjects of their talks al
most entirely.
He said that native born citizens
OF this country owe much to their
country. But that the foreign born
American, looking back into the years
that thousands Of them lived under
4 the restricted and autocratic Prussian
and Russian, and other similar gov
\ fernments, where they had no showing
at all to make a living or worship God
according to their own consciences
with no political freedom of thought
and with very restricted educational
opportunities in some Of the foreign
countries for the masses of the peo-
pie, these formerly oppressed natives
OF foreign countries should be the
most loyal and grateful supporters OF
the United States and their allies
for continuation and widening OF
the opportunities and high ideals OF
a worldwide democracy.
He advocated, eloquently hearty
support Of tho Red Cross work and
the doing of everything possible to
| contribute to the comfort, pleasures,
and glory of the brave soldiers who
are going to fight, and thousands to
sacrifice their lives for the preserva-
ton of the purity Of womanhood, and
the maintenance of an unsullied and
free democracy for the people Of all
nations irrespective Of nationality,
creed, or politics.
Mr.. j. M. Kolb spoke feelingly of
the ideas advanced by Mr.. Krasnoff,
saying that perhaps Mr.. Krasnoff was
the first man in this county of foreign
birth to put such views in just such
way before a Sumter county aud
ience.
Mr.. Kolbs views, as a public spirit
ed and patriotic citizen and hard
worker Of the County Council of De-
fense, are SO we'll known that it is
useless to repeat what he thinks Of the
value of cooperation and loyalty to
our government. He renewed his
pledges Of support for himself and for
Privateer township.
Mr.. w. J. Ardis, member of the
Manchester township committee Of
County Council of Defense regretted
that such a small number attended
the meeting. He felt, however, that
1t was not due to lack Of interest pa
triotism or loyalty on the part of his
fellow citizens Of Manchester, so much
as the fact that there was not much
organization or cooperative activities
among the men and women of that