Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-16
WOMEN Of ATLANTA
PARADED THURSDAY
FOR THE RED CROSS
Line Formed at Conner of
Trinity Avenue and White
hall Street and Parade
Moved at $50

Under the banner Of the Red Cross,
the women of Atlanta marched through
the streets Of Atlanta Thursday after
noon in a mighty professional that
showed as could no other token their
loyalty to America and humanity.
1t was a demonstration unsurpassed
in the history of the city-rank after
rank of women, school girls, maids and
matrons, marching four abreast with
their eyes to the front and their only
insignia those flaming flags and sashes
that stabbed the line again and again
like the heraldic shields Of a crusaders
caravan.
Shortly after $3.50 o'clock the parade
got under way from the starting point,
Whitehall street and Trinity avenue
where hundreds of women of all ages
and sizes had fiocked at the call of the
Red Cross campaign committee
AS the procession moved northward
along Whitehall street it's approach was
heralded by trumpeters stationed along
the route, who blew clarion blasts that
caused heads to crane from buildings
and sidewalks and the whisper to run
like wildfre through the crowd, Here
they GOMEZ
On either side the streets were packed
with people, for the course of the pro
cession was not long, and it seemed as
though all the men in town were on hand
TO see. the women march. Traffic was
temporarily halted and business within
the stores ceased while clerks and Gus
toners rushed to the doors and windows
to watch the spectacle. The crowds that
lined the sidewalks were mostly men.
for the committee had done its work well
and the few women who could not march
had WlSnlV <taVnH Of hnv,a
play the role Of idle spectator while
their sisters filed triumphantly past.
From the side of the watchers, the
parade was one long cheer from begin
ming to end If the men could not
march, they could at least show their
approval with their voices, and as the
handclapping and yells Increased to a
perfect roar, the bushes that bIoomed
on the faces of the marchers made an
American beauty rose pale pink by COM
parison.
The parade was led by a squad of
mounted policemen, followed by the
Tech band and the ambulances. But
from then on, save for the bands of
Marist college and the Georgia Military
academy, it was all women. There were
girls still in short dresses and grand
mothers with gray hair, beautiful WON
en- and homely women. and the bean
tiful were made more beautiful and
the homely were glorified by the same
spirit of loyalty to the Red Cross that
burned in the hearts of all
In front of all marched the executive
committee for the local Red Cross cam
paign, then the Red Cross nurses in
their uniforms, members of women's
clubs and history classes and parent
teachers associations, representatives
Of Charitable anu phllanthropic organi-
cations, students of Agnes Scott, Cox
college, Washington seminary, North
Avenue school, Woodbury. school and
Elizabeth Mather college. But the
greatest divisions were those composed
simply of women, unafihated with any
group, marching solely for the sake of
pledging themselves to suffering hu-
manity.
The parade disbanded at Peachtree
and Cain streets. where all the march,.
ers who could throng into the Ffrste
Baptist church to hear addresses by
Bishop Warren A. Gambler and l. w
Hill, national head of the American Red
Cross.