The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-25
BIG AUDIENCE STIRRED.
BY Robert R. Newcomb's Portrayal of
the War Outlook.

An audience numbering nearly 1000
people gathered in the opera house sun
oay evening TO hear the address on "The
Seriousness of the War Situation" by
Robert Newcomb, a publicity agent for
the Boston g. Maine railroad Before
larger group of listeners Mr. Newcomb
portrayed in the same soul-stirring and
thought compelling phrases certain
phases of the situation which he de-
serbed in an address before the members
of the Barre Board of Trade and the
Vincitia club Thursday evening. The
meeting last evening was under the aus
pices of the Board of Trade and the
speaker was introduced by George n.
Tilden the president of that organiza-
tion. In Difference to the opera house
gathering, clergymen in several of the
city churches, after urging their people
in the morning to attend, dismissed their
congregations early in order that all
might have an opportunity to hear MIR.
Newcomb.
1t was an address shorn of rhetorical
appendages and except for a rousing
chorus at the beginning of the meeting
the rally was bereft of musical features.
Under the direction of w. II. Goodfel- (
low, with Prof W. A. Wheaton as the
accompanist, singers near the orchestra
pit led the audience in singing Amer
lea" before the speaker was introduced.
Mr. Neweomb's eddress was a soberly
recital of what America is "up
against" and he had scarcely prefsced
his remarks when the audience settled
back to accord him the closest atten
tion. Except when in ringing phrases the
speaker declared that the United States
navy, man for man, and ship for ship
is equal to any navy in the world, the
crowd seemed to be meditating carefully
over the message being delivered. Ref
erence to the navy brought the audi
ence almost to its toes, but the applause
quickly died down and not until Mr..
Newcomb was bringing his remarks to
an early close that he might make the
$50 train to Boston was there any
sembance of a demonstration.
The speakers word picture of Ameri-
,an unpreparedness, his straight-from-
declaration that there must
De sacrifice and cooperation before VIC
.ory. and his earnest appeal for the CO.
ordination of forces in industrial and
domestic life as well as in the military
department. made too deep an impression
or any thought of the care-free APP
,lause that is usually given a speaker
With less serioFs message. Mr.. New
omb emphasized the fact that the war
must be won unless the United States
; to pay Germany's debts and gave his
hearers the benefit of information re-
eived first handed at Washington. He
old of sacrifices made in England and
france and spoke of the big problem
acing the railroads just now. He en-
Favored to give his hearers an idea OF
he money needed to finance the war and
ictured plainly the amount of food and
ther supplies necessary to keep vast
rmies in the field. He spoke of the Sc
ective service law and called attention
o the fact that il aims to put each
nan in the place where he may best
erve.
Closing with the words of lincoln, he
rged his hearers to remember through
!, all whether they serve on land or
ca, in the trenches, in the munitions
hops or on the farm that service and
lerifce must be given freely that this
overnment. "of the people. by the peo-
lie and for the people shall not perish
-o,, tba earth -