Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-05-05
COUNCIL OF DEFENSE MEETING.
Enthusiastic Gathering at Court House
Thursday Afternoon to Organize
COlncil Of Defense.

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meeting at the court house Thurs
day afternoon called for the pur-
pose of organizing a County Coun-
Gil OF Defense. The court room
was filled to capacity with men,
women and children from Hurley
and many other sections of the
county. Every member of the
county board was present as we'll
as others connected with civil life
i'll the various townships in the
county. The outlying districts in
particular responded nobly to the
call for the meeting. A feature of
the gathering was the large mum
Der of school children who attend
ed the meeting and joined in the
singing of the national airs, adding
touch of patriotism to the affair
Whlch was inspiring.
Shortly after O o'clock the school
children marched into the court
room carving flags and singing
the Battle Cry of Freedom, the
audience rising and joining in the
singing. Music was furnished by
Miss Eileen Harrington at the piano
and Joseph Vezzetti with a Saxa-
phone. Daniel Reid, chairman of
the county board of supervisors,
then read the call for the meeting,
after which Geo. c. Foster was
chosen temporary chairman and T..
S. Hagen secretary. Following a
few Introductory remarks by Mr..
Foster a most excellent address was
delivered by Prof. J T. Murphy,
during which he presented some in
tereSting facts regarding prepared
ness and paid tribute to patriot
ism. He laid particular stress up
on agriculture and the production
of more food products as the urgent
necessity and outlined what is be
ing done in the local schools along
that line, stating that one hundred
of the school children present had
signed pledgesIto plant and take
care of plot of ground to be pro
vided by the school or at their
homes. He read a number of these
pledges prepared by students in the
grades, each and every one of which
was received with loud applause.
J. T. Kendrigan, principal of the
Mercer school, gave a talk along
similar lines but laid particular
stress in his remarks to ConServa-
ton of resources and economy, pre-
senting facts appertaining particu-
larly to the duties of housewives.
Mr.. O'Connor, of Superior, head
of the university extension work i'll
this section of the state, then adj
dressed the meeting, stating that
he had been sent here by the State
Council of Defense to look after the
business end of the meeting and to
assist in the organization of the
Council of Defense. Short talks
were also given by A. l.. Ruggles
and Chas Bonino. In his remarks
Mr.. Ruggles dwelt upon the ser
iousness of the war in which the
United States is now involved and
urged those present to be prepared
for long struggle. Mr.. Bonino's
talk pertained to things along agri
cultural lines, reciting what can be
done III Iron county in the matter
of raising products and offering as
proof the success of his own efforts
during the many years Of his resi-
denCe here.
Following the remarks by the speak
ers the entire audience joined in the
singing of The Star-Spangled Ban
ner. after which the business part OF
the meeting was taken up. A motion
Vas made and carried that the chair
man, Geo. c. Foster. be empowered
TO appoint the various committees
which will go TO make up the working
forces of the Iron County Council Of
Defense.
/ To Iron county goes the credit Of
organizing the first couuty council Of
defense Il this northern part OF the
state. The meeting was grand and
glorious success and no small part of
the success is due 10 the efforts of Mr
Reid, upon whose shoulders fell the
task OF getting the citizens OF lhe
county together. That he "made
good in hia efforts was attested by