The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-04-07
PATRIOTIC RALLY.
Resolution Adopted Favoring Uni
versal Military Service.

The spirit OF PATRIOTISM ana ueHo-
tion to country was strongly IN evil
dence at the mass-meeting of citizens
of Donaldsonville and vicinity held
Thursday afternoon at the call OF
Mayor Walter Lemann, IN further
ance of a nationwide demonstration
Of loyalty planned by a committee OF
MAYORS of leading American cities. I'm
compliance with the request OF Mayor
Lemann numerous stores and business
houses closed their doors during the
meeting, and the American flag was
generally displayed.
The meeting was opened with the
singing of America" by the High
School Glee Club and the audience,
the accompaniment being furnished
bv the Claiborne Williams brass band,
which played martial airs before and
during the demonstration. Mayor
Lemann presided over the assemblage,
and after briefly stating its object IN
troduced Prof. R. L. Tullis, dean OF
the Louisiana State University law
school, who made forceful address
reviewing the causes of the present
crisis and strongly endorsing the posi-
ton taken by President Wilson to up
hold the honor and dignity of the ma
ton. The speaker advocated> uni
versal military service as the most
practical method of providing an ad-
eouate force of trained troops for the
defense of the country's rights.
At the conclusion Of DR.. Tullis' re-
uarl,s the following resolution was
offered by Fred. Royce, Sr., Leading
German-American citizen of Donald
sonville, whose high place In the es-
TEEN and confidence OF his fellow
townsmen was attested by the out
burst of applause which greeted his
introduction of the resolution:
"Whereas, the United States OF
America finds itself on the verge OF
being drawn into the worldwide war !;
and whereas, our time-honOred and
consistent policy of avoiding foreign
alliances and entanglements has caus-
ed us to neglect military training and
other necessary defensive measures;
and whereas, the logic OF events now
leaves us no other alternative than to
Mace ourselves in an immediate state
of preparedness; therefore be it
"Resolved, that it is the sense of
the citizens of Donaldsonville, IN
mass-meeting assembled, that the
congress of the United States should
take prompt action to safeguard the
vital interests of the people, and to
that end it should Immediately adopt
a universal training measure which
will result in calling to the colors the
necessary nuHoser of young men OF
military age for defending the honor,
the lives and the property of the cltl-
zens of this great country -
The resolutions were adopted by
reclamation, as were also the follow
ing sentiments submitted by Edmund
Maurin:
whereas, Russia has in recent
wears furnished a striking example OF
the progress throughout the world of
the evolution of democratic prin-
ciples; and
Whereas, the government that has
come into existence in Russia is
founded upon the conceptions of free
dom, right and justice which inspired
the founders Of the American re-
public; and
"Whereas, it was the United States
of America, in the person of its am
bassador at Petrograd, ex-Governor
Francis of Missouri, under instruc-
lions from his government, which
first officially welcomed new Russia
into the sisterhood of free countries
be it
"Resolved, that it is the sense Of this
meeting that the people of the United
States, rejoicing in the triumph of
democracy in Russia, should aid and
encourage her in every possible way
to preserve and develop liberal in
situations.
"Be it further resolved, that as
Americans we are confident the adj
dition of Russia to the number of
constitutionally governed countries is
a great advance toward the time when
all the governments of Europe shall
be of the people, by the people, and
for the people.
"Be it furag,.. resolved, that we,
the people of Donaldsonville, declare
our unqualified loyalty to America.
the land of our birth, Cor adoption)
our faith in the principles upon which
our government is founded, and our
hope in their perpetuation and we
pledge ourselves to inculcate by every
precept and example the American
ideals of justice, liberty and human
ity."
DIR. E. K. Sims, acting in behalf of
Capt Stuart Harrison of Company H,
Louisiana National Guard, made a
stirring and eloquent plea for recruits
for that command. DR.. Sims created
great enthusiasm when, with his hand
upon the shoulder of his son, Kit
tredge Sims, (who enlisted in Com
pany H during the Mexican crisis last
year,, he stated that one of his boys
had already responded to the coun-
try's call; that another would be Is
years old in November and would be
prepared to go to the front at that
time, and that he himself stood ready
to offer his services whenever called
upon. DR.. Sims earnest plea was rem
dered doubly effective by the presence
of a detail of members of Company
H in service uniform, consisting of
Capt. Harrison, Privates D. D. Nor
gan, Dupont, Randolph and Sims, who
came down from Baton Rouge in an
automobile, and stood grouped about
the speaker.
The meeting was held in the open
air in front of the Elks' Home, the
speeches being delivered from the en-
trance to the structure The military
company of the Donaldsonville High
School gave an exhibition drill before