The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-25

- vssaa nnas.s.s = - Ma
4ne. 1a.--A feature Of the
~ uass meeting held here ut
49, ~ - ths interest os the work
~ o1 'Ceunsil eor Defense was the
of1 tseis reception OF the patriotic
oeC Iheos ~ sam J. Nichols. COM
Nbon A1''f from the Fourth district.
~ oJehsss sloQusntiy urged the;
, tl)ooD - Givs their undivided sympa-'
~ tnd' tnppert 20 The government.
- ~ ueat1 task which 10 before It.
= 6lpfi1he IN war from the nation
vh1eh tsofps1bd 10 b our friend and
- The same TIME tried to employ
s>h6r nations 10 make war upon Us"
suelsrs war was declared" said
~. N(ehells. I'VE al had q right to
60 eOoqtou. but since state Of war
en1g1s thers can be- mo halfway
tDsea1. Every one ef " 10 either for
~r eeuntry or for Germany. Thsrs
- - 1odsing the iesus." Further
,aIepo ~ ~ss sps>ch Mr.. Nichols de-
Slass1 ID .hs nan that dstsrs his
6oentsy a. shis time y the enemy Of
etssy pAtsset Who lives in our broad
las1" ,snd right or wrong. ] am Tor
NJ Ao~ntry. and I have no respect
fse ths man Who y not"
.Ths ether speakers at the meeting
prsaI1sA over by Lowndss J. Brown
me. chairman Of the Union County
coenel of Defense. were d. n. ecker.
ehairHAn q the state Council Of De-
senes. and Dr, Henry N. Snyder.
prsaAdsat Of wofford College. Like
Ar. Ncholb both pleaded for the
uncemprenisias support OF the pso-
pie for the government in this hour
q the eoantry's crisis.
Before the speaking there was q
bic autopobiis parade through Main
street 70 the city park. The autos
were decorated with "Old Glory and
censpacsous among those in the pa
raae yas that Of the Union County
Red Cross chapter. A reception was
tsn1sred the Visiting speakers and all
sstlsees Of the county by the Elks'
Club. if
The ,spspch OF Consrsssman Mich
ella b n follows: lU.
:, when received an invitation
fSoa your committee to speak in
Union County at . patriotic cslsbri-
ttsas ! was not at al surprised. be-
eanss - far as the record shows
unisa county 10 the only county In
ths unissd States which furnished
more than her quota Of mon before
tAs arsft law was put into sfrec:.
therefore you can see why was not
eufHsissd that patriotic meetings
we're to BE- held In your county.
"f'hsvs spoken with much pride to
cs0faet- members. to senators and TO
mSubsrs Of the house about your
record and before I start my discus.
SION at the war proposition I want to
again congratulats you upon the
sp!sndsd record that you have made.
Il feel that II II my duty today to
tell you why we were brought into
this war. because think possibly.
holding the position I do. that I am
more familiar with the situation than
some o. you are. You know, and j
know, that no man has fought hard
Or 20 keep this country out of the
terrible conflict across the water than
our noble president. Congress was
sshinAs him In this matter. ana to be
Dssfsctly frank with you some Of M
thought that We had suffered too
much before this wise man gave us
the word CO.
TO begin with. when the Lusitan.
" was sunE and our men, women
end children we're sent to the bottom
Of the sea the blood of every Ameri.
ean citizen rose In his veins and
olambsrsd for revenge. Our president
said Hold! IL there In any, reasonabl.
wsy for Germany to explain this ter.
ribls. tragedy. let's give them o
chance to do It, They tried to ex-
plain by saying that American ci,i
sens should not travel on ships OF
bsiiigsrent nation. We never con.
csdsd This proposition for an instant
but We did. upon their assurance. alb.
solutsiy sworn to by them. decide