The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-07-10

The idea Of calling it a celebration seems
all wrong To me it is rather day OF
solemn conservation to the great task
in hand. A day on which we as Ameri-
can citizens, should consecrate our
money, our labor and if need be, our
very lives that, in the words of Lincoln,
government of the people, by the peo-
pie, for the people shall not perish from
the earth. Today we are engaged IN |
great war, the greatest and most ter
rible the world has ever known, to once |
more vindicate the freedom OF the seas
to establish forever the right of small
nations to a national life, to establish
the sacredness of treaty relations and
above all to make the world safe for
democracy. Democracy means the rule
of the people; autocracv, the rule of the
privileged few. There is no question
now which will win.
1.-The issue is clear cut. Representing
the worn out ideas of autocracv stand
the Central powers of Europe arrayed
against the constitutional democracies
of England, France, Italy, our own be
loved country and that newest of all
great democracies, Russia.
"Our country could not do other than
she has DONE For two and a half years
our President, with all the ability of
his maSterful mind, tried to avert war.
Despite ridicule and insult he held that
this country should stand solidly for
humanity, should endure all things and
suffer all things for humanity sake.
But alas for this glorious ideal! Little
by little as the inhuman frenzies of war
fare had grown III savagery, intllctlng
Iunspea kable horrors on -combatants,
women and. children. our President real
lied that his cherished dream must be
laid aside.
Had it not been for the sacrifice Of
the men Of 81 '65, we today might be
living under conditions similar to those
which prevail in Europe. But we thank
God for those men of vision, Webster,
Lincoln and others who saw that If their
country was to endure it must be united.
"Within q few weeks the actual call
to service may come. The summons may
; come to your home or to mine. Whether
: we receive that call or are left at home
to carry on the everyday affairs of life,
let us so live that we may have within
our hearts the consciousness of duties
well done, to ourselves, to our country
and to our God. -
5 Next was singing by the chorus,
ltHtlHg Oh lHt olu tdlIl bIuuiltl, lol-
lowed bv speaking by the Honorable
George {. Wright of Westminster. He
spoke about what this town did in send
ing men to the Revolutionary and Civil
2 wars, and what Vermont is doing now
g of some of our boys who are already
Y ON their wav to the battle front, which
! brings the present war right home tC
: us He wished to impress upon the people
: y,ho+
/ before is men with the same sturdy
/ strength of character as those in the
e lpast. when the hardships they learned L
d endure developed their strength o.
4 character and mind.
/ Next was song by the chorus, Colum
= bia, the Gem Of the Ocean. Then tn,
}, last speaker, Alfred s. Hail of Winches
+ ter and Boston. Mass, native of thi
d place, and that he is beloved by all wa
It evident by the appliance with which h
was greeted. He paid a tribute TO on
, soldiers of the Revolutionary and Civi
4 wars who lie buried in the churchvar,
5, close by, and spoke about the man,
>; places of historic interest III and nea
81 Boston. In closing he told an amusin;
d story about Ethan Allen, which he sal
had been told him by Rev. Alfre
N Stevens who was pastor here 30 year:
y Ethan Allen was attending service wher
II the minister was profoundly thankin
ID the Lord for the victory in a certain bal
N tie, when Ethan Allen arose and Gale
tx out; Don I forget, parson, that | wa
there.
t. The exercises closed by the singing O
a America by all standing, and the ben,
Ill diction by Rev. Walter Curtis.
n Next on the program was the ba
&c game played on Bert Houghton s far
70 between a local team and one from Sa,
le tons River, lined up as follows: Sa,
H. tons River-LeClaire IS; Dean Lake.
Is, Burgess, Oh; Jed Eancor, lb; RobeI
IL tonnor, 3h; Knowton, cf; 7. Simond
IF; X, Lake, If; Howard Austin.
oh Westminster West-Edward Campbell
IS g; Paul Harlow, y; Henry Moultrop, II
ed Walter Hitchcock, Oh; Lloyd Stone, 81
de Leon Nass, IS; Hilary McElroy, r.
Lewis Hitchcock, cf; Fred Harlow |
ee Umpire, Harry Campbell. Scorer, Carl
. ton Holden, The score was / to :
.le favor Of SaxtonS River. The celebr
To- ton ended with dance in the eveniI
r. in the town hall, which was largely a
rs. tended and thoroughly enjoyed. Ma
y; dlgo' orchestra Of Bellows Falls fu
q. nished music.
Ar Thus ended the day. It was estimat,
cir that between 500 and COO were here du
he ing the day and evening, which pass
he INTO history as a success beyond all c
roe pectations.