New Britain herald., 1917-04-26

Robert P. Butler of Hartford, made l an eloquent and earnest plea at the ] tenth annual banquet of the Plainville Business and Improvement association l held in that town last evening for the admission by the citizens of. the union 1 of the equality of responsibility. MT. Butler declared that as the people
 have readily accepted the principle of equality of opportunity and business they must share in the responsibility which is part of their citizenship and when the nation is in peril must do their part to protect it.
 Mr. Butler disputed the claim that the spirit of '76 prevails in Connecti- cut today as we'll as it did when the colonies severed the tie which bound them to England. As proof of his contention he cited the fact that the First Connecticut Infantry is 500 men short of war strength through a lack of recruits and in the city of Hartford, despite the earnest appeals of the best speakers that could be mustered to secure men for the first line of de- fense, it has thus far been impossible to recruit fifty volunteers for service in the navy.
 MT. Butler was one of trio of speakers imported by the association to take part in the post pandial pro- gram arranged for its banquet and he made a most profound impression on his auditors. Included in the gathering, which numbered nearly two hundred, were large delegations from New Britain and Bristol, headed by Mayor George A. Quigley and Mayor Joseph r. Dutton respectively. The orators were received with en- thusiasm and their remarks were fre- uuently punctuated with salvos of ap- plause, the banquet proving 8 remark able patriotic rally. T
 In the decade in which the associa- tion has existed none of the annual banQuets will measure with the suc- cess achieved last night, particularly from the standpoint of the after din- ner talks. The speakers, which be- sides Mr. Butler were Rev. Irving Butler of Hartford, who discussed the subject, 'Patriotisn;" Joseph w. Alsop of Avon, who spoke on ''Food Conservation" J. H. Trumbull, prest- dent of the organization and Rev. W. A. Goodell, the latter sering as toast master, all incorporated the country's needs in their remarks and spoke for general cooperation that autocracy be downed in the interests of demo- cracy that the dream of a lasting peace might some day be realized.
 It was a great night for Plainville and a memorable event in the history of the Business and Improvement as- sociation. The banquet worked up great enthusiasm among the diners and brought them to a realization of the problem which confronts the nation and the dire possibilities should the country remain dormant while the other nations of the world are en- gagged in the titanic struggle against imperialism.
 Trumbull Welcomes Guests.
 The hall in which the banquet was held was artistically decorated with American flags and bunting of the national hues The diners wore pre- paredness hats and during the serving of the courses joined with Foxs or chestra in rendering patriotic airs as we'll as the popular choruses or the day. Each was presented With
 handsome silk flag as a souvenir of the occasion.
 The post prandial exercises were ononed by President Trumbull who devoted himself to recital of the accomplishments of the association during the past year. He explained the various improvements which had been made through the efforts Of the crganization and told of some of the things which it hopes to accomplish in the future.
 He was particularly earnest in his plea, to his fellow townsmen for the construction of a system of sewage Aiaposal, that industries might be prevailed upon to locate factories in Plainville. He called attention to the fact that the geographical location of +he town makes it an ideal site for manufacturing m establishments but be- ca,,se of the absence of a sewer system and the scarcity of vacant tenements representatives of Plainville cannot bid with other places when there is a chance of getting . new factory. He explained the plan, yet