The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-09-29

This country has been at war with
| the Imperial German Government
nearly six months. to be exact, since
the 9th day of last April; the people
OF the country, however, do not seem
to have thoroughly awakened to the
| fact. but each day now and every day
| from this time or is going to bring
| this fact directly home to the Amerl-
can people As the countIy'S forces
are marshaled for war, as the men
| from every section are called to the
| colors, and have to leave home, rela-
tives friends, and families, more and
more the fact of being at war ana
what the war really means will dawn
| forcibly upon the public. This coun-
try is slow to anger; its people enjoy
| rights and liberty such as are known
| to no other country; the people have
| been engrossed in money making amt
money spending, but down deep be
meath the surface there is a depth OF
patriotism that is unsurpassed by
that of the people of any other coun-
| try on earth, and as the people have
| begun to think about the affronts
| that have been offered against the
dignity and honor of their land, how
| d foreign country has deliberately lg-
nored the rights of our people; how
| its agents, with the consent and as
Sistance OF the government of that
| foreign land, have deliberately piann-
ed to injure this country; to destroy
| its property. 10 kill its citizens, and.
! if, within the possible compass OF
| its influence, to line up against 1t
Mexico, Japan ard all other cOun-
tries that it could influence through
a system of diplomacy that is q relic
of ages long since past, and while
much Of this plotting, both in the
United States and out of it, was go
ing on, the Imperial German Govern
ment was giving every assurance OF
| its friendship for this country.
Several months ago the Govern
ment issued its first bonds for prose
cu.ing the war, the bonds were large
! ly overSubscribeG; then came the call
for men, and the Selectiye Draft was
| finally decided upon by Congress as
| the best method of raising an army.
Nearly ten million men were regis
tered under the provisions OF this
Act. -
The first men to leave under the
provisions of this Act were the fifty
one who left yesterday evening on
| the boat. They comprised forty-tiye
per cent. of the first quota called;
| the others will be called later as the
government is ready to take care OF
| them in the training camps. Out OF
| the tifty-two called yesterday, every
| man reported by nine O'Clock yeSter-
| day morning, with the exception OF
| Mr.. Jerome h. Shorter, who was I'M
| able to report on account of having
! had three of his fingers cut off re-
| Gently The men, as body, were as
| fine looking group of men as can be
found in the country; they were in
| teliigent, stalwart, not boisterous, but
| cheerful and with a determined look
upon their faces that bode no good
| for those who shall meet them on the
| field of battle.
Long before five o'clock the people
| began to gather at the Court House;
| they came in automobiles, in teams,
on foot, and they came by the hun
| dredS until there were in the neigh
| borhood of $500 persons assembled.
| They were there to see the boys of,
| to say goodbye to them, TO wish
| them all safe return. There was
nothing sensational in the meeting;
| little of an emotional nature was to
be seen, but on every hand were seen
| evidences of the stern determination
| of every man and woman present to
do his and her part toward bringing
to a successful conclusion the war in
which the country is engaged. Emo
tional feelings were repressed and in
stead of weeping and wailing, the
men and women who had gathered 10
see these fine men off, men who are
near and dear to them, seemed filled
with a full realization of the work
that has been mapped out for them.
that of preserving for this country
and the world all that is worth hy-
ing for, the right to live and die free
men.
| Along with the Dorchester men
was one man from Minnesota, who
happening to be in this section, pre-
ferred to go with the Dorchester
men. AT first, being stranger, he
held off a little, but when the men
were told who he was, they took him
| the same as a brother. Requiring a
leader, the men voted among them
selves and selected Mr.. Harold Rock
of Cambridge, as their leader, while
Mr. Walter B. Posey, of Hurlock, act
l
reach Camp Meade this afternoon
When the Citizens Band, which
volunteered its services for the occa-
sion, began to play some of the pa
| triotic airs, the whole crowd just
| seemed to be of one mind, and as the
men rode to the wharf, one could
not fail to notice the glances OF
pride mingled with affection which
loving friends and relatives cast up
on them. No matter where these
men are sent, they can be depended
! upon to give an account of them
| selves of which the public will be
proud, for they are heightened, hon
orable, upright men, armed in a just
cause, which must triumph on ac-
count of having such men as they are
to wage its battles. On account of
heavy freights and scarcity of help,
the boat was nearly two hours late
leaving Cambridge, not getting away
until about eight o'clock