Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-07-04
SUSPEND BUSINESS IN JEFFERSON TO
 OBSERVE FOURTH
Thousands Expected to At tend Mass Meeting Here
 Tonight
REAFFIRM LOYALTY
 TO UNITED STATES
FOreign- ROrnS to Reaffirm Pledge of Loyalty and Repeat American Creed-To Award Service
 Flags
Pine Bluff and Jefferson county is

Pine Bluff and Jefferson county is expected to suspend busiHess today to unite with the United States, France and England in celebrating the anniversary of the declaration of independence. Never before perhaps has the day taken on the significance it will have today with million hmeri- can soldiers in France battling the Huns and scores of American war ships at sea battling the u-boats.
 Virtually all stores, the postoffice, the banks and public buildings will be closed and the workers given holi- day on which to devote more thought to the war now being waged, not for the liberty of the United States alone but for the wrld.
 There is no program Of celebration in Pine Bluff today, tn, citizens may spend the day in any manner they deem fit, but tonight they-thousands of them from every nook and corner of the county-are expected to gather at the courthouse to pledge anew their fealty to the government and the Stars and Stripes.
 The program will begin at D. m., and at some hour of the day or night similar programs will be held in every city and hamlet in the union. It will consist of the reading of President Wilson's proclamation by Judge E. J. Kerwin, recital of the American creed by all assembled ted by A. H. Rowell, chairman of the county council of defense, and patriotic ad- dress ml Major Daniel Taylor, judge advocate, reserve corps. The foreign born residents will assemble on the west side of the court house.
 An aged German-born resident of the country will make a brief speech, reiterating the statements of loyalty made by the great mass of those of Teuton extraction who immigrated to the United States to escape the re- strictions of kaiserism and autocracy. Capt w. B. Alexander of the Coast artillery, home on furlough. will make a four-minute talk on War Savings stamps, and how the soldiers lock to home folk to support chem thru thrift and investments in w. $. $.
 Another feature will be the pre- sentation of Liberty Loan honor flags by H. A. Powell to the townships in the country which exceeded their quo- ta in the last Liberty Loan campaign. Talks will be made by Edwin Loos- ley and J. P. Walt, chairmen of the two local exemption boards. Dr. J. | l. Norris will arrange the musical program and Mrs. E. j. .Logue will lead the gathering in singing "Keep the Home Fires Burning," and other war songs. T. J. Collier will be chairman of the meeting.
 From to II a. m. the union bar Der shops will be open and the gross receipts will be turned over to the Red Cross. Society maids and matrons will act as cashiers.
 There will be little or no fireworks as the United States output of pow der is being used to supply the American and allied armies in France.
 Postal Employees to Rest.
 For the first time in several years there will be no delivery of mail in Pine Bluff today. Because of the general suspension of business in the city, it was decided to make this July as much of holiday as possible for the postal employees who have been doing extra work for the last year. All windows at the rostoffice will be closed except for one hour at noon. The money order and postal savings window will be closed all day.
 'Convicts to Feast.
 Inmates of the Tucker and Cum- mins farms will have cause to cele- brate the Fourth of July, as it will be observed as holiday at both places. Only guards and others per forming necessary duties will work today. Warden Dee Horton of the Tucker farm said that the men will be served a dinner of barbecued beef, goat, pork and refreshments of lemon- ade and cake. There will be no speech making, but some of the men may be permitted to indulge in out. door sports. The 424 convicts at the Cummins farm, II of them women, will have a picnic and barbecue, with pork, beef, boat and other edibles, and lemonade and candy. Warden George Higgins said all the prisoners are anticipating great day.
 An all-day picnic and barbecue will 1 take place at Toney's lake, on the | Dollarway, where there will be op- portunities for dancing, swimming 5,
 and other diversions. In the after.
 noon, there will be addresses by Judge E. J. Kerwin and others. Music
 for Nancing will be furnished by
 Kueck's orchestra.
 Many large mercantile establish m0ntS in the East ara nyn11lnviuQ vnn,-