The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-11-14

The thrill that girdled the contin-
ents Monday morning was so welcome
in Hays that it was almost too good to
be true.
"The war is over" passed from lip
to lip. Yet there was no one phrasing
the magic words who felt words ex-
pressed all that peace would mean to
him
The premature celebration of
Thursday had served to uncover the
depth of emotion under the exuber-
ance of American enthusiasm Men
who said after the Thursday affair
that it should be a serious and solemn
commemoration forgot themselves in
the universal joy.
Only twice before Hays has ex-
perienced anything that has so stirr-
ed the breasts of the people,-the
meeting in Sheridan Coliseum on
April 9, 1917 to draw up resolutions
upholding the hand of President vii
son at the beginning of the war and
the draft parade on September 20,
1917. The Third Liberty Loan parade
and crowd were larger but the OBJ
ject was tangible one easily under
stood-Uncle Sam wanted some
money. These three historic days in
Hays possessed enough of the mys-
terry of the unknowable to cause
everyone present to go home think
I L.
The news of the signing of the
armstice with Germany began to fl
ter into Hays early Monday morning.
The distinction of first hearing the
news goes to operator Wilson at the
U. P depot, who caught it from Sa-
lima.
Mayor George Philip, Jr., tele-
graphed Governor Capper asking for
confirmation of the news. The COVER
nor wired back that it was true and
that he had proclaimed holiday in
Kansas to celebrate the victory of
America and Allied armies. The Hays
Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor
then arranged for the closing of all
the business houses and for an i'm
promptu program and parade, begin
ming at one O'Clock.
Captain Dennis Delaney of Boston,
the commanding officer of the soldiers
stationed at the Fort Hays Kansas
Normal School in the Student Army
Training Corps, formed his men in
front of Sheridan Coliseum at lis.
Headed by the band the march began.
The pupils of the public and high
schools joined the parade following
the students of the Normal School.
Then the boys of Hays College fell
into line and after them the children
of the parochial school. The turn on
to Chestnut street took place at the
dingy black hearse in which reposed
the efigy of Kaiser Wilhelm marched
the Mayor, George Philip, Jr., and
the city aldermen, Frank King, C. W.
Reeder, G. J. Klug, Victor Holm,
Alex Schueler, Jr., and Thomas Car
rick. Accompanying them were John
Roth and Peter Holzmeister. The
executive committee of the Red Cross
followed in line. There was no at
tempt at formal parade or review.
Everyone was feeling too exuberant
to keep still long. Yells, cheers,
shrieks, as well as all kinds of noises
made from beating garbage cans to
tin whistles drowned the sound of
ho h.
Many people lined the sidewalks
of Chestnut street. But the marchers
did not notice them much, especially
the postoffice block. In the window of
King Bros. Drug Store was a United
War Work display and the central
feature was a draped portrait OF
Musician Julius johnson, the first
local casualty. Julius was killed in
France in behalf of the cause which
had this day been won. Many march
ers said that the eyes in the picture
began to look at you as you passed in
front of the Hays City Drug Store
and were still looking at you as you
passed beyond the Madden building
J II HOu1U DS udIU 10 IOCOTO dil IuS
incidents of the parade or the
thoughts of the speakers.
C. W. Miller,Sr., raised on the flag
pole above his office the very flag
which he and Marsh Banister purchas-
ed to fly from that same pole the day
peace was declared at the end of the
| Spanish American war. Miller walk
ed up and down Chestnut street blow
ing the very horn he blew on thai
other occasion as well. The last time
previous when the flag was raised wa:
on the day war was declared against
Germany.
j The hundreds of children which
took part in the parade Monday vii
remember the parade as long as they
1 recall for what it stood, and as they
grow up they will understand better
its significance.
In order for Hays to participate
in a parade celebrating peace thi.
community accomplished certain
things necessary to the winning of the