Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-20
RESERVES TOLD
TOGET ON JOB
Too Many Disloyal Remarks
Are Passing Unchallenged;
Will Work Out Plan

pN the oflCerS or the tfSrriSpurE ke-
serves to discuss ways and means of
roofing out disloyal or pro-German
( sentiments from the community.
werA jolted by some OF the questions
I Reserves, for instance, were asked
why men who had enrolled as men,
bers and attended few drills had
/ failed in their duty and why they
were indifferent to conditions: why
4, people were allowed to utter disloyal
remarks without being called to ac-
count; why persons who showed
/ qualification at German gains were
not boycotted and why the patriotic
| citizenship of Harrisburg did not un-
/ dertake educational work to help the
food and fuel administrations. But
one of the most startling questions of
all was why recruiting officers are
{ allowed TO speak in the High schools
! of many places. but have not yet
| spoken in Harrisburg High schools?
The meeting was called for the
purpose of enlarging the scope of the
/ Reserves, formed primarily for
home defense. and after a series of
! addresses it was decided that COM
mittee of seven should be named to
! devise a plan to form committees of
men interested in stamping out dis
I loyalty; aiding the governmental Of
I ticerS and preserving law and order,
/ either at large or by wards.
/ To Investigate
, These committees are to investi-
gate all charges made and TO CO.
operate with authorities, At the same
/ time helping TO build up the Re
serves. In the course of the discus
sion members of the Reserves who
went to the movies or attended TO
I other matters not connected with the
/ Liberty Loan or other patriotic
movements instead of realizing their
/ duty TO the community and attend
ing meetings or drills were Scalded
/ by remarks. The committee will be
named by Henry NJ. Stine. the major
/ commandant, and will be asked 10
meet Immediately and report a plan.
Major Slime opened the meeting
( with few comments upon men who
l insisted upon remaining upon rolls OF
/ the Reserves and falling down on
; drills when not engaged on loan
( committees or other patriotic work.
/ Robert Mccormick was chosen chair
man and Jesse f. Is, Cunningham,
the first speaker launched his ad-
dress by saying this was no time for
I words, but 10 prepare 10 meet any
emergency which might arise as a
result of the war and to curb the
seditious and disloyal. Mr.. Cunninc-
ham, who has been making nightly
+ Liberty Loan speeches. declared that
/ he was surprised at the indifference
OF the people. especially in the Coun-
7 try. Peace is out of the question until
after Germany is beaten and people
have got to quit going about their
ways as though there were no war
; We have oeen too liberal. too toler-
ant with lot of people who ought
TO have been strung up to lampposts
! in this country early in the war said
I the speaker. We need TO look after
I ourselves; we need more than mill
F, tary drills, which we need bad
I enough. No one can foresee what
emergency may arise"
Industrial Slackers
Mr.. Cunningham said that there
were industrial : slackers who did
I harm because they only work four
days n week when their duty is to
I work six: that there are wasters. in
, territorial and unintentional of food
and fuel who should likewise be call
ed to account; that there are too
many unoalled-down disloyal words.
[ and it is high time some one takes
the seditious TO account and that
I there are people sending money
I abroad TO get a higher rate of ex-
I change when they should be buying
I Liberty Bonds.
There is no middle of the road
+ left" said the speaker. People are
! on one side or the other now. Our
I course is plain" Mr.. Cunningham de-
Z elared that the war is wiping out
political and religious lines and that
! the country is behind the President
TO win the war because il America
does not there won't be any liberty.
Large Scope Urged
; E. ]. Stackpole declared men were
I getting tired of hearing disloyal re-
marks passing unchallenged and
said that the Reserves offered the
nucleus for an organization which
could be military and also keep a
grasp upon the situation. Its men,
/ bers could investigate reports and
I the older men could counsel. Com
plants and reports can be investi-
/ gated in a spirit of fairness, the law
/ upheld and the mob spirit checked
/ if il ever showed itself in blind. I'M
/ reasoning, unjust way. He suggested
( a committee for each ward. saying
/ that the community would support it.
Charles II. SPOTS urged the inn
portance of education and suggested
| the use of schoolhouses and halls for
community meetings to explain what
must be done and how to do it, es-
peciaily in regard TO food and fuel.
Captain Z. Laubenstein in the
course of his own remarks made the
meeting sit up when he said: Why
is it that recruiting officers can go
all over the Cumberland Valley and
through this part of the state and
I speak in schools and they are never
heard in the Harrisburg High
schools? Is our school board weak
I kneed? Why is it? Why are they not
invited to address the students?"
\. Reeder Ferriday offered sug
gestions as TO the forming Of a
platoon of Reserves in each ward
and after a general discussion a mo-
ton made by 4. Boyd Hamilton for
a committee of seven to arrange a
plan to meet the needs of the hour,
. was adopted. Mr.. Cunningham was
I given a rising vote of thanks for his
speech on motion of Walter John
ston.
School officials said to-day that
the big service flags in front of the
Central and Technical High School
buildings was proof positive that
the school arrangements are not
averse TO enlistments and that the
! students are doing their full part in
the war. nr. Eager, principal OF
the Technical school. could not be
reached for an interview. but it is