Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1918-05-24

The meeting of the members of
the various labor unions held last
Sunday afternoon under direction and
auspices of the Trades and Labor As
sembly at K. of P. hall, for the joint
purpose of fittingly dedicating a
beautiful service flag in honor of
members in their country's service
and also to pay tribute to the memory
of those who have obeyed the Masters
call and passed over into the great
beyond, was largely attended. The
ceremonies were very impressive and
interesting, as was evidenced by deep
interest and close attention paid by
the audience, which would undoubted-
,ly have been much larger but for the
rain storm Immediately preceding the
time set for the meeting.
The Old Guard, commanded by
Capt. Matthew Bousch and headed by
their famous drum corps, marched
from their quarters in the Memorial
building to the Pythian castle, and
their. presence and. the inspiring mu-
sic so generously rendered added
much to the beauty and impressive
ness of the occasion.
Promptly at 2:9O Rev. Geo. Bohon
Schmitt offered the invocation, which
was followed by piano solo by Mr..
Kline. Mr.. Paul H. Ziegfeld, chair
man of the committee having charge
of the affair, then introduced Mr..
William M. Morgan, president of the
Trades and Labor Assembly, as chair
man of the meeting. Mr.. Morgan,
after a-few brief and appropriate re-
marks, asked the assembly to arise
and join in singing one verse of
america" after which. he introduced
Mr. George H. Hamilton.
Mr.. Hamilton, at all times bril-
liant and fluent speaker, fully sustain
ed his reputation as an orator in an
eloquent address, saying in part:
"Mr. chairman, ladies, gentlemen
and brothers, it is but a short time
ago when there sounded thl oughoul
this mighty nation of ours the call to
arms. Then came the question, Why
are we fghting?' If you want to
know / will say that France will
point you to the western front, where
the German bayonets were and are at
our breasts. If you want to know |
will point you to the Kaiser's kultur
and how it was inflicted upon Bel
gium and her maltreated children,
and show you the look of desolation
upon her fair fields everywhere, and
the desecration of her women. Then
you will know why We are fighting.
The same God has guided the destiny
of the nation when it was in the
hands of that dearly beloved and
martyred president, Abraham Lin
coin. And now when after So years
we are called upon once more to send
the flower of our young manhood to
defend humanity and preserve it, we
are made aware Of what an awful
price some must pay for victory. The
bitter cup they must drain and the
bloody path they must trod before
peace through victory can possibly
come and we have avenged the mar
tyred dead.
"I have no son in this war, but
have some knowledge of war and how
the heart strings of the mothers have
been torn, when their sons have-been
sent away to the army and to face the
enemy.
"We, as members of organized Ia
Dor, are sending our sons, some to
fight, some to the mechanical depart
ments behind the battle line, and
those at home are bending every en-
ergy towards rolling the steel to make
the guns and to manufacture ammu-
milton, and those in the fields are rails
ing the food to keep them alive and
others the clothes to keep them
warm; that the ship of state and the
rolling stock of these great railroads
throughout the country may carry the
needed supplies to the fighting men
| am proud of the Bottle Blowers who
have sent 40 of their number of the
total of 156 laboring men who have
already joined the colors.
"Just a word in closing. Patrick
Henry once said: Give me liberty
or give me DEATH The question re.
mains who will win? The followers