Evening star., 1918-05-26
.EMPEY PEP" GETS
RED CROSS MONEY
Then Brave Sergeant Stag
gers From Liberty Hut \
Stage and Faints.
HAS WORKED LIKE TROJAN

INV -
Sergt. Arthur Guy Empey. who has
been helping put war pep" in the
American people, brought back the
slang to the erstwhile Billy Sunday
Tabernacle last night, beat Billy Sun
days record by taking up two col
1ections, and then extracted from
Washington citizens more money for
the Red Cross than a circus usually
collects.
1t cost John c. Let's 500 to hear
Oscar Seagle sing THE Star Spangled
Banner" thirty-six persons Clipped
in $50 apiece for the honor OF pre-
senting the Marine Band with a rose
that it's members had bid up to $500,
and as dignified citizens would bid
for the American roses over and over
and warn any person who left that he
would be considered a pro-German.
"a Dollar to Go Out
When the roses had all gone, or had
worn out, Empey seated himself on a
chair. la the hero of The Seven Keys
to Baldpate," and announced that 1t
would cost every one dollaT 10 30 oul
and invited any who wanted to do so
to stay and bid on a copy Of his book
autographed by all the notables he could
round up in the audience.
All this was the aftermath Of United
States night" at Liberty Hut, rounding
out a week of international nights ar
ranged by Charles Colfax Long for the
Red Cross drive.
Things began to happen before the
meeting was half over that necesitate
n1,Hy hyy
play. and it will be far in the morning
when tired Red Cross workers coun. up
the total contributions of an audience
that cheered. yelled. jumped up on their
seats in their enthusiasm at patriotic
songs and Empy's descriptions Of ad-
ventures over there"
When Charles Henry Butler re-
minded Empey that he was in the
Sunday tabernacle. Empey formed a
trailhitting club at $50 per head,
brought more than a score on the
platform. then made a bargain rate
on trail hitting of 81 per strike, and
there was a rush for the stage.
Falls in a Faint.
He put up the autographed book
for auction, and John c. Let's bought
it for $625, after some lively bidding.
and just after he delivered it Empey
walked unsteadily across the stage.
and fell in the arms Of those walt
ing in a dressing room, in a faint.
Physicians were called.
Empey had been suffering from a
heavy cold and sore throat before he
went to Liberty Hut. and remarked on
the way, Gee, this life is worse than
the trenches" Recently he made
twenty-four speeches in New York
in day for the Red Cross, and his
batting average for the liberty loan
and Red Cross campaigns was 1917
speeches per day.
The meeting began in dignified
fashion and included a musical pro-
gram like few heard on the concert
stage at high prices per seat, for it
included two members of the Metro
politan Opera Company. Andreas de
Segurola. baritone, and Hipolito
Lazaro. tenor. and Oscar Seag1e.
baritone. and Nine. Fitziu. noted
stars of the concert stage.
Nine. FitZiu and Segurola sang So
los. then Joined in singing the bar
carole from THE Tales of Hoffman"
Seagle sang Somewhere in France"
when the Boys Come Marching
Home" and Keep the Home Fires
Burning" and Lazaro received an
other thunderous ovation and calls
for encore after encore until he reach
ed lie Donna Mobile" from "Rigo-
letto." which he had to sing again be-
fore H. B. F. Macfarland. presiding
officer. could proceed with the meet
ing.
Volunteer Nurse Speaks.
a voluntary nurse in France for the
first eighteen months of the war.
gave a narrowing picture of condi-
tions "over there" and told how they
had been improved by the activities
of the American Red Cross.
hi 1.yiJl AL
God for the Red Crossv" she said.
Stand by your Red Cross. 1t is a
wonderful organization"
Mr.. Macfarland read message from
the Duchess of Devonshire, president
of the Canadian Red Cross, and from
Sir Robert L. Borden. premier of Can
ada, wired for Canadian night, but
delayed in transmission.
He mentioned that his nephew,
William Strong of Washington, who
at Quebec: Mrs. Mcfarland read
an original poem inspired BY the
sight Of the transports making their
way down the st. Lawrence, which
flows by the Macfarland summer
home. on their way to Europe.
Empey said he often hears that
pro-German question. What is the
British navy doing?"
'I will tell you" he said amid
SHeciS. IL hdo uccH Keeping lne Gef-
mans from invading the United
States. just as the British and the
French and the Canadian forces have
been fighting our battles for us be-
fore we got in.
Il want to tell you folks hero to-
night that not one Of you has done
his bit. No, not II you are a G. A. r.
man and carry your wounds from the
civil war; not II you are a mother
and have given seven sons No one
will have done his bit in this war
until 1t Is over.
Duty-Doers Lie in Soil.
1.-THE only ones who have done their
full duty are those lying over there
in the soil of France tonight, with
little wooden crosses to mark the
spots where they are buried.
There will be thousands go over
there. perhaps hundreds of thou
sands, and 1t Is largely UP to you
who stay at home to decide how many
shall remain over there with those
Defines the Red Cross.
Empey defined the Red Cross as an
institution that means you are saw
ing the arms and legs Of soldiers.
perhaps bringing those boys back
homo to their mothers"
FRITZ is q wonderful fighter when
he is behind a 72-mile gum" he said.
But when you get in front OF him
with cold steel you always will find
him yelping Mercy, Kamarade,
ssTha Rritfah and Arnario,n. 1..,A