Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-16

home for the last time before going
abroad. The father and mother gave
them a bountiful Christmas dinner, and
then the father vowed he would dispense
with meat and wheat until victory IL won
for Old Glory. Major Smith read an ex-
tract from one Of his sons letters show
ing the spirit animating our American
boys who are lighting our battles for us
in France. The little mother IL also doing
her part in helping her sons to night for
the cause Of humanity. III those boys
should not come back said the speaker.
then the little mother and I would bless
God that we had two such sons to give to
our country" What right has any moth
er to say, she did not raise her boy to be
a soldier" and then ask the sons Of other
mothers to protect her from Hun fright
fulness?
II every family in America did its part
as completely and as willingly and as pa
triotically as this typical southern family.
from the section which some Of US
thought in years gone by should be pun
ished for fighting for the cause It believed
in, how long would II take America and
the allies to win this war over Kaiser
ism?
The lesson this father from the South
land left with his hearers was that
while II was not for all Of 10 TO nght, We
can do our part by helping to save what
our soldier boys and their allies need
and by giving them complete and
adequate financial. material and moral
support at homo in ever possible way.
The word pictures painted by various
other speakers Of. conditions In the war
zone and Of Prussian cruelty and brutal
ity and fiendishness also served to show
the $500 people estimated 20 constitute
the two large audiences, what the Huns
are ready to do, and what wc could ex-
pect. IL pathetic to tho point OF inviting
defeat.
Frederick c. wolcott. Mr.. Hoover's as
sistant told how he went to Poland be-
fore we entered the war to help save the
inhabitants Of that wretched country
from starving. He found the Germans
were throwing every obstacle in the way
Of assistance. II any Pole refused to go
to Germany to work. he and his family
were threatened with starvation. When
the speaker protested to the German on
Ger in control he was told the Germans
had found starvation to do their work
more effectively than any other method Of
demonstrating" enemy territory.
Mr.. wolcott found in one great struc.
ture 2.4O0 children, and out Of that mum.
Der only few were able to walk into tn,
open to have their photographs taken t.
show the world conditions then existing
Little children as we'll as old men and
women were starving to death by thou
sands. because the Germans wAnt to go IL
and possess that land for themselves.
One Of the most stirring addresses o.
the gathering was that Of the Rev
Laughlin Mclean Watt. former chaplain
Of the famous BLACK Watch" and Majo
Of the Gordon Highlanders. who wer,
the uniform Of his service. He told hov
long it seemed while they were waitinl
for Americans to come into the struggle
1t was long time to wait three and
half years while they were dying. blu
they knew that when we did come in W
| raY In n m nd n
British troops have been literall
wiped out over and over again. and Majo
Watts when he returned to his comman
the pathetic thought was all would b
strangers to him.
AS chaplain It had fallen to him to writ
many a last word for a dying boy to hi
mother or father. Always there was ella
ton over the thought Of loyalty to countr
and flag and cause. mingled with solici
tude that the blow should be made a
light as possible for the fond parent. Tha
is the spirit which is going to win thi
war. but 1t will take long struggle by
united people Of all the allies to win vic
tory.
The Ukranians are learning to-da
what peace with Germany on oerma
peace basis means. Thep stopped fight
ing because they wanted peace. Til
Germans are to-day sending q grss
force Of cavalry to Ukraine TO impos
German domination and German extol
ton Of food and all sorts Of war supple
8 upon the people they professed . desiI
to cherish. A terrible fate awaits III