Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-04-26
RALLY GETS ECHO
FROM THE FRONT
Continued from page onel

Continued from page one)
spoke very simply without the slightest
effort at rhetorical effect and In the
course Of his long narration employed
a number OF the cOlloquial phrases OF
the front, which made his hearers real
ize probably better than ever before
something Of the real life in the trench
les,
lie described the present situation
OF the war as'desperately serious" and
was convinced that Germany was at
present making is supreme effort to
annihilate the British army before the
American forces could develop their
strength, Proud as he was OF the fight
ing ability of the Yankee boys he said
that the handful OF them now in action
in France couldn't be expected to
make much impression on million
Germans, Bigger armies and bigger
loans were to come, He quoted Presi-
Taft as saying that there might be ten
Liberty Loans, each bigger than the
last and the people should get into the
habit Of subscribing to every one,
lie told Of the wonderful spirit Of
the front lines, There was no place in
the world where Christian sacrifice pre-
vailed so much, Any day, anywhere
there were men willing to lay down
their lives for one another The men
endured great hardships without com
plant, There were many things the
people at home could send them to
make their life more endurable Tobac-
co was needed sorely-was an absolute
necessity to men who underwent the
terrible strain OF patrol duty in No
Mans Land,
The Major himself had served until
recently in the coal area OF France
around Lens and he told graphically
OF the life he had led in the cellars of
the ruined villages, OF the discomforts
Of rats and vermin and rain and mud.
He told exciting stories and told them
simply-of the exchange Of fire between
the opposing lines,
He had first knowledge OF some of
the German atrocities, for he had seen
in some of the Belgian refugee camps
many children with either one or both
of their hands cut of. He knew OF the
brutal way in which the German Red
Cross nurses had tantalized the wound
ed British prisoners roughly they
had handled them and how on every
hand they had evidenced their hate.
America, he said, might suffer two
million casualties before the war was
over. By that time the war would have
been brought home with sufficient force
but If America would take the lesson |
har al gIa taly haf
the list had grown to such proportion
and throw her all into the conflict that |
il might be ended before paying such |
an awful price.
Referring to the work of the Red |
Cross, he praised the work the ladies
were doing, but said if they couldn't |
knit socks correctly, not to knit them
at all. There were many that came
with uncomfortable knots and seams
in the foot which made life extremely |
uncomfortable to the men who wore
them
1t is to be regretted that, at short
notice, The Register cannot more than !
touch upon the points that the Major |
so Interestingly presented. Everyone
seemed to agree that it was the best |
war speech heard in Midlebury.
DR.. Thomas, President of the College,
was asked by Judge Button to say a
word at the close. He paid fine trib-
ute to the Major, saying that while our
money, our work and our patriotism
at home were all essential, the real win
ming OF the war was up to men like the
Major, 1t was a case of men against
q. a.. II 4
the last fifteen minutes of the titanic
were those to whom the vic
tory would belong
DR.. Thomas, pointing to the Liberty
Loan Thermometer, fervently urged
that Middlebury should make its pres
ent record Sl50,O00 and get the double
star for its flag.
The meeting concluded with the sing
ing of the Star Spangled Banner, led
by Mrs, Luther |. Bonney.