Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-29
Maine Republicans Hold Convention at Portland TMnsdav

and Navy, not merely through tho
services of any party or any group r.
class, but unitedly. as an entire ma
tion- to the last man and the last dol ,
lar II need be, we are gradually !
| bringing out vast resources effective
lY to bear upon the task of crushing
1 the brutal spirit Of military desporism
which NeXeS and threatens TO enslaEe
! the world
Until this task is finished. the ef- !
fective and vigorous prosecution Of |
the war is the supreme duty of every
American. No selfish interest. and |
certainly no desire for partisan adj
vantage must hinder the utter deyo- |
ton of all the resources Of every cit !!
tzen to the loyal support of the Gov |
eminent Of the United States in this
world crisis. Not only must this sup
port be in fact loyal and unanimous
/ but there must be no action which
even by our most bitter and ignorant
enemies could be interpreted as indi-
eating any division of sentimen:
among our people.
| The Republican party was born in
| the throes of national peril and Isl
bound by every tradition of it's great
| history to support the government
| Loyalty i'll this time of trial. How
well this obligation has been DIS
| charged history will record. Those il
| charge Of the affairs of our sta G
| have been mindful of this responsible
| ity.
War Activities
On Monday evening of the last week
Of our legislative session President
| Wilson delivered his memorable id
| dress to Congress asking for dec
| laration Of war. Before the mex.
morning, the telegraph wires We're
carrying our orders for equipment
experimenting that available from
the Federal Government in anticipa
ton of the increase of our National
! Guard regiments to war strength.
! The next morning. at nine o'clock.
our Legislature assembled in special
session and within forty minutes haze
pa ssed through all its stages the act
authorizing the expenditure of a M
lion dollars for war purposes. d IT.
, ing the remaining days of that week,
Il comprehensive program of war
emergency legislation was enacted m
Guiding provision for financial aid Up
! TO ten dollars per week for dependent
families of soldiers and sailors; regis
! trati0n of enemy aliens. CONT OIL o. the
use Of explosives: provision for spe-
cial deputy sheriffs and other officers
to meet any sudden emergency. and
authority to commander ma terials or
supplies needed for war purposes.
flll,.
re cessity fov effective .atrol of our
exposed coast line against submarine
attack. some high military authoti-
ties believed that Germany would at
tempt a submarine attack and 1t WAS
generally agreed that our coast. De
cause of its location and numerous
deep water inlets and bays, would nt
the most vulnerable point. This was
not only q military danger. but the
summer resorts along our coast facet
the prospect of serious curtailment IF
business because of popular appre-
hension Of some such attack. we
found that while the Navy Depart
n,ent would welcome help from the
State. they could not themselves hop
to take the necessary steps With"G
serious delay. We accordingly e
cured and turned over to the Navy
Department before May first a flee;
sufficient to patrol our coast from
! kittery To EastDort. Some of these
boats were purchased by the State
and some given by patriotic summer
residents.
This was the first of lorg an!
enriahle list of war activities If 'he
Maine Public Safety Committee. This
committee was appointed sometime
before the actual entrance of h
United States into the war and
through its executive committee. Narl-
Gus subcommittee and local commit
tees in the various cities and towns
has given splendid assistance in every
var measure Of the Government
the Rush to the Colors
Cur Second Maine Infantry and our
Coast Artillery corps were quickly e.
cruited to war strength and then.
through the energy and enthusiasm
OF group Ct patriotic young men,
under Col. Balentine's leadership. a
= complete new regiment of heavy field
artillery was recruited. equipped and
modified within a month.
This achievement is unmatched so
far as | know in the whole country.
At the time the record of voluntary
enlstments closed in preparation for
the draft. Maine stood at the head
among the states in proportion TO pop
ulation, including all branches of the
| service.
The whole complicated, machinery IF
the Selective draft for the new Ma
tional Army has been erected and has
operated smoothly. Hundreds Of our
business men have been asked to de-
vote weeks and months Of time TO the
tedious work Of the various exemption
and advisory boards, In no single in
stance vet has the request for surI
service met with refusal. Our quotas
have been selected and forwarded on
time and appropriately enough the first
soldier of the new National Army TO
enter the encampment at Aver was
a ma from Maine.
Next in importance TO the actual
fighting forces are the building Cf
ships and the production of food. n
committee on shipbulding under the
able leadership Of former Governor
Cobb succeeded after weeks of patient
conference and negotiation in arranS-
! rig for the construction of large
number of ships in the State of Maine
Food Production
In order to stimulate the production
/ of food. the State has maintained
farm labor agencies in cooperation