The Little River news. (Ashdown, Little River County, Ark.) 1897-current, 1918-03-09
GREAT CROWD CAME TO HEAR
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
The Peerless Leader Spoke to Crowd
That Filled Large Auditor.
ium Tuesday
Night.


when he spoke to "a great crowd that |
filled all the seats that could be crowd
ed into the large school auditorium
Delegations were here from every viii
lage and hamlet in Little River county
and from the countryside. There was
also a delegation here from BenLo-
mond and from Paraloma in Sewer
county. The speaker of the evening
was introduced by Seth c. Reynolds
with a few we'll chosen words. Mr..
Bryan on his entrance on the stage
was greeted with prolonged applause
which was repeated at intervals dur
ing his lecture.
Col. Bryan opened his lecture with
talk on the war and things pertain.
ing to the war and commended Arkan-
sas on the part she was playing. He
said that he had been visiting Arkan-
sas now for more than 20 years and
had always found a friendly feeling
in the state.
With reference to the war he said
in part:
II do not know how long the war
will last; l do not undertake to say.
I can state a fact more important:
That is, no matter whether this war
be long or short, the quickest way to
peace is the straight road, and with no
division made of the American people
| (Applause) Before we went into the
war, it was a matter of opinion wheth-
er or rot we should enter the war.
and upon this ques tiCn some people
differed But when we entered. the
war that question was ended, and any
division now would only tend to pro-
long the war. And since we are in
this war, being in it, makes it our war,
and we must stand together and fight
it through and the more anxiously
one longs for peace, the more loyalty
should he support the government"
"The president at Washington is
bearing a very heavy burden-no
president of the United States ever
carried a heavier load than he, and
about him are some 500 senators and
members of Congress who deal daily
with the problems beth difficult and
delicate. More than one million men
have been called to camp. These men
when trained, if necessary will be
sent to the battle ground, and ALREADY
a great many have been sent across.
Surely i. they are willing to offer such
a great sacrifice. We ought to he will
ling to do our part in this greit war,
and our part, as / see it is to stand
behind the president and congress
and support our government in any
thing and everything that it sees fit to
undertake. Our duties do not end
here. We are trying to do more for
the benefits of the sOldier-tO make
his lot easy for him. We are doing
more today along this line than the
nation has ever Gone. Several organ
izatiOns have been formed and it is
our duty to contribute voluntarily to
them. The greatest of these Organi-
organization asked for $1,000,00000
the country gave 100000, 100000. 1t is
my pleasure to make contributions to
this organization the first of every
month. 1t is as necessary that the
soldier have spiritual nOurishment as
it is for him to have food for his body.
Organizations have been formed for
this purpose. The greatest of these
is the Young Mems Christian AS
ociation. When they asked for three
million dollars the country gave four
million; then asked for thirty-five
million and got fiftyone million dol
lars. l have been a member of this
organization for thirty-five years-in
fact, since~I studied in college. To
this also l am contributor on the |
first ofevery month. The Knights |
of Columbus have built their buildings
in the camps, the Hebrew organiza-
tions are at work Yesterday l saw |
a home that is kept by the Young |
Women's Christian Association near
Little Rock. All these organizations
are doing great work, and very import
ant work, and they are entitled to sup
port And that is not all-the citizen
is called upon to help the government
in every way. The food question is ,
very vital question. Secretary Hous-
ton called attention to the value of
production, and slast year we pro-
,duced the largest crop this country has
ever produced-three times as much
as we had produced three years be-
fore Another spring has come and
we must do our very utmost to in>