New Britain herald., 1918-05-11
WAR CONFERENCE
 OPENS AT CAPITAL
97O Accredited Delegates From
 100 Towns in Attendance

Hartford, May 11.--Nearly 1000 delegates representing 100 towns in Connecticut's eight counties were present at Foot Guard hall here this afternoon when the Connecticut War Conference, held under the auspices of the Connecticut State Council of Defense, was opened by Chairman Richard M. Bissell of the state de- fense council. The conference will be continued this evening with a mass meeting, which will be attended by tho delegates present this afternoon and by others who were unable to reach Hartford in time for the af ternoon session.
 Delegates attending the conference represent the several counties as fol- lows:
 Fairfield county, g. from 14 towns.
 Litchtield county, 50 from 10 towns.
 Middlcsex county, o5 from Il towns.
 New Haven county, 97 from 1S towns.
 . New London county, 51 from s towns.
 Holland county, 65 from s towns.
 Windham county, 36 from towns.
 I1ll LlOit tohIllt, ilohi towns outside of Hartford; Al from Hartford.
 Total gro from 100 tons in eight counties.
 The representatives of the federal government who came to COnnectl- cat for the conference arrived in Hartford just before 10 o'clock this morning and were met by reception h>y (Nn1nnnI ,ot1jS F.. Cheney, former mayor of Hart f1rd and former state senator. The party was made Up of Arthur F.. Bes- tor, director of the speaking diVison committee on public information; Major Rutledge Smith of Tennessee' representing the Council of National Defense; Frederick C. Wolcott, assis- tant to Herbert c. Hoover, United States food administrator: and Ma ior Laughlin MacLean Watt of the Gordon Highlanders and Black Watch, who came representing the committee on public information. The party was entertained at noon at a. small informal luncheon. Early tnis afternoon, Mrs. August Belmont of New York, who has spent one year in France in Red Cross service, arrived in Hartford to speak at the mass meeting this evening. The program of the conference this afternoon began at 2:30 o'clock with music by the Governors Foot Guard band. This was followed by an address by Justice George w. Wheeler of Bridgeport, member of the State Council of Defense and chairman of the Bridgeport War Eu- rcau, who presented to the delegates
 'The Message of the Council Ar thur F. Bestor then spoke on Pub i:c Speaking and Rallies AS Force in Winning the War, The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was sung by inc audience. accom- panied by the l md. after which Morris F.. AFline, l Connecticut chairman of the four- l ,n1nute men delivered an address on { titled The Message From Our Four l Minute Mem The audience then 1 suns Keep the Homo Fires Burn 1 1ng" with a band accompa niment l and the afternoon conference closed 1 with an address "Connecticut and the l National Council by Major Rut' 1 ledge Smith.
 This evening tho mass meeting will
 open at 7:45 D. m. with a musical ] program by the Choral club of Hart. ford, Ralph NJ. Baldwin, director ] Delegates present this afternoon 1 learned with interest that a. new na' l tional sons North and South" vii he introduced at this evenings mass
 ,r r.eting. There will be addresses to.
 comb. Mrs. August Belmont. Fred 1 orick C. Walcott and Major Laughlin l nIacI.ean Watt
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