Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-19
ESTILL To Give
WAR TALK HERE
Commissioner in Charge Of Saliva
ton Army Forces In West VIII
Speak Saturday Night

Commissioner Thomas Estill and
party of the Salvation Army Will
arrive in Moline on Saturday eve
ming for a rousing war rally to be
held in the Salvation Army hall.
The commissioner who is chief in
command of the Salvationist forces
in the west and one of the most
noted religious leaders of the
country, is enroute to Chicago after
tour through the western states
rousing citizens to the great needs
of personal service from every man,
woman and child, if this war is to
be won.
The commissioner will be accom-
panied by Colonel Ban Nelson, head
of the Swedish division of the west
ern Salvationist forces.
Since America entered the war
Commissioner EstilIs has had per-
sonal direction of mastering Sal
vationist forces and facilities in the
west for the use of the nation. But
long before that the blood and
fire" forces had been busy on the
European battlefields, they having
been the first relief organization to
take up the work among the
troops, inaugurated this service in
August, 1914, at Brussels, only three
days before that Inflated Belgium
city fell into the hands of the in
vaders. Since then, and prior to
our entrance into the war, hun
dreds of hutments and rest dug
outs had been placed in operation
close up to the first line trenches,
all along the battle lines and Sal
vationist ambulances have cared
for thousands of the wounded. In
addition scores of hotels, orphan
ages, and other like institutions
have been placed in service.
Immediately upon Americas en-
trance into the great struggle,
President Wilson, Secretary of War
Baker, General Pershing and many
other high officials, placed their seal
of approval on the army's work
and il was urged that its activities
to be extended to cover the United
States troops With usual efficient
and economical method, the Saliva
tionists responded by placing at
the governments disposal every bit
of property it owns in this country;
immediately placed ambulances
ments at 16 American camps in
France and manned them with
workers from the United States, and
started the erection of huts at
every camp and cantonment in this
country. number of which are
with American troops; built hut
now in operation. The Salvation
Army, while the first organization
in the battle zone and whose labors
have been mighty, was the last to
appeal for a fund.
About this war fund, Commits
sioner Estill has repeatedly said:
This isn't a fund for the Saliva
ton Army. 1t is a fund for the
boys and Salvation Army is merely
a trustee of the fathers and moth
ers and friends of these boys to
see that it is economically and eff
ficiently spent There is nothing
we can give these boys who are
making the great sacrifice which
we should withhold from them. We
are in this war to win and every
thing we can do to increase the
morale of our fighting forces is
part of our duty at home towards
winning the war"
The commissioner is expected in
his address not only to tell of the
work the Salvationists are doing on
the European battlefields. but also
give some exceedingly interesting
information regarding general con-
ditions ''over there"
Moline contribution to the Sal
walton Army will probably be
taken from the community war
chest