Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-07
sH|PBU|LDERs PLEDGE
LOYALTY TO THE FLAG
impressive Scene Is Enacted on
Banks OF tho Mattaponi
River.
SAUNDERS MAKES AN ADDRESS
Great Wooden Beams Are Rapidly
Hcing Constructed Into Ships to
Link United States With Her AL.
Ties in France.
from n STAN Correspondent

WEST POINT, VA. April G.-Four
hundred employees OF the York River
Shipbuilding Corporation pledged their
ioSa!ty TO the flag Of the United States
shipping Board as IT was iloa ted TO the
o'ccIe beneath the Stars and Stripes
mere this afternoon. Mrs. X. J.. New
man, wife Of the president and gen
c!ai manager Of the corpora ton. cut
the string which let the white emblem
OF the great cause Of needed ships
wave into tho sunlight Of a beautiful
afternoon. The flag was fiunE from Il
mast 10 feet above tho plant and
yards OF the company on the top OF Il
water tank, short distance from the
right bank OF the Mat,aponl River,
where the yards are located The
principal address was made by Colonel
John r. Saunders, Attorney-General Of
Virginia.
AS President Newman read the
picdSe, every employce-from the hum
b'est laborcr upwards. white and
co!orcd-rcpcatcd II with him: Il
pledge allegiance TO my flag, and to
the republic for which it s,ands-one
nation. .!ndivis!blc. with liberty and
justice FOR all" 1t was an impressive
scene. on the left hand stood the
colored workers. on the right stood
me skilled employees. the carpenters.
the mechanics, the cnginecrs--all with
'HN'N'IeI HehuS-hnu IN lTOHt OIL the
speakers stand with its decorations In
national colors stood many Of the
wives OF the workers. Some such
scene was enacted in 1872 yards
throughout the United States ycster-
day. where the work Of building tho
big bridge Of ships which shall link
the United States with her allies is
being spcedcd up TO the top notch. or
all these. though not employed In a
yard OF such immense proportions rs
some. the, local workmen felt heartily
the meaning OF It all.
PRESIDENT NEWMAN SPEAKS
on MEANING OF THE FLAG
The program had been opened with
tho singing Of The Star Spangle led
Banner" after which President New
man made brief. but telling, address
on The Meaning of the Flag" In this
he impressed upon the men the I'M
portance Of their task as shipbuilders.
Following this. the orchestra played
patriotic air, and as Il ceased Mrs.
Newman unfuried the flag. and mo-
ment later the pledge was made.
America" was then sung by the
audience led by Mrs +: W Gcyer. and
at the conclusion OF this Rev. II. +.
ia ldcrsou. OF the West Point Methodist
Church, addressed the ship workers.
lie tu!d them OF the task before them,
and Of the service which they were
rendering 10 the government in the
present crisis. In concluding his ad-
dress. Nj. Ealdcrson very effectively
read descriptive. piece entitled. II
Am the ship
Attorucy-Gcncral Saunders. who.
Win Mrs. Saunders, arrived Il; this
tInc'urc. then took the rpstrunI. and.
81 rd'ns upon the ends o. two large
tir,bcrE. tho rcrna!udcrs Of massive
pInrs which had gone into tho hui! Of
sci now building. he deeply i'm
pressed the audience with a patriotic
rc.."w OF the war. 4 rounded Grafton
uprn things as they are ;n-day, In
Va ch he paid a high compliment to
G. Shy Thompson. OF West Point. 10
whnse rn;!r!nE efforts the establish
mrnt Of the shipyards here. he said.
Ms due.