The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-08-29
HUNDREDS HEAR
|CAPTA|N EDWARDS
! TUESDAY NIGHT
British Captain Says America is Alive
to Hun Peril and Ready for
Greater Sacrifice. America
Must Present a United
i Front

Captain Frank Edwards Of the Roy
all Fusiliers, veteran Of the Boer war
and fresh from four years active SER
viee with the British army on the
western front in Flanders, arrived in
the city Wednesday from Bismarck
and in the afternoon addressed the
draft contingent which left for Camp
Lewis and in the evening delivered
one Of the most graphic and appeal
ing addresses given in the city since
the outbreak of the war. Hundreds
packed the Grand theater, many
standing in the aisles and for two
hour listened with rapt attention
while Captain Edwards recounted his
experience and explained the situation
which now confronts the Allied cause.
Blond haired and typically English
in; appearance and mannerism, Cap
tam Edwards presents well setup
fioure in his regulation field uniform,
wsth the left sleeve decorated with
,so gold bars, telling OF wounds re-
ceived in battle. He refers modestly
10 his own exploits but is keenly in
terested in this country and the man
ner in which America is meeting ev-
cry demand placed upon her in sup
plying men, material, ships and
money to help the allied cause.
"America has the power to deliver
the smashing death blow to German
military autocracy. With every force
in this great country working IN mar
mony, America is gathering her
strength for that blow. When once 1t
falls, autocracy will be wiped clean
from the fair face of this earth and
all the people of the civilized worlo
will win to freedom and will be able
to live in security from the dictates
Of military clique which is Ger
many's pride and boast"
Up From the Ranks
After an honorable discharge from
the British army following two and 6
half years in the Boer war, Captain
Edwards re-enlisted as a private II
the oath sportsmen's battalion ant
worked his way up through the ranks
to his present commission. He wa:
wounded at Loos, and again in the
battle of the Somme. For nearly foul
years he was with the British force:
operating between Passchendale ant
! Albert in northern France.
The captain tells of taking com
pany of 250 men into Delvin wood
| six of US were carried out" he says
''The attack was made over hill, be
hind which our artillery was loftinl
heavy shell fire into the enem!
trenches. The shell fire was calculat
ed to level the German entanglement
but failed to do so. When we hat
worked our way over the rise ant
emerged from the shelter of the woot
to make the final dash into the enem.
front line, we were met with a wither
ing machine gunfire before which moth
ing could stand. My men fell il
/ swaths. Not man remained stand
ing. A few who fell wounded clos
to the Hun trenches were taken prl
soner. During the night some o
our men came over the hill and car
ried back the six wounded who still
were alive, myself among them"
Administers Oath y
! Captain Edwards is wonderful,
impressed with the middle west, eve
more than with the east, he says. H
visited New York City, Washington
the larger cities east of the Missis
sippi, including Chicago, and deliv
cred scores of talks to workmen i
various war industrial plants. i
connection with these talks, Captain
Edwards administer an oath of feal
ty to the cause of this governmen
and the other allies, reading as fol
lows:
$50 long as this war shall last, T.
stick to my job and do an homes
days work six days each week, an
overtime, if necessary. shall d
anything else the president Of tn
United States calls upon me to az
so help me, God" rs%
administered to thousands. upo
thousands of working men in indus
trial plants throughout the east, thi
oath, l believe, will instin new Dc
termination into the hearts Of work
ers. To stand in an open air meet
ing before thousands of ,workme
with heads uncovered and righ
hands uplifted and administer sue
an oath, and to observe the union