The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-11-16
MR.. JOHN sPARG0
T0LaWARsT0RF.
T0F0RThIGHTtfl
Brilliant Address at High
School Hall Last Night
BEFORE LARGE AUDIENCE
Mr.. sparso Gave Interesting Facts
About Conditions with Which He
Had Come in Contact. 7 t'

A thrilling word picture OF war
time conditions in England, France,
Belgium and Italy was painted by
John Spargo in an eloquent address
before the Fortnightly Friday even
ing at high school hall. s.E.
The Fortnightly Club held its fret
meeting for the year Friday evening
at High school hall The club had
extended an invitation to the public
to attend as its guests and the inyi-
tation was accepted by an audience
which filled the hall. .ts.
Mrs. Frank e. Howe, president OF
the club, presided and placed before
the club letter which mad been re-
ceived from the local United War
Work Campaign committee soliciting
donation for the work. Upon the
motion made by, Mrs. A. j.. Holden,
the club voted $25 from its treasury
for that work At the request Of the
President of the State Federation of
Womens clubs, the chair appointed
the following War Emergency com.
mittee: Mrs. J. NJ. Ayress Mrs. r. s.
Drysdale and Mrs.G. P. EndFess.
The speaker OF the evening was
John Spargo of Old bennington, His
subject was with Our Allies inl
Europe" ~ AN
Mr.. Spargo described conditions as
he found them in England early In
July saying that the thing wh'rf i'-'-
pressed him most was the feeling
that here was nation gong tn. s5L
period of tremendous self repres.
sion, their nerves were on edge
He spoke OF the changed status. of
women and paid a splendid tribute to
the 'WACS,' the women OF England,
who in uniform went to the front TO
help make trenches, fill sand bags and
were pals of Tommy Atkins He
stated the mortality among these wo.
men was almost as high as that OF the
men. Mr.. Spargo was In England on
July 4th and saw the American flag
! Hoated over the houses OF Parliament.
! a thing which would have seemed
! hardly possible few years ago. Up
on arriving In Paris the realization Of
the actualities of war was FIRST exper-
enced. The bombarding OF Paris by
the big Bertha had Just begun and
every II minutes from daylight to
darkness big shell exploded some
where in the city. Mr. Spargo said
that even though the newspapers
made very little mention OF the effect
produced by this systematic, nerve
racking bombardment, that 1t was
telling upon the people and many
were leaving the city He said ,he
would now be disclosing no military
| secret to say that the evacuation OF
Paris was being seriously discussed
at the time. Mr. Spargo had several
interviews with Kerensky, whom he
considers a great statesman, who un.
derstands the needs Of Russia and the
dangers which beset her.
Mr.. Spargo went TO Chateau Thiery
soon after the Germans had been
| driven back and said that they left
behind them shells enough piled 4
feet high to reach from here to Rut-
land After leaving France Mr..
Spargo spent some time in Italy and
he feels that but for the action taken
by Italy at the beginning Of the war
when she refused to support Germany
that France would not have been able
10 keep the Germans from taking
Paris at that time. He feels that
Italy deserves the admiration OF the
world for what she has done under
difficulties which, perhaps none OF
the other allied countries have had to
overcome.
Mr.. Spargo paid the American SOL
diers a splendid tribute saying that
the standard of sobriety and morality
maintained by them is the highest
ever attained by any army in the
world.
Mr.. Spargo closed his address by ex.
pressing his belief that out of all the
horror and destruction OF this world
war, greater freedom and liberty Is
to be realized by all the world.
The meeting was opened with the
singing of The Star Spangled Banner
and closed by singing America
The next meeting OF the club will
be held November 30 81