Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-13
TRUE PATRIOTISM
Manifest at Lincoln Day
Observance and Re-
cruiting Meeting

A big audience filled with patriot
ism, not of the evanescent kind, but
with an earnest, deep rooted devotion
to the cause of world wide democracy
and solemn thoughts of the sacrifices
that are being made by the boys Of
the United States, who are giving their
lives every day that this nation with
others may enjoy the fruits of their
noble heroism, was gathered in the City
Opera house Tuesday evening 10 listen
TO three remarkable addresses, talks
that got down to the heart of things
and plainly showed the stupendous en-
terprise upon which this country has
embarked and from which II cannot
turn back until the mailed fist of Prus-
sian militarism has been forever forced
back from it's position of dreadful men
ace, which it now yields over the world
at present
The meeting was arranged under the
auspices OF the Waterville Chamber
of Commerce and the Committee Of
Public Safety and Defense as a Lin
coin day observance and An behalf Of
the recruiting of the Third Maine regi-
'nent. The three speakers were Rev.
j. G. Creede of this city, who took for
ms subject, "CrusaderS of Today;
Rev. Henry L. Dunnack of Augusta,
whose theme was, They Shall Not
Pass; and Hon. Ralph o. Brewster of
Portland, who made a plea for the
Third Maine Regiment.
An orchestra, led by Miss Ethel Nc
Even, furnished music for the occa-
sion; Llncoln's Gettysburg address was
read by Maurice ODonnell, who has
"a brother, Lieut.. T. j. O'Donnell. in
service overseas; Rev. Charles F. Rob-
lnson gave a four minute speech in
the cause of the War Savings stamps
and shipbuilding and Miss Alice Bar
den sang the Battle Hymn of the Re
public" while a chorus gave the "Star
Spangled Banner"
President Arthur J. Roberts Of COL
by presided at the meeting and after
a few remarks as to the purpose of
the gathering, introduced Rev. J. G.
Creede as the first speaker Father
Creede's talk was an inspiration to all.
He SAID in part: Being by profess
sion a man of peace and meekness, that
too being a racial characteristic. NV
address will become more Of a sermon
than war speech for | especially wish
TO avoid note of hate.
I'm fact l will ask that | be hermit
tea TO call it sermon, for I have chos-
en- as my title, Crusaders of Today.''
IN the sense that / showed awhile ago.
when in a brief address I introduced
MISS oRellly when I said, that if this
country accomplishes its high ideals
IN TINS conflict, then even as the cross
ol NhflSt was the symbol and emblem
IN heaven Of the freedom of the chill
dren of God. so, too, Americas fae
should be hailed throughout the worlc
DIS a symbol and emblem of the liberty
of the children of men
look upon every man in the uni
form OF the United States as a cru-
Sadcf or soldier of the cross. because
! III Is not a war for conquest, it is not
q war Tor gain, or even a war for vic.
tory merely, it is war for Christian
lty ltself because we believe that Ger
| many has thrown off the mask and
ffussian militarism is simply a reyer-
SION TO barbarism. Their professors
nave have taught it and their great
men nave boosted Of it. That they have
'froWh OF the yoke of the Gallilean:
'hey have gone back to the Gods of
thelr fathers, to Thor and Odin and
lhey fSht on their own admission, with
inc h2mmer of Thor with which they
snail smash te cross from every sacred
shrine in Europe
rather Creole referred to two scenes
which he had personally witnessed
one was in Toronto, where he saw the
wonderful enthusiasm of the British on
the day of the declaration of war in
August, 19l4-the other in Chicago
where the gathering was 80 per cent.
German. The destruction of Belgium
was SHOWN in authentic pictures by
Safl Won WleSand. then special cor
respondent Of the Chicago Tribune and
now OF New York paper. There again
was enthusiasm, but it was the enthu-
siasm of hate
He also referred to the necessity Of
waking up in this country and getting
grip on things. Of following the ex-
ample OF the man with the most dom
mating personality and virile force of
PATRIOTISM in the United States to-
gay Theodore Roosevelt, who said,
II you can avoid fight do so. but
if You go in put your opponent to
Sleep
After speaking a few words in be-
half of the Third Maine Regiment. Fa-
there Creede closed by saying: Il ap-
peal to you to be unsefish and not
wage the fight for America alone. Brit
ain has urged you to throw yourselves
INTO this conflict. France calls you
splendid, heroic. deathleSs France and
Belgium, gallant. suffering, bearing
her cross is pleading. Onward America.
Your soldiers are crusaders indeed.
Onward. not in hate of the German
people. bat rather in the spirit of love.
love for America. love for liberty, love
Cor right and in the spirit of Christ.
who died to make men free"
Hon. Ralph O. Brewster of Portland
was next introduced and spoke for the
Third Maine Regiment. He said in
part
I'VE laughed a year ago when great
Russia could not feed herself and warm
herself and now we. find ourselves in
the same plight.
Germany stands before US with,
half the world behind her crushed and
faces US at bay. The boys across there
in~the trenches say, were all right over
here if the people at home will back
us tip And that what's we have got
to do.