Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-05-29
BREWERS KNOCKED BY
COLONEL DAN SMITH
Commander of Battalion of
Death Tells Story of Wiping
out of St. Mihiel Salient and
Pleads for Support of Prohi-
bitiOn Measure

(which do you love best, glass of
wine or your country" Numbered Colonel
Dan Morgan Smith, commander of the
famous Battalion of Death" which con-
tributed largely to the wiping out of the
st. Mihie salient, near the close of his
address to a crowded house at the Maj
este theatre Sunday night. Colonel Smith
came to burlington as a representative
of the worldwide prohibition movement.
In the most vivid word pictures heard
in Burlington in many day, he told
the story of the wiping out of the St.
Mihiel salient, something which Generals
Haig and Foch said could not be DONE
but which General Pershing said could
be done and which was done by all
American troops, though at great loss.
At the close of the address, Colonel
Smith attacked the Dutch brewers" as
traitors to the country and drew the pro-
hibition issue as between Americanism
and tho brewers. A stirring appeal was
made for financial support for the pro-
hibition movement.
Before Colonel Smith spoke, Mrs. Por-
ter oliver of Australia was introduced
by the Rev. C. C. Adams, presiding and
she made an appeal for aid from this
country in suppressing the liquor traffic
in that country.
| Colonel Smith is an elocutionist as we'll
as orator. He pictured so graphically,
by word and gesture and facial ex-
preston, the impressions that he wanted
to convey to his audience that he moved
the people almost at will from laughter
to tears. and then to ringing applause.
In speaking of the future of this coun-
try. he said:
II see where your children, or even
you yourselves. will have to take ur
guns again to stamp out Bolshevsm In
this country if drastic steps are not
taken. I see Bolshevism staring us in the
face through the medium of the Dutch
brewer"
Stating that since the prohibition meas
ure has been written into the constitu.
ton of the United States it is a sacred
duty to stand by that measure, Colone
Smith said:
IF you are going to stand with the
! brewers to tear down our country, yol
are a mighty poor American. Any mar
to-day who aids and abets a brewer t.
cause riots-that man is a traitor ant
ought to be hanged. We are going tt
take the brewer skin him alive ant
tack his hide up on the wall"
In line with the spir: of pre-mem
oIIdi utiy, wi. STlllH SIOke o. lne lac
that his father fought in the confederat,
army. then he added:
But we of the South to-day thanl
God that you accomplished your pur
pose" Then to the members of tn,
; Grand Army present. he said 1--WE sa
Lutte you; we wish you many more year
to enjoy the fruits Of your splendid vic
tory" Applause.)
Colonel Smith brought storms of ap
plause at times during his address. TO
instance when he said:
. when you have any army that want
to fight worse than it wants to do any
thing else, then you have the finest arm
that Gods sunshine ever sifted through
r the clouds upon; and that's the kind o
Q an army we had in France
= And again: "If you want to pick tn
heroes of this war, don't pick the off
. GERS of high rank. The heroes Of thi
r war We're the leutenants, the sergeants
the corporals and, above all. the Am
e erican buck private"
Colonel Smith made it plain that tn
reason his command was called tn
battalion of Death" was not becaus
: so many of their men were killed. bu
because they killed so many Germans.