Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-07-11
II. j. Hunt, Candidate For County
Commissioner, Makes Splendid
Address To Montgomery's
Heroes At The Fair
Grounds.

Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen -
1t is indeed an honor to have been asked
by your eminent chairman to say few
words to you, but must crave your pardon
for not having had an opportunity to pre-
pare for such an occasion, for it was only
day or two ago that was honored by
his invitation, but came to Rockville to-
day with feeling of deep interest and
great affection for any son of Maryland
who offered his all for Freedom and De-
mocracy.
am proud to be here with you today
not only as citizen of the United States,
not only as citizen of the State of Mary
land. but also as fellow-citizen of good
old Mo ntgomery County and bring with me
message from our fellow countians to
you brave boys on this great Day of indie
pendence that we were with you to the end
in the recent conflict, and we are with you
now, to maintain the name and spirit of
Maryland, My Maryland, whenever our
country calls.
the stars on the Service Flags brought home
to every heart of the nation.
To me each of those stars which foated
out upon the breeze and shimmered in the
golden sunlight of Maryland meant more
than the mere fact that one of our sons
had gone into military or naval service 1t
sgnified, my friends, that each of those
men who was represented by service star
gave his body, his spirit, his soul, his all
to the Mother of Freedom and Democracy,
the good old U. S. A., and. by so doing,
he became glorified throughout every cor
puscle and sinew of his earthly body and
the spirit of the soul within him.
Could you not hear the call which came
home to every wife, parent and relative
among you. A call not of discouragement,
not of fear, not of self-sacrifice. but
message of hope, message of courage, a
message of fearlessness and bravery, from
every man as he left our beautiful shores,
not knowing whittier he would 90 or whence
he might return. but all with that wonder
full determination which only true Ameri-
cans can understand to perish If need be
that the cause of Liberty and Freedom
shall live.
There are some who are not with us here
today and alas, they will not return. | was
about to say that they are sleeping among
the lilies of France. but where those boys
are sleeping there are no lilies, only the
shell-torn battlefields of a hellish war.
Think of them, pray for them and all who
have gone. Follow them over the briny
deep and into the thick Of the fight as
bravely and heroicly they marched into
the very jaws of death, and remember, my
friends, that they fought your battle, for
your protection and for the cause of JUS
tice and humanity. that the chastity of
your mothers. your sisters and your daugh-
tiers should not be violated by Prussian
devils who even stopped to rob the prison.
ers and the wounded of their manhood.
But the Stars and Stripes have never
been trailed in the dust. and so long as a
true and patriotic son of Montgomery coun-
ty stands it never will.
And now my friends. in conclusion. let
me ask that when you 90 home tonight
you get down on your knees and thank
God that He has given this nation the
power and courage to carry out the con-
victions of justice and right for which il
stands, that humanity and civilization may
come into their own. and when that grand
review of our victorious troops, marching
up Pennsylvania avenue, is held after all
the boys come back, and they pass at
salute before the Commander-in-C Chief of
the Army and Navy. it will be Woodrow
Wilson. the greatest President that this
country has ever had, who will greet them
and convey to them the heartfelt thanks |
Of grateful nation, and in the beautiful |
rotunda of the Capitol at Washington.
where hangs that treasured picture of |
Washington Crossing the Delaware, an
other picture will be hung beside it, and
the new picture will portray our own Ameri-
can boys crossing the River Rhine as they
marched on past Coblenz to victory.
thank you.
II. J. HUNT,
Bethesda, Md