Norwich bulletin., 1919-04-14
WESTERLY

The Seif-Determ1ndt ton for Ireland rally in the Bliven Opera house Sun day afternoon was iarge;y attended and the series of resolutions, such as have been passed at similar gather iags was unanimously adopted. Rev. John J. Fitzgerald. pastor of St. Mi chaers church. Pawcatuck. presided and made a spirited opening address. He was followed by Mrs. Ellen Ryan Jolly, of Pawtucket former national president of the Ladies Auxiliary, An cient Order Hibernlans. Attorney Thomas F. Cooney. of Providence, de- iivered the principal address. Mir. Coo ney reviewed the history of Rhode IS- land since the time ur the colonies, pointing out that it was 10 this sec ton that Roger Williams came to en- joy religious liberty. and stated that Rhode Island vas the first of the col onies to declare herself absolutely in dependent of Great B. ftain. Discuss ing self determine tion, Mir Cooney re- viewed the part taken by Ireland and the Irish people during the revolution ary var and the high tribute paid by George Washington 10 the Irish fight CTS under his conmanc.
 Coming to the late war. he told how Americans and Irishmen auc those of Irish antecedents gave their lives will ingly to assist the allies and to help the cause Of oppressed nations. When President Wilson called congress to- gether and stated that the United States was entering the war in order that people all over r-le world should be free from oppression of all sorts, the people believed the presidents pledged word when ne said that the peoples of all natio-.s mad the right to self government, with their own form of government
 lie explained Irels1rG's crafm of q l right to be nation and said that she had proved her capacity to select the 1 form unders which she should be gov erned, and the Irish l.cw aux that the ! greatest republic known to men, the American public, whose people have | enjoyed a religious liberty unparallell- ed in the history of the world, should strvie to assist a struggling nation and | people to follow the example this na- | tion has furnished throughout her en- tire history.
 1 Tt is a matter or simple truth" said l Mir. Cooney, that before the United ! States entered the war the allies were | almost on the verge of complete de- 1 feat, and they told us that they were 1 in the war to preserev the rights of small nations, and pointed out their 1 services in behalf of elgiuTn, and we believed that pronouncement with more or less misgiving-
 AS a Rhode Islander zr1 as ar American, proud of the traditions ot
 my state and my ation, I am unwiIl- ing to eblieve that the people of this
 state, or of this nation. will feel sat isfied with anything -sort Of a decis- i've and continued effo,t on the part O, our republic. in the peace conference at Paris, to bring about the sentiment of the people, and thereby secure fol all time what was the only iustifica ton Of our going into ,re war, name. ly, to make and retain q lasting ant
 just peace for all the nations of the world"
 The meeting was opened with sing ing The Star Spanglec Banner by tht iassemb!age, with orchestra accom- paniment. There were ovcat solos h,
 Miss Sophia Canayan and pr. Harolt
 F. Doyle.
 Mrs. Charles Redfore, or Pawtucket formerly of Westerly, fasr week re
 ceived Cross de Guerre -rom tn
 Trench government .n recognition O
 the merltorious action of her sor
 Lieutenant Bedford A. Bedford, ma
 rlne corps. who was srled while il service in France. Under date o March l9. 1919. in response 70 lei
 ter from d sister of the -ead lieu+en
 ant, Captain Harry H. Barber. now a the marine barracks in Philadelphif writes: i'''' '' ;; T met Dave when we first entere , the marine corps. We entered at IL same time. When Dave was sent f
 the 10th company 1 went to the I4t
 company in the same battalion: 6 you see we were never far apart ".
 Were great friends Dave was not onI respected as an officer by his men. b1 was loved and respected by all as | | happy, clean, upright young man H was always so jolly and cheerful al
 ways ready for fun and games the , Would help pass the time and make T feel good '' = W neH We went to the trenches [ z :, course, saw him less frequently. R1 rom tune to time when we were out {
 tHe fehcheS and resting we met an had a good time talking over hammer inSs and seeing the towns and ritia
 DaeV's knowledge of French made hi,
 a valuable companion.
 On the 18th of July, 1918 our ha- I tahon was ordered to attack 2 tow s caiiee 1igny. 1t lay in front of a lare
 town called NleSZy. and both pTa4t can be found south of Soissops a fa 70 miles. During this attack I received 1 wound III my leg which pat me out
 the battle. l was taken to dressir a station, and here l met Dave. Yc
 must remember that he had been ffgh a ing since the early part of June. r
 had fought all during the Re,lea
 woods fight and with no rest,
 n Dave was about ready to byee ,, down from the strain when the attar . started. It seemed that the she!Iir a was very heavy where he had bee I and one large shell had burst so res V that the shock had unnerved him. I h was shaking like a leaf and his nerv, = were in terrible shape It is hard n explain to you his condition. but it = 1 called 'shell-shock and resembles 7 G ordinary case of nervous breakdown ', While We WerN at this dressing st, , ton a shell exploded among us, kiIlir
 and Wounding many. It made Dave q condition worse, But as yet he W:
 untouched by shell or bullet. Tn,
 took me to place where the woundt
 men were being taken away in truck c There were no ambulances availab S Here as 1 was about to get in one k the trucks 1 met Dave gain. We bo e got in and sat on the floor. I sat h. I hind htrI with my hands on his shou f ders, Gs every time a gun would sho = he would try to jump out. Before V
 had gone far Dave was much calme