Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1919-01-25
49,
LOWDEN IN 1920
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the third found that, during the war,
all creeds, Catholics, Professionals, and
Jews, we're of the same mold and
working unitedly for the winning of
the war.
Now, that showed a new feeling
of brotherhood consequent upon the
war. So today we have a solidarity
of our citizenship through the war that
is worth all the war has cost, If 1t
can be preserved.
During the war our two great enc.
mics were the unbridled autocracy of
Germany and the unbridled mob of
Russia. do not know which is worse,
but do know that we of America fear
the spirit of the mob as much as we
did the mailed fist of Germany.
The battle we have fought, there.
fore, Is only half won, and If we are to
win entirely we must preserve the
same spirit that we evidenced at that
| Springfield meeting, and the solidarity
Of all classes of our citizenship.
Just as we went into the war many
of us trembled lest the generation of
today might not live up TO the glorious
traditions of Illinois in other wars
After seeing what Illinois lads did at
Belleau Wood, at Cantigny, at Chateau
| Thierry. at st. Mihiel, and in the Ar.
COME, we know that Illinois need not
| blush for her sons, as II never has had
| to blush for their forebears."
| After telling OF the formations Of the
State Council OF Defense, with leeis.
| lative appropriation of only 100000,
and the various things 1t was called
upon to do, Gov. Lowden continued:
"These multiplying activities OF the
state council. however. soon exhausted
the funds available for its use. did
not wish TO call special session of
| our legislature, and therefore | ap-
| pealed 10 group OF prominent men,
bers OF this club to raise a hundred
thousand dollars to carry on the work
OF our state council.
That group Of distinguished citi.
zcns responded generously and
| promptly. and the hundred thousand
! dollars, largely contributed by mem.
bers OF this club, was placed In the
hands OF the state council. Therefore.
when ! was invited to this dinner |
felt II my duty to come to make &C.
acknowledgement TO you for your fine, pa.
triotic generosity to the state"
Samuel insult, chairman Of the state
Council Of Defense, was the only 9th.
er speaker, He preceded Gov. Low
den and described the notable part
Illinois played in the winning of the
war and the work Of the state council.
The States part Is shown, he said, In
more than 100000 men registered
for military service, $1,000 100000 lent
to the government, more than s42,.
100000 contributed to war relief and
recreation agencies, and the greatest
farm crops in money value-sS79, 000,-
600 ever produced by any state,
Gov. Lowden did not seek to curry
favor with either hyphenates or paci-
fists by soft speaking" said Mr.. In.
sull Nor did he recognize politics
or craftsmanship as factor In the
prosecution of the war. He did not
conceal his convictions nor camOunage
his attitude" Continuing, he said in
part:
|
our belief that Illinois made a record
in the war in which all may take a
just pride. Let me sum up for you
some OF the states achievements
not in wearying detail, but in gross
totals.
First, the men our state furnished
10 fight the war, for the men who do
. the fighting rightly come first Under
the selective service act, Illinois reg
istered q total OF 1,559,5SG men OF
fighting age-G4G, $50 on June 3, 1917
between the ages Of 81 and 81 years
if,lOG Youngsters who had just come
OF age on June 3, 1917; $4,000 on
Sept II, 1918, boys between the ages
Of IS and Il and men between the
ages of 81 and AZ.
illinois put into the national serv'
ice total OF 3l4,5Oi men and boys
2i,GG3 in the navy, 3,G7S in the ma
rines and 28G,l63 in the army. The
figures for the army are to the end
Of the war; those for the navy and the
marines are up to June 80 only; the
several thousand volunteers who en-,
tered the service as officers through
the various training camps are not in
( cluded.
Another interesting fact is that
while the selectiye service act was
; adopted almost as soon as America
: was in the war, $3.50 per cent of the
men who went from Illinois-17S,l43
volunteered