Martinsburg journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1920-1977, 1921-09-02
[, D, CERHARDT NAMED CHAIRMAN OF
COMMITTEE TO MAKE PLANS FOR BIG
CELEBRATION HERE ON ARMIST|CE DAY
Committee Last Night Selects Experienced Executive With
Power To Name AsSstantS-Plans Are For Community
Affair, With All Organizations Taking Active Part.

Armistice Day, Friday, November
nth, 1921, viii be celebrated in
Martinsburg on a big scale, COM
mensurate with the importance OF
the event which IL commentaries.
A committee representing a dos.
en- organizations and interests in
the city met last night. at the In
vitation of the American Legion, and
took the first step towards making
the day gala one by selecting Mr..
l.. Dewitt Gerhardt. an executive
with long and successful experience
in community undertakings. as chair.
man of the committee which will
make tho plans in detail, gave him
power to name his own committee,
and do whatever else Is necessary In
order to set up an organization
which will function quickly and di'
rectly towards making the ceebra
ton success. Mr.. Gerhardt, pro.
posed by a. r. Emmert and second
ed by Commander G. r. Whitmore.
of the Legion. asked to be excused
on account Of other duties; but the
committee would hear Of no one
else and unanimously asked him tn
accept the responsibility, which he
subsequently agreed to do. In &c.
eepting the duty he reminded the
committee, and through them served
notice on all organizations and indi.
viduals, that he would undertake the
work in the spirit that tho comruri.
ity wants to celebrate a great day
In great way, that 1t is being done
in honor Of the boys who dropped
everything during the war to serve
and also to recall the sacrifices OF
those who labored at home; and he
pledged himself to give everything
he could In the way Of direction aud
suggestion to make the affair sue.
cess.
| A Community" Affair.
In the discussion which preceded
the selection of MIR. Gerhardt, this
committee made Ii plain that all fra
ternal, business, religious, political
and other lines were to be dropped
in the undertaking and the affair
made wholly community PROPOSE.
ton, with every organization and
every individual contributing, either
personally or through some one OF
more organizations, in whatever way
he could to the general success oil
the undertaking. The plans will be
for gigantic celebration,--to rival
the Fourth Of July homecoming
celebration In 1919 which attracted
attention over wide area and eclip.
sed everything that had ever been
/ attempted of similar nature In this
section. The necessity Of getting to
work Immediately was emphasized
last night because approximately
only two months remain before the
day for the celebration. The pro-
gram will be made sufficiently in
teresting to draw people from all
over the panhandle. and will be ad-
vertised widely enough to forestali
other competing demonstrations II
possible.
Just what will be included In the
program will be determined by the
committee. Mr.. Gerhardt said last
night he would communicate direct
ly by mail with some responsible in
dvidual in each organization In the
city and ask him to serve on the
general committee. 1t was suggested
in the meeting that the program in
clude a parade, a football game dur.
ing the afternoon, an address by a
nationally known public man, and a
ball or public meeting in the even.
ing; but no definite program was
attempted last night, the committee
feeling satisfied to leave the invi.
tation Of details to Mr.. Gerhardt and
his committee.
Representatives who attended last
night were asked to report back to
their organizations the action taken
at the meeting, get their approval of
the plan for a gigantic celebration,
empower delegate to act for the or.
ganization, and send a representa-
tive to the next meeting of the COM
mittee which will be held next
Thursday at 7.30 in the American
Legion room on West King street.