The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-11-23
COL. SMITH MAKES
DRAMATIC APPEAL

A dramatic appeal for funds to con
duct an international campaign against
alcohol was made at Riverside Com.
munity church Monday night by Col
Dan Morgan Smith, commander Of the
famed Battalion of DEATH" who
spoke under auspices of the World
League against alcoholism. Colonel
Smith, who before launching into his
gruelling arraignment of illicit liquor
traffic in this country, told eloquently
the story of Americas participation
in the great war. He opened his talk
with praise for the regular army.
| without which, he declared, the United
| States would have sent her forces over
seas as an unorganized mob.
''It is quite the style now, know"
said Col. Smith, ito talk of wiping out
armies and navies. But | would ask
that those who make such pleas go a
little slow. 1t is the trained soldiers
Of Christendom that is keeping the
Turk at arms length. Even if all the
armies of all kinds in the world were
wiped out, the Mohammedans would be
able with their bare hands to overrun
Christendom. | plead not for big
army but for small army composed
of the best men, men who know when
they lie down at night that they will
be able to wake up in the morning se-
cure in their positions. Men can't do
their best work in the frame of mind
congress keeps our army today"
Colonel Smith paid a tribute to Brig
adler General Holbrook and Major
General Holbrook. overseas officers of
the regular army and brothers of Mrs.
Geo. M. Galloway, at whose home the
speaker was entertained while here.
He declared that the National Guard
and the men of the National Army, who
were called by the draft, all showed
their worth on the front in France.
Colonel Smith declared that every sol
dier who was assigned to home duties
deserved just as great praise for his
part as did the men who actually faced
the Germans. He declares that the
English soldier and his officer as fight
ing men had no superior. Indeed, Col.
Smith voiced an appreciation of the part
played by all allied countries in win
ming the war.
The speaker urged the adoption Of a
bonus measure. declaring that Wash
ington, Lafayette and Grant had been
given bonuses and the nation had not
declared that its soldiers had been COM
mercialized. Yet, he said, this is the
crygraised now by politicians. He said
the nation which paid Sis per day to
the man who listened to the rat-a-ta-
tat of riveter during the war should
be ashamed of itself not 10 recognize
by the bonus the man who faced the
ra-ta-ta-tat of machine guns ON the
front.
Goldsmith told of the heroism of a
little Jew who volunteered, when 'The
Battalion of Death" was surrounded in
the thick forests of France by German
regiments. to carry a message to the
rear and urge relief. as the surrounded
forces were running out of ammuni-
tion. He made the way back, Col.
Smithssaid, hut tried to be too brave
and started back to announce that re-
lief was coming. He was shot down as
he ran.
"He rolled over and over like rab-
bit when he is killed, said Col. Smith.
81 never want to see another rabbit
shot. But he arose and started again.
And again they shot him, breaking his
leg. Then he started dragging. himself
toward me, his entrails trailing on the
ground. 1t was more than | could
stand, and | rushed forward and gath
cred him up in my arms. He died with
a smile on his blood-frothed lips. whis-
pering that he had helped to lick 'em.
He died upholding the Constitution of
the United States"
Col. Smith then declared that the
bootlegger and his patron, the man
who, according to the speaker, places
his appetite for liquor above the Con-
stitution of the United States. was as
much traitor to his country as the
anarchist or bolshevist. He declared
that the Anti-Saloon League had deter
mined to conduct a worldwide cam
paign against alcohol. Cards, calling
for monthly contributions, ranging
from 80 cents to 500 per month, for
FIVE years, we're passed through the
audience.