Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-07-27

then country fighting in the world
war. About $50 people gathered to
witness the appropriate exercises
Inc hear Frederick NJ. T. Pearce
secretary to Governor Silzer deliver a
. patriotic address. The progam wss
arranged by the Metuchen Chamber
of Commerce which organization is
responsible for having one of the
tablets removed from a Main street
cellar and two additional bronze
tablets procured ON which are in
scribed the names of all of the msn
who served in the national service,
The Chamber of Commerce also had
the concrete base upon which the
taplets are mounted constructed.
Inc panels at either side of the or
iginal panel contain the names of
the l54 men who were in the various
branches of the service while the
central panel bears the following in
scription:
I'm honor of the men of the bor-
ough of Metuchen who with great
! devotion responded to their coun-
try's call ~dedicating themselves un-
~reservedly to the end that our rights
as a nation should be fearlessly
maintained and to the eternal mem
DRY of Frank Hummer, Harry Han
son, Conklin Smith and Edward
-tugle, this tablet is erected to the
mower of u young manhood
by the citizens of the borough of
Metuchen."
Presidentd William J.. Schultz of
the Chamber of Commerce thanked
the citizens of the borough and the
committee of the organization for
making the DELEGATION possible, and
as the tablet was unveiled he pre-
sented 1t to the borough.
In the absence of mayor Wash
ington Wilson, the president of the
borough council, Frederick Clark
SON, accepted the memorial in the
name of the borough of Metuchen,
asking that 1t be commemorated to
the unselfish devotion of those whose
names 1t bears to serve as an in
spiration in later years in memory
OF the trying times of the world war
period.
The exercises opened with the call
to colors by the bugler after which
the invocation was said by R. Fred
erick zimmerman. The singing of
God Bless Our Native Land" was
Followed by Mr.. Pearce's address and
presentation. After the acceptance
of the tablets by President of the
Council Frederick Clarson, America
was sung, the be~nediction pronounce
ed by Rev. John F. Fenton and taps
blown by the bugler.
Mr. Pearce'ss follows:
I'VE are gathered here tonight for
a pleasant duty and to pay a fitting
tribute.
Five short years ago the youth
of this country were called upon
to perform the highest duty that be-
m the privilege of a citizen-the
duty of protecting and defending his
country from enemies from without
and to uphold its liberties and to
light for its principles in foreign soil
across the seas.
Civilization had been attacked.
might, not right was gaining ground.
y The wearied forces of those who
had been fighting since 1914 cried
for help.
ut had taken valuable time to
teach US what our national duty
Blu after we had learned it,
we did it whole-heartedly and thor
oughly under the leadership of a
great President, who gave himself
for the cause and almost laid down
his life for it,. Truly a martyr to
the cause of world salvation.
"Amil the blame of trumpets and
the cheers of friends, gayly our
boys jumped into the. fght,-some
never to return. We saw them go
and we were proud.
while they were away those of
us who were compelled to Gemain
at home "did our bit" as the saying
was.
Every day the cables told us
of the bravery of our armies in
81 hoff1o nn1 fhni,, r1ytI =. 1aEtA,
News of victories reached our ears
and finally the "Armistice."
will we ever forget that day?
The country went wild with joy.
"At last the boys came back. Di-
vision after division paraded through
the streets of New York. Thousands
lined the curb and cheered them as
they passed proudly by.
1.-THE battle was won-Civilization
was saved-America had done her
part.
But time goes quickly for busy
lives. Things of yesterday pass out
of u minds. Private affairs en-
gross us and we forget.
yet today throughout the land
lure thousands of young men still suf-
.tering either in body or in mind as a
result of that terrible struggle to up
hold the right.
"Only a few short weeks ago we
were at Morris Plains one of the
states asylums for the insane.
Someone asked where the soldiers
were. We were led to the corridor
reserved for them. Never will 1 for
get the sight that met our eyes
Young men strong in body yet de-
prived of reason, suffering from all
phases of mental desease, from glib
bering idiots to raving maniacs.
These We're some of the men who
amid our cheers five years before
had gladly marched into battle.
Later we visited a home for those
suffering from the dread disease of
tuberculosis. Here again were menu
bers Of our brave boys racked and
worn in body-some never again to
rise from a bed of suffering.
again we visited a home for the
disabled. And here again our hearts
were saddened by the narrowing
sights, sights that bring tears to the
eyes of the strongest men.
"All these men cannot and must
not be forgotten. The solemn duty
to EAR for them rests with us. AL
ready we have had too much bung-
ling and inefficiency. Never let it
be said that this nation is ungrate-
full. And let us from this day ded-
icate ourselves to the cause ard
insist that u government gener-
ously does it's full duty by them.
And so we are here tonight to
unveil this emblem of our love for