Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-13

JO7N u. IOWNE
Department Commander of the Amer
lean Legion, Armistice Day Speak
er at Waterville
The members Of the George N.
Bourque Post, American Legion and
hundreds Of Waterville citizens join
ed in the celebration of that great
event, Armistice Day, and once again
honor was paid to the heroes both
dead and living who fought in the
world conflict.
Long before II o'clock hundreds of
people lined the streets waiting for
the parade. Automobiles thronged
the thoroughfares while score of
police officers hurried about directing
the traffic. Everything went off per-
fectly according to schedule. At IL
o'clock a blast of the fire whistle
proclaimed the two minutes of ST.
lent prayer. During this two min
utes Adjutant Harry Drawn of the
Bourque Post blew taps and a VOL
ley was fired in honor of the hero
dead of this city, while thousands
stood in Castonguay square with
bowed heads, the ex-service men
standing at attention and the citi-
zcns with hats off.
At two minutes past II the fire
whistle blew second time and a
few seconds later the first division
of the parade swung into line down
Main street.
The final march of the parade was
down Main street to Castonguay
square where ex-service men, follow
ed by hundreds Of citizens gathered
around the stand in front of CASTOR
quay square. The Borque Post, Lee
gion flag and the Stars and Stripes
were placed in front of the stand by
the side Of the memorial tablet to
Arthur Castonguay, the World War
hero to whose memory the square
was dedicated year ago.
Paul J. JULIEN, commander Of the
Bourque Post was chairman of the
exercises. Adjutant Harry Drawn of
the Bourqque Post blew the bugle
call for attention and Commander
Julien called on Rev. John Yates,
chaplain of the Bourque Post and
rector of the st. Marks Episcopal
church for prayer. Following the
prayer Mayor Leon o. Tebbetts was
introduced. He recalled the great
joy that was felt throughout the ma
ton when the armisice was signed,
and the coming into being of the
Legion. Mayor Tebbetts
spoke of the great honor that had
been conferred on the George N.
Bourque Post and one of Waterville's
best citizens, John G. Towne when
only few weeks ago he waS made
commander of the department of
Maine. American Legion.
Commander Julien again rose and
John Towne. Col. Towne
received a great ovation as he rose
to speak. DIR. Towne spoke in part,
as follows:
Address of Dr.. Towne
"The world pauses today to turn
back the pages of time to a morning
five years ago when suddenly the
clamor of conflict ceased and a
silence fell as a benediction
upon the bloody battlefields.
"Peace-the ending of the most
war of all time.
'Peace-the triumph of an ideal
for which men and women have VEN
tured their lives. sacrificed their all
down through the ages.
"Peace-a prayer answered,-a
world saved-a universal longing for
the wiping out forever of all wars
apparently fulfilled.
"Calloused indeed the conscience,
and dulled the mind of any man who
cannot go back on memory's wing to
that wonderful November II, 1918.
From the red baked fields of Flan-
ders came the boys back home again.
Rive years have passed.-five
of rebuilding. Five years of working
and playing and carrying on in the
of peace. But the people
pledges to the men who fought for
right. The people of America have
not forgotten those tears and cheers
and are carrying ever forward, fus-
ing their souls inner flame into one
great torch for all the world to see,
that spirit of gratitude that is of
the deepest, most sincere and holy
patriotism.
Over there in France there emery
ed from out the awful chaos of war
a new spirit of America, a new con-
ception of Americas needs and
future place among the
nations of the earth.
Youths made men by the grim busi-
ness of war caught a vision and be-
came induced with mighty passion
for service. And in their minds was
conceived The American Legion. 1t
was consecrated, that purpose on
which The American Legion became
founded.
The American Legion was born
there. and dedicated to the perpetual
ton of the high principles and noble
purposes which even the most hum
BILE doughboy in the A. E. F. knew
were the cause of Americas entry in
to battle. 1t was born there amid the
wreck and havoc Of terrible strife,
where men searched their souls for
the mean and the petty and the
gross and turned 0rf r1lth1eSslv oil
that which was sordid and which
was not good.
The American Legion wants Am
erica made forever American. 1t
intends to see that those sinister in
fuences which seek by subterranean
methods, sabotage. propaganda in our
schools and public places, to under
mine our government be driven into
outer darkess.
1t wants to see American speaking
only the American language. thinking