The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-10-23
People of Brighton Dedi-
cate Hall Erected to
Honor Soldier Dead.
TRIBUTE TO SACRIFICE
Speakers Emphasize Fact Hall
Is Tribute to Those Who
Served Flag in Great War.

brlRnLOn TOOK Lh0 AcdO Al NCAOoAAe~
county in honoring the soldiers who
gave their lives to defend the flag in
the recent World war when the resi-
dents of that town on Sunday after
noon dedicated the new Memorial
hall, which the people of the COM
munity have erected to honor the
services of their country given by
Brighton men during the war.
More than fifteen hundred people
from all parts of the county attended
the dedication ceremony, packing the
new hall to overlooking and filling the
site in which it is located.
The hall has been erected especially
as a tribute to the memory of Pri-
vate Martin Hahn, Company L, 7th
United States Infantry, who was kill
ed in the Argonne Forest on October
18th, 1918, being the one Brighton
soldier who was killed in action. Sun
day was also the birthday of the moth
er of this hero, this making the day
doubly significant Mr.. and Mrs. John
Hahn, parents of the soldier who
made the supreme sacrifice, were at
tendants at the ceremony and were
given place of honor during the oc-
casion.
Hall Meets Community Need.
The Memorial hall is a substantial
brick building, providing both hall
for public gatherings and dining
room, both for the use of the COM
munity. The hall will seat approx
mately, 400 people and will be ample
for the ordinary needs of ethe COM
munity. 1t is we'll built and well fin-
ished, lighted with electricity and
well equipped with furnishings. Above
the table on the platform on Sunday
was large oil painting of Martin
Hahn, whose sacrifice the hall me-
morializes.
The building was erected by COM
munity effort. The cost was in the
neighborhood Of $4,000 but in addi-
ton to this much labor and many ma
terials were donated, bringing the
real value of the building far above
that amount.
This is the second memorial which
Brighton has erected to the soldiers
of that community. Just after the
war was ended beautiful monument,
IGNORING those who served during the
WAL, WAS OTeCIGU LHcIc.
Speakers Point Lessons.
Several speakers pointed out the
lessons which the building Of the hall
emphasized. These speakers included
Attorney Oliver O'Boyle, of Milwau-
kee, Hugo Kellar, of Appleton, state
commander of the American Legion,
the Reverend Father Kraus of the St.
Francis Xavier church of Brighton,
the Reverend Mr.. James, pastor of the
Reverend George R. Cady, pastor of
the First Congregational church of
Kenosha, all of whom pointed out that
this hall stood to remind them of the
courage and sacrifice shown by those
who risked all to defend their country
when danger threatened.
How the people of the community
had united in the erecting of this
tribute was told by the Reverend Fa-
Their Kraus, who also emphasized the
story of the service of Martin Hahn,
the Brighton soldier who came not
back. State Commander Kellar of the
American Legion brought the COM
mendation of that organization to the
community for erecting this suitable
and useful hall as memorial to the
services of Brighton soldiers and sail
ors in the World war.
Memorial to Youth.
The Reverend George r. Cady in
opening his address commented on
the fact that in Civil war days in the
town of Paris there was erected a
small but telling monument, the first
L
state of Wisconsin and that on this
occa sion there was being dedicated in
Brighton the first memorial hall to be
erected in Kenosha county.
"This hall is memorial to youth"
he said. youth pays the heaviest
tribute in war for the merciless God
of war levies tribute on the strong
est and bravest of the land; youth
must pay its future, its ambitions and
its hopes. 1t was such a sacrifice that
Martin Hahn made when he answered
the call to the colors and bravely fol-
lowed the call of duty in the Argonne
Forest"
"This hall is also a memorial to
heroism; heroism, like that shown by
Private Hahn and by the other seven
ty thousand American soldiers whose
service media; is wooden cross over
the seas; heroismf from which we, not
they, reap the advantages"
Shows Community Spirit.
This hall is also a memorial to the
splendid community spirit which must
exist in this vicinity" continued the
speaker "The people here have unit
ed and erected this building for all
the community to stand as a tribute
of the heroic services of it's young
men in war days. It should also
stand as an argument that we in this
Christian era should find some way
whereby wars should cease forever
1t is a memorial not to hatred but to
self-sacrifice, idealism and patriot
ISM"
During the program several solos
were splendidly rendered by Howard
Sershon, well-known Kenosha tenor.
After the program dinner was serv-
ed in the dining hall in the ement
of the building. Brighton welcomed
people from ali over the county to
join with the town in dedicating his
tribute to the soldier dead.