Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-13

God grant that the bugles Of war
may never again call this peace
loving land to arms" said Congress-
man John E. Nelson. the speaker at
the Defense Day meeting which was
held Friday afternoon at Market
Square" but if they do, If righteous
war is inevitable. then, when We call
to service the boys Of this land. who
in the past have heroically fought its
every battle, We will draft them every
able bodied man and woman, every
resource, all wealth, all industry, and
make common cause against a COM
mon enemy. There will be no prof.
teers in the next war, but universal
service. without compensation except
that consciousness of unsullied de-
votion to God and country. Thus
shall we be slower to declare war
and swifter in bringing it to a sue
cessful conclusion"
These words. expressing the belief
of the hundreds who took part in
this great Defense Day test and of
the even greater numbers who wit
messed 1t and listened to the words
of the speaker with the greatest of
interest were part of a speech which
was 9TH Illuminating and inspiring.
Congressman Nelson spoke at the
conclusion of large parade in which
the two companies of National
Guard, Company F.. 103rd Infantry
and the Headquarters Company seth
Infantry Brigade, and several Re-
serve organizations took part.
A Splendid Success
"The National Defense Day DEM
onstration in this city. was an I'M
qualified success, both in the spien-
did spirit in which the citizens CO.
operated and in proving that the
War Department plans for rapid mo-
bilization of the first and second
lines of defense are workable" said
Lieut.. Col. Francis II. Farnum, last
evening.
1.-The principal purpose of the Gem
onstration-to test out the effective
ness of our organized reserve-was
accomplished, and incidentally the
citizens OF our community were af-
forded visual conception of just
what would be the demands in man
power on this city in case of a ma
tional emergency"
THE reserve officers in Augusta
and vicinity reported practically 100
business detained them in other
places, participated in the observ-
ance where they were. Much cred
tits due the several organizations
which furnished the personnel to
fill the ranks of the reserve units al
located to this area.
There was a numerous turnout
Of citizens to watch the military pa
rade all along the line of march.
and my only regret in connection
with the program is that every one
of those thousands did not hear
the eloquent. illuminating and in
strucLive address of Congressman
John l.. Nelson in Market Square.
The Military Parade
The long parade, unlike the pa
rades that are seen here on various
national holidays was composed
wholly of military units except for
a small group of Boy Scouts and
the delegation of the Grand Army
which participated. Many people
here were unaware that there arc
stationed in this city several re-
serve units, each with full COM
plement of officers to which drafted
men viii! be assigned in time of war
FOR the purposes of this Defense
Lay lDSSc uIlIlS we're dSlS1Gu IHVlI
quota of men from different orga.
peared just as they would if mob
ilized. except of course they were
not equipped.
These organizations were all ir
line and the parade of military bod.
les assigned to Augusta stretched
out the entire length of Water street
from Rine hill to Bridge street. AS
they were in close order formation
with no floats there were at least
500 men in the line.
The parade formed at the corner
of Winthrop and State streets and
marched along State to Grove, down
Grove to Rines hill, down Rines hill
to Wafer street, up Water to the
spindle at the corner-of Bridge and
Water streets, and thence back to
Market Square where short patri-
otto exercises were held.
The parade was led by the fol-
lowing groups: a platoon of Angus
ia police under City Marshall Will
lam J. Skene: Parade Marshall
Lieutenant Colonel Francis II. Far
mum with his staff and aides: Maj
or Donald {. Metcalf. Capt. Claude
NJ. Adams, Capt. Russell J. Potts
and Lieut.. Thomas J. Mclaughlin
the Augusta Military Band; Leon o,
Douglas, leader.
= The two companies of National
Guard, Headquarters Company. S6th
Infantry Brigade, commanded by
Capt. Lester NJ. Hart and Lieutenant
Almon E. Sullivan; and Co. F., 1O3rd
Infantry, commanded by Captain
Frank B. Sprague with LIST. Lieuten-
ant Oliver y. Letendre and Ind
Lieutenant William Doyle. came
next.
They were followed by the Ameri-
can Legion Colors escorted by tie
American Legion color guard con
sisting OF Fred L. Cummings. SER
geant at arms. Alfred Rlanchette,
Philip Gilbert. Raoul Cote and Philip
Grondin. Behind them came the
various reserve units, each COM
manded by the officers who would
make up the official personnel in
time of war and filled out by their
quota from various organizations in
this city.
Reserve Officers Lead Units
These reserve organizations were:
Headquarters. Special Troops, 9th
Division and Divisional Detachment
commanded by Capt. Emery o.
Beane. with Captain Ira Sturgis
Randall, Lieut.. George Froberger
and Lieut.. Henry I. Doton. enlisted
personnel from the American Legion
and the Augusta Lodge Of Elks.
Headquarters 193rd Infantry Bril-
grade, commanded by Capt. William
r. Hanley. with other staff officers.
Can't Arthur 6 Merrill 1st Lieut. f.
L. Newdick, list Lieut. Herbert A.
Folsom, LIST. Lieut.. Milton s. KIM
tall, LIST. Lieut.. Sewell Webster. Ind.