Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 158, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1918 — BASTILE DAY CELEBRATED [ARTICLE]

BASTILE DAY CELEBRATED

FRENCH NATIONAL HOLIDAY DULY OBSERVED IN THIS CITY.

Many were not able to get into the. Gayety theatre Sunday evening because long before the time of the meeting this building was crowded to capacity. . . „ The members of the Grand Army of the Republic and the ladies of the auxiliaries of that order, the Red Cross nurses in uniform and the Liberty Guards attended the meeting in a body. The Liberty Guard from Remington made a splendid appearance in their uniform, and there pearance in their uniforms and there ine. A unmber of the Guards from Parr were in the line also as was a large number of the men from here.

The meeting was under the auspices of the ministerial association of this city. The music was in charge of Mrs. Loren Sage as leader, and Mrs. A. H. Hopkins at the piano. Mrs. Sage sang the. Star Spangled Banner as a solo, with the audience joining in the chorus. This and her most excellent singing of the Marsellaise was most enthusiastically appreciated by the large crowd preseilßev. E. W. Strecker, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, after a few very pointed remarks, introduced the speaker of the evening, Dean G. Stanley Coulter, of Purdue University. Dr. Coulter has spent his life with the young men of this country. He known these young men as few had an opportunity to know them. He loves them and has great confidence in their ability to make good “over there” as well as here. The doctor is always interesting and instructive, but last night he seemed to outdo himself and delivered one of the very best addresses ever heard in this city. His short but pointed history of France was intensely interesting. His tribute to the French people was an account of heroic deeds without parellel in th‘e annals of human history. That great nation which before the war was thought of as a light frivolous people had proven themselves patriots whose valor is uncomparable and unconquerable. France a nation of thirty five millions of people has already sacrificed three million in the cause liberty. This has been done in t quiet uncomplaining manner ant with a determination to win or die. France does not boast, nor does she reprine, but resolutely remains at the task that means so much to her and to the world. Her stand at Verdun is one of the greatest events in history. Dr. Coulter recited how when in that battle it was necessary that amunition should be brought up to a certain high hill to which there-was a single road and every able bodied man was heeded in the fighting line. The situation was met by forty thousand men over sixty-eight years of age and some of them eighty-five volunteered and formed a line and the army was supplied with munitions. But after the battle was over thirty-two thousand little crosses had been erected over the graves of that number who had made the supreme sacrifice in their stand between the Hun and Paris, yes between the Hun and us. That road Was been named the “sacred way.” Dr. Coulter said that we' should be proud to stand with such a great nation. He paid a most beautiful tribute to Lafayette and pictured him the ideal Frenchman. He said that there were just two kinds of citizens. Those for the war and those against it. The first he said are patriots and the. latter are traitors and should be dealt, with severely. This speech should have been heard by any who are complaining because the government is making heavy demands and are not wil - ing to do their part in this great conflict now going on between autocracy and democracy. When we get the spirit of France no man will refuse to go to the colors when called upon and no person Will refuse to obey cheerfully every food regulation and respond to every call for money for bonds, stamps, Red Cross, Young Men’s Christian Association, Knights o:’ Columbus, and other war activities. His call to duty was a clarion note to all and an appeal that will not be unheeded. When every man has gone .to War and every dollar has been given or lent to the government, then may we be worthy to stand beside the Frenchman in honor and true service to humanity. At the close of the meeting the following resolution was unanimously adopted: “Be it resolved by the people in mass meeting here assembled to do homage to the beloved nation of France on this her one-hundred twenty-ninth anniversary of Liberty and Freedom, that we declare our adherance to President Wilson’s declaration to stand by France until victory.” “We each hereby pledge to this sacred cause all that we have and, all that we are, to the sacrifice of our last dollar and our last drop of blood.” ’ The meeting was closed by the congregation singing that great song “America”