Charleston Daily Gazette
Bonds Signed by the Light of Glaring Matches
Meeting at the Armory Wednesday Might Manifest Loyalty
Judge C.F. Moore Makes an Address
Rehearses Entry Into War Compliments State’s Organization
October 26, 1917
Despite the fact that very inclement weather held the attendance down, and despite the fact that the lights were cut off in the very middle of the taking subscriptions, $83,550 was raised at the Liberty Loan rally in the Armory Wednesday night, about $5,000 of which was subscribed by the light of flickering matches when the whole building was in total darkness. It is felt that considerably in excess of the $100,000 that Chairman MacCorkle asked for would have been subscribed except for the fire at the water and light plant which put the city in almost total darkness.
Following the parade, which was an impressive one, in spite of the fact that the bad weather prevented many from participating in it, a crowd of several hundred enthusiastic patriots gathered in the Armory to hear the speeches. Judge C. Forrest Moore, a native of Pocahontas county, and a speaker of international repute, was the principal speaker of the evening. His speech was a masterpiece of eloquence, through which keynote of patriotism sounded forth frequently in startling and marvelous sentences that brought forth bursts of applause from the appreciative audience.
Judge Moore first complimented the state on having the best organization he had seen in any of the states from Wisconsin to the Atlantic seaboard. Those in charge, he said, have shown a genius for intelligent, detailed organization. He next went on to say that the main reason a campaign for funds was necessary was because the United States has not yet recovered from the daze which struck when it entered into the war. The people, he said, are not accustomed to being at war, but they are now beginning to realize that the fight is their, the struggle theirs, and the ultimate victory, also will be theirs.
“Everyone in the United States loves peace,” said Judge Moore, “but we cannot sacrifice our honor and mortgage the freedom of the unborn to escape a struggle. I might be willing to give up a little of my own freedom; I might be willing to surrender some of the rights that I and every American recognizes as mine. But I would not be willing to give up the rights of my children for the future. And that is just what we are fighting for.”
He rehearsed briefly the causes of the entry of the United States into the war, and passed on to a consideration of the mighty task that confronts us in the war. He said that he had no doubt of the final issue, but the sooner the people of the United States recognize the fact that they are going to have to make real sacrifices the better it will be for them.
“The Germans,” he continued, “say that they do not fear the United States. They charge that we will not give either our men or our money in a fight against them. On the fifth day of June we answered the first part of that charge when ten million of the young men of this land offered themselves willingly for service in the protection of our rights and honor. And on the evening of the 27th of this month we will answer definitely the second part of the charge.”
Our first duty, he said, is to clothe, equip, and feed the men who are going to the front to fight our war. We are using taxation and the sale of Liberty Bonds to raise that money, and that is the only fair way, added the judge. It is right to raise the money partly by bonds, because we are struggling for the generations to come, and if they share in the benefits they must also bear part of the price. No man, he said, is a patriot just because he invests his money in the best gilt-edged security in the world. The money must not come from hoarded savings, but also from the earnings of the future. We have been a spendthrift nation and buying bonds by paying for them in the future is one of the best ways to make a nation a thrifty one, he said. Moreover, he added, the patriotic people will ruin this country after the war, because the others are not fit to do so.
“We will all rise above ourselves before this war is over,” said Judge Moore. “We must renew the pledge given by our forefathers when they signed the declaration of independence for the United States. We must sign a new declaration of independence for the whole world and pledge ‘our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.’ After the war is over our boys will be coming back, and I don’t want to have to hang my head in shame because I didn’t do my part to help them. When the great meeting of the stock-holders of universal democracy is held, I want to be present representing at least one share!” His address was closed with the recitation of Kipling’s “Recessional.”
Previous to the speech of Judge Moore, Governor Cornwell was introduced by W. A. MacCorkle, who presided at the meeting. The governor told of the boys at Camp Lee that he had recently seen, and reported that they were as dine a body of men as he had ever seen. The conscripts from West Virginia have averaged over $50 per capita subscription to the Liberty Loan, he said, while the average for the camp is only $39 per capita. It made him wonder, he said, what the people who remain here will do after this example of the men who have gone not only to give their lives for their country, but who are also purchasing bonds. Fred O. Blue ales made a short address in which he emphasized the fact that the United States is in the war “up to its very eyes,’ and he urged the people to recognize the fact that the battle line in Flanders and France is “our line and we must hold that line.” Otherwise, he added, that line would be transferred to our own land. Everyone must subscribe to the loan to the full limit of his powers, said Blue; the question is not one of any specified amount, for there will undoubtedly be more loans to come before Germany is whipped.
Ex-Governor MacCorkle in a brief address said that he was confident that the state would come up to its quota. He said that everything had been done which could possibly be done to bring West Virginia up to the standard set upon her by the government.
Governor Cornwell presented a medal to Albert May of the local Boy Scouts, for being the only boy to place Liberty Bonds of the first issue in ten or more homes.
After the speeches, MacCorkle called upon the people there to subscribe $50,000. The money was raised in four minutes, and the goal was set for twice that amount but the light went out. W. C. Kelly subscribed $25,000; Charles Payne, $10,000; F. J. Daniels the same; Ben Baer, $15,000; John Crowley, $5,000; Mr. Fletcher, $5,000; Union Building Company $5,000; employee of the South Side Foundry and Machine Shops, $2,000; W. D. Lewis, $1,000; O. J. Morrison, $1,000, made up of smaller subscriptions which were signed up for in the dark. One little fellow came up to the platform when the canvassing first began and asked to be put down for $100. “Bless your heart,” said Governor MacCorkle, “I am proud of you. Have that subscription put on the top of the list.”
Nation Faces Test Today; Large Celebration Will Be Held Tonight at Armory to Boost Liberty Bonds
Gifted Orators Will Speak While Parade Will Precede Meeting.
Reports Received Are Encouraging
Mountaineers Manifest Their Patriotism by Giving Their Funds.
Flood tide of enthusiasm and effort in behalf of the Second Liberty Loan will be reached this evening when a monster parade will be held through the streets of those who own Liberty Bonds, and a monster public meeting at the Armory, when Judge C. Forrest Moore, of New York, one of the most gifted speakers in the country, will be the orator for the occasion.
Dr. V. T. Churchman, the marshall of the parade, has announced the formation and the places of assembling. Pledges of those who will take part assure the parade to be very large one.
Judge Moore, the speaker of the evening at the armory, is a native of West Virginia, and is now a New York lawyer. He is famous as a speaker. Other speakers will also address the meeting and there will be music by bands and patriotic songs will be sung.
On the eve of Charleston’s big drive, encouraging reports have been received by Former Governor W. A. MacCorkle, chairman of the state committee, that the state probably would raise its quota before the end of the week, the expiration of the time set for the close of the campaign.
Rain, Snow, Water or Slush will not Keep Loyal Charleston People out of Big Liberty Bond Parade this Evening
Curbstone Audience is not Expected Tonight
Every Person Able to Walk is Desired in Procession of True Americans.
Three Bands Engaged to Furnish Inspiring Music
Women Will Find Place in Long Line Reserved for Their Especial Benefits
Loyal Charleston people will march in the parade of honor tonight at seven o’clock rain or shine. There was never the slightest wavering in the minds of leaders. The parade will positively be held, and the rain and snow has only strengthened the intention of true American to show that they are back of the government in its war policy.
There will be three bands, every representative organization and every patriotic person in Charleston in the parade. The celebration will not be noted for its fine display. There is no finer display than to see financiers marching side by side with their less fortunate fellows in the effort to show that Charleston believes in the justice of the cause. The only strenuous announcement of the day by the leaders was that “no curbstone audience is desired.” This, they say, is for every person able to participate.
The women have requested that they be counted in. No place had been made for them originally, but after repeated expressions of their anxiety to serve, they have been assigned a place following the state and city officials in the parade. They will organize on the lawn of the Y.M.C.A. under the guidance of Mrs. W.M. Chilton and Mrs. John J. Cornwell.
Assistant marshals have been appointed to care for the different organizations and to see that they drop into line according to plan. They are: West Side, I.A. Gunter; WOmen, Mrs. Chilton and Mrs. Cornwell; Boy Scouts, scout master: Kanawha Central Trades Union, Clint Lovett; Wholesalers, Mark Slack; Retailers, Marcus Smith; Bankers, Isaac Loewenstein; Picture shows, E. L. Whitney; State officials and police, Leo Loeb, acting mayor; colored, C. W. Boyd and J. F. J. Clark. Six Boy Scouts have been designated by the scout master to act as orderlies for the marshals.
Street Parade Will Feature the Liberty Loan Celebration Here
Speeches by Well Known Orators at Armory Expected to Draw a Large Audience-People of City Awakening to the Call For Funds.
What is expected to be the biggest and most enthusiastic meeting in the history of the city will take place tonight when the patriotic people of the city will march in the tremendous Liberty Loan parade, and gather afterwards at the Armory for speeches by several well-known orators. The parade itself is expected to eclipse anything of the kind ever held in Charleston, and thousands will march in the interest of the second great campaign to raise funds for the government’s prosecution of the war.
The parade will begin at 7 o’clock and the line of march will be as follows: From Capitol and State streets, down State to Court, out Court to Kanawha, up Kanawha to Broad, out Broad to Virginia, down Virginia to Capitol, and out Capitol to the Armory where the monster gathering will be held.
Dr. V. T. Churchman will be the mead marshal of the parade, and the different units will form as follows:
The people from the West Side who wish to take part in the great patriotic demonstration will form at Donnally street, east of and facing Capitol street.
The trades unions will form on Washington street, east of and facing Capitol street.
The Boy Scouts will form on Capitol street, north of Washington street, and facing south.
The wholesalers will form on Lee street facing Capitol street.
Bankers will form on Hale street facing Lee street.
Representatives from the moving pictures will form on Hale street facing north, in rear of the bankers.
City and state officials, including the police, will form on Capitol street between State and Washington facing south.
Retail merchants will form on Lee street facing Capitol street in rear of the wholesalers.
All citizens not belonging to any of the above will fall in line behind the trades unions.
All colored citizens will form on Summers street north of and facing State street.
Everyone who intends to show his or her patriotism by marching in the great parade tonight is expected to be on hand promptly, and take his or her proper place, the committee in charge says.
The order in which the different units will proceed in the parade is as follows: Band, city and state officials, by scouts, West Side, wholesalers, retailers, bankers, moving pictures people, trades unions, and other citizens.