USA > Illinois > Fayette County > Fayette County in the World War > Part 9
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Brownstown
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IN THE WORLD WAR
St. Elmo, Avena Township
Chm. A. C. Fogler, Retired
St. Elmo
Thos. F. Heckert, Real Estate -
St. Elmo
Robert Flowers, News Agent -
St. Elmo
L. A. Leach, Farmer -
St. Elmo
E. B. Pribble, Doctor -
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St. Elmo
J. C. Buzzard, Farmer -
- Altamont
Hagarstown, Bear Grove Township
Chm. J. H. Dunham, Farmer -
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Vandalia
F. L. McWilliams, Farmer -
- Vandalia
J. W. Riley, Farmer - Mulberry Grove
Robert Weidner, Dairyman
A. H. Goodson, Supervisor -
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Hagarstown Vandalia
Brownstown, Otego Township
Chm. C. F. Workman, Merchant
Brownstown
T. S. Washburn, Stock Raiser
- Brownstown
W. F. Peterson, Postmaster
Brownstown
B. B. Brown, Undertaker
Brownstown
D. O. Pilcher, Merchant -
Brownstown
M. J. Rine, Farmer
Brownstown
Chickenfoot, Otego Township
Chm. Colby Williams, Merchant
Brownstown
Selby Guffy, Farmer
Brownstown
Andy Hamilton, Farmer
· Brownstown
Harvey Williams, Farmer
Brownstown
Frank Peters, Farmer
Brownstown
St. James, Wheatland Township
Chm. Adam Stein, Jr., Farmer St. James
Verne Hamilton, Clerk-Merchant
St. James
William J. Lovett, Farmer
-St. James
August Yakel, Supervisor St. James
Henry Schwarm, Jr., Postmaster-Merchant
St. James
Pittsburg, Seminary Township
Chm. William Hans, Farmer
Vandalia
E. J. Crowell, Farmer
Vandalia
J. M. Eakin, Farmer John Hopkins, Farmer
Vandalia
George VanHorn, Farmer
Vandalia
T. J. Stevenson, Farmer
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Vandalia
Vandalia
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FAYETTE COUNTY
Mound Chapel Church, Pope Township
Patoka
W. M. Jones, Farmer
Patoka
William Williams, Farmer
Patoka
John Baxter, Farmer Vernon -
Lee Bonnell, Farmer -
Vernon
Shobonier, Kaskaskia Township
Chm. C. J. Metzger, Merchant
Shobonier
D. M. Cowger, Farmer -
Shobonier
Henry Heckethorn, Farmer
Shobonier
J. C. Lloyd, Station Agent
Shobonier
Leonard Oglesby, Farmer
Shobonier
St. Paul, Wilberton Township
Chm. Rev. Schwagmeyer, Minister -
Shobonier
J. C. Torbeck, Supervisor
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Shobonier
John H. Boye, Merchant
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Shobonier
Henry Meseke, Farmer
Shobonier
O. L. Brown, Farmer
Vandalia
St. Peter, Lone Grove Township
Chm. Henry Bahde, Farmer
St. Peter
John Kruse, Merchant
St. Peter
Henry Gerkin, Merchant
St. Peter
Adolph Ambuehl, Farmer - -
St. Peter
Wm. Gluesenkamp, Banker
St. Peter
New Loogootee, Lone Grove Township
Chm. W. . S Ervin, Banker
Loogootee
Floyd Bullington, Merchant
Loogootee
Frank Schwarm, Stock Dealer
Loogootee
M. L. Lansford, Supervisor -
St. Peter
W. H. Gray, Farmer -
Loogootee
Vandalia, Vandalia Township
Chm. Herbert H. Sonnemann
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Vandalia
Will P. Welker
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Vandalia
F. E. Crawford
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Vandalia
Arthur Roe
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Vandalia
John Bingham
- Vandalia
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The Finance Committee
The work of this committee, of which Mr. C. F. Easterday was chairman, may be best told and their
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Chm. John Farmer, Farmer
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IN THE WORLD WAR
methods illustrated by giving an incident of the first Red Cross drive. In this drive, the first of its kind ever put on in the county, the quota of $7,000.00 was as- signed the county. The amount seemed staggering at first thought. No attempt to raise such a sum for any charitable purpose had ever been undertaken. The committee spent a week in consultation before the vi- sion came. Then a plan was agreed upon. With a knowledge of the ability of men in the county to give, a tentative quota was assigned to a number of men of financial ability throughout the county. Various com- mittees were sent out to the different parts of the coun- ty. The following incident will illustrate the methods used, the committees co-operating with the neighbor- hood committee and the Four Minute Men. The com- mittee arrived at Bingham, secured the assistance of the leading citizen, rang the church bell, sent out the word broadcast over the community that a public meet- ing was to be held in the church and the presence of all was desired immediately. The response was in- spiring. The people soon filled the church. The pur- pose of the meeting was explained and a subscription of over $700 was there raised. Similar and varied prompt action was taken throughout the county. The result was that the county's quota was more than doub- led in this first effort. This gave the committee the vision that resulted in the successful raising of every quota assigned thereafter.
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In the big War Chest Drive for $40,000 quotas were assigned to each school district based on the as- sessed valuation of property as shown by county records. The districts of each township were then or- ganized into a township organization. A certain day was set on which all pledges throughout the county were to be made. Methods applied in the diffeent town- ships differed. We will illustrate the method used in one as giving approximately the system used in all.
Wheatland township has nine school dstricts. Vernie Hamilton was chairman of the township. All school directors-twenty-seven-were notified by him to meet at St. James, and all were present. The coun- ty chairman met these directors notifying them of the quota assigned their respective districts and had them
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FAYETTE COUNTY
(1) write the names of individuals in the district who. should be asked to give; (2) apportion the quota of the district to these individuals according to their best judgment; (3) to go out Thursday and secure the pledges; this being on Tuesday evening. By nine o'clock the next morning two committees telephoned the county chairman that they had raised the quota for their districts. Every school district in the county raised its full quota and the sum of $47,000.00 instead of the $40,000.00 was raised which enabled the coun- ty to meet all demands for causes of mercy until the end of the war.
The Four Minute Men
The Four Minute Men Organization of Fayette County, under the leadership of N. C. Gochenour, coun- ty chairman, rendered most valuable service through- out the war. The county organization worked in har- mony with the Council of Defense and the various war work organizations and also with the National Organ- ization of Four Minute Men. In the various campaigns for raising of Red Cross, Y. M. C. A. and other mercy funds and in the Liberty Loan drives they made ad- dresses throughout the county at public gatherings in churches, school houses and theaters. This organiza- tion constituted the speakers bureau for all war work. They had a sufficient number of men properly dis- tributed over the county to supply every public meet- ing called to bring the Government's message to the people on a few hours notice, and with the co-opera- tion of the Neighborhood Committee were prepared to have an audience to speak to. As constituted at the time of organization this committee consisted of the following speakers:
N. C. Gochenour, Chairman
Rev. C. D. Shumard
G. H. Couchman
F. E. Crawford
Rev. J. L. McCracken
J. J. Bullington
Rev. R. L. Brown
G. A. A. Dieckmann
Rev. S. B. Murray
Rev. J. W. Ramsey John Matheny
W. P. Welker Don Connor
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IN THE WORLD WAR
J. A. Bingham J. G. Burnside
F. M. Guinn
Wm. M. Farmer
Rev. E. T. Carroll
Rev. O. R. Nelson
J. J. Brown
Arthur Roe
Jos. C. Burtschi
Wm. Jones P
Legal Advisory Board
The proper filling out of the questionnaires by reg- istrants being a somewhat complicated task Legal Ad- visory Boards were appointed throughout the country to assist in this to insure justice to both the registrant and the government. Fayette county's Legal Advisory Board consisted of G. H. Couchman, chairman, Arthur Roe and J. G. Burnside. The following were appoint- ed associate members and assistants :
W. P. Welker Geo. F. Houston J. H. Webb
J. H. Irish F. M. Guinn J. A. Matheny
J. A. Bingham John Bolin Dick Burrus
Ira D. Lakin Geo. A. Brown F. A. Meyers
The members of this board made a careful study of the blanks and the proper manner of filling out the same. A section of the board was in session in the court house from 9 A. M. to 5 P. M. daily during the time questionnaires were being returned by registrants for the purpose of assisting all who desired help. The members of the board served without compensation. The task was an enormous one as a large majority of the registrants sought the advice of this board in filling out their questionnaires.
Food Production
The committee on Food Production, of which O. E. McCormick was chairman, had as its work the super- vision of food production, and, together with the coun- ty Food Administrator, of the conservation of food and enforcement of food regulations. Mr. McCormick, up- on whom the work fell in large measure, was eminent- ly qualified for this position because of his experience
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FAYETTE COUNTY
in Farmers' Institute work. Much was done in stim- ulating production by encouraging an increase in acre- age of wheat and other essential grains. That results were had may be seen from the fact that in 1918 Fay- ette County produced more than 300,000 bushels of wheat, a mark never approached before. A sharp look-out was also kept by Mr. McCormick for violators of any of the drastic food rules and any irregularities reported to the Food Administrator. Very little diffi- culty was encountered however in this line. The will- ingness of the people generally to co-operate was very commendable.
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CHAPTER VIII.
FOOD AND FUEL ADMINISTRATIONS
When America entered the war it had reached that stage where the outcome depended not alone upon superior military forces but upon the resources which could be marshalled. The resources of our allies were fast being exhausted. All eyes were turned to America for the necessary food, fuel and supplies to continue the conflict and America was equal to the occasion. In or- der to conserve food and fuel so necessary to our arm- ies and the home industries furnishing supplies, the federal food and fuel administrations were created and county administrators appointed with full authority to enforce all rules and regulations imposed by the feder- al administrations.
Fayette County Food Administration
In December 1917, Judge John H. Webb, of Van- dalia, was appointed food administrator for Fayette county. Throughout the duration of the war Judge Webb served in this capacity and rendered invaluable service. The position was a peculiarly trying one. Not only did it carry no salary, but the demands upon the administrator were so great that if he could render the best service it was necessary for him to be at a con- siderable expense. A close supervision was exercised by our administrator over every phase of food conser- vation, production and distribution. Every part of the county was visited, detailed reports of sales of sugar and flour required of all grocers, and a close watch kept to enforce all rules and regulations. The thresh- ing of grain was closely supervised. Each thresher was required to report on blanks furnished him, the acre- age and amount of grain threshed for each farmer. Judge Webb used a system of his own in this work
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FAYETTE COUNTY
which was highly commended by state and federal offi- cials and was copied by administrators elsewhere. Threshers were required to thresh in rotation, without regard to amount, each man's crop of grain, thus as- suring the threshing of every bushel of grain with the least waste of time in moving. Threshermen and farm- ers alike co-operated with the county administrator in a most commendable manner.
Even before the appointment of county food ad- ministrators the appeal had been made by the federal administration for the voluntary observance of Tues- day of each week as meatless day and Wednesday as wheatless day. The response was ample proof of the patriotism of our people. But if these requests brought home to the individual the fact that we were at war it was the drastic flour and sugar regulations a little later that impressed upon each the necessity of sacrificing even to the extent of stinting himself in essential foods in order that the cause for which we were at war might succeed. On Feb. 4, 1918, for the first time in the his- tory of our country we went on a compulsory war diet. The chief demands of the food administration as set forth by proclamation of President Wilson were: (a) with each pound of wheat flour an equal amount of substitute flour must be purchased; (b) Monday and Wednesday of each week should be observed as wheat- less days and one meal each day should be wheatless; (c) Tusday of each week should be meatless, and one meatless meal each day; (d) Tuesday and Saturday of each week should be porkless. In addition to these rules a rule was passed a little later forbidding the marketing of hens until April 30th.
On September 1st, the flour rules requiring the purchasing of equal amounts of wheat flour and substi- tutes was replaced by one requiring the buying of but one pound of substitute flour for each four pounds of wheat flour. The rule limiting flour purchases to one eighth barrel in the cities and one fourth barrel in the country was also abolished.
New as the rules were and unaccustomed as our people were to regulation of their diet there was a ready response. Very little inclination to hoard food was shown. On the other hand when the word went,
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out that all flour and sugar on hand in excess of the government allowance should be delivered to the coun- ty food administrator, there was an instantaneous re- sponse and many barrels of these precious commodities were delivered for distribution where most needed.
The reports of threshermen to Administrator Webb brought out some valuable facts as to Fayette county's production for the year 1918. They showed that the county's wheat crop totaled, in round num- bers, 300,000 bushels and the oats crop 400,000 bush- els, an average of 20 bushels per acre of wheat and 30 bushels per acre of oats. The reports also showed an increase in wheat acreage for the following year of 45%. This increase was due to the appeal for more wheat.
Fayette County Fuel Administration.
The abnormal fuel situation brought about by the war was efficiently handled locally by Fayette County's fuel administrator, Charles A. Evans. On being ap- pointed to that responsible position Mr. Evans appoint- ed as his assistants, C. E. Lindhorst, Ramsey; T. F. Heckert, St. Elmo; E. H. Halladay, Farina, and L. C. Lape, Vandalia, Coal Conservator. Owing to the gen- eral shortage of fuel it was difficult to get sufficient coal for the needs of the county, but by careful supervision Mr. Evans and his assistants managed to make the available supply meet immediate needs. The use of wood as fuel, wherever possible was urged, and gen- erally done throughout the county. At one time when sufficient coal could not be had for domestic use in Vandalia a band of men was organized who went to the wods nearby, cut a quantity of wood and had it de- livered to the needy families.
The winter of 1917-18 was a memorable one. Al- though but new, the war machinery of this great nation was working almost perfectly. Thousands of our sol- diers were already overseas and other thousands were equipped and ready to go as soon as transportation could be provided. Factories producing everything needed for war were humming throughout the length
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FAYETTE COUNTY
and breadth of the land. Transportation facilities on land and sea were taxed to their utmost capacity. Then came one of the severest winters of history. The result was a fuel shortage that would have proven disastrous to our war program had not the situation been handled wisely and efficiently.
It soon became evident that drastic regulations must be imposed upon all consumers. War munitions, food, manufactured goods of every kind accumulated at Atlantic ports until there were tens of thousands of tons awaiting transportaion abroad. Hundreds of ships loaded with goods for our men and our allies lay idle because there was no coal in their bunkers. To re- lieve this situation Federal Fuel Administrator Garfield imposed the sweeping regulations of January 1918. Beginning January 21st, all business, with but a few exceptions, east of the Mississippi must be suspended for a five day period and thereafter every Monday for nine consecutive weeks, in order that coal might be di- verted to the Atlantic ports for trans-Atlantic steamers, and the congestion of freight cleared away.
On receipt of the orders from the federal admini- strator for a meeting of business men was called by Mr. Evans in the Chamber of Commerce rooms at Vandalia. Practically every business man of Vandalia was pres- ent. The order was discussed by the lawyers and oth- ers present as to its local application. In compliance with the ruling every business designated in the ruling closed. The Ford Roofing Plant at Vandalia and other similar plants in the towns of the county closed, al- though it meant a considerable loss to the employees as well as to the employers, three hundred men from the Ford plant alone being thus temporarily thrown out of employment.
Friday and Saturday, January 10th and 11th, 1918, were days long to be remembered, especially by those whose coal bins were empty. And there were many empty coal bins in Vandalia. Friday a gentle snow began to fall; it increased as the day advanced however, the mercury began to fall rapidly and a ter- rific wind arose, making one of the worst, if not the worst blizzard in the history of Southern Illinois. The temperature fell rapidly until on Saturday morning it
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had reached the almost unprecedented mark for this locality, 25 degrees below zero. Vandalia was out of coal and something had to be done to relieve the situ- ation. Mr. Evans telephoned Supt. Schaefer of the Pana coal company and explained the situation. Mr. Schaefer said he would gladly supply a car of coal but the Illinois Central Railroad would not accept it owing to the snow having made it necessary to reduce freight to the minimum with the prospect of having to stop all trains because the tracks could not be kept clear of drifts. Mr. Evans did not accept this as final, however, but telephoned Supt. Heverns of the I. C. R. R. at Clin- ton. The situation was explained and Mr. Heverns re- plied that he would have a car of coal at Vandalia by the first train if the train could reach here. Orders were given by Mr. Heverns to hold a freight train at Pana until the tracks to the mines could be cleared of snow and a car of coal procured. This was done, it being necessary to hold the train for six hours while a force of men cleared the tracks to the mines. The fol- lowing day the car was in Vandalia and the coal allot- ted to needy families in five hundred pound lots or less.
Coal dealers throughout the county co-operated with Mr. Evans and his assistants in a most commend- able manner. The absolute unselfishness manifested is shown by an incident in Vandalia. Willard Walton, one of the three coal dealers, in supplying the needs of others neglected his own coal bin and during a severe cold spell ran out of the precious stuff. His plight be- came known to the officials of the Ford Roofing plant who promptly sent him a sufficient quantity from their own supply to tide him over until another car should arrive.
Similar incidents might be mentioned from various parts of the county. At one time the St. Elmo schools . were on the verge of having to close because of short- age of coal. Assistant fuel administrator T. F. Heck- ert by continuous effort finally succeeded in securing a car and the schools were kept going.
Mr. Evans later resigned as fuel administrator and was succeeded by F. C. Humphrey of Vandalia, who efficiently served in that capacity as long as the fuel administration existed.
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FAYETTE COUNTY
CHAPTER IX.
LIBERTY LOANS AND WAR SAVINGS STAMPS.
The Liberty Loans
The successful prosecution of the war at the time America entered depended in large measure upon the number of men and the quantity of supplies our nation could furnish. It soon became apparent to all that we must not only furnish armies but we must finance the greatest undertaking in the history of the world. In the five Liberty Loans floated by the nation Fayette County was never delinquent.
The First Liberty Loan
The first Liberty Loan which was floated soon after the declaration of war was attended with little publicity and required little or no organization. No definite quotas were assigned. The loan was small in comparison with the huge loans that were to follow and was subscribed in large measure by the banks. The banks of Fayette county subscribed for $109,900.00 of this first loan.
The Second Liberty Loan
The First Liberty Loan was small and was sub- scribed to with so little effort that the people of the county scarcely knew that it had been done. The Sec- ond, however, was not so inconsiderable. A quota of $211,500.00 was assigned Fayette county. The week of October 20-27th was the time set for the drive. On the 20th a meeting was called in the court house which was attended by the bankers and many of the business men and others of the county. After a rousing address by Hon. W. Duff Piercy of Mt. Vernon, the county or- ganization necessary was perfected. C. F. Easterday
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was elected chairman and an executive committee of the following chosen: Frank C. Eckard, Joseph C. Burtschi, J. G. Burnside, G. H. Couchman and N. C. Gochenour. The officers of the twelve banks of the county were also considered members of the commit- tee.
A captain was named for each township who was supposed to go into his township, select his helpers, make a canvass and report his quota in the short space of one week. The general plan in this drive as in sub- sequent ones was for the banks to underwrite the coun- ty's quota, proportionate quotas being assigned the var- ious banks of the county. The committee was thus as- sured before the drive that the county's quota would be reached by reason of the banks' guarantee. Below is the organization showing township chairman and quotas
Township
Quota
Captains
Avena -
$21,000
George Bledsoe, C. N. Bennyhoff
Bear Grove
5,100
Charles Atwood
Bowling Green
3,150
John W. Miller, W. D. Whittington
Carson
5,100
Robert Hunt Jr., T. L. Bolt
Hurricane
8,400
H. M. Casey, E. J. Fitzgerald
Kaskaskia
5,100
D. M. Cowger
LaClede
21,000
Lone Grove
15,750
Otis Harpster, Adolph Ambuehl, J. H. Mahon and M. L. Lansford
Loudon
4,200
John Holman
Otego
8,400
M. J. Griffith
Pope
4,200
Wm. Jones
Ramsey
21,000
H. L. Haynes, Joe Easterday
Sefton
4,200
W. T. Wilson
Seminary
8,400
Ralph Thompson
Sharon
5,100
D. O. Randall
Vandalia
63,000
G. H. Couchman
Wheatland
4,200
Verne Hamilton
Wilberton
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J. H. Boye Jr.
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C. T. Wade
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The drive was made and reports ready on schedule time showing that the county's quota of $211,500.00 had been oversubscribed by $45,000. Eighty per cent of the total subscription was by individuals, leaving the banks to carry the remaining twenty per cent. A com-
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FAYETTE 3 COUNTY
pilation made before the returns were entirely in, ($4,350.00 of total subscription is not shown) shows the amounts subscribed through and by the twelve banks of the county to be as follows:
First National, Vandalia
$80,000
Farmers and Merchants, Vandalia
50,000
Farina State, Farina
27,000
Fayette County, St. Elmo
17,000
First National, St. Elmo
15,000
First National, Brownstown
15,000
Peoples State, Ramsey
10,000
First National, St. Peter
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3,500
Farmers and Merchants, St. Peter
1,400
Farmers and Merchants, Loogootee
800
Farmers and Merchants, LaClede
100
The Third Liberty Loan
In April 1918 the Third Liberty Loan was an- nounced with a national quota of $3,000,000,000. Fay- ette county's quota was fixed at $253,850.
The plan of campaign in this drive was practically identical with that of the Second Loan which had proven so successful. In addition to the rousing speech- es of the "Four Minute Men" and others in behalf of the loan the government co-operated in arousing en- thusiasm by sending a war-relic train and the "Jackie Band" from the Great Lakes Training Station.
The war relic train arrived in Vandalia from the south via the Illinois Central at 9 o'clock on the morn- ing of April 24th. The discharge of several bombs an- nounced its arrival and although it was raining in tor- rents a great crowd of people gathered in a few min- utes. It was announced that the meeting would be held at the Dixie theater and the crowd immediately rushed to the theater. More were turned away than could find places inside. Hon. Dixon Williams of Chi- cago, speaker in charge, introduced Captain James A. Wheeler of Camp Zachary Taylor, who displayed the smaller relics that had been taken to the theater, in- cluding small arms, machine guns, gas masks, trench tools etc., and gave an interesting talk of their use. Mr. Williams then introduced what he termed the most in-
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teresting exhibit, Corp. Gordon W. Hardy, of Excler, Maine, his buddy Chester Device of Milwaukee and J. H. Gordon of the Canadian Highlanders. Each gave an interesting talk about his experiences at the front and appealed to the people to support the government by buying bonds of the Third Liberty Loan.
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