Durham will take part in national defense day set for September 12. On that day the Durham Gun company will recruit its company up to full war strength, and a demonstration of machine gun fire will be staged during the afternoon near the city. There will be no public parade of local ex-service men on that day nor will the public at large take any part in the day’s program.
National defense day, proclaimed by the government at Washington, will be held on the day when the first all-American offensive began in the St. Mihiel salient. The selection of that day is every appropriate for on that day in 1918 the Americans first showed their ability as a fighting machine in reducing one of the most formidable sectors of the war and without assistance from soldiers from the allied armies.
There is a divergence of opinion among Durham people regarding the advisability of setting aside a day as national defense day. Recently the membership of the First Baptist church voted in opposition to it and a petition was sent to Washington registering that protest. Local former service men, however, declared it to be their opinion that the plan to mobilize the war strength of the nation on the day designated was a good one. They were of the opinion that the other nations of the world can and will not feel that the show of power on September 12 will be construed as an act on the part of the United States to show her strength.
Col. S.C. Chambers in commenting upon it thought it was a good plan, that it would help the government to be prepared should another war come. He pointed out the fact that during the world war the American forces could not have entered the war as quickly as they did had it not been for the French guns which the artillery used and other equipment turned over to the Americans in carrying on the war. This should not be, he added. By bringing the forces of the nation, both reserve and the standing army, out once a year, the war department can see what is needed for strengthening the forces. Colonel Chambers was an officer in the 113th regiment of field artillery, a part of the 30th division.
Major L.P. McLendon, solicitor for t his district and also a veteran of the world war, having commanded Battery “C” 113th field artillery, is also of the opinion that an annual defense day will be a good thing. He explained the purpose of national defense day as he saw it. He thought it was a plan whereby the war department wanted to check up on the war strength that could be mustered into the service in the event of war.
Other former service men interviewed are of the belief that (the) annual defense day plan is a good one.
In some sections of the country, big parades will be held with the men who served the nation during the days of strife during 1917-18, and big demonstrations of armed strength will be staged. In North Carolina very few sections will enter into the plan in a big way, unless it is at Fort Bragg.
The Durham Machine Gun company now has a peacetime strength of around 78 members, according to Capt. Luther H. Barbour, commanding officer of the local military organization, while the war strength is approximately 152 men. On September 12 he will attempt to recruit his company to full war strength. The new recruits will not be required to drill nor to become a member of the company during the required term of enlistment, it was stated, and they will be released immediately after signing up. The purpose of the recruitment is to ascertain whether or not the company could be recruited to full war strength should the occasion for it arise.
Other plans being made for the local observance of the day include a big demonstration on machine gun fire and a real army meal for be (??) served on the field selected for the machine gun drill to the members of the company and approximately 75 especially invited guests. Requests will be made of the employers of the members of the local company to allow them to have a half holiday during the afternoon in order that full strength may take part in the program. During the afternoon the company will march to the site selected for the drill. Prior to that time the field kitchen will prepare the feed which will be served the small army around 6 o’clock.
Invitation will be extended by the company to the various civic clubs to send representatives to the drill and to the supper and other organizations will be invited to send some of their members. Approximately 75 visitors will be planned for. A larger crowd cannot be accommodated, Captain Barbour stated, because of the cost attached to giving the food.
From the front page of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, August 3, 1924
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84020730/1924-08-03/ed-1/seq-1/
No comments:
Post a Comment