THE BOYS OF ILLINOISTOWN:
East St. Louis in "The War to End All Wars"
a play in one act by
Thomas A. Pearson
Copyright Ó 2005 by Thomas A. Pearson.
Some rights reserved (see copyright notice at the end of this play).
Cast: Reporter (brown suit, bow tie, and hat)
Naval Officer (in dress uniform)
Army Officer (in dress uniform)
Soldier (in fatigues)
Gold Star Mother (black dress with black hat and veil)
Politician (dark suit and red or blue bow tie)
Women's War Organization Member (dressed all in white)
[Note: Costumes should appear as much as possible to be of WWI era vintage.]
(Play takes place on a stage bare except for a good-sized wooden desk, down stage center, andtwo microphone stands, down stage left and right. A typewriter, an old-style telephone, a copy ofthe script, and a microphone are the only items on the desk. Stage is dark as the curtain rises. Aspotlight shines on the Reporter, who enters from stage right. As the play is in progress, blackand white slides of World War I photos are projected on a large screen up stage center. TheReporter takes a seat behind the desk, down stage center. The Reporter reads his lines from thescript on his desk, as if he's doing a radio broadcast. The spotlight stays on the Reporter onlywhile he is speaking. There are microphone stands several feet to each side of the Reporter'sdesk at down stage left and right. Cast members step forward from the darkness to themicrophone to say their lines. The Soldier carries a stack of letters, and reads his lines from them.Male cast members step forward from stage right, female cast members from stage left. They arehit with a spotlight only while speaking their lines-- they step forward from and then step backinto darkness.)
REPORTER
Hello, everyone. When World War One began in 1914, we thought it was going to be a war forthe Europeans, fought by them in Europe. All the action would happen Over There. With anyluck, it would be over in six months, a year at most. In the meantime, America could keep ondoing the thing it does best: business!
East St. Louis in the years prior to the war increased in population due to the growth of the St.Louis National Stockyards and other industries related to animal or chemical processing. Theneed for workers for these industries brought in immigrants from Europe and the AmericanSouth. But the war didn't end quickly, did it? The shells kept flying, European boys kept dying,and it seemed that the war got bigger and bigger-- it seemed to be happening in more and moreplaces, involving more and more countries, until finally, as of April 6th, 1917, we were suddenlyin it, too.
When President WILSON told us war had been declared on Germany, some men volunteeredright away, like they always do. They were mightily afraid that it would all be over before theygot their chance to take a few pot shots at Hun soldiers in their funny spike helmets.
East St. Louis was no different than other parts of the good old U.S.A. Boys here were as eageras guys in other places to serve their country. With a little luck, they might wind up doing somebrave and noble thing, and then the local girls would line up for a chance to make time with ahometown hero.
Many boys from East St. Louis volunteered to fight in what was known then as "the War to EndAll Wars" or "the Great War." Some of these boys did not come back from the war. They wereburied in Europe, near the locations where they died. The East St. Louis Journal printednumerous stories about the war in Europe, some of which were about local men who had beenkilled in action or died there from other causes. It's stories like these, taken from that great paperthat I worked at for many years, which can help us keep alive the memory of these boys-- boyswho have lain forgotten in their graves-- until tonight.
NAVAL OFFICER
Clyde Walter BOISMENUE was such a boy. He enlisted in the Navy on June 10th, 1917, barelytwo months after President Wilson declared war on Germany. Clyde never made it overseas,though, or even to boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Station. While waiting to be calledinto service, he went fishing with his father, fell into the Mississippi River, and was drowned. And Clyde wasn't the only American boy who was drowned while in the service, either- 727 boysdied that way during the Great War. Clyde is now buried in Mt. Carmel Cemetery, where he wasjust one more name on a tombstone- at least until tonight.
Charles John ADLER of our town also enlisted in the Navy. Charlie made it as far as boot camp-and died there at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, of the Spanish flu, on September 25th,1918. Charlie was only 19 years old when he died. Now, he wasn't the only victim of theSpanish flu, though- no, sir! In October 1918, it killed 195,000 people in the U.S. alone! CharlieADLER was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, with an honor guard of 18 sailors from Great LakesNaval Training Station. Since then, though, he's been just another name on a tombstone- at leastuntil tonight.
ARMY OFFICER
William G. ALLEN, a local boy raised on a farm on Collinsville Road, joined this man's Armyand actually made it to France. He served as Chief Wagoner for the 124th Field ArtilleryRegiment. Disease killed him, though, and he is buried in the Meuse-Argonne AmericanCemetery in France.
GOLD STAR MOTHER
I am Billy Allen's mother, Mary ALLEN of East St. Louis. I went to see my boy's grave as part ofthe Gold Star Mothers' and Widows' Pilgrimage sponsored by Congress in 1930. I was one of6,693 women who made that sad trip to France. It's a beautiful place, though, the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery-- well kept up and so very pretty. There are acres and acres ofwhite crosses in neat rows- they seem to go on forever. Since 1930, though, nobody from thefamily has been able to get over there to see Billy's grave. For all these years he's been alone andunremembered, in a place far from home-- at least until tonight.
ARMY OFFICER
Earney BRYMER also made it to France. He was a career soldier who joined the Army in 1913. He was in the Supply Company, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, when he died in France ofpneumonia on May 25th, 1918. A letter he wrote to his mother, Mollie, arrived in East St. Louison June 8th, 1918. In it he said:
SOLDIER
“Dear Mother: Just a few lines to let you know that I am well and happy. Never felt better in mylife; also having a good time under the circumstances. As this is Mothers’ Day, this is yourletter. Every soldier in France is writing a letter to his mother today.
Mother, I would like to tell you all I have seen of this war, but owing to our strict censorship I amunable to do so. So don’t worry about me, for I am fine and dandy. I don’t think the Huns havea shell to fit me over here. I feel sure I am coming home some day.
Since we landed we have been on three different fronts, and don’t you know each one has gottena little livelier. How long we will stay on this one I don’t know, but I don’t think it will be verylong. I have nothing else to write, so I guess I will close. With all the love a son can have for hismother, I remain, Your loving son,
Earney.
ARMY OFFICER
Some of our boys did make it back to East St. Louis, of course. Frank Andrew DODSON did,although his return wasn't a cause for celebration. Frank, a private in the 35th Railway Engineers,died in France of pneumonia on October 19, 1918. He was buried there in the American sectionof La Rochelle Cemetery. His mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac DODSON of East St.Louis, couldn't bear the thought of their boy all alone in a far-away land, though, so they broughthim home. He was reburied here, at Mt. Hope Cemetery, on November 21st, 1920. Hispallbearers were guys he'd served with in France: William BENNETT, Louis SPOONEMAN, EdSPOONEMAN, William DASKE, Rudy MAY, and Ben REYMER. A bugler from JeffersonBarracks, Joe McDONALD, played "Taps" at Frank's reburial.
REPORTER
Other East St. Louis boys were also killed by disease- penicillin was yet to be discovered, afterall. Elmer CLEVENGER, a Wagoner in the Army, died on August 31, 1918. He's buried atJefferson Barracks National Cemetery. John HERMAN and William MILES, both privates inthe Army, were also killed by disease, and are also buried at Jefferson Barracks. Poor BillyMILES was just 19 years old when he died. Joseph THOMAS was also killed by disease- hedied on November 26, 1918, two weeks after Armistice Day. He didn't make it home, though-Joe THOMAS is buried at St. Mihiel American Cemetery, in France.
Other East St. Louis boys killed by disease were William CONNORS, John DULLEA, ConradKLEE, Henry LONGUST, Milton MOSER, Leo TOWNSEND, Walter WOLFE, and CharlesYOUNGHOUSE. Milt MOSER was just 18 years old when he died. During the years since thewar ended these boys have been just that many more tombstones in far away graveyards- at leastuntil tonight.
ARMY OFFICER
Not all of our boys who died in France died of disease, though. No, not hardly. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, which started on September 26, 1918, killed 26,277 American boys. Someof those boys were killed by a new horror first unleashed during World War I- the gas attack. Gas attacks killed 1,462 American boys. One of them was Charles NEIMAN, an East St. Louisboy. Charlie was injured during a gas attack, and died of gas gangrene related pneumonia fourdays after the armistice was signed. He was buried in France, then returned home in 1920. Hewas reburied at Mt. Hope Cemetery on January 11, 1920, in a ceremony that included pallbearersand a firing squad from Jefferson Barracks.
Some of our boys who were injured in combat didn't survive. 13,673 American boys died lateron from wounds received on the battlefield. One such boy was Louis Joseph SCHAUB, a privatein the 138th Infantry Regiment. He was wounded in action on September 23, 1918, and died ofthose wounds on September 29th. In his last letter home he wrote:
SOLDIER
“Don’t worry if I don’t write for some time as we are chasing the Huns so fast I cannot find notime or paper to write. We sure are getting the Kaiser’s goat and he’s traveling fast. My buddy,Rankin HAMMOND, is in the hospital— in bad, too, with one arm and one leg off— he’s donehis hit and none braver. You see I’s still “lucky Louie,” and that’s what I hope to be.”
REPORTER
But "Lucky" Louie's luck didn't last- it ran out on September 29th, 1918, when he died of woundsreceived a week earlier. Other boys at least didn't suffer much- the war killed them in an instant. Nearly 37,000 soldiers in the U.S. Army were killed outright during World War I. One suchsoldier was Paul BETHARD, an orphan who worked in George POLLACK's barbershop. Paulenlisted in the Army in May 1918, one year after President WILSON's declaration of war. He'dbeen promoted to Sergeant, and was serving in the 125th Infantry Regiment when he was killed inaction on October 4, 1918. He's home now, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, inSection 41, Site 12674.
ARMY OFFICER
We all know war is cruel- it's no respecter of persons. It can kill a boy, or a tent full of boys, inan instant. And that's what happened, ladies and gentlemen, on October 8th, 1918, near theArgonne Forest in France. An German artillery shell struck a mess tent there, killing CorporalJames R. BUXTON and Private Richard C. HOWELL, both of Battery F, 124th Field ArtilleryRegiment, both of them East St. Louis boys. BUXTON was survived by his wife, Genova, hismother, and five brothers and sisters. HOWELL's parents were both already dead; only his sister,Mrs. Lena DWYER, was left to mourn him.
We also know that war can kill a hero as easily as it kills a coward. One hero who died in Francewas James J. BORDERS. He was a medic in the 124th Field Artillery Regiment, a man whosejob was saving lives. In October 1918, Lieutenant Fred S. WILLBUR, also in the 124th FieldArtillery Regiment, told his own mother in a letter about the bravery displayed by JimBORDERS:
SOLDIER
Jim BORDERS has distinguished himself twice…
Once he pulled a Frog truck driver out from under a burning and exploding truck of artillery shells. For this the French awarded the top sergeant of the truck ammunition train the Croix deGuerre. Can you beat it?
Two days ago Jim had another adventure. He and another private were in ‘no man’s land’scouting for wounded. Jim was ‘armed’ with a hatchet and a cane (medics don't carry weapons)and his companion with some first-aid dressings. They ran into a bunch of ‘Huns,’ seven in all.Their commander pointed his automatic pistol at Jim and tried to bluff him. Jim couldn't speakGerman very well, though, so he walked up to the Hun and took his pistol away. He thenmarched the seven Germans into our lines, and then went back out to look for wounded men. JimBORDERS was known throughout the regiment as the ‘man without fear.’
REPORTER
Jim BORDERS never made it back home, though. On November 1st, 1918, he was killed whenan artillery shell burst near a group of soldiers from the 124th Field Artillery Regiment. A pieceof shrapnel struck Jim behind the ear. He died while in an ambulance on the way to a fieldhospital.
GOLD STAR MOTHER
I am Jimmy's mother, Ada BORDERS. I went to see my boy's grave as part of the Gold StarMothers' and Widows' Pilgrimage sponsored by Congress in 1930. It's a beautiful place, really,the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery-so well kept up and very pretty. There are acres andacres of white crosses in neat rows- they seem to go on forever. Since 1930, though, nobody fromthe family has been able to get over there to see Jimmy's grave. For years he's been all alone andunremembered in a place so far from home- at least until tonight.
REPORTER
We've all known people who seem to be happy no matter the circumstances they find themselvesin. One such man was Frank L. GILL, Jr. Frank was a Sergeant in the 124th Field ArtilleryRegiment. He died in France on October 4th, 1918. He was in typically good spirits, though, ashe wrote the last letter his parents received from him:
SOLDIER
Well, dear folks, I was sure glad to get your letters. You ask why I have not written—I have anawfully good excuse. We generally fire every other 48 hours, only stopping long enough to cooloff the gun barrel, then the other 48 hours we have nothing to do but put on and take off gasmasks, sleep and dodge shells—lots of time to write! I had 48 hours leave and was back in alarge city and had an awfully good time, though I was tired out. Managed to enjoy myself atthat—trying to talk to and understand French girls. They sure love the American soldiers. Iguess I have a dozen fiancées over here, and every one I talk to I tell her after the war I’m goingto take her back to America with me.
I got a letter from Glenn the other day and he says he is going to enlist again. I hope he does andI hope he gets in. I will sure be proud of him if he does, for a guy has only one chance to dosomething for our grand old flag. I wish I had nine lives, like the cat, to lose fighting for ourcountry and my loved ones so far away from me.
But we have our fun. Our war cry is, ‘Heaven, Hell or Hoboken by Xmas!’ and when a big shellis coming the boys holler, ‘Shoot, you devils; you’re faded!’ I have not been shot as yet anddon’t think I will be for some time. They haven’t even dented my hat. It is made of boiler plate,so no chance.
Well, dear folks, you must be good and write to me often, for I sure like to hear from you. Withall my love, your son, FRANK.
REPORTER
Frank is buried at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France. He worked before the warat the Aluminum Ore Company, and his name was entered after his death on a bronze plaque atthe entrance to the plant's main building. There was a memorial service at the plant's main gateon November 19th, 1918.
William T. GOODWIN, a member of the 124th Field Artillery Regiment, also worked at theAluminum Ore Company prior to enlistment. Private GOODWIN died on October 4th, 1918- thesame day as Frank GILL, Jr.- killed in fact by the same artillery shell. His name is also on thatbronze plaque at the entrance to the plant's main building. He was also remembered in thememorial service at the plant's main gate on November 19th, 1918.
The Aluminum Ore Company lost quite a few boys to the war. One of them was ClydePENDLETON. Clyde enlisted in the Army shortly after war was declared, and was shipped toFrance. He died there, too, killed in action on September 27, 1918. His friend, Sergeant BudMENGES, wrote a letter to Clyde's brother, Ras:
Dear Ras, By the time this letter reaches you I know you will have been notified of our recentengagement. You have my most heartfelt sympathy; even more, if possible. My heart has beenbroken ever since. Ras, you have a brother that was a true and brave American. Everyone herespeaks of his bravery.
Ras, I know how you feel, but I feel just the same. Clyde was my good friend. The oneconsolation we have left is he gave his life nobly. There are many things I would like to tell you,but you know I am not permitted; perhaps some other time.
Ras, extend my most heartfelt sympathy to your dear mother and father and the family. If there isanything you would like to know, I will write you at any time. Sincerely yours, Sergeant “Bud”MENGES.
REPORTER
Clyde is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France. His name is also on thatbronze plaque at the entrance to the Aluminum Ore Company plant's main building. He was alsoremembered in the memorial service at the plant's main gate on November 19th, 1918.
Another East St. Louis boy was killed on the same day that Clyde PENDLETON died. PrivateWilliam A. HALLIHAN knew Clyde PENDLETON- they lived a few doors from one another onBaugh Avenue. Billy HALLIHAN was the brother of Deputy City Clerk John HALLIHAN. Billy was killed in action in the Battle of the Argonne Forest, and is buried near ClydePENDLETON in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.
ARMY OFFICER
Sometimes notice of a boy's death in battle came from unexpected sources. Private GeorgeKAEMMERER was killed in action on September 29, 1918. The telegram from the WarDepartment sent to his family to inform them of George's death was delivered to the wronghouse, however. The KAEMMERERs were initially informed of the death in a letter from MissEthel M. DAY, an English girl who'd met KAEMMERER and a few of his buddies while theywere receiving Tank Service training in England. She learned of George's death from one ofthose buddies, who'd found George's body on the battlefield.
George KAEMMERER died the same day as Max SUMNER, one of his buddies in the TankService. One month after Private SUMNER's death, his aunt in Chicago, Mrs. C.W. GILL,received the following letter from an Australian soldier, Corporal W.S. HITCHCOCK:
SOLDIER
Dear Madam—During the recent fighting which has taken place here in France we Australianshave been with American troops, and early this month, during an advance I found a man, withthis address and photos with him, who was not buried. So I am sending them on to you. Kindlylet me know if you recognize them. Respectfully yours, Corporal W. S. HITCHCOCK,Headquarters Co., 35th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces Abroad.
REPORTER
HITCHCOCK's letter included photos of SUMNER's parents and sister, along with a letter inSUMNER’s hand addressed to Mrs. GILL. Also included were two brakeman's passes on the B.& O. Railroad, where SUMNER had been employed before enlisting.
GOLD STAR MOTHER
I am Max's mother, Laura SUMNER. I went to see my boy's grave in the Somme AmericanCemetery as part of the Gold Star Mothers' and Widows' Pilgrimage sponsored by Congress in1930. It's a beautiful place, really-- well kept up and so very pretty. There are acres and acres ofwhite crosses in neat rows- they seem to go on forever. Max is in Row No. 14, Grave No. 14.Since 1930, though, nobody from the family has been able to get over there to see Max's grave. For years he's been all alone and unremembered in a place so far from home- at least untiltonight.
REPORTER
Other East St. Louis boys were also killed in action. Adolf SMOLIK of the 129th InfantryRegiment died on September 29, 1918. Nick MUFFA of the 61st Infantry Regiment died onOctober 12, 1918. George DOUARD and Peter HURST were also killed in action, and are buriedin the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France. Paul BETHARD was also killed in action,on October 4, 1918, as was Ambrose BOULDEN, on November 11, 1918, but their people wereable to bring them home-- they're both buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St.Louis.
One East St. Louis boy, however, paid what has to be considered the ultimate price- he was killedin action on Armistice Day, the day the fighting in Europe ended. Corporal William VOGELenlisted in the Army on April 6, 1917, the day that President Wilson declared war on Germany. He was wounded shortly after arriving in France, and spent several months in the hospital beforebeing declared fit enough to rejoin his unit. But then, on November 11, 1918, Billy VOGEL waskilled in action, one of the very last battlefield casualties of World War I.
ARMY OFFICER
First Lieutenant Byron B. CARMICHAEL didn't die on the last day of the war- he died a weekbefore it ended, on November 4, 1918. He wasn't killed in combat, either- he died of influenza ina field hospital, where he was being treated for injuries suffered when an exploding artillery shellburst his left ear drum. But Lieutenant CARMICHAEL was part of a family tradition of service-his grandfather, George W. CARMICHAEL, served in the 139th Illinois Infantry Regiment duringthe Civil War. Byron CARMICHAEL was a football star at East St. Louis High School, and hadseemed destined for a life of great achievement. His death was thus a terrific shock for hisfamily. The shock was eased somewhat by a touching letter the family received from PrivateWalter B. BECKER, who witnessed Lieutenant CARMICHAEL's funeral:
SOLDIER
At four o’clock on the day following his death the funeral left the hospital with the guard ofhonor and about fifty men. The procession slowly passed in solemn silence through the villageand everyone stood with bowed and uncovered heads to do reverence to the dead. Old women atthe open casements who may have known the grief which is yours today, dropped to their kneesand clasped their hands in prayer as we came by. And so we proceeded until the village was leftbehind and now our path led over the peaceful hills glowing with autumnal colors, and all wassilence save for the tread of mourners’ feet and the tolling of the bell, faint in the distance.
At last the beautiful cemetery was reached where it lays sheltered by the mountains on a spot aslovely as any on earth. And then the casket, draped in the Stars and Stripes, and covered with agreat wreath of flowers, was carried to its resting place. In the rush of the coming twilight andthe sky aglow with the radiant splendor of the setting sun from beyond the purple mountains,“Taps” was sounded and the casket lowered into earth’s arms.
And there we left him, sleeping in the quiet peace of the mountains, surrounded by others whoslumber, too, in a foreign soil. I hope you will find solace in the thought and the solemn pridethat your sacrifice is made in a wonderful cause and that your son has not died in vain. Verysincerely, Private Walter B. BECKER.
REPORTER
The solemnity of the ceremony and the beauty of his resting place was not comfort enough forhis grieving relatives, however: Lieutenant CARMICHAEL's body was brought home forreburial on familiar ground after the war ended. His body lay in state in East St. Louis City Hallbefore reburial.
Sadly, direct hits by the big guns used in World War I didn't always leave a clearly identifiablecorpse for grieving buddies or family members to bury. Several East St. Louis families receivednotification that their boys were missing in action. The family of Edward M. KIRCHOFF, amechanic in the 138th Infantry Regiment, went missing and was presumed killed on September28th, 1918. Heinrich J. KARWELAT, a private in the 2nd Engineer Regiment, went missing andwas presumed dead on October 7th, 1918. Both men are listed on the Tablets of the Missing inthe Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France.
POLITICIAN
It didn't seem like names on tombstones or on Tablets of the Missing in a far-away country didenough to honor the sacrifices of our fallen boys, so East St. Louis citizens began to discusspreparing a tribute of some sort for them on the first anniversary of Armistice Day-- November11, 1919. Committees were formed to raise money for a monument, to plan an Armistice Dayparade from downtown East St. Louis to Jones Park, and to organize speakers for the dedicationceremony. Patriotic organizations including the Grand Army of the Republic and Veterans of theSpanish-American War helped organize the effort, as did ladies in all the war organizationauxiliaries and lineage societies. Miss Cecil TOWNSEND, secretary of the Red Cross, andmembers of the Lions, Rotary and Optimist Clubs also helped in planning and fund-raising.
The monument was to be dedicated to those who died in four wars- the War of 1812, Civil War,Spanish-American War, and World War I. One of the tiers of the monument would have thenames of all men from East St. Louis who died during the Great War. Originally, 98 names wereinscribed-- five more were added later, for a total of 103. Helen WARNER, a member of theBusiness and Professional Women’s Club, compiled the list of names for the monument. Sheworked with the Illinois office of the War Department to compile the list, and would also presideover the unveiling of the monument
The Soldiers War Memorial, also known as the Veterans War Memorial, has stood at theintersection of 25th Street, Lynch Avenue and Caseyville Avenue in East St. Louis for 80 years. This three-tiered monument of granite was dedicated on November 12, 1924. The parade starteddowntown and ended at the monument for the unveiling and dedication ceremony.
The granite monument is located in a grassy island at the intersection of three streets. It hasseveral parts: a two part base (one large with rough sides, another smaller one with smoothsides). The next tier has names inscribed on all sides of those who died during the First WorldWar, while the third tier is a long shaft that has one war on each side with its date. At the top ofthe shaft on all sides is a draped flag of stripes topped by stars which symbolizes a draped coffin. At the very top, there stood an eagle carved in the finest granite from the state of Vermont. Theeagle had a wingspan of three and a half feet-- sadly, it has disappeared and no longer watchesover the monument. In total, the monument stands about 17 feet tall. The Walter P. TISCHMonument Works, which is still in business today, constructed the monument.
WOMEN'S WAR ORGANIZATION MEMBER
The parade began at 2:30 p.m., at 10th and State Streets. The Grand Marshall was MaxADELMAN, former president of American Legion Post Number 53. The parade was headed bythe Grand Marshall and Rev. Joseph LONERGAN, both in uniform. The next participants cameas follows: the Sixth Infantry Band of Jefferson Barracks, G.A.R. members in a limousine, anelaborately decorated pony cart for youngsters, Gold Star Mothers in automobiles, East St. Louiscity officials, the Jefferson Barracks Drum Corps, 100 Spanish American War veterans, WorldWar I veterans, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Women’s ReliefCorps headed by a float trimmed in white with the letters WRC in red, auxiliaries of theAmerican Legion posts, a float representing all branches of the world war service, representativesof the women’s auxiliaries, the East St. Louis High School band, Ainad Temple drill team(Steven KNOWLES, in charge), Y.W.C.A. girls in buses, St. Joseph’s Boy Scout band (headedby Scout Executive A. H. CURTIS and Scoutmaster Charles KASTNER), and members of theBusiness and Professional Women’s Clubs. It was estimated that 600 marched in the parade and200 rode in automobiles. About 1,500 persons gathered in Jones Park awaiting the parade anddedication. The parade ended at 25th Street and Victory (now Argonne) Drive. It took 20 minutesfor the parade to pass any given point on the parade route.
The dedication ceremony director was Mrs. C. H. NIEDERFELD of the Women’s ReliefCorps. One of her assistants was Mrs. William BAHRENBURG of Belleville, past president ofthe WRC. Two children, Virginia Lucille JOHNSON and Charles ASHTON, unveiled themonument. Women of various war organizations attired in white, arms laden with flowers,placed them at the base of the monument for those East St. Louis men buried in the Meuse-Argonne, Oisne-Aisne, Suresne, St. Mihiel, and Somme American Cemeteries in France. TheSixth Infantry Band played the Star Spangled Banner, with a chorus of 400 from the public highschools singing along. Rabbi Jacob R. MAZUR offered a prayer. As the first speaker, Rev. J.Stanley MITCHELL, began his speech, “The Price of Peace,” rain drizzled from dark clouds thathad previously gathered. Then hard rain fell, dispersing the crowd before the other speakerscould take their turns. The speakers included Rev. Joseph LONERGAN of Duran, Illinois,Mayor M. M. STEPHENS, Attorney Kevin KANE, Miss Helen WARNER, and Rev. J. J.DOWNEY of St. Joseph’s Church.
REPORTER
As we now know, World War I was not "The War to End All Wars." Barely twenty years after itended, The Great War would become known as World War I, to differentiate it from the newworld-wide conflict begun by Germany and Japan-- the conflagration we now call World War II. But World War I did bring to a sudden end the lives of more than 100 East St. Louis boys. We've spent a little time tonight remembering some of those boys- boys from a place that wasonce called Illinoistown. Time hasn't stood still since World War I for the town these fallenheroes were raised in, a place we now call East St. Louis, Illinois. But the passage of time needn'terase our memory of the lives they lived here or the sacrifices that they made. By choosing toremember the boys of Illinoistown, and boys from other towns all across America who have diedin war so that we can all live the lives we choose to, we can both honor their memory and keepalive for all time the dream of hope and freedom that is the United States of America.
THE END
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