DRUNKARDS' MARCH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1019, 7 January 1911, Page 10

DRUNKARDS' MARCH.

SALVATION ARMY RAID IN NEW YORK.

- The National Boozo Conference" and Booze Parade," which took place here yesterday evening, under the management ot tho Salvation Army (writes a New York correspondent unter dtx - November -5), should surely rank as tlio greatest temperance rally of the year.' 4.'t ail events, there has been nothing like it before in A civ York, and the Army is rejoicing 1 to-da.v: in tho possession of over 100U dr-unkards, who have promised henceiorth tto ride on the water-wagon/' wh:ch is the American way of saying that •they have become teetotallers. triumphal a success was the "boozo parade which preceded the meetings at a dozen big central halls in the city that I am assured that it will bo repeated shortly m London, .where, to quote Miss Evangeline Booth, tho commandant here, lung Alcohol has tens of thousands of helpless slaves." Yesterday's rally was conducted on Salvation military lines. Scores of skirmishers .went ahead exploring the' byways along the line of march, rounding up the drunkards in tho adjacent gin pal-aces,-and in some cases physically transporting them iuto the roadway,. where they were picked up by the main body of Salvationists and lifted into tho "waterwagons" which wire in the great procession. Soiuo tumbM off, some were tied with ropes, but most of them wero retained in position by friendly hands. Tho "parade" at night was a mile long, and led by Colonel Macintyre. All tho city was aroused by the novel spectacle. Brass bands blared and drums beat along the busiest highways. One banner borne by a Salvation lass was inscribed "Don't soak yourselves, but soak the Devil." The cnief orators in tho evening were "Fighting Julia," "Joe the Turk," and "Honest .Tim Callam." Drunkards in various stages of somnolence and alco-. h£,'ism filled tho Salvation halls, and at iii.dnight Col. Macintyre aunounced that .the splendid total of 1320 had "climbed' upon tiie water-wagon." Reformed drunkards apparently made the best skirmishers. They knew the hnunts of the enemy, and hardly a gin oalaco or gin kitchen on the line of march escaped invasion. The Mayor of New York congratulated the Army on their heroic assault, and expressed the hope that the Salvationists would continue their crusade.