AMERICA AT WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 7 November 1918, Page 1

AMERICA AT WAR

ADDRESS BY MR. C. H. POOLE M.P Interesting references to America’s war preparations were made by Mr C. H. Poole, M.P., in an address on “War Work on the Pacific Slope,” at Wellington. The tremendous evidence of khaki and navy blue impressed Mr Poole, on arrival in San Francisco. “I saw,” ,sa?d Air Poole, “a -regimental race of people. I saw a nation that bad thrown aside the secondary affairs of nation building. I saw the organisation of tlie greatest republic in the world, developing and organising and shaping its forces for tbe great victory.” His opinion was begotten of a very strong demonstration of national spirit . 'and determination and a demonstration of the material evidence of America’s sincerity. Tlie United States had speedily and magnificently answered the call to hurry up with the dispatch of her men, and he had been told tliflt in some of the transports, so many men did they carry, there were three relays of men sleeping in the same hammocks and the soldiers were allowed to go on. deck only one hour per day to get fresh air. To bis minci the two greatest, miracles of tlie war bad been tlie organisation of the British Army and tbe voluntary discipline of America. President Wilson had been brought, into contact with one of the greatest problems a President had ever been called upon to face, and Mr Poole believed bis understanding with the Allied justified him in taking as much time as possible in getting into the fight. Mr Poole concluded by describing some of the great naval and military establishments on the Pacific Slope and paid a high tribute to the work being done at those places by tbe Y.M.C.A. The American soldiers and sailors were of a splendid clean-cut type and they never boasted. They recognised that they were up against a tremendous fight and they wore always ready to praise loudly tlie noble exploits of -the soldiers and sailors of tbe Allies and the Dominion troops who had borne the heat of the struggle for so long.