100 Years Ago: Foster Ward Recruiting Rally

The Intelligencer September 4, 1915 (page 1)

“Patriotic Rally in Foster Ward. Under the auspices of the Speakers’ League of this city a patriotic meeting was held last evening at the canning factory building, Foster Ward. There was a good attendance and some excellent recruiting speeches were delivered. The 15th regimental band was present and rendered selections outside and inside the building. …

Mr. E.G. Porter, K.C., M.P., was chairman and was the first speaker. In his opening remarks he stated that this was a meeting to stimulate recruiting. Similar meetings had been held in other wards, and Foster Ward was by no means the least of the Wards or less patriotic. …

Mr. W.C. Mikel, K.C., upon being called upon induced a number of children to the platform and said that this war was not on behalf of the King but was on behalf of the children represented on the platform. Our enemy has not hesitated to vent their rage on girls and boys. Are we prepared to fight against the biggest bully the world ever saw, namely Germany. It was war upon women and children. It was a miserable cowardly nation that would fight in this manner. They have designed instruments to destroy the innocent. …

We are proud of our pals at the front and let us make our pals at the front proud of us. Canada has been asked for 500,000 and it will be necessary for Belleville to send 800 of this number. Toronto stands first as having sent the largest number as her population and the town of Cobourg comes second.

Mr. Porter referred to the fact that the ladies of the city had procured one machine gun and would procure another. They were also looking after the comforts of the soldiers. The meeting closed with the singing of the National Anthem.”