WARM WELCOME

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 161, 8 June 1929, Page 3

WARM WELCOME

TOURING SCHOOLBOYS. VISIT TO CHICAGO. By rather a co-incidence, the party of Australian and New Zealand schoolboys, who have been touring North America and Canada under the auspices of the Young Australia League, received one of their warmest welcomes on Anzac Day, the date of their arrival at Chicago. ' Mr J. J. Simons, the tour director, in his fortnightly report, states as follows :—‘ ‘Over 500 cadet officers of the Reserve Officers Training Corps drawn from the Chicago Public Schools and over 500 Boy Scouts formed an escort led by the Mounted Police and the Senn High School Band of 255 players. As our boys marched from the station building and took up their position in front, the Senn Band struck up with “God Save the King,” our band responding with the “Star Spangled Banner.” The parade was the largest which has greeted us in any part of the United States. In the evening a welcoming dinner was tendered to the officers at the Hotel Sherman where Rotarians who had charge of various sections of the reception arrangements briefly recounted their plans. As the function was held on the anniversary of the landing at Anzac, the members of the gathering stood and observed one minute’s silence in memory of Australian and New Zealand’s fallen soldiers. On the Sunday following our arrival at Chicago, the boys made a tour of the University buildings and were the guests at a dinner given by the International students’ Association. At the conclusion of proceedings a very impressive ceromony was carried out, the students participating being representatives of each nationality attending the University. In the presence of some 100 students the room, was darkened, except for one lighted candle. Representatives of 44 nations formed a single line at the end of tho building, no less than twelve Dominions of the British Empire being in line. The representative on the right ignited his candlo from the centre light and an each representative recited the name of his country he lit the candlo held by his fellow on the left. Then tile line was completed, 44 candles shone out emblematic of the pledge of each student to uso his influence to promote brotherhood and international goodwill among the men of the earth.”

In the light of events of a year or so ago, one of the most interesting functions the party attended was the civic reception in Chicago. Tho Mayor, Mr William Hale Thompson, known throughout the world as “Big Bill,” in the course of his welcome, said: “This is rather an unusual privilege of having tho opportunity to extend officially the greetings of our city and our people to tho touring schoolboys. In this tour they are doing a great tiling for their country as well as our country, and more particularly the city of Chicago. The members of the party will be interested to learn of our endeavours to create a great waterway from Chicago through our rivers, the Illinois and Mississippi, to tho Gulf of Mexico and the Panama Canal. When that waterway is completed it will bring our great countries nearer together. It will increase the prosperity of both nations. These young men, who fill the galleries, and the officers, that are with them, I feel, mav look back to their visit to Chicago and they and we will bo clasping our hands together for the good of the people of our two great nations. Included in the party are lan Young, a son of Mr and Mrs J. C. \oung, of North street and Stuart Carter, son ol Mr and Mrs W. S. Carter, of Featherston street. ,