1918-11-09 Victory Loan Event at the Savoy

Saturday evening, November 9, 1918 was targeted by the Hamilton Victory Loan committee as ‘Theater Night.’ The following theaters were to be sites of gatherings where music, movies and speakers were to be present. Admission would be free to all interested, and bond salesmen would be present.

Loew’s and the Savoy Theater, two of the city of Hamilton’s largest such venues located just a few blocks apart from each other, held Victory Loan Events at the same time. A combined attendance of 6,000 citizens were exhorted to subscribe for Victory Bonds.

The first speaker at the Savoy Theater was one of Hamilton’s most important military men, well-known both locally and nationally, Major-General S. C. Mewburn :

“Major-General, the Hon. S. C. Mewburn, C.M.G., appealed to the audience to buy Victory bonds to ensure the future of Canada. The speaker stated that that money was necessary to guarantee the persecution of the war, to demobilize the army and to maintain prosperity. At this time all were looking for victory and while it was all right to be optimistic in doing so, none  must forget that victory would only come if there was no failure in the pushing forward of the war. ‘I have always been of the opinion,’ said General Mewburn, ‘that victory would ours, but it would not come until internal trouble came to Germany; tonight I have official new from the department at Ottawa that the Kaiser has abdicated and the crown prince has renounced  his claim to the throne, and application for armistice has been made. So far so good, but remember an armistice is only a break in hostilities. Germany may, may not, accept our terms.

“The minister of militia praised  the wonderful work of the Canadian troops during the past four years, and after drawing a vivid picture of their great sacrifices and victories put the question to the audience, and it fell as a personal query. ‘Have you done anything to compare in the slightest degree with the great record of the least of these Canadian soldiers?’

“Reconstruction and demobilization was one of the greatest propositions that would confront the government and the people of all allied nations, and of peace should be declared today, it would still be necessary to ‘carry on.’ In the meantime, Canadians must not fool themselves with the idea that peace was at hand, but should keep on until ordered to stop.

“’ ‘The men at the front did not stop when they went over the top,’ said General Mewburn, ‘they kept on going, and so must we. We are asked now to put patriotism before everything, before profits – one of the sad things is that they are blood-bought – bought by the finest and best. Is it right that one should get profits with others give lives? I do not say anything about the profits which have come from the war, but I do ask that you use them right. Sacrifice as much as you can, pay till it pinches, and then pay.’¹

¹ “Great Impetus is Given Victory Loan : Appeals Made to Citizens to Back Up Their Overseas Men : Prominent Speakers Here For Big Theater Night on Saturday”

Hamilton Spectator.    November 11, 1918.

Alfred Cross and Miss Carpenter, members of the Savoy Stock company and both crowd favorites, appeared at the Savoy Theater Night event after which they hastily rushed over to Loew’s for the event held there at the same time. Miss Carpenter and Miss Ross were very successful in their appeals for Victory Loan subscribers to step up, the spectator noting that “great enthusiasm prevailed and the popular actors were given a rousing cheer.”¹

Next to appear on the schedule were two soldiers who took the stage together :

“Hamel Cooke, of the G. W. V. A., and Sergt.-Major Jordan, D. C. M., M.M.Fr., each spoke of the actual experience of the men in the trenches, whom the Victory Loan was intended to help and support. Comparisons were made of the different modes of living and some startling facts driven home. Mr. Cook, in speaking of the patriotism of the French, and the great sacrifices they had made for France, drew the attention of the audience to the fact that while every Frenchman loves every square inch of French soil, it was a significant compliment to the Canadians that the French government had deeded for all time to come, every square mile in the north of France in which Canadians have been laid. In these cemeteries, the Maple Leaf would flourish and the British flag would fly. Sergt.-Major Jordan asked the people to play the game, ‘Play or be taxed,’ was his terse way of asking the people of Hamilton to buy bonds.”¹

The last speaker focused not only on the patriotic duty which should be followed in subscribing to the Victory Bonds, but also on the positive business aspects :

“G. Tower Fergusson, the last speaker of the evening, while referring to the patriotic reasons for buying, impressed his audience with the business advantages that would result therefrom. He told the story of Rothschild of Waterloo in time to get to London and buy up a great many British consols, which were selling at a low price, and in less than five years were selling at 25 per cent above par. He pointed out that after the American revolution a similar advance had taken place in U. S. bonds. While he would not hold out any false hopes of bonds going higher, he considered it a mighty good business proposition, and congratulated those who had taken bonds. This being the last loan, it was the last opportunity that would be afforded the people to buy security which was better than any bank could. From a selfish standpoint, it would be a mistake not to invest. ‘However,’ said Mr. Fergusson, ‘I would not urge you to buy for this reason, buy for patriotic reasons, recognize the debt you owe to the boys and bring them home the sooner. Remember, it is the last blow that wins the fight.”¹

Interspersed among the speakers were segments of entertainment, including performances by well-known Hamilton musicians and singers :

The music was in charge of Roy Fenwick and F. Oliver. Mrs. Sanderson and G. V. Illsey sang solos and were assisted by a massed choir from local the churches.”¹

While no totals of the subscriptions sold during the Theater Night events, they were pronounced as successes, greatly aiding the effort to have Hamilton meet its target.