A welcome visitor to both Fort Sheridan Camps was Frank O. Lowden, w^ar Governor of IlHnois. His words were always listened to with great respect and appreciation. They were strengthened by an obvious interest and sin- cerity that carried the message home. On the occasion of a review in his honor, he said:
You go to fight against the idea which w^ould hold the individual to no moral obligation, which would absolve the state from every considera- tion of truth or justice or equity. And the President is right when he says that no peace can be made w^ith those who openly have said that a treaty is only a scrap of paper and that any state has a right secretly to withdraw from any obligation it has incurred to any other country.
I don't know^ w^hen I have looked on such an inspiring scene as this. I w^as here in June and July and w^itnessed your predecessors of the First Camp and was thrilled then with what I saw. But today, looking into your faces, having learned of the tremendous work you are doing, having learned of the patriotic purpose which has inspired you, I feel a new hope for the future of our country.
I have no doubt that when the war is over, with the lessons we shall have learned, with the training which we were w^ithout, but which, I hope, w^e w^ill be wise enough to continue to the remotest day, we will have a new and better country, a deeper sense of brotherhood. We will be tenderer of the right of the common man than ever before, and out of the heroism which you are exhibiting, out of all the tears that alw^ays attend a war, will come a greater, a better and a kindlier republic, and humanity forevermore will be indebted to you.
On other occasions Governor Sleeper of Michigan, Governor Phillips of Wisconsin and Governor Capper of Kansas were present and spoke to the student officers. Many other notables came out to visit the Camp. General Alvarado Obregon, conqueror of Pancho Villa at the battle of Celago and one of the foremost soldiers of Mexico, was the guest of Colonel Ryan.
In the company of Colonel Ryan, who is a personal friend of General Obregon, the Mexican chieftain spent several hours reviewing the drills and inspecting cantonments and trenches. He constantly expressed his delight and astonishment at the progress made by the rookies.
No one who ever saw^ Federal Judge Kenesaw^ Landis at Fort Sheridan w^ill forget it. His son. Reed Landis, entered the First Camp and w^as trans- ferred with others to the aviation section, where he made a reputation of w^hich every Fort Sheridan man is proud. Judge Landis got down to brass tacks immediately, just as he does in his court. He was not satisfied to look on. He went through the communicating trenches, ignored the mud, climbed over obstacles and investigated lookout stations and dugouts and saw^ things as they were. He had a w^ord of kindly interest for all. Just w^anted to be one of the men and to get into the game.
A notable group of Chicago men were constant visitors to Fort Sheridan and did much to help make the Camp a success. Among them may be named Samuel Insull, Chairman State Council of Defense; Charles Wacker, Col. H. M. Byllesby, Roger Sullivan, John P. Hopkins, H. H. Merrick, Frederick W. Upham, Arthur Meeker, John P. Stockton and Samuel Hastings.
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