Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-15
MECHANICS ARE MAD.
Jr. 0. U. A. N. Calls Down Valley
Forge Councils Action.
A MANIFESTO FROM THE COUNCIL.
State Councillor Collins and Other officials
Talk Plainly.
VALLEY FORGE MAY LOSE ITS CHARTER

| ". Y. ~. ~, III IeieTtHcc " SaiiyiuS III
green flag in St. Patrick's D ay parade b.
the admirers of that patron saint wa
the subject for much comment yes
terday, and some criticism, ever
from the conservative members o
the order. 1t turns out. however, as sur
missed in yesterdays DISPATCH, that thu
movement was not authorized by a majority
were but few who knew anything about the
appointment of the committee that visited
| Mayor GourleY. As soon as they became
informed of what had been precipitated by
what they claim is the radical portion o.
| their membership, they set about to correct
the wrong impression which had been
created for them.
j. H. Brokaw, S. H. Bennett, R. G.
Smith, T. w. Meese, c. n. Kuntz, W. H.
Atkinson, J. L. Kilgore, F. S. Bennett, w.
J. Inglis, DR.. E. E. Gardner. c. A. Richard
son, C. E. Beltz and H. w. Luther. who
are among the most prominent members OF
the council, prepared the following circular
letter, which will be sent to all sister coun-
ellis in the State:
Not the Work of the Council.
We, the undersigned members of Valley
Forge Council, No. S6l, Jr. o. U. A. NJ, wishing
to vindicate ourselves in the eyes of our BROTH
ers and the public to the action taken by our
council in regard to prohibiting the display of
the green flag of Erin on st. Patricks Day, will
saw it was the voice of a few radicals and not
the voice of the council. On our last meeting
night the better element of the council was
absent and these few took advantage OF this
fact.
In addition to this, about 40 members
have threatened to withdraw from the coun-
Gil, and il this were carried out, the council
would collapse. It is liable to lose its char.
ter, at anv rate. as the action taken at its
meeting Thursday night is clear violation
Of the general laws OF the organization. The
law referred to reads:
Any member or council of this order who
shall in any manner, way or form, directly or
Indirectly. in or out of the council chamber, at
any public or private meeting of any kind what
ever. whether called or held by members of
this order or otherwise. change, alter,
misrepresenr any of the principles
or objects of this order, or any part of the rit-
ual. shall at the next ensuing session of the
National Council, upon proof of such change,
alteration, modification. addition, omission, or
misrepresentation be expelled from this order.
and the charter of such council declared for
feited.
A Similar Case Recalled.
The present case is considered to be paral-
lei to the one In which Pride of the North
Council was implicated during the County
Centennial, when that council passed reso-
lutions denouncing the Centennial COM
mittee as being "un-American and
insulting to the dignity of American
citizens" because the committee had denied
the Mechanics a representation on the Com
mIttee of Arrangements. II. A. Keil, who
was State Councillor at the time, decided the
council was in error because it undertook to
make the public believe that the sentiment
expressed by few members was the senti-
ment of the entire order.
Speaking of this matter last evening,
State Councillor Stephen Collins said: "The
men who went to Mayor Gourlev had no
authority to represent the Jr. o. U. A. NJ,
but as there are over &C, 900 members in this
COUNT, it is but natural that there should
be some hot-headed and over-zealous persons
among them. The order should not be re-
sponsible for their actions, however, any
more than a church or sect should be held
responsible for the crimes or misdemeanors
ofevery member of the sect.
"The cause of Americanism cannot be ad-
yanced by tearing down green or red flags
by force, but all aliens or foreigners should
be taught that the flag of the United States,
which insures to them their civil and re-
ligious liberty, should be the only ensign
under which they would want to march.
There should be no Irish-Americans or
German-Americsns or any other hyphenated
Americans, but all who come here
to enjoy the rights and privileges and bless
ings guaranteed them by the Stars and
Stripes should leave behind them the in
tolerance, bigotry and fanaticism of the old
countries, so should they leave behind them
the emblems of those countries. We want
only pure Americanism In this country,
and the emblem Of the American institu-
tions should be good enough FOR any citizen
to march under.
Brought Out by Such Incidents.
"These incidents only give an occasion
for those thirstiug after popularity or motor
ietv to air their opinions and ignorance.
They always bring forward the fact that
of loyal Americans of Irish birth
served in the Union army. You can de-
pend on it, none of those loyal veterans will
want to march under anything but the
Stars and Stripes. Green and red
parades through our streets, but true Amer
course to force but by teaching every man
that marches that he could have no higher
honor than to march under but one flag,
and know that it is his flag the only flag of |
every true American, whether native or for |
eign born.
'There will be no need for the squad of |
stalwart Irish policemen to protect the |
green flag if carried. We can afford to wait |
until public sentiment and American pa
triotism Danish all the ensigns of European |
tyranny and superstition, intolerance, social |
ism, anarchism and nihilism from our |
streets, and demagogic political officials |
u1or afor IN fbo Tric |
or the German, Italian, Hungarian or Pol |
ish vote, which they will do when the |
American vote makes itself felt, as it GER
tainly will
Past State Councillor D. G. Evans was
highly displeased at the action of Valley |
Forge Council. He said: 81 have no hes
tancy in saying that the reputed action of
Valley Forge Council will meet the dis
approval of99 per cent of the members of |
The order, and 1 would not be surprised if
The council would lose its charter in conse-
luence. The laws of the order provide
for the forfeiture of the charter of
any council that misrepresents its
objects in any way, and the impression this
council has conveyed by its radical and i'll
advised action is certainly directly contrary
to the principles upon which the order is
ounded- am very sorry the thing oc-
,urred. and, while 1 like to see harmony in
he order, would oppose any such bigotry
Is that displayed by Valley Forge Council
10 long as l was member"
In Defiance of the Orders Laws.
John K. Emge, editor of the organ of
he order published in this city,
md member of the State
Council, said: 81 know nothing of
he matter excepting what has appeared in
The DISPATCH, and still hope it may
prove TO be a mistake. All can say is
hat if Valley Forge Council has taken the
lrtinn nnrfed Ii 1ras in de- |