The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-13
RACE SUICIDE
 IS MENACE TO
 NATIONAL LIFE
Tn Stirring Address Father Keefe Condemns It Az
 Great Evil of AmericR
GIVES THRILL AT
 LINCOLN FEAST
Frank M. Buckley and Capt. Y. J. Breckbill Contribute
 to Speechmaking


 Rev. William A Keefe furnished a thrill to the 200 Sons of Veterans as- sem mbled to celebrate Linco1n's birth day, last night, in Atlantic Hotel. when he closed his remarke on Patriotism. with a denuneiation of race suicide. which brought stirring and album dant applause. and caused reflection
 .rYour patriotic instructor" said Fr. keefe, sshas said Sthat there are mil lions of immigrants entering each year into this country, who are not familiar with our institutions, and who do not know what our flag stands for.
 seHe eloquentfy tells you that it IS your duty as sons of veterans to eau cate these people into knowledge or our country and it's ideals He has advised you to keep the graves of your fathers green, and he has told you that the mum bers of this organization should be at least 800, 1000 in the land
 @sI ask you how are you going to do these things? What are you doing to rear sons to perpetuate the names or Nvorr fore fathers and keep green their graves The time may come when other combats must be waged ana other soldiers will be needed to go to battle Where are those soldiers com ing from What will happen if the cradle becomes a discarded object in the homes of sons of veterans ?''
 sI know this subject is not popular. s-atd FIT Keefe s-bltt it is one ot the lessons of patriotism which F feel r,rr,d to incuIcate tonight. What is 41ae use of meeting to- consider what 01lr ancestors did, unless we are to- 1z-air, from their noble example. light for our own feet and a guide Cor our IF. Keefe closed his rernarks with reference to the modern tendency among women to ignore the crzsd1e LOT other less important activities
 Mayor wilson was one of the speak CTS. and talking to the subject, The City Of Bridgeport shocked many o1 his hearers by making an impaasioned and partisan plea for bonding,
 whereas upon his entrance into the zanoztet hall the mayor had been erected with hearty cheering, which was led by Frederick c. Mullins, who was the mayors opponent Tn the lasl campaign. the coI1cIusfon of his talk on bonding was greeted with cold ana @desultory hand clapping, which re- hected the divided opinion of the sons upon that question.
 The banquet was under the auspaces of Franklin Bartlett Camp, Of which E M. Grimm, the well known nlanu- facturer, Is commander. Mir Griffin ofnciafed as toastmaster, and made splendid presiding officer
 Among the guests at the speakers THDI9 were 11VlSlOu SO4A41AAcAANCA A9- " V. Harry C. Cooley, of Hartford; Com mander of Elias Howe Post, G, A R. David CrossIey; Past Divi-i sion Commander S. of ", H. McGarr of Meriden; Past Dlvlslon Commander S. of V., D. G. Bachellor of Ansonia, and Past Camp Command CT s. of V, F. H. Dinwell of Mera- den.
 American flags draped about the dining room were chief decorations. fol, ,Je a ma moth oil painting of Lincoln about which Incadescent lights were arrang- ed to make the picture stand out the most conspicuous object in the room. About twenty Grand Army men at- tended the dinner, each being escorted to his seat by member of the Sons of veterans. While the dinner was being served an orchestra played and everybody sang songs of Civil War days. Old time sentimental ballads were intermingIed with the martial airs. Thomas 4. sMcCool and Walter G. Moore led the singing MT. Me Cool sang three solos, When ' ou and Were Yorng, Maggie "Old Black Joe" and ssSilver Threads Among the GoId.' George T. Benham sang .NThe Good Old U- S. A. The diners joined in the choruses-
 The speeches breataed patriotism and loyalty to flag and country. Chas.l F. Sherman, patriotic instructor of the order, declared the teaching of aliens who come to make their homes here was a responsibility which rested largely with the Sons of Veterans. He said that the Grand Army will soon be a memory and then it will be the duty of the Sons of Veterans to keep green the memory of their fathers, and teach coming genefations, patriot ism and what their fathers fought for in the days of '61.
 Mir Sherman is a former resident of Bridgeport but now conducts a pri- vate school at Mount Vernon N. Y.
 Frank M. Buckley, A. M., of Cam bridge, Mass, delivered an eu1ogy on Abraham Lincoln which was cotlched in exquisite language, and delivered after the best style of classic ora tory.
 Rev. A. c. Thompson, a Civil War veteran, pastor of the ImmanueI Baptist church and patriotic instr-uc- tor of Elias Howe Post, No. 3, c. A R., asked the blessing. During the evening Rev. MT. Thompson's voice was frequently heard, sweetly blend ing in the rendition of the old songs which were sung in chorus
 ADDRESSES ELSEWHERE
 IN THIS ISSUE
 con another page of this issue will be found the speeches of Frank M Buckley, M- A. of Cambridge, Mass, whose subject was Abraham Lin- coIn," Rev. William A. Keefe of Plain field, Ct. who spoke on "Patrfotism'' and Capt. Fred J. Breckbill who paid a tribute to Lincoln for the Spanish War yetexans.)