TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1916-07-31

ID lOAOAAQf anA AtAa AHt0 k""eARhEa
representatives OF forty.hve States
and Territories OF the United States,
and here, without renouncing Amer
lean citizenship. they have made
oath, each of them, as follows;
~ will DO faithful and bear true
allegiance to his Majesty King George
v. and ! will, AZ In duty bound,
honestly and faithfully defend his
Majesty In person, crown, and dignity
against all enemies and will observe
and obey all orders of his Majesty
and OF all the Generals and Officers
set 9 me-"
"The leader OF all these men who
have taken that oath is o Unitarian
clergyman and a citizen OF the
United States In the uniform of a
British Lieutenant olonel, Seymour
Bullock, formerly a United States
chaplain"
About this founder Of the legion
the Times states that he was
formerly a cadet at West Point. "But
when he heard Moody and Sankey,
he was convinced that he should
be an evangelist and not a fighter.
He was that until he went to North
western University, graduating as a
clergyman In 1889. He got his next
chance at the army when he went
out as a chaplain in the Spanish
war. Then he experienced a change
of faith and became a Unitarian
clergyman In 1914 he was the
preacher at the Unitarian Church in
Ottawa, although still an American
citizen. When hostilitles among the
European nations began, Bullock.
according to the Times, was mulling
over the idea that he should do
something besides preaching and
talking for the cause Of the Allies,
and then was born the idea OF the
American Legion. Sir Sam Hughes
was enthusiastic and authorized the
project Immediately. The Rev. DR..
Bullock became captain and chaplain.
The legion soon became too big for
a captain to handle, so Sir Sam
Hughes made him q major. His
organization outgrew that, so he was
made a Lieutenant-C Colonel, with
supervising authority owe all the
American battalions."
The article states, that the
members OF the legion feel very
keenly about their American citizen
ship and take 1t for granted that
there will be some to question it.
In fact, the American Consul at
Vancouver told Americans that their
enlistment in the British battalion
of the American Legion will cancel
their citizenship"
Eager to dispel such scruples, the
Times states that the American
Consul at Winnipeg takes the op.
posite view" Continuing it says:
That the opinion of the members
of the legion regarding the worth.
mess OF their project is shared by
their friends in the United States.
and friends in high places at that,
is indicated by many letters which
have become a part OF the archives
Of the organization. Some of the
letters to the officers and men of
the legion congratulate them on
the step they have taken. incidentally,
DR.. Charles W. Eliot, President
Emeritus Of Harvard University. has
promised Colonel Bullock that he
will write a preface for the book
used by the men at the religious
services in the field. And the Amer
lean Legion March is being composed
by Sousa."
Furthermore 1t is said, that, when
Bullock got his appointment he
received a letter from ex.President
William Howard Taft congratuIating
him on his promotion and expressing
the hope that 1t would be permanent"
The same article contains also
the interesting notes, that "at every
meal In the mess room, decorated.
by the way, with both the United
States and British flags, the Amer
lean officers rise and drink the toast
THE King" and that the Ninety
Seventh Battalion before leaving for
the front, appeared in review with
Is 900 other troops before Sir Sam
Hughes, and was greeted along the
line as the Yankees"
Much ado has been made In II
histories about the poor Hessian
soldiers, who, having no free will.
during the 18th century by their
rulers were hired out to King George
III. to fight his battles and suppress
the Americans in their heroic
struggle for liberty. 1t was left to
our Goth century to witness the
much more shameful spectacle. that
free American citizens voluntarily
hire themselves to King George ",
to fight his mercenary battles and
help to crush a friendly nation, which
is struggling heroically for its
existence.
And these men wear a badge
showing the coat Of arms Of George
Washington!
Against this proclamation of the
coat of arms of the Father of our
Country" and against the gross of.
fence committed by these Americans
against the spirit of neutrality.
neither President Wilson nor Theo.
dore Roosevelt has raised one
single word Of protest. While they
strived to excel one another in base.
less insinuations and unjustified
attacks upon the character of the
German element, they remained
singularly silent in face Of the pro-
British propaganda carried on in
our country to verify the dreams of
Rhodes and Carnegie of the Re
United States" Shall we assume
that these acts have their consent?
nv ~