Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-12
Addresses in EuIogy of the
Martyr President Heard at
Public Meeting.
SPEAKERS TOUCH UPON
PRESENT WAR IN EUROPE
Boys Progressive Club and Girl
Scouts Pay Tribute to Wash
ington and Lincoln.

The 10th anniversary. of the birth o
Abraham Lincoln was celebrated las
night at the First Congregations
Church, 10th and G streets northwest
under the auspices of the Department
of the Potomac, G. A. R. The principa
speakers to lead the large gathering
in the patriotic exercises were Elias r
Monfort, commander-in-chief of the
G. A. r.; Senator Wesley L. Jones OF
Washington: H. V. Speelnan, past de-
partment commander, Sons of Veterans
representing the communicative chief
and ]. Q. A. Braden, department COM
mander, United Spanish War Veterans
George c. Ross was chairman.
The exercises opened with an organ
voluntary by Prof William Stansfield
The invocation was read by Rev. Henry
N. Couden. chaplain of the House of
Representatives.
Citizens True to the Country.
"If the test should come the great
body of our citizens would be found true
to the country of their allegiance. and
the flag they have sworn to protect and
honor" declared Senator Wesley L. Jones
of Washington in the course of his adj
dress
Following a tribute to Lincoln Sena-
tor Jones said, in part
american citizenship. What pre-
cious privilege it is. What a priceless
heritage. secured through sacrifice suf-
fering. carnage and blood. Citizenship
with all its rights, blessings and privileges
has come to US through the sufrerings of
nd hos
through the carnage of the greatest civil
war n all times. 1t is the richest fruit
OF the struggles and the sufferings of all
ages 1t was the dream of the ancients,
the nope OF the middle ages. and it is
the acme Of the present Those who
have received it and those who seek
II as a gift should fully understand and
appreciate.
What anvils rang. what hammers beat.
In what forge and what heat
were wrought the anchors of our hope.
No Divided Allegiance.
They should have and must have no
divided allegiance. When they re-
nounce the old and take on the new
they should realize what it means. and
be prepared and willing, under all cir
cumstances. to uphold. support and de-
fend the country and flag of their
adoption. We do not ask them to love
their mother country less. but we do
insist that they should love the coun-
try OF their adoption more. We do not
ask them to forget or cease to love
their native land, but we do ask that
their supreme love shall be for the
country and the flag they have sworn
to love and protect above all else. They
may be anxipu for the fatherland or
the motherland. but the interests of the
home land should be supreme in the
heart of every American citizen. Our
adopted citizens have shown their al
legiance and patriotism and their de-
votion to the flag and our government
upon hundreds Of battlefields with a
courage that has been surpassed by
none. and We need have no fear that il
the test should come the great BODY of
our citizenship would be found true to
the country of their allegiance and the
nag they have sworn to protect and
honor"
Tribute to Martyr President.
OF the late President Lincoln the
speaker said:
with the march of the years he
stands out holder. grander. more ma
oestic and greater As We comprehend
him words fail The heart becomes too
full for utterance. We feel his spirit
and are dumb. Caesar, Alexander.
Hannibal and Cromwell are heroes OF
history. but they do not thrill hearts
with inexpressible sweetness. We ad-
mire their courage in war and their
genius In handling men and armies.
but we shudder at the sorrow and
death which they brought to win a
place in history. They bring TO our
vision lettering Kingdoms, falling
dynasties. battlefield. bloodshed and
ruin. They may have served a useful
purpose in the advancement of the
race, but only the student and phiioso-
pher can divine It
This man whom We love and de-
light to honor was no warlike leader.
TO battle than had ever trod the earth
With an education secured by the
nickering glare of the fireplace,
classic and immortal utterances fell
from his lips: with little experience
IN statecraft he guided the destinies
Of free government safely and wisely
through its darkest hour and most
periious period. Cngainly. uncouth, de-
bunoon. he touched the hearts OF
men as no one since the Son of Man
trod the waters of Galiiee.
"None Other Like Him"
There is none other like him. He
Atypifed all that is best and truest and
nobIest in the common citizenship of
this republic. He knew it; he sympa-
thized with it; he lived it; he was it,
and they knew this was SO. and they
know 1t now. This is why he is part
OF US and this is why he looms largG
and greater as the years go by"
Lincoln Man of the Hour"
Lincoln as the man of the hour" was
discussed by Past Comander-in-chief H
V. speelman. who said. in part:
In every great crisis of this country