New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-03
cd BY number OF the other newsps
pers concerned.
Even the Orient Responded

and Australia, each bringing its con-
tribution TO Msriorie's fund. II was
impossible for the newspapers receiv-
ing them TO print ali these Inspiring
letters. They form a record OF pa
triotism which is probably unique IN
the history OF nations. Not alone from
children did they come. but from men
whose names are known all over the
world. from mothers and from old
maids, from veterans OF wars and from
ministers OF the gospel Of peace.
Only q few brought messages antag-
onistio 10 the general strain-surpris-
ingly few. in fact, considering the num-
Der OF letters received. That was one
Of the astonishing features OF the
movement, the fact that scarcely more
than score Of its opponents In all
this broad land reduced their obiec-
tions TO writing. One of those who ar
gued that it was wicked for an Ameri-
can girl TO place her faith in warships
acknowledged himself IAN American
whose grandfather was knighted BY
king"
So the movement grew. In the course
Of time gatherings OF people came to-
gether to help along the girls idea.
One Of the first Of these was AT the
New York Hippodromc. where a num-
Der of Broadway artists responded 10
Charles B. Dillingham's invitation 10
give a benefit for the Marjorie Sterrett
Fund. A little later Marjorie was in
vited 10 receive contributions for her
fund at a beneft for the American
Red Cross and the American Ambu,,
lance Hospital, at the Grand Central
Palace. under the auspices of such
women "a Mrs. Robert Bacon. Mrs.
August Belmont, Mrs. r. II. Hartman,
Mrs. Willard D. Straight and Mrs.
Harry Payne Whitney.
Cities and Societies Help
Other cities welcomed the idea, 100.
Waterbury, Conn, turned out en- maSse
to present the Brooklyn girl with
brass tablet, pledging $500 20 the
fund, which was nearly doubled when
the final count was taken. Middle
town, ~ Y, handed Marjorie q check
for 81, 900 on one joyous occasion, and
afteward added more than half as
much again to its collections. Boston
gave ball to demonstrate It's en-
thusiasm for the cause. Motion pict-
lures all over the country drew stten-
ton and dimes to Marjorie's campaign:
Naturally the patriotic societies fell
in behind Marjorie in her effort 20
bring the personal side OF patriotism
home to the boys and girls Of the
nation. Posts Of the 6. A. r. held
meetings to help the fund, Spanish
War Veterans met to discuss il. or
CARNATIONS representing the descend
ants OF Revolutionary heroes con-
tributed in groups. Subscriptions were
received from the American Legion,
attached to the Canadian Expedition
airy Force and from the Harvard Unit
of the American Ambulance in Frances
Several contributions were recelVed
from college fraternities, and Yale,
Columbia and Hamilton were among
the universities which took an active
interest in the fund.
Among the individual contributors
were such names as Thomas A. Edison,
Rear Admiral Charles D. Sigsbee. John
Hays Hammond, Governor Martin &.
Brumbaugh Of Pennsylvania, Kitty
Cheatham, the singer; s. Stuart Men
ken, president of the National Security
League; Charles F. Murphy and Miss
Elizabeth Hughes, daughter OF ex-
Justice Charles Z. Hughes. The
largest single contribution received
was a $500 United States government
bond. which was sent anonymously
from a German American" in Chicago.
Opposition Does Not Stop 1t
The navy. as might be expected, re-
sponded nobly TO the invitation TO help
itself, for sailors are citizens like the
rest Of US, though some seem to have a
tendency TO think of them as class
apart. One Albert A. A. Hopkins, the
first white child born at the Guanta-
namo naval station, ten years ago, ex-
tended the invitation on behalf Of Mar
jorie. Ship after ship steamed into the
Brooklyn navy yard with a cargo OF
dimes TO be added 10 the fund. Fore
casting the rivalry with which they will
strive for the Marjorie prizes, each
tried to 60 the other one better. The
new dreadnought Nevada sent in S64
with a letter from Captain William >.
Sims, the stormy petrol o. the navy,
but the climax came when Chaplain ".
G. Casserd, Of the Wyoming, flagship OF
the Atlantic feet, presented the. girl
with Sl34.71 on the afterdeck Of the
vessel in the presence Of the whola
ships company.
These were some Of the landmarks in
the movements march across the coun-
try. In the meantime an effort was
being made to persuade Congress TO ac-
cept the fund as the voluntary gift OF
the nations school children to the cause
of preparedness. William S. Bennett,
Representative in Congress from New
York, introduced a resolution into the
House on March which read:
Resolved Of the Senate concurs),
That the Secretary Of the Navy be,
and he is hereby, directed to &C
cept the Marjorie Sterrett Battle
ship Fund and such accumulations
as may be added thereto, as an in
spiration to patriotism on the part
OF the youth of the country, de-
signed to assist the government in
safeguarding the national peace;
said fund 30 accepted by the Secre-
tary OF the Navy to be turned from
time to time into the Treasury Of
the United States as a special fund
to be appropriated in accordance
with law for naval construction
purposes
The measure was referred to the
Naval Committee, where IL rests to-
day. Opposition to it was based on
the Secretary of the Nays ruling that
il was against public policy and pre-
cedent TO accept money raised by sub
scription for the building Of battle
ship.
But the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship
I'D L., ut vet WASTING n has inst