The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-05
At LIBERTY
DAY CELEBRATION
People Of German Descent Go
to Sheepshead Bay to Show
Loyalty TO L. s.
RACES ARE CALLED OFF

T'Ost oI tHen OF German UesccHt, went
from their homes In New York city and
New Jersey to the ~Sheepshcad Bay
Speedway yesterday to celebrate Amer
lean Liberty Day" They crowded tho
80 cent seats In the huge grand stand
to capacity and overlooked onto the
Held and he track. All through the
hot morning and the hotter afternoon
they stayed there watching a long pro-
gramme Of athletic events. concerts.
parades and drills. and every last a
woman n child of them seemed to
be enjoying the holiday to the full.
When they went quietly home again
at the end Of a seemingly uneventful
day. they had swellcd the treasury OF
I'VE American Liberty Day Association
by almost $4,000. according to official
estimates OF the admission money taken
In at the gates. This money will be
devoted to German American and Austro-
Hungarian American charities of New
York city and to the Irish Relief Fund.
Henry Weismann. one OF the presi-
dents OF the association. put his finger
fairly on the Significance Of the gather
ing in his speech declaring the prirci-
pies OF the organization. After saying
that the citizens Of German stock were
assembled primarily 10 affirm their faith
In and their love OF the United states.
he continued
We therefore view with concern the
attempt to question our loyalty because
or "A natural sympathy with the land OF
our forefathers in a struggle for ex-
istence and to arouse among breth-
rem and sisters OF nou-,ierman stock a
feeling OF m!strus, II not hatred against
citizens OF German stock or descent.
.~- ~.- 80 .
Every attempt to divide Americans
on racial lines should be abhorrent to
all. II politicians who seek TO iniame
the u%nthinking on this question in order
to curry facor with those who are
brought to question u Amerlcan'sn
should BE- repudiated at the polls.
"A deaf ear should he turned 70 the
demasogue who tries to exploit the great
patriotic sentiment for ample national
defence and strong national spirit by
rejecting on the loyalty OF millions OF
men who have declared their disapprotal
Of his conduct In sowing the seeds or
racial strife and %arousing n spirit or
shallow jingoism fraught with danger to
the country's peace
That this protest expressed by Mr..
Wcismann was the protest upperInost in
the minds Of the crowd az yesterdays
CeieDfdtiOn couIT MOI ne uoun'ei ny any
one who listened to the storm Of APP
plau.e that greeted the speakers words.
Any one who yesterday travelled one
OF the various trolley or elevated routes
leading 10 Shecpshead Bay would have
thought that tho entire portion of New
Works population which speaks with a
TcutDnic accent, but whose hearts beat
faster at the sound of THE stars and
stripes was bound for the Speedway.
lie would also have noticed quite "A scat
tering OF irishmen among the thousands
on their way TO the Liberty Day" ccle-
bration.
celebration goers began to flow steadily
into the cars. and by moor the express
trains AZ the Brooklyn Bridge were UNI
abb. to take the crowds off the platforms
fast enough 10 relieve the jam. some
how one got the impression that these
men and women were taking the trip
In the spirit Of a pilgrimage that they
were going 10 S~heepshead Bay not 70
much for a holiday AZ TO impress upon
the world their loyalty to the United
States OF America.
All Earnest md sincere.
They were not gay they We're not
solemn, but an observer sensed that they
were earnest ana slll'fIt III ll'lI WlSi
10 protest against the charge that they
we're "hyphenated" Americans. Aud the
| fact that when four Of the most interest
, ing events on the programme, the auto
mobile races, the motorcycle races, the
! horse races and the aaroplanc ascension.
! were cancelled. their day did not seem
| marred-,he solidarity Of their purpose
| In going to Shecpshead Bay was ever
more apparent.
II this were not CONVINCING enough
! evidence. the fact that 10000 OF them
| paid so cents each for seats in the gand
stand. that every box wa sold and that
| probably AT leas, 10000 more paid "a
| cents 10 he admitted to the grounds
would probably rave It's significance 10
4 any thinking person.
Fourteen persons were Frustrated by
the heat and had to he treated by the
ambulance doctor Of the Mary Mazda
lene Hospital. All recovered.
The scheduled events that were taker
on the programme were eliminated be
cause supreme court Justice taliarhaf
modified the writ he issued in BrooklNi
FRIDAY night restraining the Police
cor,niss,one and the Sheriff OF King
county from interfering with tho celc
tration. He explained that he wished
IA look more thoroughly into tn" LEGALITY
of the question and that he would there
fore not hinder the authorities from stop
ping the four events mentioned.
sheriff On Hand.
Sheriff Reigelmann was OF hand al
day with twenty -four special deputies
and as the executive committee or tn
association feared that the Kings Count,
Sunday Observance Association woul'
AXE stems to have some OF their mem
bers arrested by the Shcrifs mon, the!
decided not 10 risk holding the races
with which Justice c~allaghan's injunc
ton did not forbid the Sheriff to inter
fere. Gov. Whitman wired the Sher'f
Friday that complaint had been made 4
him. and ordered Reigclmann TO visor
cusly enforce the laws"
The greater part of the celebration
during the afternoon consisted o
parades and drills which. while not eN
citing, were picturesque. a number O
historical floats depicting the part tina
Germany played in the early formaticl
OF this republic were vigorously ap
plauded. Among these was one showing
america, the Land Of All Nations
another was THE Dealt of ten
Hercheimer.' and still others. 18th
Fighting Preacher Of the Revolution,
washington at Valley Forge Ger
Won Steuben. the Drillmaster ~ the con
~tinental Army" "Moll Pitcher" "Eyac
uat,on Day" american Iibcrty," Ills
tory" Gen. Franz Sigel." The 1900
Germans who Fought for the Union.
"Peace." and finally, The Nrookly
BRIDGE tho work Of Washington \
Roebling, n German.
To conclude the days exercises $50
girls In uniform paradcd In the forma
| ton OF n living American flag.