The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-15
WILSON REPUDIATES
 BLACKMAIL ATTEMPT
 OF THE HYPHENATES
(Continued from Page one)

master General Burleson and Attorney General Gregory who had marched at the head of employees of their depart ments, and by Secretary Lansing. As soon as the last marchers passed the stand five hours later, the President went to the monument grounds where his ad- dress formed the principal part of an hours patriotic exercises.
 Almost every man and woman in the Presidents audience carried an American flag Before he began speaking, cannon fired national salute of 21 guns and the marine band played the Star-Span- gled Banner, while huge flag was drawn slowly to the top of the white monument, 555 feet above the ground. Secretary Lansing presided and in intro ducing the President emphasized the duty of present day Americans to pre- serve unsullied ideals handed down by the founders of the republic.
 The Uresdent spoke in part as follows:
 WANTS TO BE JUST
 T want to be scrupulously just. my fel- low citizens, in assessing the circum- stances of this day, and l am sure that you wish with me to deal out with an even hand the praise and the blame of this day of test. l believe that the vast majority of those men whose lineage is dil ectly derived from the nations now at war are just as loyal to the flag of the United States as any native citizen of this beloved land, but there are some men of that extraction who are not, and they, not only in past months, but at the present time, are doing their best to undermine the influence of the gov- ernment of the United States in the in- terest of matters which are foreign to us and which are not derived from the questions of our own politics.
 There is disloyalty active in the United States, and it must be absolutely very small minority, but a very active and subtle minority. It works under ground, but it also shows it's ugly head where we can see it, and there are those at this moment who are trying to levy d species of political blackmail, saying, Do what we wish in the interest of for een sentiment or we will wreak our ven- geance at the pols' That Is the sort of thing against which the American na- tion will turn with might and triumph of sentiment which will teach these gen. tlenlen once for all that loyalty to this flag is the first test of tolerance in the Unnec States.
 T realize personally, my fellow citi- zens, the peculiar significance of the United States at this time, because there was day not many years ago when although l thought I knew what that flag stood for. it had not penetrated my whole consciousness as it has now.
 INTRIGUE AND SEDITION If you could have gone with me l through the space of the last two years and could have felt the subtle impact of intrigue and sedition, and have realized with me that those to whom you have en- trusted authority are trustees not only of the power, but of the very spirit and pur- pose of the United States. you would real ize with me the solemnity with which I look upon that sublime symbol of our unity and power. I want you to share ] that consciousness with me. I want you to realize that in what I am saying I am merely trying to put into inadequate words the purpose that is in your hearts. | regard this day as day of rededcation to all the ideals of the United States. "I took the liberty few weeks ago to ask our fellow citizens all over the United States to gather together in ce'-
 duration of this dav the arriyersary of the adoption of our present flag as the emblem of the nation. had. no legal 1 right to declare it holiday; had no | legal right to ask for the cessation of business, but when you read in the papers tomorrow morning. I think you will see that authority was not necessary; that
 the people of the country were waiting l for an opportunity to cease their ordi- l nary business and gather together in
 united demonstration of their feeling as a ! nation.
 l Tt was very happy thought that
 led the committee of gentlemen who
 had charge of the demonstration of the
 forenoon to choose 3une 14 for the pa :
 rade, which most of us have witnessed.
 It is tiresome thing, my fellow citi-
 ems to stand for hours and see a pa
 rade so by, but I want to take you l into this secret: It was not half as
 tiresome as the inauguration parade. 1 PAINFULLY INTERESTING 1 The inauguration parade is a very
 interesting thing. but it Is painfully 1! interesting to the man who ia being l inaugurated because there then lie I ahead of him the four years of re-
 sponsibility whose horoscope cannot be cast by any man. But today was i'm tteresting, because the inauguration pa
 rade of the day of my inauguration