Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-08
Gray JustifeS
Act as Patriotic
Continued from raro One

Continued from PAGE One
| est degree. the effect OF the splendid and
impressive meeting I'm the Academy Of
Music In Philadelphia yesterday after
noon called 10 give voice to the abhor-
rcuCo and utter the protest OF American
citizens against the dcportations Of the male
civil population OF Belgium, 10 work in
slavery In German workshops ana helds'
he said ~ sympathzed deeply with the
purpose Of this meeting and had willingly
responded to the invitation to participate
could not however do so when the Key
note Of the principal speaker OF the evening
was q partisan attack upon the President
Of the United states. have always con
ccivcd IL tn b, "a patriotic duty Of good citi-
aouship I'm times Of stress and crisis IN
cur international relations. almost as ext
gent as I'M time NJ war; TO present a united
front to the world
STAND BY THE PRESIDENT
although 7 have been a Democrat of
many years standing and have served W
the United states Senate as Democrat
would have refused to speak JUST 'ne Same
II a Republican President was neluE "'
tackled" continued Judge Gray. u 40 not
agree with an OF President wilson's poll
cIcs but ! do believe that unless ne had
been found guilty of sCmc severe dere-
llction Of duty he should not he attacked.
81 am firmly convinced that freslu'nt
Wilson mas hrrn thllIIhllN'N W. ''i' l'''''' ''N
responsibilities than any PRESIDENT since
Lincoln rIo has held % steady hand at
tho hom and should have the support or
a united people.
"lsN-p president william Howard TAFT em-
phagizpd that at the beginning ot the war.
In spIcndfd language. he called upon the
American people to stand as one behind
the President
"Thc object Of such meeting as was held
IN the Aromcdy Of Music is to mobollze the
sentiment of tho American people. am
convinced that the public sentiment Of
neutral nations is to decide the issues Of
this great war.
''The nations abroad must in time bow TO
this public sentiment
"Wc cannot mould the sentiment NJ the
American people by partisan attacks upon
the President Of the United states. such
partisan attacks as expressed by Mr. Beck
make our neutrality 20 Joke and play into
the hands Of the German Governments
such attacks reveal to the German Gov
ernmcnt that we arc divided people
They give tho impression tnat w" are not
bchind our President
81 went to that meeting prepared to hear
the German Kaiser ccnsurcd for the in
human deportation 0f the IiClgans My
position was that If we here in America arc
to save our souls we must not remain silent
upon this great issue cffccting humanity.
We must crystalllac all or our public sent
ment against the cnslavng OF free people.
but / heard our President attacked as well
we'll as the German Emperor. Under the
circumstances | felt that ] could not speak.
| agreed with nearly everything else that
was said, but my patriotism would not per
NIT me to join verbally In that meeting
after what Mr. Beck said.
"'rhc election is over and If we are TO
have united people In this country We
must stand solidly back of the President
nud give him every ounce Of our moral
support"
CADAWALADERS CRITICISM
John Cadwalader chairman Of the meet
ing today iutimated that II was PARTISAN
ship that prevented Judge Gray from speak
ing as scheduled
Judge Gray was formerly connected
with the Administration at Washington
said Mr.. Cadwalader, and possibly he did
not feel disposed to add anything after the
speech Of the afternoon by Mr. Beck, or to
second the resolution Of the meeting, as he
had expected to do. such is the Inference
TO be drawn from the incident"
"Thc meeting was the most nonpaT,isan
have over attended in Philadelphia, and
I have attended many in my time" con-
tinued Mr. Cadwaladcr THE invitations
were offered from pulpts of all dcnomna-
tuns In the morning services, and pcG-
pie of every belief and party were there
The fact Of any ones presence was toS-
tmOny of his agreement with the pur-
poses of the meeting, those OF protesting
and of devsng methods of making the pro-
test effective"
Miss Agnes Repplier, who spoke at the
meeting yesterday. said this morning the
speech Of Mr.. Beck was, in her opinion, not
AT all partisan. 'No doubt he was in
trRsely enthusiastic about his subject, and
he certainly presented it most eIoquently.
thing Judge Gray is a very strong Demo-
crat." said Mrs. Repper.
JUDGE GRAY LEAVES MEETING
As Mr.. Beck, at the close OF his address,
returned to his chair beside Judge Gray
the former Federal jurist did not notice him.
During Mr.. Becks speech Judge Gray was
seen 20 rise, as II TO leave tho Academy
Mr. Bcck's speech was received with pro-
longed applause, lie expressed the opinion
that all the evils which had befallen Bel
gium could have been prevented in tho
United states and prevented by one man
President Wilson He suggested that one
final note, requiring one single piece of
paper one pen and the value Of ono-thou-
sandth Of a penny OF ink could he dispatched
through Secretary Lansing ordering the de-
to the Poplar street house, SIXTY, seventy