Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-06
ITALIANS HEAR
 PATRIOTIC ADDRESS
Joseph w. CarIevaIe Delivered Stir
 ring Address to His countrymen.

| held a patriotic mass meeting in thu heart of the Italian district on Frank lin street, Wednesday afternoon Sev.
 eral hundred gathered. and listened tt
 an address in Italian by Joseph " Carlevale. teacher of the Iaalisr
 school. Mir. Carlevale's talk was briei and to the point and was greeted with hearty applause by his hearers. He spoke as follows:
 When in the course of human events
 1t becomes necessary for one people
 to dissolve the political bands which
 have connected them with another
 the earth the separate and equal sta
 tion to which the laws of nature and Of natures God entftle them. a de- cent respect to the opinions of man kind requires. that they should de clare the causes which impel lnem to the separation. We hold these truths to be self evident: tha all men are created equal; that th%y are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights: that among these are life, liberty. and the pur- suit of happiness etc, etc.
 Thomas Jefferson penned these di- vine words in the declaration of Ir dependence July 1, IT'S, and todar. are gone by. we find inspiration and pride in reading them over and in finding that this nation is following the footsteps of its founders and firs1 defenders.
 If we compare the declaration of independence with the several mes sages delivered to the congress Of the United States by President Wilson we will find the real source of inspir- ation which has led. and still does lead, tens of thousands of young men to enlist in the army and navy. for the purpose of defending these prin- ciples and of maintaining these privi- Ieges not only for ourselves but for
 
 People were telling each other and repeating with insistence that the American nation was a nation Of ner- chants, interested only in worldly by meanr of it's sale or exchange.
 These things were insistentiy re peated and seemed to have some plausible justification or excuse. All nation were easily forgotten. and the best pages of it's history distorted.
 We were charged with selfshness. We were described as a lot of human beings striving toward their own hap piness of others. The generosity of this nation toward the world was either ignored or purposely denied Even the fact that it opened it's arms to the paupers of the world. gave them bread and shelter, and raised them to men, was ignored. Tn every act of ours. foreign critics discovered or tried to discover a selfish motive. We felt sorry and humiliated even though We knew that there was no fouuda- tion or Justification for the criticism.
 We knew our time would come We knew the world would have occasion 10 discover some time that this is a generous nation. devoted to progress and liberty
 The time has come. President Will son in his message has illustrated md perpetuated the principles which Thomas Jefferson embodied Tn his declaration of independence.
 Today. one hundred and forty -oue years after the solemn proclamation 1f these noble and generous princi- pies, we are fighting for liberty, for equality. for justice. not in our own behalf but in behalf of humanity and
 We stand today, in respect to oth- ITS, on the very same platform we stood one hundred and forty-one years shows that we are true to our prin- sipIe and to our faith and that the place which history gave us of first 'epub!ic in the world, is wholly de- ;erVed.
 The mower of Prussianism. based l Ipon oppression and exploitation of | he most barbaric nature. is crumb- | ing. The power of this nation. fouud> | d upon justice and liberty, is grow | ng stronger.
 The kaiser. who claims divine rights. | s struggling to destroy the world ! IS he has destroyed, or Is about 10 l estroy Germany.
 The government of the United | States, which claims only popular | ights. is striving to redeem and up fit the oppressed, the weak. the in- | locent of the entire world
 And, in the end, kaiserism and | 'russianism shall have to give away ! O liberty, civilization, progress
 The United pf he best disinterested champions Of l uman rights. They have given their | nswer to critics and defamers and | tand today, as they stood one hun ! Cremost ranks Of civiliZa ton.
 This is the first time. in the hls- ory of this country. when we are Sntiug in foreign countries in de- I ence of rights and liberties of oth-
 The merchants" Of America are howing their idealism. which is pure nd strong. and are giving To the ty ants Of the earth the most eloquent ssson they ever had.
 Thomas Jefferson and Woodrow Wilson have joined hands in pro laiming human rights The younger merican generation is joining hands 'ith the oldest one in fighting for berty. humanity and justice.
 We are fighting for mankind not l pr ourselves. By so doing we are | indicating our traditions and honor II lg the forefathers of this great, gen | rous and powerful republic
 The celebration of our independence II ay acquires, this year. greater i'm ortance than it ever had before w. ave been up to the present time, roud of our past history. We are ow, not only proud of our past. but lso of our present and send to the aders and the fighters of the nation UT best wishes of victory. the most ncere expression of encouragement nd gratitude. MT. Carlevale spoke to the Italians other parts of the city during the ay.