Evening star., 1917-08-22
His Pledge to President.

Immediately. he said. as commander
in-chief of the organization. he tele-
graphed President Wilson that the
Grand Army of the Republic heartily
supported his stand for the neutral
rights of the free use of the open
seas.
Later in Washington" Mr. Patter-
son said. Il called at the White House
to reiterate in person what had been
declared by wire. President Wilson
expressed his pleasure at our prompt
Endorsement of his course, remarking
that he and the whole country knew
without any assurances how the
G. A. r. stood on all patriotic ques-
tions and that no one had any doubt
to how that organization stood in
the present crisis.
And so today our lives, our property
and our sacred honor are pledged in
support of liberty in the titanic strug-
gle now waged between autocracy and
democracy.
The encampn,ent devoted today to bust.
ness. Sessions were held in symphony
Hall The veterans were rendered a COM
plimentary luncheon by the Massachusetts
department Of the Woman's Relief
Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies Of the
C. A. r.. Daughters of Veterans. Sons
of Veterans and Sons Of Veterans Aux
Hilary also were opened today. The
Army Nurses of the Civil War held a
memorial service.
Bakhmetieff Praises Veterans.
Tonigh: there will be a G. A. r
campfire in Mechanics building
Representatives of the new Russian
republic clasped hands last night with
The preseryers of the American republic
in Faneuil Hall. the cradle of Ameri-
can liberty. when Boris A. Bakhmetieff.
the Russian ambassador. spoke at the
national campfire of the Grand Army
of tie Republic. The ambassador
l,i a ised the showing which the veterans
made in their march through the streets
with spirits as martial. though with
steps not SO firm, as half century
ago
Draws a Parallel.
Drawing a parallel between the fight
for liberty waged by the men he was
addressing and the fight which his own
countrymen now are waging for that
same liberty, Mr.. Bakhmeteff said:
You sacrificed lives and gave your
all for a great ideal. the noble cause
of democracy and free government.
Today the work you did. the trail you
blazed, has been an inspiration to the
dow wntrodden and oppressed people of
Russia. and they. knowing your efforts
and your success, arose in their might
and. fighting for the self-eame ideals
and causes. have established a free gov
ernment by free people.
ITO see you assemble in this historic
shrine, you who responded to the call
of the greatest patriot of all time, the
emancipator, Abraham Lincoln. over
whelms me.
THE story OF the United States gov
ernment is not unknown to the Russian
people. Every Russian schoolboy has
read il and knows 1t by heart. We
thank God for what has happened. We
ask him to aid US in the future.
Your brotherly sympathy and
affection have completely surpassed nv
widest hopes. The affectionate greet
ings and generous sympathy will es-
tablish new hope in the hearts of Rus
sian soldiery between the Black sea
and the steppes of Russia They will
inspire new courage and new vigor
for new and greater achievements"
The veterans responded to the ambas-
saoor with hearty cheers.
Past Commander Tanner Responds.
Past Commander James Tanner. in q
fervid response, said:
"Our cause is the cause of liberty and
the cause OF the peoples all
around the world. including the Germans
the serpent must be crushed beneath the
heels of freemen, the human hyena must
feel ruin falling on his throne and he
must realize that he is soon to be wiped
off the list Of monarchs."
GOV Mccall, another OF the campfire
speakers. was loudly cheered when he
protested against recent race riots You
fought TO free four millions of slaves" he
said land | know tonight that you feel
outraged at the race riots that have oc-
Cured recently in various parts OF the
These atrocities make your
blood boil after what you men succeeded
in achieving through four long, bloody