The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-30
MEN, WOMEN
 AND TNIMGS

America first.
 Be an American. No, this isn't a boost for Webb Craw- ford. or tip to do business with the American Trust
 But recently, coming in from the South Highlands. I looked toward Twentieth street and from the flag pole on the top of the American Trust Old Glory floated in the breeze.
 Then came to mind the advertising slo- gan that used to be flashed by night from the same building, ''Be an Amer ican."
 In this national crisis. this goes to the root of the matter. To all the hyphen- ates I say; 'Be an American," pure and unalloyed by any prefix whatsoever. For years we have heard much of German-Americans Always on election times it has played a big part and both parties have catered to 1t. The only time ever heard the late Mark Hanna speak was during the end of the campaign when he was putting Mckinley across. He spoke to the Ger man-Americans in the Academy of Music at Chicago.
 I was naturally anxious to hear him. I went down about 9 p. m and found the streets blockaded I made my way around to the stage entrance and knocked.
 The door opened and big Irish police- man asked me for my ticket I told him I didn't have one and in a brogue that you could cut he told me to go to 8 warmer climate, and shut the door in my face.
 I waited for few moments for him to cool off and rapped once more. When he saw me he was speeches., my cheek got his nerve, and that's why I did it. I began on him before he could open on me. I said: My Irish friend, you are & democrat and so am I. My wife and I are from the south and we want to hear old Mark speak. Now let us in." He grinned and knew had him going. Wait minute, he said, "and I will see one of the big guys for you.' and he did, and when I explained the situa- tion to him he said: Come right in" and gave us a seat in the dress circle.
  And heard the big boss speak. Could he speak? Sure, he was a stump speaker and I ought to know one when I hear him, for I was reared in climate where the crop of stump speakers was always in excess of the stumps. I'm here to testify that Mark Hanna was g past master in handling the aver age crowd. Big of body, big of brain, he was truly the big boss who could make the boys do his bidding.
 
 It wasn't any set speech. It was a rough and tumble debate. He was "heclzled," but he never lost his temper and was always equal to any interrup- tion.
 
 1 cartoons were getting under his skin. He freely admitted that Homer was keeping him awake nights with his carcatures.
 I'll never forget how half In jest but mere in deadly earnest he drew himself up and said: Friends, take 8 look at me, and tell me honest, do I look like the dollar mark he stamps me with7' Recently the mayor of Chicago was afraid the German-A Americans would not relish the visit of Joffre, the hero of the Marne, who stopped the German exodus from Berlin to Paris. dare say he was right in thinking that those who put the accent on the Ger man and the soft pedal on the Amer ican part of their names would not throw up their hats, but the tinlid mayor over played his hand in playing to the Ger an7American vote. | Strange, is it not, that while today we are at war with Germany and calling on every citizen of the United States to 1 geographer. named Waldsee Muller, who proposed the name of America for the new continent.
 l Anyway the name of the pilot, Amerigo Vespucci or. Latinized, as was | the custom in those days, Americus Ves- puccius, was the man to whom the honor 1 went on the motion of German. It met with general acceptance, and soon began | U appear in books and upon maps. I This is the generally accepted theory concerning the name. Anyway, to carry out my statement above. I'm going to re- l ject the one that the early explorers about the southwest shores of the Carib- 1 bean sea found that the natives referred | to their country as 'Amaraca.'' 1 close, as I started, with the word America-America first. Be an Amer l ican.
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