The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-04-27
COLLEGE MAN MADE A VERY
PATRIOTIC SPEECH
Meeting Held at Mankato Theatre Las.
Night; Stan ding Room At Premium;
Loyalty Utterances BY Judge haIIam
And J. E. Haycraft; Appropriate Intro
duction Remarks BY J. A. FIittie Open
ed the Way: Singing BY Choral Society
IN Tuesdays Daily.
AMERICA, MY COUNTRY.


plight thee my troth and l give thee
my all,
peace or in war am wed to thy
sweal,
Al carry thy flag through the fire
and the steel,
IN sea nor on land shall it suffer
disgrace, - -.
Jnsullied it floats DER our peace low
ing race, 7.+F.s
In reverence / kneel at sweet liberty's
shrine,
America, my country. command, am
thine. .-..
America, my country, brave souls
gave thee birth, ..r..
Who yearned for a haven of freedom
on earth, .,.a.
And when thy dear flag to the winds
( was unfurled d.. .....
There came to thy shores the OPP
pressed of the world;
ny milk and thy honey flow freely
for all, s
no takes Of thy bounty shall come
ut thy call, g..
tho quaffs of thy nectar of freedom
shall say,
merica, my country, command, I
r.
nerica, my country. thy flag ! adore,
glories in peace but it fears not in
war, 9 '.. -
ghen tyrants would trample it's folds
:. in the dust, sy .
Did Glory, undaunted, is true to it's
trust;
-Its stars ever twinkle from liberty's
dome 80 &c.,. r...
: A message of hope to mankind,
through the gloom, arE
And children of men bless the red,
Z white and blue,
America. my country, the tried and
the true. e'
America, my country, now come is thy
hour
The Lord of Hosts recks on thy cour-
age and power;
Humanity pleads for the strength of
thy hand
Lest liberty perish on sea and on
landi
Thou guardian of freedom, thou keep
er of right,
When liberty bleeds there is task for
thy might,
"Diyine right" of kings or our free
dom must fall
America. my country, come at thy
call.
Immediately after the parade. a
Of thn hot h,|
taken part or had assembled to view
it went straight to the Mankato the
atre to enjoy the splendid program
that had been prepared for the as
semblage there. Every seat wac
soon occupied on the floor and in
THE gallery. The house was taxed
o it's capacity. The attendance could
not have been more magnificent,
either in point of number or in en-
thusiasm.
, The speakers were seated in a
row on the front of the stage Back
of them. in tiers of seats. were the
members of chorus, 100 strong. con-
sisting largely of girls in white, but
also with quite a number of male
voices
oCNCldi ais "ClC
played by the Loyola orchestra. The
entire audience rose as the Star
Spangled Banner was played. The
orchestra did not know until about
three o'clock yesterday that it was
going to play at the theatre. The
opening prayer was led by Rev. G..
A. Cahoon. He PRAYED that Presi-
dent Wilson and all others in au-
thority in this nation might have di-
vine guidance in the paths of right,
and that this war. instituted for
motives Of right and not for selfish
purposes, might continue throughout
to be struggle for the right and
end with a triumph for the right.
Jean A. Flittie, chairman of the
meeting, opened with the thought
that Americans must be one in SEN
timent and one in loyalty to the flag.
A universal burst of applause
greeted this sentiment. The applause
was frequent throughout the meet
ing. The audience was plainly alive
to the splendid sentiment of the
occasion and nothing that was said
seemed to be lost on anybody. Ev-
cry word was eagerly heard and ev-
cry sentiment quickly understood. II
was a responsive gathering.
Mr.. Flittie declared that he be-
lieved there was no question of the
patriotism of the American people
In the present day. The war in Eu-
rope was to free white slaves from
the TYRANNY of mighty military ma
chine, guided by an autocracy. When
that machine had been crushed,
there would emerge Europe of free
men and free women.
He spoke of the outrages that had
been practised by the nation with
which America was at war. Ameri
can men, women and children had
been murdered in cold blood. 1t
was a struggle between democracy
and autocracy. This question might
AS well be settled now and settled
rightly, MS was the question of black
slavery in the United States more
than half a century ago.
Mr.. Flittie declared that with such
ioutra ges going on as were being
and had been practised by Germany
including the sending of relief ships
- boon;fo1 shipc IN tho hOttom Of