Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-08
HARRY LAUDER DELIVERS
MESSAGE TO HOMELAND
Garry On! II We Don't Beat Hun,
Then Nothing In Life
Matters"
OF HIS IMPRESSIONS
III You Want to Find All. American
Who Is Half-Heartcd About War,
You'll Have to Look In IA Mu-
scum"
ny HARRY LAUDER.
international News Bureau. ]

Yc mind the tale of the train jumper
who said he was for Frisco II only
his trousers held out. Well. when the
ground ! was covering l said: The con-
tinent of North America, il my voice
holds out. And 1t has held out. But
my arms sore with the handshakes.
think that every male in the United
States OF over ten mHst have had
go at my paw. If I'm a bit disJointed
the day. you must pit it all down to
the wedden. There's been wedden
the morn. It's my wifes niece. Mary
Kerr Valance tand a bonny lassie she
is). She's married Draw soldier lad
a fine name. too.
Well. I'm writing these casual notes
in momentary expectation of being
called out to form part OF a family
group In the back garden. Och, There
they 60 VIII you Just excuse me for
a minute?
Male voice: Look pleasant. please
Lauder: How can look pleasant
with crick In my
Click,
Well. thank goodness. that's over.
ADDRESSED 100000
PEOPLE IN AMERICA
1t was a wonder my voice held out
Tor in travelling $4,000 miles au-
dressed 2,Oo0,eUo people. I, seems to
me That every British propaEandist in
America should first undergo voice
training on the halls
sun may mention that when start
CD out you got the best OF everything
at the hotels and only a hyphenated
waiter. VINO has since been in,erned
seemed 10 know there was war OIL
when came back six months later l
lived on brown bread and attempted
thefts Of sugar.
In money the results of the Campaign
were sll,ooo,ooo for the various war
loans.
The effects don't end there. The
Americans. like the Scots are as uru-
dent in the cash deps rtment as they arc
reckless In the charge: and having put
their money into the war, they de-
ct6ed 1t was their war. and put tn IN
selves in too-riSht in. And thew.
for keeps there
II you want to find an American.
VINO is half-hearted about the war
you IL nave TO look in d museum-o.
Conchie goal.
There aren't many Conchies In A,,.r
lea. The airs bad for the growth.
AS the American soldiers told ME,
on board the troopship which brought
me home, "Sir.>we know that this war
is the biggest thing that ever was Do
you mink anything else could have
pulled US away from Tennessaer'
OF course. when got there nobody
Knew anything about the war. except
what the Germans had told them. Tina,
was our policy at the beSinning-to
Keep our mouths shut. and let the
other fellow talk. II didn't pay
When | began | was almost inclined
TO feel that ] was counsel for the de-
tcndant. But that didn't last long
Al first there were one or two used
TO say TO ME, privately. Mr.. Lauder
the wars thousands of miles away
from us. Why is IT our concern" And
I'd answer them:
Is liberty thousands OF miles away,
II liberty dies in Paris. will it live in
New York? The French came over to
help you gain your Independence Won't
you help the French 20. keep theirs?
There's a Statue OF Liberty in New
York Harbor. II I'm not mistaken the
French gave 1t you. Will you lie,
that statue crumble into the sea?
hadn't TO say that many times. To-
wards the end. in fact. ! had to sprint
hard to keep pace with the enthusiasm
Of my audiences.
You may take it from me. and l
know. for I've been all over America,
that this is the spirit of the States:
This is as much our war as yours. 1t
10 our war IMAM yours, because
there is more of US"
Whatever their ancestry. English,
Scotch. Irish, Welsh. French, Italian
they all hate the Kaiser and loathe the
Hun.
Enthusiasm: Why out in the West.
rough miners and cowboys have halted
me In my tracks, put me on a soap box,
and made me deliver an irApromptu ad
dress right away.
NEVER HAD A
HECNLER TO COMPUTE;
The one terrible disa appointment of
my tour. in fact, is that ! never had n
heckier to confute. Believe me. ] fel,
that was unfair on the part of Ameri-
ca-and they aren't dumb men there
at public meeting. Only they were
ANXIOUS to learn. you see. and that
makes all the difference.
Now come back to you with mes
sage. 1t is just this:
carry on! If we don't beat the Hun,
then nothing in this life matters Don't
let war-weariness hide that terrible
fact from your soul
come from a continent where every
pody is working his body out in the
great cause. hope to find the same
mere ! nope that those who cannot die
To- Britain wiz at least live for her.
Does the message sound stale? Doe
1t sound out of date God forbid that
il should be so.
MfSTS OF PREJUDICE
BLOWN AWAY BY WAR
Yes. and 7 have another message
a message of friendship-signed and
sealed. and to endure forever All the
mists of prejudice between us and our
cousins have been blown away by the
great guns of the war. The mist was
the poison gas OF German propa ganda
1t was the Germans taught the
americans that we were all "Haw, haw
Johnnies." 1t was the Germans taught
us that the Americans were all spread
eagle. cock doodle. get off the earth
hustlers.
We know better now. And the re-
ceptior simple Scottish comedian got
from the great American people is a
sign.