New-York tribune., 1918-05-01
Roosevelt and Taft Join in
Tribute to Representa-
tive From California
"Victory Is Far OFF"
Nation Warned Of Task Be-
fore 1t at Win-the-War
Meeting

St. CeClle, tne famous dCIOfS' lOQEe
of Masons, designated yesterday as
Julius Kahn Day" in recognition Of
the services of one of its members as
minority leader of the House Com
mittee on Military Affairs. The Cali
fornia Congressman, however, turned
the affair, attended by 1000 Masons,
into "win the war meeting" warn
| ing his hearers that the war would not
be short, but promising that it would
end in victory for America and her
allies.
Masonic and civic dignitares from
all parts of the country were present
United States were read extolling the
services of Mr.. Kahn. A banquet in
the evening at the McAlpin concluded
the exercises.
DR.. Ira Brewster Terry, master of
st. Cecile, presided. with r. w. George
Loesch as chairman. Mr.. Loesch in
troduced Representative Kahn as one
who had we'll exemplified the teachings
of Masonry
Had to Fight or Surrender
After reviewing the immediate
forts to avoid hostilities. Mr.. Kahn
said the United States had nothing
left to do but fight or surrender all
that Americans hold sacred.
ultimately" he said, "the time will
come when the poorest peasant in Ger
many's forests will curse the day that
German autocracy dragged us into it,
because, thank God, Americans are no
quitters! We are going to see it
through we have got to see it through,
no matter how many men it will take,
take, no matter how long time it will
take-we have got to win this war.
81 realize the terrible Sacrifices that
will have to be made. We have only
made beginning. 1t will take another
year and one-half or two years be-
fore we will get in as we ought to get
in. We are going to make progress
right along now, and within two years
we will have the ships, the munitions
and the men to do the fighting.
No Divided Allegiance
"In crisis like this there can be no
divided allegiance on the part of those
who have the honor of being American
citizens. Lincoln said that the man
who spoke of his country with ifs
and 'ands' and butts was not in favor
of his country and should join the
enemy in the open. That is as true
to-day as it was when Lincoln said it.
"Then there is the man who says he
TO fight, but he would fight if our
shores were invaded. Thank God the
enemy will never be able to reach
these shores All you have to do is
look at Belgium, at France,\ at Serbia
and the other countries that enemy
has invaded and ask the man who
wants to fight at home what he thinks
of the picture. | thank God our plan
of action contemplates that our young
men shall carry 1.-THE war into Ger
many"
After paying a tribute to the part
women are playing in the winning Of
pay tribute to "the men now in Wash
ington," whom he described as "big
enough to forget petty partisan poll
tics, to forget sectonalism."
1--WE are" said he, "going to win
this war not as New Workers. or Cali
fornians or Virginians, but we are
going to win it as Americans. know
that we will win, my soul tells me
that God will give us the strength to
see it through for the benefit of the
whole world that believes in liberty
and freedom"
Ex-Governor John X. Tener said:
doing more than any other man to
strengthen and uphold the hands of
the President"
Justice Townsend Scudder expressed
doubt that the conscription bill woMd
have passed at all were it not for Tie
efforts of Mr.. Kahn.
Speakers Laud Kahn
Others who spoke we're R. w.
William H. Miller, treasurer of the
grand lodge, Grand Chaplains C. Wal
lace Petty and Cornelius Wolfkin, M.
w. John w. Vrooman, senior past
grand master Of New York; M. w.
William Sherer, and NJ w. Robert
Judson Kenworthy, grand secretary,
and Captain A. B. Simmons, U. S. A. In
addition to the letters from ex-Presi-
dents Roosevelt and Taft, messages
We're read from Grand Master Thomas
Penny, M: W. Charles Smith, Senator
William NJ: Calder and Louis Mann.
Colonel Roosevelt in his letter said:
"1n rising above all consideration of
party and personal benefit to press to
passage the corscription bill after the
President had been abandoned by the
House leaders of his party and further
delay in sending much needed help
abroad was threatened, julius Kahn
had excellent Masonic precept and Ma
sonic precedent antedating the Reyo-
luton. The important thing is not
that he had these precedents, but that
ne followed them. That he did 80
will be recalled to his credit long after
those who now do him honor have been
called before the Grand Master of all.
Mr. Taft wrote:
Julius Kahn is Congressman who
measures up to a full standard in
statesmanlike view, efficiency, courage
and patriotism. He is partisan. hit
he knows when partisanship is right
and when it isn't. He is a hundred
per cent American"