The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1918-05-23
URGES DEATH FOR
DISLOYAL "ALIENS"

A loyal foreign-born citizen stood
before an audience at the Grand Ave-
nue. M. E. church last night and told
in vigorous and unmistakable terms
what he thought of the foreign-born
citizen who doesn't live up to his duty
to America.
Judge John L. Kennedy of Omaha
was the speaker. He related how he
had come to this country from Scot
land at the age of 10, travelling in the
steerage with a host of other emil
grants seeking freedom in the new
land.
eve came for liberty" he said.
"We came because in the places of
our birth there was no opportunity,
no outlook; nothing but class and
caste, or in the case of the German
emigrants, nothing but restriction
and militarism.
eve have found freedom and COM
fort in this land, and an equal chance
with all, and some of US have attained
wealth or honors. We have had all
the benefits of citizenship, and never
until now have we been called on to
bear the burdens, and the man who
fails now is the worst of criminals.
Firing Squad for Disloyal
"There are three kinds of citizens
-native-born, foreign-born, and the
third class that is sort of on the
fence between the two, that didn't
finish taking out his Naturalization
papers. / have nothing but contempt
for the allen enemy who never fin
ished becoming a citizen.
every community must purge itself
of disloyalty. When I read of the
Germans in Chicago celebrating the
victory of the German armies, |
thought there is only one remedy
the firing squad in the morning-and
it isn't over necessary to wait until
morning."
Judge Kennedy, the former Con-
gresham, told of the battle in Con-
gress over the immigration act, in
which he stood in opposition to re-
strictions on immigration.
81 believe that every foreigner
should be welcomed to this country
with open arms" he said, "but l also
maintain that no foreigner should set
foot on this soil unless he comes pre-
pared to become part of the coun-
try, to forget all allegiance to any
other place, to give it his utmost love
and loyalty and gratitude"
English Tongue for All
In the conflict over the immigra-
ton act Judge Kennedy stood out
against the literacy test, and was the
father of the motion that an amend
ment be substituted requiring the
ability to speak English.
eff our alien residents are not will
ling to make that effort, they ought
to be denied the rights Of citizenship"
he said. "This is a time when the
English language should be sufficient.
"There is no overestimating the
danger of the possibility Of German
propaganda through the foreign Ian
guage press. There is no excuse for
German publications that continually
infiame the people by their misrepre-
sensations of the war. If l were
president l would put stop tomor-
row of every newspaper published in
German.
1--WE hear a great deal about the
efficacy Of the melting pot. The
thing to do is to put more fire under
the melting pot Make the mass
more one. We can't have an ideal
citizenship with several different Ian
guages."
Must Practice Patriotism
Among the patriotic sayings that
called forth rounds Of applause from
the audience were:
~ ran for the United States Sen
ate in 1915, and if 1 were there now
I would be supporting Wilson to the
last step just as I am doing anyway.
"This is no time for partisanship-
only for patriotism. l said at the be-
ginning of the war that would never
make a partisan speech again until
the cause was won.
eve are sitting here in comfort,
listening to the beautiful music, but
over in France there is a different
scene. The allied armies are hold
ing back in grim struggle, not only
for their own sakes, but for ours.