The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-16
A KANsAN IN NEW YORK.

can newspaper fuDilShcIo doSO~AoeAS@A
was q most interesting event.
1t was given in the grand ballroom
of the waldorf-Astoria, New York, at
noon on April "a. 1t was not so much
what was served at the meal that
made it important. but the Won
derful five to. ten minute speeches
that were interspersed between the
courses.
This luncheon was unique. The
speakers began with the soup and
about the time the cigars and coffee
were served following the dessert, the
last speaker came on
1t is a good idea I hope we can
introduce it in Topeka some time at
our dinners instead of stringing them
out to late hours as is sometimes the
custom.
But to begin with, this luncheon
cost $3.50 per plate and here is what
there was to it, followed by cigars and
interspersed with cigarets for those
who desired them:
MENU.
Strained Julienne, in Cups.
Celery. olives.
Broiled Salmon, Hollandaise Sauce.
Half Broiled Squad Chicken.
Green Peas Saute in Butter.
Hearts of Lettuce, Long Island.
Fancy Ice Cream.
Assorted Cakes.
Coffee.
1t might be interesting to say here
that never in a visit to New York did
the writer see so little drinking of Ii
uuor and such a few varieties OF liquor
served, where it was served at all. The
number of people who attend big
luncheons and big dinners who drink
nothing stronger than coffee is in
creasing from year to year; in fact.
drinking is quite often tabooed.
There were, as already stated in
this chapter, eloquent, pointed
speeches.
I will undertake to give a few cpl
grams only from a wonderful talk by
Sir John Foster Fraser of London.
chairman of the war lectures commit
tee of Great Britain.
Sir John, who seems to be very
democratic in his ways and speech,
took a crack at our big Sunday papers
before he proceeded with the serious
portion of his address. He said:
your Sunday papers in America
are fascinating to me. I confess that
find in them much publicity but fire.
quently little information. 1 read in
them that for $50 one can dress like
an English dude and feel like an
American congressman"
This caught the audience and he
then made some wonderful statements.
some of them, so far as know. never
before printed.
Here are some things he said. and I
quote from hearing him as I did-not
read his speech afterwards:
1.-THE English navy in August, 1914,
just as the great war broke, had four
million tons; today she has six mil
Hon tons, or SO per cent more than
when the war began
This was a remarkable statement,
especially from an authority, and
struck his hearers with amazement,
for until this time all. or most of US.
everybody I had heard speak of it had
supposed the German submarines
were destroying and reducing British
tonnage at a tremendous rate. This
was big news to those present and OF
a most gratifying and encouraging ma
ture.
I'm Scotland and England one In
every seven is in the army; in Ireland,
one in thirty-six."
I'm one month Great Britain lost
$1,000 dead in France. Two abreast
this would reach from Washington
Square to One Hundred Twenty-first
street."
six hundred thousand British lie
dead in France"
TN four weeks Great Britain lost
more men than in the United States
ths entire north lost in the Civil war"
Yet we are not disheartened. We
must be cheerful; the soldiers at the
front and always full of good cheer.
Our line may bend, may bulge, but,
by the gods, never will the Germans
break thru It,"
81 saw 500 men lying in the mud
wounded. 1t seemed asif they would
never laugh again. Out of 1000
only ninety were left. Their caps
were gone. their mouths were bloody.
but they were bright and cheerful and
they were singing Your Old Kit Bag
Have no fear. What you have to
fear is not war propaganda but peace
propaganda. The Germans have
united us; they have brought Great
Britain and France and America to-
gether. Not in 100 years could these
countries have been cemented as they
are now; they are linked as brothers
Great Britain. France and America .
F. P. NJ.
tTo Be Continued.)
A foretaste of what is coming to all