The Mankato free press., 1918-07-12
ORA7ORY OF WOMEN
FEATURED BIG EVENT
HELD IN GARDEN CITY

moved before. This is time to
commemorate the splendor of this
day and to declare our proud allegi-
ance to this nation, the greatest re-
public of all time"
How America Has Triumphed.s
America has triumphed as has no
admiration of the world and led by
great leaders in the part and by that
noble statesman today, Woodrow Will
son, this country shall never perish
but will live on to proud place in
world history. On this our 142nd an
niversary liberty means more to the
world than ever before; it means
more to America but it means far
more to those nations that have new
er known the freedom of democratic
government.
Mr.. Wheaton stated that today, in
every country of the allied cause the
Fourth of July was being celebrated
with official sanction. 1t had come to
mean independence day to the rest
of the world as well as to America.
He paid a glowing tribute to France
and the bravery of her people in bear
ing the burdens of this struggle.
Nationality vies with nationality
within our own borders in an effort
to show their appreciation and to
commemorate the real importance of
this day." the speaker stated.
American democracy stands vim
dicated in this struggle" he said,
"our aims and purposes as nation
have come to be the aims and pur-
poses of the world. We are fighting
for international freedom and will
meet every demand of this great cris-
is. We will fight and we will continue
to fight until the last menace to hu'-
man rights and human freedom has
been abolished"
The speaker urged people to make
a greater manifestation of the loyalty
and love of country. He stated that
loyalty had united us as a nation to a
great degree but there was still evil
dence of party strife and disagree
ment.
No Time for Glass Contention.
'This is no time to pit class against
class, to sow the seeds of discon-
tent and disagreement but it is day
and an age when our first and high
est duty is loyalty to the country and
to the flag" Mr.. Wheaton declared.
A stirring tribute to the old flag
and to the causes in which it has al
ways supported was paid by the
speaker. He mentioned all the wars
in which America has been engaged
and dwelt on the high purpose and
principles that were supported In
each.
1--WE cannot look at that fiag,"' he
said, without feeling it has always
been raised for the benefit of Gods
people,"
Mr.. Wheaton said that the "call of
duty and of honor summoned our boys
to the front" He spoke feelingly
of the two sons he has in France and
stated that $4,000 sons of Minnesota
have readily answered the call and
are now with the colOrs. Minnesota as
a state has proven loyal and true to
her people in every respect.
Sedition Must Be Choked.
Sedition and pro- -Germanism must
be choked and tramped down wher-
ever it is found, he said, and those
guilty of such a crime be brought to
Justice and made to answer for their
crime. The speaker however said
that the people should not favor dis
order and violence and injustice that
might be wrecked by people under
the guise of patriotism and disloyairy.
Neither must we stand against
people for an 'accidetn of BIRTH" ne
said. There are many loyal Ger
mans in this country, they form
class of true citizens and it is the
pro- German and not the patriotic Ger
man citizen against whom we must
crush. No man is to blame for an
accident of birth it is his deeds as
a citizen and an American by which
he must be judged"
In cloging the speaker warned his
hearers that the winning of this wal
was not the greatest problem they
had to face. He said that the after
war" problems were far greater than
those of the present struggle. The
hardships of meeting crippled and dis
figured brothers and sons and the
problem of reconstructing their lives
that they might become citizens and
fellow helpers in the nation were all
mentioned by the speaker. Mr.
Wheaton closed his address with a
tribute to Minnesota, zone of the
greatest and noblest states in the
union," he stated.
Red Cross Auction.
Following the address by the speak
er a Red Cross auction was held or
the grounds. A huge American flag
measuring 9x18 feet was offered fol
sale. Many people bought the fas
for sums, ranging from 81 to $25 ant
then had it resold, to swell the Rec
Cross funds, G. l.. Fitch auctioned of
the flag and after over hun
| dred dollars had been raised by re-
selling the flag he stated that HI
would sell it to the highest bidder, al
bids starting at $1O0.
For nearly an hour the bidding OF
the flag continued to climb $40, $25
| and $50 at a time until George Gill
man carried off the emblem aftel
! pledging $500 to the Red Cross. Ii
all SAT- was raised by the sale. AL
during the day Garden City mem
| bers Of the Ped Cross chapter wer'
| busy among the crowds selling tick
cts to the Red Cross benefit dance
which was given last evening in thu
| Woodmen's hall. 1t was expected tina
| considerable sum would be raised
in this manner also. Due to the
unpleasant weather the Ped Cros:
booth which was to have been on thu
grounds was not put up. One place
of business, where all funds went tt
the Red Crosss, however, had /;