The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-15
Throng of 10000, Led by Anna
Fitziu, Sings Fcrvently
at City Hall.
MAJOR-GEN. BELL SPEAKS
Laurette Taylor Thrills Crowd
With Patrick Henry's
Speech. :

t1hii py clear eyed American 6iri ana
hurled at a Lettish Emperor Of Germany.
Give me liberty or give me death"
deolalmed Miss Laurette Taylor as. she
flung her arms widely apart, and 10000
men and women gathered in and around
City Hall Plaza gave a great shout,
which must have carried to Fourteenth
street.
Almost instantly the multitude began
to sing THE star spangled Banner" be-
gan to sing it with the vim and drive
which Is really In the anthem and which
is so seldom brought out by the tagging
bands, and for minutes the whole throns
was swayed and stirred by such patriotic
intensity as is seldom felt even in these
days. ..,...
Armys Deeds Stir Hearts.
The response to Miss Taylors declama-
ton and to Miss Anna Fltxiu's leader
ship in the singing OF the anthem arose
from hearts greatly stirred by the
achievements of the American First
Army. which is smashing from st. Mihiel
toward Metz and the Rhine. and from
hearts moved also by tho extraordinary
results Of the draft call Of September
IL. Representatives Of patriotic So
cieties present at the City Hall Anthem
Day celebration perceived in the fine stir
OF feeling asother indication Of the ex-
pansion of nationalism and Of patriotic
fervor in America, for foreign born clti-
Gems were present In the crowd in large
numbers, and their voices were among
the strongest In the singing Of the
anthem.
The City Hall celebration was the CEN
tire Of a general Anthem Day celebration
throughout the city. In the parks. at
the theatres and even on the street cor
ners people gathered in thousands to
faniliarize themselves with the words
OF the national song. Professional sing
ers volunteering under the auspices Of
the Mayors Committee on National De-
fence Tined out" the anthem in the
old fashioned way. and the people. wher-
ever they were, set themselves with pa
tient enthusiasm to perfect themselves
In the words and music Probably In
40 years there have never been so many
people in this city simultaneously sing
Ing the song of liberty.
In the motion picture theatres the
words and the music OF 'The Star Span
gled Banner" were projected upon the
screen and spectators were drilled for
O quarter Of an hour before the regular
picture programmes were set running. In
the theatres there was q similar celebra-
ton before curtains were fung up. and
on many busy corners in the afternoon
and evening strong voiced singers held
patriotic singing school. ''
Major-Gen. ]. Franklin Bell was a
guest of honor OF the Mayors committee
at the City Hall celebration. He was
| escorted by detachment from the
women's National Army In their smart
uniforms Francis X. Pendleton, Justice
of the Supreme Court and a grandson Of
Francis Scott Key. author OF THE Star
Spangled Banner" delivered the princl-
pal address.
Many Notables Present.
Among those present were Mayor Hy-
Ian. Alfred +. Smith, president of the
Board Of Aldermen and Democratic can.
didate for Governor; Henry Macdonald.
| director OF the Mayors committee; f. b.
Cochems. Miss Helen Fulton. who orig
mated the movement to devote Septem-
Der II all over the country to celebrating
Anthem Day and to teaching the people
how to sing their national song: Miss
| Anna Fitziu OF the Metropolitan Opera.
who led the singing; Miss Laurette Tay-
| lor who recited Patrick Henry's famous
speech before the Virginia House OF Bur-
gesses Mrs. John Francis Yawger, pres
ident Of the City Federation of Women's
| Clubs; Mrs. Alfred w. Cochran. regent
Of the New York Chapter of the D. A. r. {:
| Mrs. William r. Stewart, president of
the National Society of the Patriotic
Women OF America: Mrs. William Gerry
| Slade honorary president of the Daugh-
| tiers OF 1912; Mrs. George II. Childs,
president Of the Women's Democratic
| Clubs. and representatives Of the Allied
Powers and officers Of the American
army and navy.
I Mr. Cochems opened the programme
by introducing Justice Pendleton. who
closed his address on "The Star Spangled
Banner" with these words:
with that sublime challenge of de-
| fance and confidence the young nation
| has bounded upward and onward to be
| the mightiest democracy or history and
| the world, until to-day that starry ban
! ner, true to Its history and traditions.
stands unfurled on the battlefelds OF
France, Joined forever with Its great and
glorious allies. England. France and
Belgium, in indissoluble union, now and
forever. In the defence of liberty and
freedom; proclaiming now. as then, the
proud confidence of It's people as the
| American hosts battle forward: asking
nothing but that wrong may be righted
and Justice and liberty made secure for
the world" ''- o-.'..
Gen Bell. greeted with cheszs by the
multitude in and around the plaza, re-
called Marshal Foch's recent epiSram
that a new type OF warfare has arisen
in which the weapons were the hearts OF
men. -
Says Nation Needs Discipline.
"The Prime Minister of England has
iust said" continued Gen. Bell, thai
the only thing which can prevent the
success of our cause Is heart failure,
I hold in my hand a definition of mill
tary discipline which the commanding
OFFICER at Plattsburg used with much
success in the training OF young mer
committed to his care.
Military discipline is. first the de-
sire to obey, the earnest, eager desire
to obey; second. the determination Il
carry out orders fully. regardless Of
difficulties. regardless of dangers. re
gardless of consequences to ones self
and all this simply and solely because
these are orders coming from properly
constituted authorities
This definition applies equally TO an,
kind of discipline. A military body can
not achieve success without military dis
ciplins. A nation cannot achieve sue
cess without national discipline. II W,
as nation would entirely preclude al
probability of heart failure we mus
practise self-discipline. We must i'm
molate ourselves upon the altar of self
sacrifice. We must sacrifice all idea
OF adherence to individual Views ano
rega rdless of our individual differences
in opinion resolve to follow our leader
J In view OF the sacredness of our caus,
It should not be difficult TO Bubordinat,