Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-12-04

! There are those In THE country who.
! to evade the draft, and TO get their $40,
| their "a and their $50 a week. gave up
their first papers Of naturalization. Now
| these same aliens say that we can't have
coal until they get good and ready to
gave it to us. say send them back
whence they came, and the quicker you
do 1t the better 1t will be for America"
! These we're the words Of Chaplain
Francis A. Kelley, chaplain Of the eth
New York; division in France and re-
Gently elected national chaplain of the
American Legion. speaking last evening
| before 275 members and invited guests Of
! the Burlington Chamber Of Commerce. a
gathering which packed the Hotel Ver-
mont dining hall, the occasion being the
annual banquet and meeting of this
| organization.
Officers for the Burlington Chamber Of
Commerce for 1920 were elected as fol-
lows: President, +. f. Mcintosh; vice.
president Levi p. Smith; secretary, D. w.
Jardine. The nominating committee which
reported these officers was composed Of
| s. l.. Platka, f. d. Worthen and c. A.
! Davis.
! Cheering again and again as Chaplain
Kelley depicted with vivid flashes the
: lldnlc struggle OF tnc american troops
which ended with the breaking and taking
! of the ''impregnable" Hindenburg line,
dignifed Burlingtonians were aroused to
/ the highest pitch of excitement by the
scathing denunciations which the speaker
hurled at alien slackers. radicals, Boil
sheviki and l. w. WIS. And when
Chaplain Kelley brought his masterful
oration to a close with a climatic appeal
to all true Americans to stand squarely
for the principles on which the country
was founded, he brought his audience to
its feet single man cheering, shout
ing, yelling, waving handkerchiefs and
pounding the tables until the strains of
"America' gave the opportunity to bring
the meeting to a fitting close.
Chaplain Kelley severely critized the
action of the war department with re-
gard to so-called conscientious objec-
tors" during the war. This type of men,
who. when the call to arms came, did not
consider their flag worth fighting for,
received treatment from the government
which was an insult to those men who
gave their all for the country on the field
Of battle. declared Chaplain Kelley. Many
of these conscientious objectors" were
put in jais where they were perfectly
safe. had beds to sleep in and three
the armistice was signed. they were par
doned, given honorable discharges the
same as the men who fought on the
fields OF France, given their back pay
and sent out into the country on the same
footing with the returning overseas SOL
diers
rs it to be wondered at that a country
twhose war department gives this sort OF
treatment to those who have refused tc
fight for it's flag should have within its
borders those who have no respect fol-
that flag" asked the speaker. In this
connection. Chaplain Kelle/ read the res
oluton adopted at the recent national
convention of the American Legion, ask
ing that the war department retract the
honorable discharges given to these mer
who refused TO fight. and have them de-
ported from the country.
"He who will not fight for the U. S. A
shall not enjoy the e. S. A." shouted
Chaplain Kelley. loud Applause).
Eve want an immigration committee
and an emigration committee at Wash
ington ready to do their duty in this mat
ter" declared the speaker. LET us moi
stack our national committees with Bol
sheviki and l. w. w. sympathizers. Lee
us put men in there who believe as yot
people are to be found on earth than tn,
people Of the L. S. A.
I'VE hear committees at Washington
talking about teaching foreigners thu
meaning Of the terms Freedom Jus
tice' and right | say send the for
) eigWers back where they came from un
; til they learn what justice, freedom ant
right mean"
At another time, Chaplain Kelley re
ferred TO the people who are stirring nj
the turmoil in the country to-day a
snakes who sting at the very vitafr o
our nation.
; THE trouble Is" said the Chaplain
that there have been allowed to com
here classes Of people who nave neve
learned the funda mental principles o
appreciation. Never since ITO ha
= America passed through such a crisi
0 as she is passing through to-day"
Q Last nights meeting was probabl
1 the largest and most enthusiastic whic
:. the Burlington Chamber OF Commerc
2 has ever held, The large crowd ha
hard work to find seats and some VIII
9 did not enter the dining room for tn
r. banquet orowed the doorways Will
h Chaplain Kelley WAS speaking. invita-
o ions sent out to members OF the Amer
d loan Legion, both In Burlington an
= surrounding towns. to attend thl
( meeting and many visitors from ou
90 Of the city were present, includn
county agents from all over the Stat
: who had a table reserved for them. Th
"A home demonstration agents also had
t table, they being the only ladies pres
o ent,
q THE BUSINESS MEETING
d Before the banquet. which was oper
=