Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-29

MY FELLOW CITIZENs: 1t is very dec
4V4 lightful to be here, if may be permitted
to say so, and I consider it a distinguished
privilege to open the discussion as to the
probable weather tomorrow not only, but
during the days to come. / can easily con-
ceive that many of our forecasts will need
subsequent reconsideration, for if / may
judge by my own study of these matters, the
climate is not susceptible of confident judg-
ments at present.
An overwhelming majority of the Ameri-
can people is in favor of fine weather. This
underlying community of purpose warns my
heart. If we do not guarantee Them fine
weather, cannot you see the picture of what
would come to pass? Your hearts have in
structed you where the rain falls. 1t falls
upon senators and congressman not only
and for that we need not feel so much cha
grin-it falls upon humble homes every
where, upon plain men, and women, and
children. If ! were to disappoint the united
expectation of my fellow citizens for fine
weather tomorrow I would incur their mer-
tied scorn.
l suppose no more delicate task is given
any man than to interpret the feelings and
purposes of a great climate. 1t is not
task in which any man can hnd much eX-
hilaration, and confess have been puzzled
by some of the criticisms leveled at my Office.
But they do not make any impression on me,
because ! know that the sentiment of the
country at large will be more generous.
call my fellow countrymen to witness that
at no stage Of the recent period of low
barometric pressure have judged the pur-
poses of the climate intemperately. / should
be ashamed to use the weak language Of
yindictive protest.
T have tried once and again, my fellow
citizens, to say to you in all frankness what
seems to be the prospect of fine weather.
There is q compulsion upon one in my posi-
tion to exercise every effort to see that as
little as possible of the hope of mankind is
disappointed Yet this is hope which
cannot, in the very nature OF things, be
realized in its perfection. The utmost that
can be done by way of accommodation and
compromise has been performed without
stint or limit am sure it will not be neces-
sary to remind you that you cannot throw
off the habits of the climate Immediately, any
more than YOU can throw of the habits of
the individual Immediately. But however
unpromising the immediate outlook may be,
7 am the more happy to offer my observations
on the state of the weather for tomorrow be-
cause this is not party issue. What de-.
lightful thought that is! Whatever the con-
dition of sunshine or precipitation Vouch-
safed to us, may not nope that we snail all
meet it with quickened temper and purpose,
happy in the thought that 1t IS our common
fortune?
For tomorrow there is every prospect Of
heavy and continuous rain.
Perhaps all this talk about seventeen year
| locusts is just press agent stun for Booth
| Tarkington's play. You never can tell.
A number of our called friends have
offered to procure us seat in the next
plane hopping off for TRANSATLANTIC fight.
| we have declined.
The Friedensturm that Hindenburg count
cd so much on was mere zephyr compared
! IN the lamentations of Jeremiah Brockdorff :
| Rantzau.