The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-10-10
license. that they might attempt to
break down our institutions. living to-

81 So 80
license, that they might attempt to
break down our institutions. living to-
day only for today. only for selfish
end narrow interests. Russia, he point
ed out as an example of lawlessness
and said this spirit was creeping
slowly across the seas to America.
When the aims for which the men
fought are fulfilling, when as a ma
ton America measures up to the true
standards set UP during the war, then
shall true welcome home, in act and
in spirit, be awaiting the men, Judge
Comstock stated in closing
Frank Z Morse, president of the
LorentZ Post OF the American Legion
spoke briefly following the address by
Judge Comstock. He urged the serv-
ice men OF Rapidan to get together
and form a post OF the American Le-
sion in that village. Men having the
post in their home village would have
greater pride and interest in it than
TO belong to the post in Mankato, he
said.
To bring home to the men the
meaning of the organization Mr..
Morse read the preamble of the tenn
porary constitution of the Legion.
Preserve the Ideals.
at is an organization to preserve
the ideals and the principles for
which those in Flanders Field gave
their last full measure of devotion"
he stated in closing.
Speaking in behalf of the soldiers
and for them Rev. w. P. Clark of the
Christian church of this city related
an interesting account of expert
ences he had overseas with the men
and told of their apparent opinions on
questions of the day. His remarks
were spiced with humor and caused
much merriment with the audience.
Rev. Clark told of holding open
forums for the men at Bordeaux and
other places. At these times as many
men as possible wouiu be gather
together to discuss questions of vital
interest to them. ALL men were linn
tied to three minute speeches. At
one of the first forums the question
of the league of nations was discussed
"Of all the men who spoke on this
question" declared Rev. Clark, "ev-
every man was practically unanimous
in the declaration that they were OBJ
rosed to injecting the League of Ma
lions into the peace conference be-
cause it kept them in France and pro-
longed the discussion when they
should be on the way home One
man did declare if the League of Ma
am willing to remain in France until
| die"
TIE Industrial Question.
Discussion of the industrial ques-
tion, Rev. Clark said, brought out the
fact that the men felt their jobs
should be open to them when they re-
turned home, of that every one should
have lucrative position awaiting him
by which he could earn an honest liv-
ing. The opinion was expressed that
bolshevism need not be feared in the
United States because it was con-
dition which fed on ignorance and
therefore could notl thrive in this
country.
Rev. Clark stated when the men
asked that the question of prohibit
ton, the passage of the constitutional
amendment by which this nation be.
comes dry, while the men were away
at war be discussed, he was flied
with apprehension. However when
the men gathered to discuss the ques-
ton it took four minutes before he
could get anyone to speak at all and
then doughboy delivered prohibit
ton lecture the like of which he haA
never heard Others followed. Those
known as leaders opposed to the
MI
argument against it.
when anyone tells you the A., E.
+. is opposed to the constitutional
prohibition amendment you tell them
they don't know what they are talk
ing about" said Rev. Clark. at took
the clear eyed, alert, sober, clean
American boys to finish the job that
drunken France couldn't get over.
The Religious Effects.
Rev. Clark also spoke on the reli
eious effects of the war on the boys,
saying he believed it had changed
them but little in this way. He clos
ed with glowing tribute to the men
who fought and won and were home
to greet America again, and touching
~ to those who died in bate but who
should never be said ito have died
in vain"
Chairman Just called On a number
of the service men to speak on their
experiences. Edward Kroeger. who
with his brother, Edwin Kroeger and
William Keller, were in the first di-
vision, among the first to go abroad,
in the trenches where the first three
Yanks were killed and in the thick
of the fighting throughout the war,
related the experiences with this fa
nous fighting unit. He told Of the
fighting at Toul, Cantingy, scissors.
st. Mihiel, the Argonne, the capture
of Sedan and then of going on across
the Rhine into Germany after the ar
mistice wa signed.
Fred Kroeger was the second serv
ice man to speak. He was stationed
at Brest during the war, in the great
work of building docks, warehouses,
railway lines to this port He de-
clared Uncle Sam made a real town"
of Brest. Mr.. Kroeger expressed his
thanks to the people Of Rapidan for
their support during the war to the
Red Cross for their aid and expressed
his appreciation of the Homecoming
event.
Louis .Kastner told of his expert
ences in Belleau Wood, cleaning out
the Germans lodged there. He, told
of the great attack of the Huns and