The sun., 1919-10-05
KING SURPRISES
AMERICAN LEGION
Enters Madison Square Garden
Unannounced During
Big Meeting.
MANY CHEERS GREET HIM
Refuses to Make Speech, How
ever, Despite Insistent
Calls of Big Crowd.

II ever a monarch felt like breaking
the fetters Of convention and addressing
a multitude Informally and unannounced
such must have been King Aiberts
temptation In Madison Square Garden
last night when the good old Yankee.
mob cry, Speech! Speech - assailed
him from many Of the 5000 throats
which acclaimed him at a meeting of. the
American Legion. But regretfully IL
must be recorded that he resisted to the
end there was much speech in the
course of the evening. but none of II was
his
attendants and official welcomers-a
large party-fooled everybody in the
place and manner of their entrance. Be
meath the stage, guarding the Twenty
seventh street portal, where the notables
usually appear, was a block Of policemen
keeping clear the doorway and passage
and space in front of the platform.
For an hour all eyes were focused on
this door. Then, while George Brokaw
Compton, chairman of the American Le-
gion's New York organization, was
speaking beneath a sounding board on
the platform. far down the Garden. near
the Madison avenue main entrance, a
woman suddenly screamed, The King is
here" >-...
Audience Waves Flags.
The 5000, who had been sitting
quietly, clattered up and stood on their
chains, each waving an American flag.
The noise they made was certainly
plenteous IL unorganized. Keiths Boys
Band had intended to be saluting with
La Brabanconne" at the mopeht Of
the royal advent, but he came SO un-
expectedly that I'm Always Blowing
Bubbles'' or some other air wherewith
they had regaled the crowd in the pre-
| liminaries was on their music racks, and
the King had almost reached the stage
before they were able to launch the
national anthem Of Belgium.
King Albert advanced down the aisle
with Rodman Wanamaker, chairman OF
the Mayors committee, at his side.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy, accompanied the
Prince. Queen Elizabeth was not pres
ent Anxious looking secret service men
stepped fore and aft. Whatever the
King thought of the tumult he gave no
sign. His head was a little lowered. and
he smiled a little as he constantly
glanced from one side to the other as Il
to lose none of this new American spec
tacle. Just before he mounted the steps
man shouted, Three cheers for the
King!' which was probably the first
] time this particular summons had ever
been heard in a place that has heard
everything else
| And when these had been given and
| the visitors were in, their places ser
geant of marines-Sergeant Lapinski-
with four service stripes on his righ
/ sleeve and three wound stripes on nj
left, and who was one of twelve wound
cd service men acting as guard Of honor
waved crutch over the rail of tn
platform and sang out in clear voice
Three cheers for the King of Belgium I
King Waits for Action.
When the demonstration this pro
voked was finished there was a momen
of silence. with the King standing a
ease and waiting for the next develop
ment. whatever it might be. 1t turne,
out to be a fiashlight picture taking
The King took off his glasses and re
storing them to his nose when the bonn
bardment ended looked about him ant
laughed.
1t was when Mr.. Roosevelt and Henr,
d. Lindsey. chairman OF 1.-THE nationa
executive committee of the American