The sun., 1919-01-29
SOLDIERS THREATEN
TO HOOT BECK DOWN
Ten Service Men Call OH RE
gelmann and Complain
Of Orator.
BOROUGH'S HEAD ACTS
Chairman Jonas of Brooklyn
Committee Says Selection
Will Stand.
BOROUGH'S HEAD ACTS

Nathan 8 Jonas, chairman OF the
| Brooklyn Victory Celebration Commit
tee, which is to launch it's movement
for the erection Of a memorial to Brook
lyn's war heroes at a welcoming mass
| meeting to service men in the Academy
of Music tonight, declared with posi-
tiveness last night that James NJ. Beck
would deliver the principal address in
spite OF what Borough President Rieg-
| elmann. or any newspaper. or anyone
else, might have to say on the subject.
Those who didn't care to attend the
meeting and behave might stay away,
he added. But anyway Mr.. Beck would
be the main speaker
The storm clouds which appear TO be
strea ming across the sky in the direc-
ton of the Academy OF Music function
rose above the horizon yesterday when
Neil A. Wilkes of Fayetteville. n. c..
and nine wounded soldier companions
all patients at Debarkation Hospital No.
8, in the old Greenhut Building called
upon Borough President Riegelmann in
his office to complain of Mr.. Beck's selec-
Yon by the committee. They declared
they were among those who were elected
from the recent anti Hearst meeting in
Madison SQuarehiarden and said Mr.. Beck
had declined to listen to them when they
sought his Endorsement for the move
! ment TO secure six months back pay for
soldiers, as advocated by the Hearst
newspapers.
To Drown HIS Oratory.
IF Mr. Beck is going to speak. we'll
either pull him down or make so much
noise that he can't be heard" was the
| way Wilkes put It.
They had their pictures taken on the
| Borough Hail steps as they left and
went away in an automobile.
! After listening to what they had TO
! say Borough President Riegelmann
wrote a letter to Chairman Jonas also
slipping inside the envelope a set OF
resolutions protesting against Mr.. Beck s
oratory, which had been passed by a
committee at Bay Ridge headed by John
+. sullivan. Mr.. Riegelmnn referred
, 10 the Madison Square Garden mass
! meeting in his letter. Mr.. Beck was one
( of the speakers there and Mr.. Riegel-
mann wrote that 1t was planned as a
direct attack upon the city government
and il is hardly consistent in inviting to
the Brooklyn meeting a speaker who
took such an active part in furtherng
the objects Of that meeting"
tndTUlan lne
Presidents communication and then
said
NO one of standing questions the
stanch Americanisin OF Mr. Beck or his
high standing as a citizen and an orator.
He has been invited to brooklyn 10
make a patriotic address for the pur-
pose OF creating enthusiasm in the work
, for our boys. an ! consider It an honor
! to the Brooklyn committee that We were
able to secure his acceptance. Our com
m!ttee is not antagonists TO Mayor
Hylan. who. in conjunction with Borough
President Riegelmann is an honorary
chairman
Mr.. Jonas declared the idea of in
! wiling Mr., Beck had met with approval
! at recent dinner attended by over
200 representative citizens of Brooklyn. -
! Referring to the resolutions passed
by the Bay Ridge committee headed by
Mr.. Sullivan. Chairman Jonas said he
had arranged to meet its members Tues
day afternoon, but that they had failed
/ - appear