New-York tribune., 1919-01-29

orator. tie has been invited TO Brook
!yn TO make a patriotic address for the
! purpose of creating enthusiasm in the
work Of our boys, and consider it an
honor to the Brooklyn committee that
we were able TO secure his acceptance.
The Brooklyn Victory Celebration
committee is not antagonistic to any
ether committee or any individual con
: cted with any other committee 1t is
h9t antagonistic TO Mayor Hylan, which
IS best emphasized by the fact that
Mayor Hylan is. by our invitation. in
conjunction with Borough President
Rlege!mann, honorary chairman OF our
committee.
Two Hundred Agreed to Invitation
he said resolutions state that some
members or self appointed representa-
tives Of the Brooklyn Victory Celebra-
tlon ommittee, have, without conslllta-
ton with, or authority from, the body
oil membership in the committee com
mltted the unpatrlotic act OF inviting
TO speak as the orator of the evening
at mass meeting to be held under our
auspices, James NJ. Beck In reply TO
thls statement permit me TO say that
the general membership. COMPOSED of
over three thousand members, could
hardly be consulted about every act Of
the committee. As d matter of fact. at
recent dinner, at which over two hun
dred OF the most representative citizens
OF Brooklyn attended, including our
, executive and special committees
stated that James NJ. Beck had been in
vited to be the orator of the evening
at the coming mass meeting, and it
met with the approval of those present
80 that there may be no misunderstand-
ing about the matter therefore, the
chairman OF the executive committee
assumes the full responsibility of the
invitation extended to Mr.. Beck and is
very grateful to Mr. Beck for accepting
the same.
at the suggestion Of the Borough
President | had arranged to meet this
committee, headed by Mr. John T.
Sullivan, at the committee headuuar-
tels, on Tuesday morning. January %,
at IL O'Clock. Instead Of availine them
selves OF the opportunity OF discuss
ing and being Informed in the matter,
NH. Sullivan. have been told, has
threatened that he is coming to The
mass meeting on " Wednesday evening
TOT the purpose Of creating d disturb
ance and disorder. 1t might be lust
as we'll understood at this time that
such action Will not be permitted and
that Mr.. Sullivan and his associates
are not compelled to come to the
Academy of Music to hear Mr. Beck ii
they do not SO desire. II they do come
they viii be expected to act in a cour-
teous and gentlcmanly manner.
No Newspaper Can Control Him
wv hllc | remain chairman Of this
committee. no newspaper or its repre-
sentative viii dictate the actions of
the committee nor influence its chair
man; neither will any body Of men.
III or out of politics, intimdate the
committee IN spite of the fact that
some newspapers are willing 20 sup
port and give publicity to unimport-
ant details for the purpose Of embar-
rassment. This committee is going
about ITS labors, believing that it has
PRACTICALLY the united citizenship Of
Froohlyn behind it. Whenever i4s
chairman shall observe a sentiment to
the contrary, he viii call meeting Of
the executive committee and present
ms views to them for action
wv hlle the standing of MIR. Beck in
the community is so high that he does
not require any boosting, the fact that
ne has oeen selected by the Brooklyn
Institute Of Arts and Sciences to de
liver the Graham Foundation lecture
OF February 2 that only few days
ago ne delivered the eulogy on Theo-
dore Roosevelt before the Merchants
Association Of New York City. one of
the most representative business bodies
in the world; the fact that he has onlv
recently been highly honored by the
governments Of France and England
shclid De sufficient indication to the
people OF Brooklyn of the propriety Of
the invitation to Mr.. Beck and Of the
honor which he confers by acceptinc.
ut seems very peculiar to me that
about the only way Brooklyn, IS a rule,
gets any real attention from Nanhat-
tan newspapers is when some OF the
newspapers desire to stir up trouble
and create enmity and confusion"
MIR. Riegelmann was told yesterday of
Mr.. Jonas's statement to the newspa
pers. The Borough President said he
would make no further statement until
ne received the reply from Mr.. Jonas.
Another Committee Calls
Another committee took hand i'm
the opposition to Mr.. Beck yesterday.
This one consisted of ten soldiers and
one civilian. The leader Of the sol
dlers was elected by the provost guard
from the Madison Square Garden meet
ing for creating a disturbance. and the
civilian, who sat beside him that night,
was also elected. The civilian member
of the committee, who gave his name
as j. A. Hastings, made the speech to
Mr.. Rlegelmann asking for Mr. Beck's
removal.
Accompanying the committee when it
relied up to Borough Hall in autos
was Hearst newspaper photographer
tie took the committees picture in the
Borough Presidents office. He snapped
them as they issued from the building
He took another as they were giving
six cheers three each for Hearst and
Hylan.
A Tribune reporter succeeded in
talking to five of the ten soldiers.
These five said they did not know the
purpose of their trip until they heard
the civilians speech.
Just Out for Ride
They said they were standing in
front of Debarkation Hospital No 8
when they were invited into the autos.
he Borough President told this
committee, the same as he told the Sui
livan committee on Monday, that the
question of Mr.. Beck was up to Mr..
Jonas.
The leader of the soldiers was Neil
A. Wilkes, who served with the 1st
Corps Artillery Depot Company. He
told the Borough President that a the
Madison Square Garden meeting MIR.
Beck told hirl to run away, little boy,
run away" when he interrupted Mr..
Beck's speech by attempting to read
the Hearst petition for SIX months pay
for discharged soldiers.
"lf Beck speaks Wednesday night
we will either pull him down or make
so much noise that he can't be heard"
threatened Wilkes.