Evening star., 1920-02-23
TRIBUTE IS PAID
To THE MEMORY
Of WASHINGTON
Diplomats and Members OF
Patriotic Societies Address
ed by Justice Stafford.


diplomatic corps and number of
persons distinguished in many walks
of life today paid tribute to the
memory of George Washington, first
President of the United States. at
meeting held in Memorial Continental
Hall, where the principal address was
delivered by Justice Wendell Phillips
Stafford of the District Supreme
Court on Our Labor Troubles and the
Way Out"
Justice Stanord's Address.
Justice Stafford took the position
that men employed in operating pub
lie utilities should be denied the right
to strike, that they should be enlisted
in the public service" and as much
bound to continue until properly dis
charged, as are soldiers in the field
against the enemy. He said that the
nation should not be "cowed by capital
nor bulldozed by labor" and held that
as it was contrary to the moral law
for oen group to threaten the existence
of the nation by tying up the methods
of production and transportation, it
should also be made contrary to the
written law.
The celebration of Washington's
birthday was arranged jointly by the
National Society of the Daughters of
the Revolution in the District of CO.
Ambia and the District of Columbia
Society, Sons of the American Revolu-
ton.
Mrs. Guernsey Presides.
Mrs. George Thacher Guernsey, pres
fdent general of the Daughters of the
American Revolution, was the presid-
ing officer at the ceremonies, Brig.
Gen. George Richards. president of
the Sons of the Revolution in the Dis
trict of Columbia, and David Jayne
Hill: president of the District of CO.
lumbia Society, Sons of the American
Revolution. occupying seats on the
stage with Mrs. Guernsey.
The invocation was pronounced by
Bishop John William Hamilton, who
used paper composed and delivered
by Washington. A section of the
United States Marine Band played
ing the presentation of the colors, and
William Tyler Page of Friendship, Nd
read The Americans Creed" of which
he is the author.
Medal Presentation.
Following the address of Justice
Stafford the presentation of the gold
medal awarded annually by the Sons
of the Revolution in the District OF
Columbia to the District school pupil
subject was made.
Charles Lanham. student at East
ern High School, was the medal win
ner this year. his subject being What
the United States Owes to France.
The essay was . historical review OF
now the United States, and France
from revolutionary days to the pres
ent time.r Dr. Marcus BENJAMIN.
chairman of the committee OK judges.
presented the medal, the other judges
Of the gold medal prize essay compe--
tition being DR.. Frederick P. Keppel
and Gen. Louis Collardet.
Patriotic Music ON Program.
Other features of the program were
the singing of The Marseillaise." by
Lieut.. Jean j. Lahat. formerly of the
French military commission, and read
ings from the papers Of Gen. Wash
ington. by Col. Frederick c. Bryan. j.
NJ Curtin led the audience in singing
The Battle Hymn of the Republic. -
Morton, rector of Christ Church. Alex
andria, pronounced the benediction.
In beginning his address Justice
Stafford spoke of Washington's love
for his country. and said that the dt-
ting way to observe his birthday was
to which he gave his 1aborious days
and nights" After directing atten-
ton to the high Christian character
and prophetic vision of the first Presi-
dent. Justice Stafford said. in part:
The question that stares US in the
face today is this: How can we curb
the selfish and tyrannical combina-
tions of labor and of capital alike
without infringing upon the rights of
property or the rightful liberty of
the individual citizen? It is often as
serted (and it is Mr.. Samuel Gompers'
favorite maxim) that the mere right
to combine cannot be limited at all.
1T is said that whatever one man
has a right to do by himself any num-
Der of men have a right to do to-
gether. Let that proposition be test
ed. I have a right to walk down that
street, but have a thousand men a
right to walk down the street to-
gether? If so, what becomes Of your
right to use the street? In ordinary
times 1 have a right to sell my goods
or to keep them for any price 1 may
demand, but have l right to join
with all my fellow dealers and say:
We will not part with cents worth
Of these goods till they bring the
price we fix'? The answer to the
labor leaders proposition then is SIM
ply that it is false. The danger may
and often does lie in the mere fact
that multitude is doing what any
one of the multitude might 90 without
harm to any one.
Build ON Washington's Principles.
1.-The foundation on which we have
to build is the principle which Wash
ington laid down for us-the right OF
people, through the expressed will of
the majority, to decide for themselves
every governmental question and the
correlative duty of every citizen to
respect and obey the law 1t follows.
therefore, that any attempt by
ha W
iority as expressed in law is treason
to the people and to the government
itself. Therefore any industrial union
that threatens to use its power by
way Of strike to overawe the consti-
tuted authorities is attempting to use
Industrial power to control politicai
power.
II lie attempting to substitute for the
right of the majority the mere selfish
will Of q minority, and that Is tyranny,
and a tyrant is a tyrant even II 1t is
a labor union! The right to combine in
political parties is. and it ought to be.
absolutely without limit. Men have a
right to go to the polls in as large
numbers as they can muster. and to
vote for the men and n measures res they
engaged in running the railroads were
to unite in demanding from Congress
the passage of a law that would turn
over the roads to them on their own
with the debts of the roads. and
should threaten to leave their work rs
one man IL their demands were not
satisfied. That would be
an instance of an industrial union us
ing its strategic advantage as a
minority to coerce the majority, and
It would be doing 1t in a matter that
Affects every homo and every poor
working man in the United States. 1t
is a cruel and wicked weapon that
only towards and bullies would ever