The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-03-19

4 pn 6le pflhcfplePI OF sOOu SOyefHWeHt.
Ohslof fhe steps along this line will
! be liberal education Of children, not
| for short period of three months
each year, but for the full term re-
! quired by law. Particular stress will
, be placed on the teaching of civics
: in schools, SO as to acquaint the chill
dren with the form of government.
] The Americanization committee is
strongly in favor Of the'Smith- Towner
bill which would provide for the for
nation of department Of education
as one Of the branches of the national
cabinet, and would in great way aid
/ toward the eradication Of illiteracy.
| Miss Mcdonald touched upon the
| fact that nearly fifty percent of the
men do notnow turn out to cast their
ballot at election. Part OF the work
of Americanization will be TO get
the mon voting men and women to
take a more lively interest in politics
and thus create better citizenship.
League of Political Parties.
| Mrs. Walter Thorp, chairman of the
press committee Of the Minnesota
I League Of Women Voters, delivered
a remarkably well worded address,
taking for her subject "The League
OF Political Parties"
/ Mrs. Thorp says that people who
refuse to cast their ballot when cleo
ton comes around, are guilty Of Civ
ing aid to that class Of citizens who
would overthrow our government
The government can not "~'"t with
/ the aid of the people, for the people
is the government, and political par
ties are only tools Of the people in
bringing about their ends in govern
ment.
In the recent meeting at Chicago.
the women did not take political par
ties into consideration in arriving at
results. The women put principle
above politics. This was particularly
true in arriving at the conclusion that
the country needs some sort of
league of nations, in order to avoid
future wars. The women despite
their different views on politics were
unit on this question. This proves
I that women can rise above party be =
liefs, when it comes to accomplishing
great things. While the interplay o.
parties has been the salvation of the
country in the past, women are able
to be tolerant in order to accomplish
the big issue of the day. The women
will endeavor 10 put~through the al
truistic issues of the day.
! "The New Citizen"
| The last address of the afternoon
was delivered by County Attorney 4.
II. Nicholas of Jackson county. Mr..
| Nicholas took for his subject "Tbe
New Citizen" His address proved TO
be a stirring and patriotic appeal,
couche ed in forceful language for a
campaign to combat the evil of radi-
calism now in the midst of the coun-
| try. Good citizenship, the speaker
said is no different today than it was
hundreds of years ago in ancient Ath-
ems and Rome, but the citizenship of
y, today has wider scope. With the
advancement OF the times, added
problems confront the citizen of to-
day. This requires more study and
knowledge.
Mr.. Nicholas said that women are
] now entering the arena Of politics
at time when America is facing
/ the greatest crisis in its history.
Great dangers, the speaker said,
come to a nation while it sleeps. We
were asleep in 1914, and we have
gone to sleep again, and are now
sleeping soundly, and are paying lit
tie attention to the fact that we have
men in our midst who are working
to overthrow the government.
| In stating that he was always in
favor of suffrage for women, he wish
ed to warn them that they will not
accomplish the minimum. They will
make mistakes in politics, and there
will be corrupt politicians among
the women just as well as among the
men, Women, however, with their
inherent attributes of virtue and
| purity of thought, will be power in
aiding the good men Of this nation in
bringing about much needed reforms.
| In their future work in the political
| field, the women must forget their
sex. and the men must forget that
| they are men, and only remember
that they are Americans, who are re-
Guired by their country to give the
best services in their power. We must
| keep away from groups and cliques.
| The speaker particularly scored the
influence brought about by foreign
| language papers and the teaching of
| foreign languages in some of our
schools. 1t is in just such communi-
ties that we may expect to find dis.
loyalty. ''~.. '".
Scored Draft Dodgers.
| Draft dodgers were particularly
scored by Mr.. Nicholas, and all man.
ner of disloyalty came in for scathing
broadsides from Mr.. Nicholas. The
man that hates England so much that
he can not even love America, was
the subject of a frontal attack by
the speaker. He said that we are
bmore closely related to Great Britain
than any other country in the world
! both in language. laws and customs
The combined naval strength of bo''
| the United States and America will
prevent the coalatiOn of any enemy
that we may fear. Affiliation with
England will insure democracy, safe
home for DIR women and "A'''.
and free government. Our enemies
know this and want to drive q wedge
between England and the United
States. ...
| Delivering parting shot at radi-
i calism, and deploring the fact that
massacres are still in progress j.
Armenia and Turkey, hoped that the
day is not far distant when the Unit
| ed States will wake up and do away
for ever with such atrocities. If