Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-24
PILGRIMS IDEALS
/ PRAISED BY TAFT
$50 Children Cheer Former
/ President in Tercentenary
! Address in Academy
SAYS THEY TRIED COMMUNE

So far as the audience itself was con
cerned, last nights town meeting in
the Academy Of Music, n part of the
tercentenary celebration OF the Pilgrim
Fathers, included some good music,
two rattling good speeches and house
filed with representative men and
women of Philadelphia.
But to those behind the scenes there
were. both before and after the formal
meeting. incidents which carried with
them an impressive lesson in the power
of such celebrations for public good.
The actors in these little, unpro-
grammed incidents were former Presi-
dent Taft. Mayor Moore, and 45O boys
and girls from the Holmes Junior High
School Fifty fifth and Chestnut streets,
who were members of the chorus that
furnished much of the music.
There is probably not one OF those
young students who is not better
equipped today to controvert the gilt
tering theories of social revolutionists
and the communists. They had listened
with rapt attention 10 Mr.. Taft as he
told of the failure of the communist
experiment made by the highly intclh-
gent men and women who came over
here on the Msyfower and two follow
ing ships. And it was notable that the
applause that greeted his eloquent de
ductions from this lesson came more
spontaneously from these boys ana girls
and was continued more enthusiastic
cally by them than the rest of the au'
diencc.
Faces Show Appreciation
Their elders had known Of these
things before: to these young students
Il ali came as something entirely new
and. as they listened to the ringing
words from the man who had nc"h
President of their country, the u"'P
Impression that the idea was making
upon them was shown clearly by the
expression on their faces.
Later. when Mr.. Taft came from the
stage. the boys and girls had gathered
10 wait for him behind the scenes and
the reception they accorded him made
the iovial face Of the former President
fairly beam with pleasure.
He shook hands right and left.
frankly giving the preference to the
girls. but not by any means ignoring
the boys. And, when one boy mus
tered up sufficient courage 10 ask for
an autograph. the big man took the
book and said laughingly. We'll, my
boy, III tell you. III do it for you
IL you'll promise not to get me into the
business.
len minutes later, WITH Ht 'lltIbtu
from his dressing room to walk over to
the Bellevue Stratford, he found his
young friends gathered in Locust street,
waiting to honor him in more vocif-
erous way than was permissible inside
the building.
As soon as he appeared coming
through the doorway. their cheer leaders
gave the signal and all 400 fairly
strained their throats in their second
yell followed by "a ringing Taft
Taft-Taft -
Mr.. Taft turned back with frank
laugh of pleasure and raised his hat to
them. And they all went home. sure
that bolsheviSm must be wrong. first,
because Mr.. Taft had said so, and sec
ondly. because the Pilgrim Fathers had
tried it and found it bad.
1t was a great night for the Phila-
delphia Mayfower committee, but it
was greater one for the Holmes
School.
Before the curtain went up, while
the boys and girls were settling into