Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1920-06-18
FLAG DAY OBSERVE

49, M DAAA VOAAAN LII
ELKs CONDUCT BEAUTIFUL SER
vIcE-sT1RRING ADDRESS
BY LARRY Ho''
Several hundred people gathered a
the Victor theatre Monday evening TO-
the annual Flag Day exercises conducted
by the Little Falls Elks lodge. Th,
service was most beautiful and fittins
and all went home feeling we'll repait
for attending.
The stage was decorated with bunt
ing and flags and the members Of thu
lodge wore small American flags OF
their coat lapels. The program opened
with "The Star Spangled Banner' by
Schliesmann g orchestra. The exalted
ruler and officers of the lodge then con
Quoted the Introductory exercises
which were followed by prayer led by
Chaplain E. A. Loucks. A mixed
quartet, the members of which were
Miss Laura Brannen, Mrs. Charles
Jensen, Vern Joslin and Ernest Carl
son, then sang Columbia, The Gem
of the Ocean" E. F. Shaw gave the
record Of the American flag, after
which the Officers and members sang
"Auld Lang Syne.'' A, H. Vernon
read the Elks' tribute to the flag. A
selection by the orchestra, "Sout1ern
Airs, +" proved so pleasing that the
orchestra had to respond to an encore
Miss Elvira Ruth, reader, gave two
beautiful readings, ftChrist In Elan.
ders," and "It's Over Over There. -
She was called upon for an encore and
responded with fine dialect reading
Mrs. F.: E. Hall, Jr., played an accom-
paniment for Miss Ruth.
The mixed quartet sang "Under the
Banner of Victory,'' beautiful song
tribute to the flag, which Kas very well
received. Miss Bessie BraMen was &C
companist for the quartet. =
Mayor Lawrence G. Hodgson of st.
Paul, "Larry Ho," delivered a stir
ring address on love Of country and pa
triotism. At the close Of his address
Mr.. Hodgson was applauded for fully
F.ope minute. As he started his address
he eSstated that similar exercises were
being held simultaneously by the >Elks
lodges throughout the United States
and he asked whether the exercises
could be held under the auspices of any
greater order than the Eiks, which has
as its emblem the American flag.
Mr.. Hodgson said that there are SO
many things connected with the idea Of
Flag Day and in this connection he
mentioned as Of special significance the
on the fields of France, having given
up their lives to maintain the dignity
of Old Glory. 'These pen and these
women, - he said, 'tafe snash us tonight
and are taking part in, this service
They now sit in judgment on you and
me and ask if we are going to make
this a land good enough in which to
live. What is America9 It is you and
it is me. It is wonderful that you and
I have the privilege of taking at least
little part in the making Of America
The soul of America is in our hands
This work was given to us by those
who came before US to add to and pass
it on to those who come after.''
Greater sincerity was pronounced by
Mr.. Hodgson as one of the biggest
needs Of the American people today
He said that it seems that in these
days we talk too lightly of America
and that rather than look way ahead
we should take a few steps back sc
; that we might know that this country
was founded on principlessof truth and
justice. FFIn these great days, "ht
said, "we see great unrest. This un
rest is not because Of economic reasons
! but indicate desire by the people tt
claim q part in the spreading Of thu
gospel Of good in this world so they
feel that they have had chance tt
establish it. What was the character
Of the men who made Americaf They
are men Of great faith; they believed
in God; they felt that the commonest
work Of their hands was for the gooi
Of the land" -
| Americanization Of immigrants by
proper methods was brought out by tht
speaker in q very forcible manner. HI
condemned the man who thinks he il
patriotic merely because he takes of
his hat when the national anthem i!
played or sung. 'No American" hi
said, els patriotic unless he gives al
to his country and has love for his fel
low man and is trying to make lift
count in the common treasury of man
kind. The world is spiritually starved
because the people lack comradship
| We are all walking the same highway
and we should walk it together until We
reach at last the end. It is simple
duty which we are called upon to full
fill-to love the American flag. W.
hear so much on Augmentation ani
some think that the best way to do thi'
is to give the immigrants a highbrov
lecture. The only way to Americaniz'
the foreigner who comes to our land tt
live is for us first:to be Americans ant
then as such ask them to join our circle
We do not want them to give up all whe1
they come over here-we want them t.
4 give US the things that they love ant
reciprocate by giving them the thing
| that we love. The voice of Jesus o.