The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1921-06-17
CHAUTAUQUA OPENS
WITH GOOD TALENT

The Chapel Singers appeared on
the platform Wednesday afternoon
before a very large and responsive
audience The first part of the re-
cictal was made up of sacred music
oratorio and hymn numbers. In the
second part there was selection
from Rigoletto and some popular
song numbers. The musicians seemed
to be equally effective in the various
themes. The voices were blended and
balanced and the music was fine. The
recital was a genuine chautarqua
success.
Mr.. Lewis A. Convis delivered a
very interesting story of Russia and
Poland Wednesday evening. Mr..
Convis, as captain of the Polish
Legion, saw much of the Russian
pepole and those of Poland. The ST.
berian country is vast domain of
cities, plains, mountains, lakes. The
lakes and rivers are wonderful. One
of the lakes is over four hundred
miles long, the largest in the world.
Contrary to the general opinion, some
of the cities are very large. One of
them has quarter of million peo-
pie They have fine buildings and
homes, but no municipal improve
ments-no water. no paving and no
light plants. Water is carried to the
people in barrels and some of it is
actually filthy. The Russians are
idealistic, exceptionally warm-heart-
ed and hospitable. Only fifteen per
cent of the people can read and write.
They have really been out of serfdom
for. only sixty years and therefore
can you wonder that they are not
self-governing. But even Carbon
itself was thousand times more toll
cradle than Bolshevism. The old
royal guard is now serving the Boil
shevic government, but in his soul
he is cursing it. The Russian people
are not Bolshevic. They hate it, but
fear the tyranny of Lenine and
Trotzky. An illustration of this was
given in the fact that for every sol
dier guilty of desertion, his entire
family and kin are ordered to be
shot.
Poor Russia; there is little help for
her. 1t is matter of time and pa
thence until she develops some great
and good men to lead the people into
the light Of civilization.
In Russia and Siberia the armies
are now led by German officers, who
were formerly prisoners of war. and
i these Germans are busy Prussianiz-
4 ing Russia. Russians have no polit-
ical freedom, no civil liberties. Mil
lions of them are as poor as church
mouse, but they love mysticism and
romance and they sing while they
are suffering with misfortune.
Mr.. Convis spoke of the Poles,
wonderful people and glorious lit
tie Republic. Not so small either
when we consider that Poland has
thirty-fives millions of people. Poland
has produced some great men and
women. Kosciusko, the friend of
American freedom. was Pole. The
Poles have produced statesmen, war
riors, men of science, art, music.
The point brought out in Mr.. Con- |
Wis lecture, as was also suggested by |
Mr. Flowers, is that the immigration
| of Bolshevists, anarchists and the
scum of the earth, who come here to
breed rebellion and hatred and to
spread contamination of the mind |
and body, should be stopped at once.
The doors of foreign immigration
should be closed tight If there is no
other way to prevent it. So far the
weight of the chautauqua influence
is directed against this evil, and the
people should take it up untfl Con-
gress is compelled to recognize the
movement. If Europe cannot treat
with us without requiring hospital
in America for all the outcast human |
debris of foreign lands, then let Eu-
rope go to Hades or any other sea-
port.
| Mr.. Convis, altho not altogether |
effective as platform orator, had
most interesting story. and the large
audience enjoyed 1T thoroly.