The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-03-21
PERSHING SPEAKS
BEFORE BIG CROWD
Great Patriotic Demonstration in New
York at Mass Meeting Where he
Denounces Persons of For
eign Birth Who Seek
Trouble in u. S.

which packed Madison Square Gar
den tonight at one Of the greatest
patriotic demonstrations here since
the signing of the armistice, bit
terly denounced persons of foreign
birth who seek the freedom of this
country to spread political and war
like propaganda" to weaken the ties
of friendship between the United
States and her allies in the late war.
The meeting was held under the au-
spices of the American Legion and
other patriotic societies as protest
against the recent mass meeting ar
ranged to voice objection to the pres
ence of French colonial troops in oc-
cupied Germany described as "the
horror on the Rhine"
Fifteen minutes before the meet
ing was called to order by Col. Frank
Galbraith, national commander of the
American Legion, the fire department
officials ordered the doors of the
Garden closed to bar further admis-
sions. More than $4,000 persons were
then packed into the historic struc-
ture, while thousands of less fortu-
nate ones were swarming around the
building in frantic endeavor to
enter.
+ Tribute to Soldiers.
General Pershing, paying tribute
to foreign born citizens who served
under him in the Philippines, Mexico
and France, declared it was entirely
proper that foreigners should cling
to the folklore, literature and music
If the native land, but he assailed
those who seek to dictate American
questions and political policies by
the standards of their own coun-
tries.
|, eve have no quarrel with the
American of foreign BIRTH" he said
eve want them to know that Amer
lea is an inspiration, that is some
thing spiritual, a goal toward which
we aim. But we do object to the
foreign born citizen who attempts to
decide an American question for for
eign reason whether he be of Ger
man lineage, and proposes to deter
mine an American policy because of
German prejudice or whether he be
Irish, Italian, Hungarian or Russian
who seeks for similar reasons to de-
eide American questions. l bitterly
resent the abuse of American citi-
zenship or residence for the purpose
of political or warlike propaganda
in foreign countries"
"In America there can be no place
for those who, while claiming equal
citizenship with us and enjoying the
privileges under our flag, yet con-
tinue their allegiance to another
country. There can be no such thing
/ as dual citizenship inNAmerica. Un-
ier no guise can this country be made
the breeding place of intrigue. We
welcome all those who honestly de-
sire to become American citizens and
adopt America as their own, but we
abhor the intriguer who at the same
time would secretly plot against our
interests.
Spirit Of Americanism.
"There were with me in the Philip
pines, in Mexico and in France" he
added, thousands of foreign born
men hardly able to speak our tongue
who had in their hearts the spirit of
Americanism and the devotion to
make the supreme sacrifice. Indeed,
there was often zeal for all that
Americanism means that would put
to blush many older Americans who
have fallen below the obligations of
their birthright. For all of those
we have a very warm feeling of COM
radeship.
! 1.-TWO years have passed, and what
of today? Are we to forget the vows
of yesterday? Is the wanton destruc-
tion in France and Belgium and on
the seas to be condoned? Shall SUBJ
tie propaganda again raise its pois-
onous head to weaken our friend
ships? Are those who made the su-