The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-02-18
STORIES FROM VERNON
CHARLES KRAUS WRITES
INTERESTING LETTER
) Rev. Father Colbert Is Asked to
Speak For Ireland's
Cause

Vernon Center, February 10.-The
following interesting letter from
Charles Kraus. who is completing his
last year OF high school in the gov
eminent schools in Panama. He is
staying with his uncle and aunt, Mr..
anu MrS. Beland. The town Is all
astir over the arrival of the fleet.
The Paci1ic feet came in first then
the Atlantic. There are about $4,000
oniciers and men, 10000 on shore
leave at time. The knights of Col.
umDus, the Army and Navy Us and
all other clubs assist in entertaining.
We are going on trip to see the
deet and ! will write about 1t next
time. l expect to see Kenneth Koch
or Albert Lea. Lloyd Beland and some
of the COrnishes all OF whom are
with the navy now. About eight
canal now. One Saturday We went
down to the pedro Miguel locks to see
big English steamer go through.
They had five hundred English war
brides on board, who were enroute to
Australia to marry ex-soldiers
Uncle Arthur got permit and we
got on board and went through the
experience. While there we went
through the Pedro Miguel control
house. It is a wonderful place. At
the story is a table "a feet, all fill
ed with levers. All of the locks are
controlled by this one board and
If one mistake is found the man Is
fired. A fellow was fired the day be.
fore some littleymistake. Because OF
the difficulty OF holding the job few
men want to take it. The one we
talked with had been on since 1914
Some record for accuracy! Last
Saturday three of the high school
boys and myself climbed Ancon hill.
We took a camera along and some
field glasses an four pies. One can
sure get a swell view from the top,
the Pacific, the bay. Panama City
Balboa. much Of the canal and the
fortified islands. There are FIVE gun
guns will be. put in. We took some
pictures and If they are good will
send you. some. Just as we were get
ting ready to come down the twelve
hydroplans from California you've
probably read about them) came into
view. circled around and lit in the bay
like flock of birds. The January
lures OF the canal. Our school is just
beyond the administration building to
the left You sure see lot around
here and If you stay long you'll know
what Is meant by the lure Of the
tropics" I've got It now, and though
live here, I'll always be wanting to
come back. Charles Kraus."
Mr.. Ashley is getting all lined up for
his full blood Polnd China bred sow
sale on February %. He has secured
large tent so that all the people
may be seated at the ring side and
enjoy it to the uttermost. If it is a
nn1d dou q oYnnato m Innk aft0r the
comforts OF his guests and will have
a heating stove right in the tent, and
say. did you ever attend a public sale
and get a good warm lunch? Let's
all go and spend the day on Ever
green farm and take in the circus.
NJ and Mrs. Henry Yahnke. who
about two years ago bought the
Mountain farm near Good Thunder,
entertained at six o'clock dinner
last Friday night. Among the guests
were the Swanson and Ashley fami-
lies of West Vernon. These folks are
The W. R. G. Of Vernon Center
presented Grandma Meixell and Mrs.
Juan Robinson each with beautiful
red cyclomen potted plant, which are
full OF blossoms and buds. AS the
recipients are such lovers of flowers
It is needless to say how much they
are IuC 6lllS anu tuC
thoughtfulness of the corp, who are
ever mindful Of the sick and shutins.
Rev. Father Colbert has been offer
ed the opportunity Of devoting all his
time to travelling in the United States,
delivering his great lecture, "The
Irish Republic, From an Americans
Point of View, but as Rev. Colbert is
Winnebago and Vernon Center ne
feels as il he could not leave the
work here. Following is an extract
from his speech delivered here, 1t be-
ing only small part Of the splendid
contents of his lecture; England
what the Irish want. She would have
us believe that Ireland herself does
not know what she wants. Once up
on q time England could not under
stand what the American colonies
wanted. Fifty thousand tories in
America told her that the colonies did
from the heart of Patrick Henry
came an appeal voicing the aspira-
lions OF Amrica, "Give me liberty or
give me death" England could not
understand thai appeal. America un-
derstood Understood it in all its
solemn significance and acted it out
dictionary war. We today under
stand it perfectly and in the light of
that understanding we grasp the full
and tragic meaning of the incessant
appeal which for $50 years has gone
up from the heart Of Ireland. An ap-
peal Identical in word and in act;
Identical 4 in human aspirations and
God given rights with the appeal
which rallied our patriot sires to op-
pose to the death the most formid-
able power on earth. Ireland's stand
today is and every day since the year
1869 has been "Give Me Liberty or
Give Me Death" and we of America
today inheritipg Americas ideals as
expressed by Patrick Henry and ex-
emplified by George Washington,
know what Ireland wants. To us
Ireland's attitude as it stand revealed
in the Clarifying light of Americas at
tiude against the oppressor Is quite
Ineligible, and with an understand
ing and sympathy rooted in the
very bedrock of American principles
we know how and why Irishmen in an
unbroken line could go down to death
from the day they opposed Strongbow
and his first English invaders-even
to the day Lord Mayor McSweeney
from his bed of hunger and suffering
in a British prison bid defiance to
England's usurpation. We know the
secret. 1t is an open secret 1t is