Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-05-27
REV. MR.. WESTCOTT MAKES
REPLY TO The LEGION

Continued from page ID
from the arm with a machine-gun
bullet, / find myself saying For me!
For mel God forbid that l ever
have anything else but the highest
appreciation and gratitude for every
soldier who wore the uniform of
Uncle Sam. But even a brave man
may be a mistaken man. SO when
L say that in my judgment the
American Legion has made a seri-
Gus mistake am in no wise mini
MIXING my appreciation of their
service to our country
mo man unless he was so pre-
JUDGED hat he was mentally cross
eyed could see anything but a uni
versal truth and personal apprecia-
ton in such a statement.
Again l am accused:
"Of Depreciating Mayor Wilson
Again let me quote what l said.
and all that l said about our mayor:
L know of no person in Perth Amboy
for whom l have greater respect
than my friend. Mr.. Wilson. L know
of no man | would rather see mayor
than he. He has most commendable
social qualifications, for just to know
him is to honor, respect and like
him. He has a heart as big as Perth
Amboy. But even these things do
not make him immune from making
a mistake. And l think he has griev-
ously erred in allowing the carnival
to come to cur city. / do not believe
he was in possession of all the facts,
when he gave his permission for the
coming of a carnival. That man is
not my friend who tells me what l
want to- hear, but tells me the truth.
even if it shocks and hurts. That
mar is not a friend of the city who
only proclaims those things that the
people want t % hear, but proclaims
the truth as he sees it, whether it
contributes to his popularity or oS
tracism.'
Does this sound like condemning
the mayor of our city? No man, un-
less he was dominated by some per-
sonal malicious grievance, could so
misunderstood my statement.
Again! l am accused of refusing
to aid the Legion. 1 a think of
nothing more absolutely contempt
than this statement:
"It can be recalled that on two
occasions at least. he declined invita-
lions to speak at our meetings, Of
fering as one of his that he
too tired to attend, although
some time in advance
1.-The commander of the Legion
to the authorship Of this
A man who knows hat
up until the past rear I have given
myself without reserve to the people
and organizations of our city. who
requested my services. But dur
Ing the past year / have had to con-
serve my strength, and to refuse
many invitations to address organi-
cations, because for four months 1
Travelled around on crutches, three
months my wife was in a sanitarium
between life and death. All
the time burdened to the point of
breaking with the duties of a large
and growing parish. l would gladly
complied with the request of
the Legion, but at that time I was
confronted with a personal and do
nestle situation that made it impos-
l feel very keenly the unjust
and unkind imputation.
Again, I am accused of calling
the Legion traitors.
I'm the sermon that 1 preached I
was dealing with a principle, and
my line of argument was that there
was gambling constantly going on
1T the carnival; that gambling has
been prohibited by the laws of our
land; that the reason for the ban
upon gambling is because it
the worse passions in man: 1t is the
of thrift; it is the enemy
Of the home: the opponent of the
deal, the foe of industry, the
greatest hindrance to the brother
hood of man, and the foe of our ma
prosperity. And any man
who encourages defiance of the laws
Of II land, regardless of his history
Or station in life is a traitor to the
best interests of his country. This
s what ] said, and every fair mind
ed person knows that it Is a fun
principle of government.
I'm conclusion I desire to state
that l do not believe all the MEM
bers of the Legion share in this vi
unjust and unwarranted at
tack upon me. And 1 am ready to
repreach this sermon at any place
to all the members of the American
Legion.
II feel confident that I have the
of every fair minded citi-
zen of our city, in the Legion and
out. Of the Legion, and to them 1
respectfully submit by case.
"WILBERT WESTCOTT."