The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-07-05
State Commander Delivers
Strong Patriotic Address
at Wilson on July
the Fourth ~
STRESSES IMPORTANCE
PATRIOTISM SCHOOLS
DECLARES SALVATION OF LOFTY
PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY
AND PATRIOTISM RESTS
- WITH CHILDREN

fOutrng OUT mat lne cnilCren o.
today are the nations builders Of
tomorrow. Departmental Commander
II. B. Fell of the American Legion
before q large audience at the Fourth
Of July celebration at Wilson yester-
day stressed the importance Of pa
trotfsm in schools. The stars and
stripes should be displayed at every
school and public building on national
holidays he declared.
THE salvation of the. lofty pr!nci-
pies Tof democracy and patriotism rests
with America, .he. said. "And the SAL
vation Of America rests with the chill.
dren.
Our children should not be taught
by anytteacher unless that teacher is
willing to take an oath Of allegiance
TO the flag. No teacher should be al
lowed TO give knowledge to our chill
cren unless We are sure that the
knowledge thus given is of the nature
OF 100 per cent Americanism. And
every teacher therefore must be 100
per cent American.
TT is with great pride that / can
say that in our state Of Oklahoma we
have passed bill that compels every
teacher to take the oath of allegiance
before being permitted to enter into
the schools. There has been a fragrant
illustration OF the menace OF radical
teachers in the state of New York
where large number Of them went
TO the Legislature at Albany to lobby
against the passage OF the bill which
would compel Them TO take the oath
OF allegiance"
Mf. Fell also stressed the need for
speedy relief to the disabled and sick
ex-eervice men. He declared that If the
Federal government did not establish
government hospital in Oklahoma
for tubercular ex-service men that the
state Of Oklahoma would do so itself
Steps for the establishment for such
, an institution by the state have already
been taken and work vail be started
soon, he said,
Appealing Tor 100 per cent Amer
canism throughout the land, Mr.. Eel
cited instances of where foreigners
evaded military duty after they hat
become naturalized American citizens
They renounced their first papers, h,
explained.
Many OF us do not realize the men
ace Of some of these people" he de
clared, we are prone to look upor
some Of these instances too light!
now that the war is thing of mem
ory. But II those foreigners who eva
ded military duty were not patriotic
enough TO stand by the country thel
adopted when that country urgentl,
needed them, they are not patriot,
enough to stand by 1t in any othe
crisis, and they are likely TO be enc
mics in our midst
Mr. Fell was the principal speaker
at the morning exercises which wer,
held at the newly constructed pavilion
at the intersection Of Main and Fiji
streets A number OF other prominen
speakers from various cities in Ok
iahoma also addressed the audienc
who were copyrighted on the pavemen
around the pavilion.
The streets OF Wilson. especial,
Main street and the intersectin,
thoroughfares near Fifth, took on tn
appearance Of gigantic open al
bazaar. Wilson was virtually on pa
rade
Purveyors Of kewpie dolls. basket
OF fruit, balloons. rubber balls. whistle
and fantastic novelties were TO b
seen throughout the city. Main stree
was closed TO traffic during the morn
ing exercises
Following the speaking several sele,
tons were rendered from the pavilio,
by 25-piece band made up of Ard
more and Wilson musicians. A barbe
cue at the south corner OF Main an
Fifth with fully 1000 people flocke
around featured the program next
Seven beeves were slaughtered 10
this feast
A number OF boxing matches a
the Hppodrome and a baseball gam
at the local grounds completed the al
ternoon's program. after which
banquet Of 200 plates given by tn
Chamber Of Commerce and the Amer
lean Legion post was held as get
togvther affair for all oil operator
and other business men. Dancing y
lContnued on Page Two)