New-York tribune., 1922-02-28
Dawes History
Quiz EnliycnceI
BY a Fist Fight
Aged Veteran Bring, Gore
With SMASH 10 lawyer =
Jaw During Argument ON
Star SpaugIcd Banner
Cherry Tree Story Revised
George Spanked Because Me
Didn'' Chop 'or kindiins :
Had Homo Brew Recipe

fatr oilsm ovcrli0Wed inC seariny,
yesterday 5cfore David ll'rshfeld,
Commissioner Of Accounts. 20 hia in-
festigation Of the American history
books used in the schools. sprcad INTO
the corridors ct the Municipal Build
ing and caused FIST light between
two fcrvent witnesses Who were at log
gerhoads over the propr'cty OF thc
third stanza Of the Star Spangled
Banner"
Thc anthem had 0eca bone OF con
tention at previous hearings. 1t played
second fiddle yesterday 10 the story
OF George Washington and the cherry
tree and the Boston tea party at thc
hearing i.sclf. but tho argument broke
out again between Thomas ?. Tuite,
secretary OF the g. A. X. Memorial
Commission and member Of the oxecu-
tre committee OF the Star Spang, ed
Ranucr Association and francis Kiuni-
cutt lawyer, Of II Cedar Street. when
the reached the hallway
Trade Fighting Remarks
The Mayors tar investigator vas
rot witness OF tho fight Mr. Tuite,
veteran Of the Civil and Spanish
American wars, was eXpounding to M
kinnicutt his theory that the national
anthem should be preserved intact
third stanza and all The lawyer took
the opposite point Of view.
That's un-American, witnesses dc
clarcd Mr. Tuite said.
You're liar witnesses said Nh.
kinnicutt retorted
Mr. Tuite then accused Mr.. Kinnicut
of being British propagandist. ana
NJ. kinnicutt replied by saying that Mir
lutte and the others at the hearine
who complained about the omissions
Of important occurances. particularly
during the Revolutionary period. were
a lot Of Sim Feincrs. This rctort va
met by blow TO the Jaw which drew
somc blood from Nh. Kinncntt's mouth
The lawyer came back With a light
directed at Mr. Tuitc's jaw which was
neatly duckcd by the veteran. Specta-
tors lnterferred and separated tho
complaints and the argument was
again reduced to verbiagc
Abraham Wakcman. secretary Of tho
Lower Wall Street Business Mems As.
soclation. was the lirst witness at the
hearing, and again took Up the subject
Of the true history Of thc Revolution
lie denied that John Hancock the first
siencr OF the Declaration Of Indepen-
0ence, Was a smugglcr The only snug
Cling Hancock ever did, he said, wa
to have few pipes Of fine old madoira
wlno removed from one Of his ships
Badge of Honor To-day"
This information brought forth the
remark from Commissioner Ihrshfielc
that 1t is now considered badge OF
honor to secure q few cases of gooG
liquor. The Commiss oner admitte
that there were more smugglers Of con
traband liquor to-day than in Han.
cocks day. and that they were caught
oftencr
During discussion o. tho Boston
tea party witness told how the Dor,
authorities at Boston. desperate undel
the load of British taxes, finally seized
tho cargo of tea and dumped it over
board. At the words port authorities
inVesllga tor Dave SAT up and took no.
,lce. tie saw parallel in modern DO
lltlcal events. The modern taxpayerS
were about 10 suffer similar provoca.
ton from the Port Authority created
at Albany, he said. and when that bod,
pegan TO levy taxes for the development
OF the port there might be anotho,
tea party, he warned.
Telfair Minton, historian. lecture,
and writer. declared that in lecturino
m some of The New York public school,
he had heard "America" and the "Sta,
Spangled Banner sung to melodie,
strange to him. Inquiry brought tho
reply. he said, That the new tunes were
IN defercnce 10 certain district superin.
tcndcnts. ~
hno~ Trotzky. but Not Revere
ommlssioner Pirshhcld declared
tnat the setting OF the national an-
thems to new music BY district supcrin
tendents was only in line with the act
OF other and higher school officials whc
nave written a kinds OF text books
W'lldely used m the public schools. Nh.
N'1ion ,{'. a!so said that in public 5choo
~ 0r'y- -eighth Street he found mar
ol 'he iLsh Free State on the class.
room wall. He declared that The prin.
clpal frequently denounced Fnglarrd ~ =,
the pupils. '''u y
Nr Minton testified TO trip he took
through several schools in the neirb'
ooIhood where Trotzkv used 20 i've
VniN tow Of the school children IN
Jnese schools, he said. knew who Pan
Revere and Nathan Hale were. while
every one OF them put up their hands
N"eh asked If they knew about Lenjne
and Trot2ky. ''''''"'
When Mr.. Wakeman was speaking he
happened to mention that he ohtainod
most Of his historical data from oId
neWspapers, and Commissioner Hirsh.
held Immediately became someyh.i
Aeptlcal about its authenticity and
truthluiness. The Commissioner Seemed
even to have his doubts about the
trust"orthlness Of the press TODAY
although Mr. Wakcman spoke well 81
ITS integrity. The Commissioner was
wiling to admit, however, that there
vas one honest publisher down in
William Street" ~
-Ne" Version OF Cherry Tree
According to Mr.. Wakeman. The
Cherry tree story about George wash
inGton was probably true. but il did
not 60 far enough He nlaintajned d
that the first Presidents father spanked
MN tor not cutting the tree into fire
Woo4 The witness pointed out that
Pretdcnt Washington was not wholly
adverse to falsifying himself. He de.
clared the records showed that Wash
lngton had said the JERSEY MOSQUITOES
bit him through his riding boots.
ADDED interest was shown in Mr.
y" akeman's testimony at this point
when he told Commissioner Rirsihold
tnat among his historical documents
was George Washington's recipe for
making home brew. He asked the
Comm ioner whether t would be
rlght and proper for him to read il
aloud. The Commissioner made no OBJ.
lection, but upon reconsideration the
witness decided not to divulge its con
tents in public, much to the disappoint.
ment Of the audience
Mr.. Wakeman referred to Thomas