Evening star., 1922-07-04
women IN PUBLIC
AFFA|RS GOOD SIGN
Oldest Inhabitants Associa-
ton Hears Stirring Address
by Frank S. Bright.

The spread of education and the en-
trance of women into public affairs
were singled out as promising signs
OF the times by Frank S. Bright. who
delivered the principal address at the
patriotic exercises of the Association
of Oldest Inhabitants of the District
Of Columbia today
The pioneer Washingtonians held
their. celebration today at the home Of
MIR. and Mrs J. Edison Briggs, Maple
Square. South Carolina avenue south
east.
From l o'clock until noon the asso-
citation held business session. after
which the special program for the day
was begun. Mr.. Bright spoke, in part,
as follows:
Lnuds Republics Founders.
More and more it Is important that
we should keep alive our reverence
for the mighty work of the found
ers of our republic and we should all
commend those who. like yourselves.
see mt to commemorate our natal day
by such a special service as we are
here gathered to attend.
Many years ago in London l had
the pleasure of knowing Mr.. Richard
Whlteing. He was then the editor
of the London Daily News. After
wards he wrote No. 5 John Street"
the yellow Van" and other novels.
He had Travelled far and wide and
was. indeed, a citizen of the world
One day he said to me: In the United
States you have the real freedom.
1t comes to the surface at times in
Europe and here in England we have
some measure of it. but you really
have it. Years later I was sitting
nv
battlefield. AS I~sat there a young
Russian Jew sat down on the other
end of the bench and put his kit
Of tools on the ground beside him.
asked him if he knew what this place
meant. He said, oh. yes, sir. Free
was an exile struggling for a bare
living yet ready to spend a part of
his very meager funds that he might
breathe the atmosphere of the place
where freedom was born.
Still later I was calling one even
press of the day had carried the news
OF the downfall of Zalava. The
Nicaraguan was almost besilie him
self with delight. and in his broken
English he began to talk of liberty.
He said he had come years before
to America. He had read Of freedom,
hut here he had really found it. He
had gone home and had come back
here and he said I still find 1t. II
is in the air you breathe. 1t is 80
natural to you you do not appreciate
or the air you breathe
Value OF Real Liberty.
MY friend. we may learn from
the great English. the humble Rus
sian Jew and the South American
what a priceless heritage has come
to US from that day in Philadelphia
146 years ago. when the Liberty Bell
rang out the glad tidings. Around its
rim were these words. from Leviticus:
proclaim yet liberty to all the land
and to all the Inhabitants thereof"
1t is curious that this bell with these
words on it had been cast twenty
three years before it rang on that
eventfui day and in Overwhelming
measure fulfilled its mission.
But what are We to do with this
heritage. How are we to preserve it
and hand it on? / think in this day
We are in the condition the Nicara
guam said we were. We are not con.
sclous of our freedom. it is so much
part of our being. and ! fear unless
we rouse ourselves to see that IL is
not taken away from US by special
privilege in its thousand insidious
forms we shall not hand 1t on to our
children and our children's children,
as it is our duty to do.
L gather two comforts and only
| two from our present-day conditions.
The first is the universal spread of
education. and IL is sorely needed.
| MY other, and my greatest comfort, is
that women have come to have a
share in our public affairs 1t is their
duty. and it always has been. to rock
the cradle. and to watch over it, and
with all their other domestic and
| public duties l am sure they will find
| the time to watch the cradle OF
| liberty and see that no harm comes
! to our precious freedom. but theirs
is mighty task. and I appeal to you
| all to lend hand to that great work
| Urges World Freedom.
f, when we have done this have we
done enough? Let me use another
| figure of speech. At Philadelphia
| 146 years ago. we lighted a candle OF
| liberty. 1t was a f1ickering fame, bu,
| it was guarded from the winds of ad.
! versity by the brave men and womer
| who shielded it with their bodies ant
| their minds and were prepared to de.
| fend and protect it with their lives
| and in time 1t grew to a great ligh'
| spreading over all the land and light
| ing all the inhabitants thereof. W.
are rich in that light today and
/ think we are selfish in our posses
! sion 1t is a light that we shoult
! share with all the world. I am no
/ enough the statesman to tell you how
\ but for myself I am ready and anx.
/ ious that the unlighted portions no