Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-07-09
"AMER|CANISM" IS SUBJECT
OWSLEY'S final ADDRESS IN
STATE AT ELM CITY OPERA HOUSE

OIA|th| lin |
There are too many men who did
not have children in the Great War.
not excluding the president himself.
VINO are trying to solve the problems
That have grown out of the war;" de-
clared. Alvin Owsley. national COM
mander Of the American Legion. in
an address on Americanism before
1900 people at the City Opera House
in this city last evening.
Commander Owsley came to Wat
erville from Bangor. where he was
entertained at a luncheon and gave
an address in the afternoon. He was
rendered a dinner at the Elmwood
hotel last evening by the George N.
Bourque Post, at which the following
were present: Commander Owsley;
Col. Albert Greenlaw of Augusta;
General Hadley Of Togus: Perley
Ford, department commander of
Maine: James l.. Boyle, department
adjutant; DR.. John G. Towne, depart
ment vice adjutant; Paul Julien,
Waterville commander; T h m s
Weeks, past commander DIR. F. T.
Hill. past commander; Mayor Leon
o. Tebbetts, DR.. F. E. Thayer, Judge
Charles w. Atchley. A. F. Cyr, DIR.
J. F. Hill, John Friel, Robert Nivison,
George E. Vose, Rev. FIR. Beaudin.
Samuel Freeman. E. G. Wardwell,
Arthur Daviau, Edgar Brown, George
Hegarty, DR.. l.. a. D'Argy, Mr.. Wake
field. U. S. diplomatic service: DR..
Walter Hendee, North Vassalboro;
Herbert L. Butler, DIR. H. c. Libby.
Lorrimer Dixon, John F. Choate,
William II. Murray. Harry Brown,
DR.. II. +. Hill, Clandie Strout, Perry
Maddocks, Raymond Rogers, and
Karekin Sahagian.
FIR. Beaudin offered prayer and
John +. Choate led in singing On
ward Christian Soldiers" James l..
BOYLE was the chairman Of the eve
ming and. he introduced Mayor Leon
o. Tebbetts as the man who would
offer Commander Owsley the key to
the city.
Mayor Tebbetts made brief but
cordial address Of welcome. DIR.
Kate Waller Barrett of Virginia. ma :
tional commander of the Women
Auxiliary of the Legion, was the next
speaker introduced by Mr.. Boyle.
Mrs. Barrett's address was insplr-
ing and patriotic. she told several
little stories, one about her consecra-
ton to the American Flag by her
father and another about the great
devotion of n boy who enlisted IN the
Civil War for Abraham Lincoln, ms
devotion being so great that he was
willing to die for old Abe.
Perley Ford. department com
mander of Maine made a brief ad-
dress in which he urged service p9
all Americans for their nelghpors
and for the country. He declared
that the American Legion va
founded on service and would perish
if it adopted any other ideal.
At the beginning of his address
co1nmander Owsley paid tribute to
Mrs. Barrett as the most prliliah,
and most useful woman in the United
States. He said that he had been m
the wonderful state Of Maine TOT
three days and he was willing TO az
NIT that Texas might be called the
largest state in the Union but tha'
Maine could not be far behind.
at is up to everyone OF you
whether Democratic or RepupilGap
to see only this America of ours, de-
cIored Mr., Owsley. "These service
men are not coming back to TINS
country and blindly going. into tne
old party ranks that you nave pr
pared for them. You Legionalr ,e
ought to seek the man VINO sees ALI
erica first for office.
A. This moment Commander OWs-
lev sees Commander Lunt OF o.; .,e
Grand Army of the Repupnc si't,n Az.
!! in the audience and he asNe ., me
Lunt to come up ana 81. oA not
! stage. saving that he does no.
s seaS ,.;e,ht without seeing him sitting
on the platform. .,,
.,1yho, tho North and the South
.o;, hands the country will so Tor
J Ju.r affirmed the spe r
H wT, a common history, through
l., conn1on sacrifice, and through an
;nsenarable destiny they are Iast oe
~, drawn into an indisolvable I'M
ION and we will go forward under one
Aae yours and mine, and one haine'
America.
"1 love the spirit that is In Maine.
r wish T had two hours to tell about
II declared Commander OwsleE.
have heard of the Pine Tree STATE
and now that have come 2Ooo miles
end Won filled with the same splrlt
and the same ideals as I had always
Heard about. 1t is the spirit ina,
meets a challenge. wants to help ana
combines the service Of Americans.
think It is symboliZed by the
washington monument, that clear
White arm that runs towards the
heavens. that tells that our land Will
he ever independent and free.
"The fate of America rests IN the
balance. let no one mislead you,
averred Col. Owsley. Il remember
the letter of that great American.
| Theodore Roosevelt. to q lawyer
friend. saving something like THIS:
AS view the future of America, II
wa drit toward lawlessness IN the
next 10 years as fast as we nave IN
the past 10 years, nothing can pre-
vent revolution.
The commander told Of the great
menace to America that lies In the
rad ical propaganda that Is being dls-
trihuted throughout the land printed
in many languages. he SPOKE VI
some of the assemblages in the west
ern states that are dangerous 10 the
future safety of the nation. declaring
that America stands as present WITH
out a single man who can sound the
keynote to save the nation.
II call every man in America 10
the test, to enter a covenant to pro-
tect this land" were the words OF
Col, Owsley in stirring tones. Il
care not whether it be called
world tribunal or a league OF ma
tions. it is better than shedding the
blood of the wonderful men of TINS
land. There are too many men VINO
had no children to enlist in the war