New Britain herald., 1926-05-27

q home: the American Legion thanks to their own efforts and the help of our citizens never need feel homeless.
 50 far, as I have said, the city has done it's duty: there remains something yet 10 be done. Until there has been erected a permanent memorial to the soldiers who going from this city to the great war gave their lives to their country, the American Legion is not going 10 be satisfied, nor can the city Of New Britain look it's sister cities in the face and be unashamed.
 q have alluded to the shabby way the Grand Army of the Republic was treated in the matter of home. They never really had one. We at least have remedied that matter now. But you will remember that it was 80 years or more after the close of the Civil War before there was erected any memorial to the soldiers who died therein, and that memorial erected by the generosity of pri- vate citizen. The city of New Brit ain. strong, prosperous, growing, sure of itself. proud of it's place among the cities of the state, cannot now afford to neglect this question i of a memorial. nor be niggardly in appropriating the money for it.
 That is a debt we owe to our 1 citizens who gave their lives; that IS q duty We owe 10 all our soldiers who returned having also offered their lives: that is a duty that we owe To ourselves also as responsible ctu- zans who have a pride in paying their debts.
 There is no debt owed by the city of New Britain so important as this. Let Us see that sacred debt is paid now and that the names Of those who died and of all who serr- cd in the war are inscribed in i'm pcrishable bronze on q memorial that shall be worthy tribute 10 the valor of our soldlers-not after the parents of our dead heroes have DdSHtl q W dNi buL IlpN N4'AlN N4'N '' eyes can behold it; not after the members of the legion have grown gray in waiting for it, but now WhII" youth runs strong in their veins and the memories of the war are yet fresh in their minds. So shall they all with grateful hearts turn mor' willingly 10 their duty as citizens. What is the significance of inc Legion in all these organizations through the country - not to my
 mind so much in it's work for th' welfare of it's members laudahle and
 necessary as all that is; not in lt'
 efforts tO sec that the goNernmeu
 does the right and necessary things
 for it's members: not, if you pleas"
 in any or all of those things whicl
 it may do in it's own behalf.
 Its significance to my mind lie'
 in this fact: Here, fin every commu
 uitv of the land. is an organized body
 of young men who in military s"rV
 ice have learned 10 work together
 breaking down all bars Of race con
 dition or religion. To such men. tn
 flag and what it stands for, ma.
 have I often think a deeper mean ing than if has to us who have no faced death under it's folds. IL ma
 not ho so. but I am not paying ldl ', commitment who I say it ought ( :, he so and I believe if is. So feelin and believing I cannot but feel tha
 the existence of all these posts of m legion is q tremendous force for goo
 in the life of the nation; that here
 a great body of young men who, l
 rightly appealed 10, will he quicI
 and eager 10 further any just caus
 for the good of the nation, or state
 or city; that here is tremendou bower that stands for law and order the protection of property and Of so cintv inc natural foe of anarchy , bolshevism and all the nauseouS ism , that seek 10 undermine society a we in America know it. Here, hacI P of all the organization Of the nation , stands our great resrrv"s--our sHf | ond line of defense. silent now hn |, ready and at moments nonc f quick to spring to the aid of tho ci'l
 the state. or the nation.
 "I do not share the fears of som r that the power Of the legion will b I nsrd for unworthy ends, l heliev it's leaders will direct its enorgi' n along right lines believe the ol h ganization as q whole will never q anything unworthy of the flag undf d which il fought-and that when 1T las, page of the history of the Ame' ican Legion shall have been write n ft will close glorious record of liz , long service to tho nation.'