New Britain herald., 1928-09-24

LIVING AND DEAD
 IGNORED BY CITY

"'The bravest battle that was ever
 fought
 Shall I tell you where and when? On the maps of the world you'll ind it not:
 It was fought by the mothers of
 men.
 "Deep in walled-up woman's
 heart
 Of a woman that would not yield. But bravely, silently bort her part.
 Lo, there Is that battlefield
 "How we Americans do love that freedom for which our boys fought. One of the posters used In the World war pictured men from all tho different nationalities which 70 to make up our population. Every one wore the uniform of these United States, and they were pic tured against the background of Old Glory. The poster bore the inscrip- ton Americans All!' Back of that picture is a beautiful thought and 1t M exemplified in this vast multitude before my eyes at this very moment. America is made up of representa- tives of every race. What we have most in common is our love of free- dom. Some contribution has been made to this country of ours by rep resentatives of every race. Though we do not always recognize it we are dependent upon each of these diverse clements. We would be worse of and not better if we were to lose the representatives of single na- ti0n. Take step farther with me in this line of thought and realize that just as we receive something from every nation through repre- sentatives of that nation in our midst, so the world as a whole is made better by the contributions of each separate nation. Each has its place and it's peculiar gifts. America would be worse off if a single ma ton were plotted out. and likewise they would be worse off without America.
 Memorable are the words of Charles Evans Hughes: American ism is not a matter of race. Anyone who thinks that to be an American means you must trace your ancestry back along a certain line of descent in this country for a certain num- Der of years, utterly mistakes the meaning of the word. Americanism is not word of the flesh. It Is a word of the spirit; and there is now many a man who is seeking his home in this favored land, and waiting to have the rights of full citizenship conferred upon him, whose heart beats more intently with true patriotism than many Of those who can trace their ancestry back for two hundred. years in this conn try When we .recognizt that man is an American not by birth or blood but by ideals. and when we see that most of our real American homes are founded by people not American by birth. we begin to realize that there is a cleavage between ideals and nations. The best in any land is the. best in every land. Let us then today extend to each other the band of fellowship and say in unison in our hearts. with a prayer of thanksgiving to God: We are Ameri- cans all.'
 May our patriotism be such as that of Benjamin Franklin expressed by his toast at the court of France. One. said: I give you the king of France and I will call him the Sun, and l give you the king of England and call him the moon.' and then turning to Franklin he said: What will you do for a toast with the sun and the moon already en- gaged?' Franklin responded: T cannot give you the sun or the moon cr the stars and call my country such. but ] give you the United States and call them Joshua, the son of Nun. who made the sun and the moon and the stars to stand still as long as he pleased
 We look back today with mingled feelings of pride. sadness and hope upon the years that have past, and their historical events: with pride in the knowledge of the accomplishments for civilization: who. in participation in those ac- complishments gave their lives: with hope that we in strength of character and purpose may carry on by our actions. the example set by our forefathers; that we may keep alive and build upon those cherished ideals of which we, as a nation are justly proud. ''It is appropriate that we as citizens of New Britain dedicate this monument and give expression to the feelings of our hearts. but it is equally befitting and necessary that we not confine to these two days our demonstrations of loyalty, re- membrance and faith. Through a century and half of honorable ex- istcnce this nation has advanced to it's present enviable place in the world. That position has not been reached through indifference, nor without trials of the gravest nature. And today we cannot. we must not adopt or condone indifference; in difference to citizenship that price less heritage of ours or indifference to religious principles. that greatest heritage in our possession. Of every man and woman within hear ing of my voice I bespeak the sup port of your citizenship. that the principles and ideals inherited from those who are in our thoughts this day may be in the foreground of your iife's practice. Influences un- worthy of American nism are at work in the world today. and they are not wholly without our boundaries.