New Britain herald., 1930-05-26
Rev. H. c. Burden Tells
Legi0nnaires Democracy
Is in Greater Danger
Now Than Before World
War.


Steetzer Post No. III, American
Legion. and its auxiliary held their
first memorial exercises at the Con-
sregational church last night at s
o'clock.
The program was as follows:
Welcome, by Post Commando r
Robert Bray
Invocation, auxiliary chaplain. Mrs,
Bailey
Hymn. America"
Male quartet, "Tenting On the Old
Camp Ground Comrades Kerr,
Drew, Prescher and Tracy
scripture reading, Rev. H. C.
Burden
Duet, Whispering Hope" Mrs.
Simpson and Mrs. Prescher
Prayer, Rev. Mr.. Burden
Solo. Awake, My Soul Mrs Avery
Address, The Legacy of Our Com
rades," Mr.. Burden.
Male quartet. Taps
Rev. Harold C. Burden, pastor of
the Congregational church and
chaplain of May Davis Stoetzer
post, said when he was asked to
give the address to the first me-
mortal OF the Legion in Newington.
that very high honor had been
conferred on him by his comrades
Attacking the old type of militant
PATRIOTISM and urging his hearers
to combat crime and other foes of
democracy at home, Mr.. Burden
said that the old observance of
Memorial bound us with the chains
OF that type of patriotism which
would have men follow their leaders
hlindly and without question. il
forged the shackles of the belief
that the only worthy citizen is the
war-maker; that nation at war is
far more glorious than a country at
peace.
Because ideas such as these,
sometimes very distorted ideas Of
what is loyal and patriotic, may be
fostered in the minds of boys and
girls by our Memorial exercises of
tonight and next Friday it becomes
extremely important that in them
We sound the right keynote We of
the Legion who are gathered here
tonight to honor the memory of our
dead comrades have at once great
responsibility and privilege. 1t is
our task to interpret the legacy our
comrades left behind them in such
terms as Will build greater citizen
ship than this nation thus far has
known. If We know anything at all
about these comrades of ours who
fell on the field of battle or since
have laid down their lives we are
perfectly sure that they would not
be satisfied with an America just as
good as it was in 1875. or in 1861,
or in 1917, or even in 1880. They
would want q better America. OF
this We are sure,
But how is this to be achieved?
What have our comrades left be-
hind which will help to build bet
ter America" What is the legacy
they have left US? .
Urges Loyalty to Principle
u am going TO venture to suggest
that if they were here tonight they
would plead with us, for the sake
Of safeguarding the nations future
welfare. that We use their patrio-
tlsm as the foundation stone on
which to build greater,-that We
begin where they left off. They
would have Us be loyal TO the
principles, the ideals of our coun-
try. We must be loyal by all
means. But it must not he a 10y
atty which is blind and unrcasonirg.
There may have been time
when patriotism best was exempli-
fed by the declaration, right or
wrong. my country but We know
now that the real patriot is the one
who says that only the right can
command his unswerving allegiance.
We know now that the highest
service VIC can render our country
is TO scrutinize carefully, oh, so
carefully, every word and act of
our elected leaders, to discover, if
we can, the hidden motive behind
what they say and do; and then to
fling the uncomfortable question,
why do you say this? and why do
you DO that? in their faces when for
selfish gain they propose that VIC
give our unquestioninE loyalty while
they wax fat on the profits of war.
This is our right, the duty of every
patriotic citizen.
Make Sure OF Cause
ut is safe to predict that when
war comes again VIC will be told. as
we have been in past wars. that the
honor of the country is at stake. 1t
may be true. But let us be sure, !
absolutely sure, that the cause is |
a righteous one before allowing our
selves to be led into the shambles |
of another war. Let us make GER
tain that behind any declaration of |
war this country ever makes there |
Is an honorable motive.
ut is conceivable in a world con- |
stituted as it is at present that |
there may come a time when it will |
be far more honorable for us to re-
the nation rather than to shed it in |
defense of great oil interests, or for
the benefit of great shipping con-
Germ, or for the greater profit of a
steel industry. A fair question to
ask, II such a situation ever should
arise. would be this: Who dishonors
the nation the more, we who would
spare the lives of our finest young
people or that small group of selfish
and powerful men who would make
war in order TO pile UP enormous
fortunes Of blood stained money?
No Profit, No War?
Interestingly enough. the Ameri-
can Legion is sponsoring a bill in
our national legislature looking to-