The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1932-02-26

more than likely that sylvan ave-
nue. will be more frequently policed
by members Of the motor patrol.
The community club in this sec
ton has made several appeals for
police protection without results.
preparation for the next great con-
flict.
In reply to this. the question
might be asked, Is 1t not so that
our government has provided well
for the soldiers and sailors who
were active in the World war? No
doubt what has been done is great
ly appreciated by the various vet
Grams organizations, but frankly.
is it not so that the basis upon
which the last loan was granted
was extremely unfair and unpa-
triotic? We all recall that when
the last act was passed giving the
veterans the privilege Of borrowing
on their war certificates, it was
done with the proviso that interest
at the rate of per cent would
be charged between the time the
loan was accepted by the individual
veteran and the date of maturity
in 1915. This interest charge, to
my mind, was extremely unfair and
the government must know full
we'll that at least IS per cent of
those who take advantage of the
privilege of borrowing upon their
war certificates cannot begin to
pay back the per cent interest
in view of the existing industrial
and business conditions. Further
more, l want to go on record to-
night as saying that in this par
ticular instance, the interest was
paid by the World war veterans
long before the act was ever passed
interest in the form of flowing
blood and sightless eyes-in the
form of shattered minds and dis
torted bodies--and in closing on
this subject, I cannot help but
state that to my mind, one of the
most human and patriotic things
our government can do while the
congress is still in session, Is to
amend the present law by the COM
plete elimination of the interest
clause. This, 1 am sure, would be
the action of George Washington
were it possible for him to speak
tonight from his tomb on the
slopey shore of Mount Vernon.
And how distressing 1t Is when
we stop to recall the broad, lib
eral mind of Washington and COM
pare that mind and the noble heart
of Washington with some of the
minds and the hearts that are so
common in this day and age
more than 1870 years after the
death of this great Virginian? In
our very early days in school, one
of our first lessons in the beginning
of our study of American history
was to learn the preamble of the
constitution of the United States
with special emphasis upon the
phrase THAT all men are created
free and equal" BY this phrase
we were taught to believe that no
no lines of racial or religious dis
tinction were to be drawn; that we
were all on the same basis and
same plane regardless of name.
creed, nationality or religion. But
what a horrible example of the
fallacy of the above we witnessed
Just a few short days ago. We
all are familiar with the political
history of our country during the
past four years, and we all saw in
1928 the disgusting, un-American
spectacle of great candidate for
great office being sent down to Bit
ter defeat simply because of his
religious belief. We thought that
the intervening period of four years
might have had a calming effect
upon the bigotted minds response
BILE for this unholy occurrence
yet only two weeks ago when that
same gentleman-that same dis
tinguished ex-governor of great
hn ~
described as one Of Gods noble
men, dared to suggest his willing
ness to lead a great political party
if that party unanimously desired
him to do so, we saw the head Of
this un-American dragon Of bigotry
rise up in almost every section of
the country and serve warning up
on us that such leadership was not
to again come into being.
What would Washington say IL
he were here to witness this spec
tacle, representing the polluted
minds of some of our so-called
"Americans''-som OF those who
take pride in referring to their
distinguished lineage and their
blooded ancestry. What would that
other distinguished Virginian,
Thomas jefferson think about such
n situation--Jefferso who insisted
that there should be inscribed on
his tombstone at Monticello, the in
scrlption Author of the bill for
religious freedom in Virginia"
Sometimes I feel that never before
in the history of America was the
need greater than now for another
Washington, another Jefferson, or
another Lincoln.
Let us look around US and what
do we see? Closed factories and
mills. Banks that have failed.
Mercantile establishments that
have been plunged into bankrupt
CIV and worse than all, something
like eight milf MS of men walking
the streets of America with only
one thought on their minds-and
that being to get job of any sort
that will bring happiness and peace
of mind to themselves and their
families. We know that one OF
the most remembered of Wash
ington's warnings to America when
he took his departure for the peace
and quiet of Mount Vernon was
that we beware of foreign en-
tanglements.
can't believe that Washington
meant this In any commerClti
sense. I do believe that his ed
monition was to be construed only
from a military standpoint. Times
have changed greatly since the
days OF our first president, and be-
cause of modern science and inven-
tion, theh then distanct Europe.
South America. and less distant
Canada Is now but few days away.