Part 12 (2/2)
”WHEREAS, there was a law pa.s.sed by the Congress of these United States, July, 1918, known as an amendment to the Selective Service Act giving persons within the draft age who had taken out first papers for American citizens.h.i.+p the privilege of turning in said first papers to their local exemption board and thereby becoming exempt from service,
”WHEREAS, thousands of men within draft age who had been in this country for many years and had signified their intention to become citizens, took advantage of this law and thereby became exempted from military service, or were discharged from military service by reason thereof, and have taken lucrative positions in the mills, s.h.i.+pyards, and factories, and
”WHEREAS, in this great World War for Democracy the rank and file of the best of our American manhood have suffered and sacrificed themselves in order to uphold the principles upon which this country was founded and for which they were willing to give up their life's blood, if necessary, to preserve, and
”WHEREAS we, the American Legion a.s.sembled are of the opinion that these would-be Americans who turned in their first papers to avoid service are in our opinion neither fish, flesh, nor fowl and if allowed to remain in this country would contaminate the 100% true American soldiers and sailors who will return to again engage in the gainful pursuits of life. Therefore, be it
”RESOLVED: That we, the American Legion in convention a.s.sembled in St.
Louis, this 8th, 9th, and 10th day of May, 1919, numbering millions of red-blooded Americans, do demand the Congress of these United States to immediately enact a law to send these aliens who withdrew their first papers and thereby avoided service, back to the country from whence they came, for we want them not, neither do we need them. The country which we live in and were ready and are now ready and willing to fight for is good enough for us and this country, which they live in and prospered in, yet were unwilling to fight for, is too d.a.m.ned good for them to remain in. Therefore, be it further
”RESOLVED, that a copy of these resolutions be sent to each and every member of the House and Senate of our United States and a copy be given to the public press.”
”Respectfully presented ”(Signed) Sgt. JACK SULLIVAN.
”Delegate from Seattle, State of Was.h.i.+ngton.”
”I move you, sir, the adoption of this resolution.”
”Now, gentlemen, I have a telegram from Seattle which I will read. It is addressed to Jack Sullivan, St. Louis.
”'Executive Board American Legion of Liberty authorizes you to advocate before the St. Louis Convention as part of the Americanization program, that the organization bring its influence to bear throughout the United States to secure enactment by Congress of laws making it possible to deport alien slackers who avoided military service by renouncing their citizens.h.i.+p and signing affidavits that they would return to the country from which they came. A bill providing for their deportation introduced by Senator Jones of Was.h.i.+ngton failed to pa.s.s the last session of Congress because the demand for its pa.s.sage from the State of Was.h.i.+ngton was not backed up by other States. Demand upon senators and representatives from their own const.i.tuents that a law should be pa.s.sed to deport these slackers would probably result in action by the special sessions of Congress of nearly three hundred aliens who escaped military service in Seattle by renouncing their right to become citizens. Twenty-seven per cent, were shown to be I.W.W.'s of the thousands who thus escaped military service. Throughout the country a large percentage are probably of the element which is seeking to undermine American inst.i.tutions. They still remain despite their affidavits that they would leave the country and there is no existing law under which they can be deported.
The first move towards making this country one hundred per cent.
American should be the elimination of aliens who are opposed to our Government and inst.i.tutions and who poison the minds of others by their teachings. Every senator and representative should be urged to back legislation for the elimination of this element and we hope that this work will be adopted by the convention as part of the national program.
”'(Signed) American Legion of Liberty, ”'NORMAN E. COLES, _Secretary_.'”
When Sullivan finished reading, he began one of the most stirring addresses made before the convention:
”Now let's not be afraid to put the cards on the table and say to the Congress of the United States that we are not afraid to trample on the toes of the diplomats of these alleged neutral countries who do not want legislation of this kind to pa.s.s,” Sullivan plead. ”We have the interest of the man who donned the khaki and the blue and when the s.h.i.+ps bring the boys from over there, they must take back these alien slackers. We would be derelict in our duty to the boys who gave their all when they went over the top; we would be untrue to ourselves and the inst.i.tutions and principles for which we fought if we did not see to it that these people were sent back.
”I was born in the State of Ma.s.sachusetts and I was taught that citizens.h.i.+p meant something. As a boy I went out West where I learned that American citizens.h.i.+p meant something to the people of the West.
”To-day we are here from all parts of the country. We are not from any section alone, because we are all Americans, This is an organization of Americans. This should be a country of Americans and if our citizens.h.i.+p means something, the swine who come from other countries should be taught that it means something like what McCrae said:
'”When from failing hands we throw the torch to you, Be yours to hold it high; If ye break faith with us who die, We shall not sleep though poppies grow in Flanders' field.'
”Let's make this unanimous and do it now and say to the boys in Siberia and France that we are going to see to it when they get back here that those d.a.m.ned alien slackers are not going to be here, or if they are, they are going to be on the dock at Hoboken to go back to their own countries because they don't belong here and we are not going to allow them to remain.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”Jack” Sullivan of Seattle First Vice-Chairman of the St. Louis Caucus]
[Ill.u.s.tration: Chaplain J.W. Inzer of Alabama]
Sullivan was seated amid prolonged cheering; it was his big slap at Bolshevism. When Colonel Lindsley restored order Colonel Ralph Cole of Ohio was recognized.
”The delegation from Ohio has authorized me to second this motion,” he said. ”This seems to be a unanimous caucus. There is harmony here. The most impressive fact in relation to this a.s.sembly is the militant spirit of Americanism that has been manifested. I chanced to be a.s.sistant Adjutant of the 37th Division when the time came for the naturalization of aliens who were in the American Army. Thousands and thousands of young aliens came up and raised up their right hand and pledged fidelity to the American Const.i.tution, and to fight for the supremacy of the American flag, but, there was a certain small element, a certain small percentage that refused to take the oath of allegiance and they appealed to the Const.i.tution and their rights under the law and they were exempted from military service. And I say to you, gentlemen of this convention, any alien that will appeal to the law in order to avoid military duty has no right to the opportunity of peace in America.” Here there was prolonged applause.
”There was an outbreak in the State of Ohio of Bolshevism a few days ago, but I want you gentlemen to know that it was put down. It was. .h.i.t by the soldiers who returned from France, the rank and file of our boys.
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