Part 13 (1/2)

”Now, as Mr. Sullivan has suggested, let it not be said that when these boys that raised their right hand and took the oath of allegiance to the American flag return, that these contemptible skunks that demanded exemption under the law shall occupy the positions, which these truly loyal men should have. Let's give those positions to the returning American soldiers and the returning alien soldiers that fought for the American flag and helped us win the great victory.” The applause given Sullivan was repeated.

Then the ”Silver Lining,” Chaplain Inzer, strode upon the stage. This time he was a very stern Silver Lining, and what he had to say he said with a vigor which characterized his speeches all during the convention.

”I want to offer an amendment,” he said. ”Mr. Sullivan's resolution does not cover the whole ground. As Naturalization Officer of the 14th Infantry, I happen to be observing enough to know that there are other men that ought to be included in this list. Often we called certain foreigners together who had been drafted and said, 'Now, men, we are going to go overseas in a short while. How long have you been in this country?'

”One said, 'fourteen years.'

”'How long have you been here?' to another.

”'I have been here so and so,' he answered.

”'All right, now,' we said, 'this has been your country. If we hadn't gone to war, you would have expected to be here.'

”'But we want to go home now.'

”'If you go home will you fight for your country?'

”'We don't know.'

”And they absolutely refused to take out citizens.h.i.+p papers. How do we know them? As Naturalization Officer I marked on every one of those papers. 'This man, though he has been here for four years or ten years refused naturalization in the hope that he might avoid overseas service.' Now, then, I move that we include in that motion that the files be gone through and every man who refused citizens.h.i.+p, who was a native of any other country, but adopted this country and refused to take out the citizens.h.i.+p papers we offered him, after he had been brought into the army by the draft, also be deported.”

Before the applause began Colonel Luke Lea had the floor. He is tall and imposing and a powerful speaker.

”I want to see this made a complete and thorough job, and to that end I desire to offer a further amendment,” he said. ”We further demand the immediate deportation of every alien enemy who, during the war, was interned, whether such alien enemy be now interned or has been paroled. I merely want to say this: That any alien enemy who is too dangerous to be at large and bear the burdens of war, is too dangerous to be at large and partic.i.p.ate in the blessings of peace.”

This brought down the house. It was what everybody thought and wanted.

It was what everybody had hoped for since the very first day during the war that the Department of Justice had made its first internments.

There have been all sorts of stories telling about these interned aliens getting rooms with baths, tennis courts, swimming pools, and playgrounds, and everyone had consistently hoped that they would all be sent back to Germany or Austria at the earliest possible moment after the war. The same hope was expressed in regard to certain Scandinavians and Hollanders here who were active in behalf of Germany. One thing is certain and that is that none of the delegates present were opposed to this enemy alien deportation, or if they were they didn't or couldn't make themselves heard above the thunderous approbation.

Chaplain Inzer at this juncture jumped to his feet and heightened the applause by shouting, ”There are four million men back of this organization. If I were a Bolshevik, I'd pack my grip and beat it.”

The culmination of this particular phase of the caucus was most dramatic. A wounded soldier on crutches, and bearing two wound stripes on his arm, was helped to the stage beside the chairman. ”I am Private Sossin of Kentucky,” he shouted. ”I was born and reared in Poland, and came to this country and began to enjoy all the freedom of the American Const.i.tution when I was thirty-seven years old. I left my business and my family to fight for this country. And if any of my native countrymen are so despicable as not to want to fight for the grandest flag the world has ever seen, the flag which gives freedom to all who are oppressed, I say, d.a.m.n him and kick him out of here so that we can show that we despise such slackers.”

THE CHAIRMAN: ”All those in favor of the motion as finally amended will vote 'Aye.”' That ”Aye” shook the theater.

The caucus then pa.s.sed a resolution that every naturalized citizen convicted under the Espionage Act should have his citizens.h.i.+p revoked and should be deported.

Another telling blow for Americanism!

The caucus next went on record with a resolution calling for the protection of the uniform. Those firms and individuals who had used the uniform as a method of peddling their wares were scored in the resolution and it was the sense of the motion that everything possible should be done to prevent panhandlers and peddlers on the streets wearing the uniform of the United States.

The caucus also indorsed Secretary Lane's plan for the ”Reclamation of arid, swamp, and cut-over timber lands.” The resolution to that effect follows in full:

”WHEREAS, the reclamation of arid, swamp, and cut-over timber lands is one of the great constructive problems of immediate interest to the nation; and

”WHEREAS, one of the questions for immediate consideration is that of presenting to discharged soldiers and sailors an opportunity to establish homes and create for themselves a place in the field of constructive effort; and