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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 1919)
5 KLEGIOK REFUTE Red Reports of Centralia Murders Branded Lies. ',r-9& y fvv -v? -,fcttO Vjr- m- . ' T--- u --j' K. V5;.:"uc-, i ATTACK NOT PROVOKED 4 Speakers Appeal to Americanism, With Demund for Suppression of Kadical Publications. TITE SUXDAT OKEGOXIAX, PORTLAND, DECEMBER T, 1919. SLANDERSDFI LLlinDRrilRTW JL- i iXL "Tt's a lie! It's a lie! It s a lie!" With these graphic words H. E. Veness. accredited representative of Grant Hodce post. Centralia American Legion, threw down the gauntlet to the I. W. W. and the campaign of misrepresentation which this un American element has spread concern ins the Centralia outrage on Armis tice day. November 11. when four young veterans of the war were shot down in cold blood while commemo rating the victory overseas. "Kverything the wobbly says about the Centralia affair is a lie and 1 can prove it." lie emphasized as he de tailed the events of that tragedy which awakened all the American people to the foe at home. "When the wobbly says that these brave young: soldiers started that at tack. I say it's a lie! When the wobbly says that members of the legion had threatened days before to close up the I. W. W. hall, I shout, it's a He; when the wobbly, through his outrageous newspaper printed at Chi cago, says that the body of the I. W. W. who 'committed suicide in Cen tralia that night was taken to the county Jail and hung up for those inside to view it, I eay again It's a lie! "And I want you people to learn the truth. I want you to know of this Centralia outrage just as it happened; an we at home know it happened, and when the I. W. W. and their sympa thizers attempt to tell you that that attack was not unprovoked and not without Justification or excuse, I want you to tell them that you know it's a. lie." WobblT Paper Scored. "This Is grim business we have be fore us tonight," he cautioned. "We have a fight on our hands, so please be quiet in order that I may tell you as quickly as possible the facts the whole truth of -that Armistice day outrage. "I want you people to know that In their official publication these I. W. W. called those brave soldier boys of Centralia hoodlums in ' the uniform of the United States. I won der what Warren Grimm's young widow, with her baty to her breaBt, would think if she knew that her gallant young husband. In the morn ing of his life, had been called a hoodlum by that vile publication?" The speaker then detailed the tragedy from the time the first shots rang out that afternoon until days after, when the American Legion men had rounded up those guilty of the atrocious murder. He eulogized the brave band of men who braved the assassins' bullets to pierce the tim bered sections in search of the mur derers, and who returned the men to the county .iall unharmed, even though the mobs wanted to cheat the law of its penalty. Country Iust Be Redeemed. "But the tragedy is over," he said in conclusion. "The bodies He oj the stage, but the curtain is not going to fall until we work out the redemption of this country for which those brave men died. .1 say to you that they died for the flag Just as did those brave young men, on Flanders field They have awakened the American people to the crisis which is at hand, and ft is up to you and I and all other American citizens to see that the fight is not over until this internal foe is defeated for all time." Too much temporizing by govern ment officials at Washing-ton was givrn by Rev. II. W. Thompson, also of Centralia, as one of the reasons for the Centralia outrage. "Those 150 shots which were fired at Centralia that day by that hellish band of anarchists were heard all over the world," he said. "It has awakened the American people. They realixe now there has been too much temporizing at Washington. "I say that It is a crying shame that the government would allow euch a filthy sheet as that L W. W. paper to be printed and sent through the mails." he challenged as the audience thundered its approval. Murder Is Described Rev. Mr. Thompson then gave a pathetic account of the actual murder of the young soldiers as they stood with heads erect marching behind the American flag on their day of cele bration. "As they marched down the street with heads high and flags waving it wae a magnificent sight," he said. "And then and here his voice fell to a cnoKing wiusper ine snots oi me sasslns rang out upon the air. Those brave young men fell In their tracks, dying like soldiers with their heads toward the front. I never have wit nessed anything more terrible or more pathetic than the feelings of the peo ple of Centralia that afternoon and night." And then the speaker told of the funeral services at which he deliv ered the final orations over the bodies of the four young soldiers who fell. "In all my 40 years in the ministry never was 1 called upon to take part in a service more pathetic than that. With the lids of the coffins lifted. I could look into the four faces of those dead boys who seemed to be appealing to heaven to awaken this country to the peril which has come upon us." "Shall the starry flag trail in the dust beneath the red flag of anarchy?" he questioned, his voice choked with deep emotion. "No. never." was the instant cry which came from every part of the auditorium. "Then it is time for . every red blooded American to stand up and be counted." was his reply. "Put Amer icans on guard tonight before our country Is divided." Mayor Baker Introduced the speak ers and gave a short talk in which he promised that Portland is ready to give the I. . V . all the direct action that radical organization might want. The mayor was warmly commended by the Centralia speakers for his vigorous denunciation of the f. W. W Cassius Peck, president of Portland Post American Legion, presided. Mrs Jane Burns Albert rendered a vocal solo, while the audience joined in singing "America" and "The SUar-pa-ngled' Banner." t3 - M ililiiSllll 4s '-.:Liiif. Overcoats ALL over America, as men throng the streets on Christmas errands bent, they are wearing over coats like these I show. There's good companion ship good fellowship in these big, warm, roomy gar ments. You feel it when you slip one on. Do YOUR Christmas buy ing in one of them. TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS TO ONE HUNDRED enSellin Morrison-Street at fburw PLAYING TODAY Was it any wonder the home folks seemed so far and the gay loose ways so temptingly near? But when his pal and his money were gone and the cops had branded him "croo k" what tehn? It's a story that gets under your skin, through your blood, beats in your heart like a hammer. I.. . "Let "The M URTAGHi AND OUR $50,000 ORGAN Orpheus" Overture .-vw.. . Offenbach The Last Hope" Gottschalk Grand Polka de Concert" Bartlett the Rest of the World Go By" Ernest Ball was one of several Friday night that were reported to the police. Lora Eaton, apartment 22, 680 Flan ders street, reported her apartment entered and a gold watch and long gold chain and $10.70 in money taken. The same burglar entered another room In the same building and took a handbag, suit, a pair of shoes and a number of handkerchiefs. Inspec tors Gordon and Wright were work ing on the case yesterday. Sylvester Davis reported the theft of an overcoat from his room in the Burnside house. t Pacific High-way Opened. VANCOUVER, Wash., Dec. . (Special.) The Pacific highway be tween Vancouver and Seattle, which has been closed for the past several months in Clarke county on account of road building and paving, was yes terday opened to. the public. The un paved road was pttt in condition for travel until road building begins in the spring. In some places the road was planked. xmas gifts for men Rabbi Gold Speaks Tonight. Rabbi W. Gold, well-known Miz rachi leader and orator, will address a mass meeting at the Shaarei Torah synagogue. First and Hall streets, to- 1 night, at 7 o'clock. The lecture will te given under the auspices of I'ort- and Agudath Mizrachl, and will be open to all Jews of Portland. BURGLARS OBTAIN $43 IJathrooiu In Home of Dr. E. K Chase Is KntcreU by Kobbers. Burglars broke into the bathroom ef the home of Dr. IS. K. Chase. 161 North Twenty-second strcft, Hnd took $43 in money and a watch, according to a report made to Inspector Acker man. Tile bu Hilary of luu Cliu&e home T .a dies see M. Sir h el's ad. page 5. -Ad v. AFTER a strenuous week in store, shop or office while your wife has kept a ( welcome for you in your household, take a day of ease bring your family ' today and enjoy Ye Oregon Grill DINNER Table d'hote service from 5:30 to 9 at $1.25 the plate. A la carte service from 11 A.M. to 1A.M. Tomorrow, come and lunch with us, between 11 and 12 ; the best lunch in town for half a dollar ! Hear Billy Webb's Orchestra with Dodo Jones the Southland Tenor CoronA The Personal Writing Machine. $50.00 With Case E. W. PEASE CO. Exclusive Dis tributors. lid Si Ole Sichel has the quality, the assortment and exclusiveness in men's haberdasheries that proclaim the dress of a gentleman. superb silk robes $25 to $55 unusual neckwear $1.00 to $7.50 silk, wool heather and lisle hose 50c to $2.50 fine linen handkerchiefs 50c to $2.50 camelshair and wool-knit sport coats $6 to $20 silk, fiber and madras shirts $2.00 to $17.50 gloves and gauntlets $3.50 to $15 suit cases and bags $7 to $65 leather novelties, umbrellas and cases and exclusive novelties in men's jewelry. Siclhiel men's furnisher and hatter exclusive but not expensive 331 Washington st, near broadway, Russian Rag". . . . Cobb in 1 1 i mer. LIBERTY NEWS CONCERT TODAY AT 12:30 k POLLARD COMEDY MMi V ' '-V w i, i: i J . yH JU ; .... p U CMADSLES Jt iir3 "ir1 nr? A nn a nn'i SSday CONSTANCE DIMMTV FILMDOM'S NEWEST Dill 11 j I STAR ADDITION