Entered as Second Class Matter, at Portland, Oregon, October 13, 1904, under the Act of Congress of March, 1879.
Volume 1
1 Az> THE COPY
15c in Canada
Portland, Oregon, May 6,1920
The New May Day--American Day
DAY OF THREATENED OUTRAGE
AND DISORDER MADE AMERICA’S
OWN AND APPROPRIATELY
OBSERVED.
STIRRING INTRODUCTION BY MAYOR
BAKER AND PATRIOTIC AD
DRESS BY DR. E. H. PENCE.
May 1, A. D. 1920, was a new and glori
fied May Day in Portland and throughout
the country. It took on a new character
and deeper significance in demonstrations
of Americanism. A magnificent basket of
the full-blown flowers of patriotic fervor
and loyalty to the American ideal was
hung upon the front door of our Uncle
Samuel in appreciation of what he has
given us.
The old May Day had its origin away
back in the mists of mythology and an
cient forms of worship. In Norse mytho
logy it was the day on which occurred the
great decisive battle between the radiant
legions of Summer and the frost giants of
Old Winter. Summer was always victori
ous and Old Winter was buried in effigy
and ashes strewn upon his grave. Huge
bon fires were built around which the
young people danced, while the older ones
drew auguries from the flames and told
“fortunes” from the appearance of the em
bers. Every housewife contributed some
thing for the May Day banquet and it was
a day of joy and gladness in the passing of
the hardships of the drear winter season
and the opening of the pleasures and pos
sibilities of fruitful summer.
The new May Day—American Day—
presents a somewhat similar significance.
The forces of American idealism assemble
to consecrate themselves anew to the cause
of liberty as interpreted by the founders
of the nation, and those who have stood
forth as its strongest defenders and sup
porters; to rouse action against the men
ace of hideous seditious disillments of the
political laboratory of Hell and fearlessly
step into the ranks of the forces which
know that they must ceaselessly and eter
nally wage a warfare upon private and
public wrong and the embattlements of
avarice and selfishness to keep the beacon
of Liberty burning; to learn the construc
tive way and help to build up the unity
of the human family; to ameliorate the
condition of the distressed and promote
human happiness in an effort to realize
the hope expressed by Daniel Webster:
“Let our object be our country, our whole
country and nothing but our country, and
by the blessing of God, may that country,
itself, become a vast and splendid monu
ment, not of oppression and terror, but of
wisdom and peace, and of liberty on which
the whole world may gaze with admira
tion forever.”
* * *
The May Day demonstration in Portland
was held in the public auditorium, under
auspices of the Portland Service League,
and was largely attended, but there were
also many vacant seats which should have
been filled. The Hun was there, but he
was silent and distressed. If a radical
was there it is to be hoped that he was so
impressed with the earnestness of the
spirit of the meeting as to give careful
consideration to the words spoken—words
clearly enunciated with the ring of deter
mination and without halt or stutter.
Judge Jacob Kanzler presided.
The object of the meeting was stated by
Mayor George W. Baker. He said:
This meeting is a challenge of Americanism
flung in the face of radicalism. We invited Amer
icans and others, and if any of the latter are here
I trust that at the conclusion of this meeting
they will have been convinced that our govern
ment and institutions are worth fighting and
dying for.
I want to tell any man that seeks to destroy
our institutions by vicious propaganda that he
is bound to fail—that he can never tear down
the American flag. Instead of the red flag which
they promised last May would wave over this
land of ours we still have the stars and stripes
more brilliant and beautiful than ever.
The demonstrations of approval which
greeted these utterances indicated the
heart of the audience beat in unison with
that of the city’s chief magistrate.
Dr. Edward H. Pence, of Westminster
Presbyterian church, was the principal
speaker of the evening and the fervor of
his eloquence thrilled the great audience.
Among other things he said:
We can’t appreciate what lies back of the word
America. Three great papers have come down
to us as never-dying briefs on behalf of mankind
—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitu
tion of the United States and the matchless
speech of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. And
in those documents and in the words of the great
Lincoln the hand of God has written laws that
will ever protect our American life and ideals.
This government is good enough for us and it
will only be changed by its friends—not its ene
mies. Our great American churches, our Amer
ican press, our fraternal orders, guilds and pro
fessions, our club life, our schools and, lastly,
our great university of home—all find their full
est expression in America.
The program included an organ recital
by Lucien E. Becker, concert by the Mon
day Musical club orchestra, led by Mrs. E.
L. Knight. Walter Jenkins led in the sing
ing of favorite songs and Mrs. A. W.
Claxon led in the national airs. The meet
ing was a happy contrast to the program
announced by radicals for the day.
C-?
THE YEAR
Subscription
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11U111VC1
CITIZENSHIP CARRIES PROTECTION
OF UNCLE SAM.
that will be carried forward by
A WORK
The Northman is that of demonstrat
ing that being a citizen of the United
States means more than the right to vote
and run for office, that the strong arm of
Uncle Sam is ever as ready to reach out
and protect the most humble of his foreign
born subjects as the most axalted of the
native element; that the folds of Old Glory
means justice for one and all alike.
Cases of injustice coming to the atten
tion of The Northman will be brought to
the notice of the proper authorities,
federal, state or municipal, with request
for investigation and speedy redress. The
first case of this kind comes from Astoria.
It is reported that Christian A. Johnson,
a young man who served in the United
States navy during the war, later serving
on a liner making South American ports,
had been abandoned by the officers of his
ship at Callao, Peru- It is said that John
son was mentally deranged before leaving
San Francisco on the voyage south and
that he was set ashore in the port named
with $20, and deliberately left. The young
man’s parents live in Astoria.
The Northman has brought the case to
the attention of the seamen’s organiza
tion, the American Legion and the federal
authorities, with the request that the
facts be ascertained forthwith, and if they
are found to coincide with the report, the
wheels of justice will immediately be set
in motion, and the perpetrators of this, as
reported, inhuman outrage will find that
Uncle Sam is not unmindful of those who
have served him faithfully in time of
stress.
AMERICANIZING THE LANGUAGE.
Hereafter it will be “milk cow” and not
“milch cow”—at least so far as the U. S.
Department of Agriculture is concerned.
This decision marks the termination of
a controversy in which etymologists in
the department have had not a little in
terest. Those defending “milch” • have
pointed to scriptural use and certain of
the classics as establishing precedents,
while the opposition has contended that
dairymen, ranchmen, and farmers in gen
eral use “milk” instead of “milch” almost
universally. The advocates of “milk” also
favored that word because, they con
tended, it was more strictly an English
word, while “milch” was akin to German.
Since Americanization of language as well
as ideals is an article in every patriot’s
creed, it is thought that this last sally of
the “milk” defenders helped as much as
any to decide the question in their favor.