 The new stove, an excerpt from Elizabeth Cady Stanton, as revealed in her letters, diary, and reminiscences, by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Theodore Stanton, and Harriet Stanton Blanche. This is a LibriVox recording, or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. There are two classes of housekeepers, one that will get what they want, if in the range of human possibilities, and then accept the inevitable inconveniences with cheerfulness and heroism. The other from a kind of chronic inertia and a fear of taking responsibility, except everything as they find it, though with gentle, continuous complainings. The latter are called amiable women. Such a woman was our congressman's wife in 1854, and as I was the reservoir of all her sorrows, great and small. I became very weary of her amiable, non-resistance. Among other domestic trials, she had a kitchen stove that smoked and leaked, which could neither bake nor broil a worthless thing, and too small for any purpose. Consequently, half their vions were spoiled in the cooking, and the cooks left in disgust one after the other. In telling me one day of these kitchen misadventures, she actually shed tears, which so roused my sympathies that, with surprise, I exclaimed, Why do you not buy a new stove? To my unassisted common sense that seemed the most practical thing to do. Why, she replied, I have never purchased a darning needle to put the case strongly without consulting Mr. S., and he does not think a new stove necessary. What prey, said I, does he know about stoves, sitting in his easy-chair in Washington? If he had a dull old knife with broken blades, he would soon get a new one, with which to sharpen his pens and pencils. And if he attempted to cook a meal, granting he knew how, on your old stove, he would set it out of doors the next hour. Now my advice to you is to buy a new one this very day. Bless me, she said, that would make him furious. He would blow me sky-high. Well, I replied, suppose he did go into a regular tantrum, and use all the most startling expletives in the vocabulary for fifteen minutes. What is that compared to the good stove, three hundred and sixty-five days in the year? Just put all he could say on one side, and all the advantages you would enjoy on the other, and you must readily see that his wrath would kick the beam. As my logic was irresistible, she said, well, if you will go with me and help select a stove, I think I will take the responsibility. Accordingly, we went to the hardware store, and selected the most approved, largest-sized stove, with all the best cooking utensils, best Russian pipe, etc. Now she said, I am in equal need of a good stove in my sitting room, and I would like the pipes of both stoves to lead into dumb stoves above, and thus heat two or three rooms upstairs for my children to play in, as they have no place except the sitting room, where they must be always with me. But I suppose it is not best to do too much at one time. On the contrary, I replied, as your husband is wealthy, you had better get all you really need now. Mr. S. will probably be no more surprised with two stoves than with one, and as you expect a hot scene over the matter, the more you get out of it the better. So the stoves and pipes were ordered, holes cut through the ceiling, and all were in working order next day. The cook was delighted over her splendid stove and shining tins, copper-bottomed tea kettle and boiler, and warm sleeping room upstairs. The children were delighted with their large playrooms, and madam jubilant with her added comforts and that newborn feeling of independence one has in assuming responsibility. She was expecting Mr. S. home in the holidays, and occasionally weakened at the prospect of what she feared might be a disagreeable encounter. At such time she came to consult with me as to what she would say and do when the crisis arrived. Having studied the genus Homo alike on the divine heights of exaltation and in the valleys of humiliation, I was able to make some valuable suggestions. Now, said I, when your husband explodes, as you think he will, neither say nor do anything, sit and gaze out of the window with that far away, sad look woman knows so well how to affect. If you can summon tears of pleasure, a few would not be amiss, a gentle shower, not enough to make the nose and eyes red or to detract from your beauty. Men cannot resist beauty and tears. Never mar their effect with anything bordering on sobs and hysteria, such violent manifestations being neither refined nor artistic. A scene in which one person does the talking must be limited in time. No ordinary man can keep at white heat fifteen minutes. If his victim says nothing, he will soon exhaust himself. Remember, every time you speak in the way of defense, you give him a new text on which to branch out again. If silence is ever golden, it is when a husband is in a tantrum. In due time Mr. S. arrived, laden with Christmas presents, and Charlotte came over to tell me that she had passed through the ordeal. I will give the scene in her own words as nearly as possible. My husband came yesterday just before dinner, and as I expected him, I had all things in order. He seemed very happy to see me, and we had a gay time looking at our presents and chatting about Washington and all that had happened since we parted. It made me sad in the midst of our happiness to think how soon the current of his feelings would change, and I wished in my soul that I had not bought the stoves. But at last dinner was announced, and I knew that the hour had come. He ran upstairs to give a few touches to his toilet, when low the shining stoves and pipes caught his eyes. He explored the upper apartments and came down the back stairs, glanced at the kitchen stove, then into the dining room, and stood confounded for a moment before the nickel-plated morning glory. Then he exclaimed, Heavens and Earth, Charlotte, what have you been doing? I remembered what you told me, and said nothing, but looked steadily out of the window. I summoned no tears, however, for I felt more like laughing than crying. He looked so ridiculous, flying round spasmodically, like popcorn on a hot griddle, and talking as if making a stump speech on the corruptions of the Democrats. The first time he paused to take breath, I said in my softest tones, William, dinner is waiting. I fear the soup will be cold. Fortunately, he was hungry, and that great central organ of life and happiness suited its claims on his attention, and he took his seat at the table. I broke what might have been an awkward silence chatting with the older children about their school lessons. Fortunately, they were late and did not know what had happened, so they talked to their father and gradually restored his equilibrium. We had a very good dinner, and I have not heard a word about the stove since. I suppose we shall have another scene when the bill is presented. End of The New Stove by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Read for LibriVox by Sue Anderson. Not to be forgotten. The men who captained the merchant ships are among the heroes of the war. From Deeds of Heroism and Bravery, The Book of Heroes and Personal Daring, edited by L1A Barron. This is a LibriVox recording, while LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. By telling the story of Captain Frank M. Custins of the Royal Navy Reserve as typical of the stories of a coterie of merchant shipmen in the surface, Mr. Ralph E. Cropley most interestingly reminds the public that the war was not altogether won by the men in the trenches. The merchant ship commanders played some small part in the winning. Indeed, Mr. Cropley goes somewhat further. He concludes his story of Captain Custins, which appeared in the New York Evening Post, with this paragraph. Without their valor this war would have been over long ago and Germany would have won. I say this without reserve, for it is the truth. It has only been by their untiring sacrifices that the soldiers have gotten to the trenches at all and been kept supplied with munitions and food. The merchant shipmen have done work which gold cannot pay for and never have thought of themselves, simply of the great cause which to them has meant the end of cruelty. Though Captain Custins is an English seaman, he is familiarly known to Americans who have sailed between New York and Bermuda in the winter or to the land of the midnight sun in summer. For he was captain of the tourist boat Arkadian that made these trips in the different seasons. He was up among the Norwegian Fords when England entered the war and it was a question whether he could save his ship by evading the Germans. Not that he personally had any question about it. He proceeded to act with the calm assurance characteristic of his conduct in normal sailings, quietly determined to get safely away. So, excellent seaman that he was in the darkness of that famous Monday night of August 4, 1914. Without a pilot, he took her through the dangerous ford to sea. It was indeed a feat. But there were dangers at sea too. For it was necessary to avoid any ship or craft that heaved in sight and constant vigilance with much dodging was necessary before he got into Liverpool with his American passengers, saved from anything so unpleasant and perilous as drifting in open boats on the high seas. With equal success, he landed them in New York some days later, their number having been added to by Americans stranded in England. Turned to minesweeping. Then the Arcadian was dismantled and turned into a transport and Captain Custons took her back to England filled with Canadian troops. But wanting a more war-like job, he appealed to the Admiralty and eventually was assigned to the perilous duty of minesweeping to keep the sea about the Orkneys free from the floating or sunk winds to the sowing and planting of which the Germans were devoting their devilish activities. When it is born in mind that Captain Custons was then 46 years old with wife and several children, one may appreciate the patriotic zeal that kept him in this dangerous employ for two years. During that time he struck at it with never a glimpse at his family until he was called to London to have the King confer on him the DSO. Those broad-beam boats known as trawlers in which the fishermen ply their calling were the instruments employed in minesweeping and admirable they were for the business but comfortless enough for other purposes. Said the Captain in a letter, it's no joke monkeying about in a tiny craft hunting tin fishes. In daylight it's bad enough but at night it's extremely dangerous as one can't see the sea and one is liable to half-swamp oneself in turning and as far as any comfort below goes there isn't any. Everything is damp and cold and the steward loses the greater part of your food and bring it to you. And what you finally receive is a cold unpalatable mess yet by God it's something to be out here having a chance to bag a valley Germans wine. Besides the danger from mines there was the excitement of submarine shelling of the fleet every now and then. In one attack of that kind, Custons' trawlers struck a mine and sank. After that the Captain was given a steam yacht no longer at her best. The Mingari in which he did patrol work visited and overhauled neutral ships and kept a weather eye out for submarines and mines. The performance that gained him the DSO was the day after the Jutland naval fight when the German fleet had fled leaving only the submarines to prowl and finish off the wounded if possible. The Dreadnought Warspite was one of the wounded and poorly protected by destroyers as she toiled along with deranged steering gear. The Captain saw three submarines maneuvering against the Warspite and despite the fact that the chances were all against him in an attempt to beat off three submarines with his little yacht and his tiny guns, Custons rushed the Mingari, Pelmel, to the rescue acting with such suddenness that he took one submarine by surprise and was able to ram it. He got so close that he could use his guns on the next one and sink it and so thoroughly scared the third one that it submerged instantly without an offer of fight. Later the Captain was in command of the Maid of Honor and convoying colliers across the English Channel by night. There were no lights, there was no signaling by whistle. There was traffic both ways, troop ships, darkness everywhere, skilled navigators were necessary, men of the merchant ship sort. Out of all his convoys going or coming, only three ships were torpedoed, only two being lost. In the final part of the war he crossed and recrossed the Atlantic in convoy. It was then that the Justicio was torpedoed. She remained afloat for twenty-four hours and Custons would have saved her if a German had not dived under the ring of patrol boats that surrounded her and fired a finishing torpedo. In getting off the dine Justicia, Custons nearly lost his life, yet says Mr. Cropley. I received a very apologetic letter saying he was sorry he hadn't been able to save the cigarettes he was bringing over to me. End of not to be forgotten. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Michael Maggs An act for a public thanksgiving to Almighty God every year on the fifth day of November. For as much as Almighty God hath in all ages showed his power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of his church and in the protection of religious kings and states, and that no nation of the earth has been blessed with greater benefits than this kingdom now enjoys, having the true and free profession of the Gospel under our most gracious sovereign Lord King James, the most great, learned and religious king that ever reigned therein, enriched with the most hopeful and plentiful progeny preceding out of his royal loins, promising continuance of this happiness and profession to all posterity. The witch, many malignant and devilish papists, Jesuits and seminary priests, much envying and fearing conspired most horribly when the King's most excellent majesty, the Queen, the Prince and all the Lord's spiritual and temporal and commons should have been assembled in the Upper House of Parliament on the fifth day of November in the year of our Lord, 1605, suddenly to have blown up the said whole house with gunpowder, an invention so inhumane, barbarous and cruel as the like was never before heard of, and was, as some of the principal conspirators thereof confess, purposefully devised and concluded to be done in the said house that where sundry necessary and religious laws for preservation of church and state were made, which they falsely and slanderously term cruel laws enacted against them and their religion, both place and persons should all be destroyed and blown up at once, which would have turned to the utter ruin of this whole kingdom had it not pleased Almighty God by inspiring the King's most excellent majesty with a divine spirit to interpret some dark phrases of a letter showed to his majesty above and beyond all ordinary construction, thereby miraculously discovering this hidden treason not many hours before the appointed time for the execution thereof. Therefore the King's most excellent majesty, the Lord's spiritual and temporal and all his majesty's faithful and loving subjects to most justly acknowledge this great and infinite blessing to have proceeded merely from God his great mercy and to his most holy name to ascribe all the honor, glory and praise and to the end this unfaigned thankfulness may never be forgotten but be had in a perpetual remembrance that all ages to come may yield praises to his divine majesty for the same and have in memory this joyful day of deliverance thanks to be given in every church yearly. 2. Be it therefore enacted by the King's most excellent majesty, the Lord's spiritual and temporal and the commons in this present parliament assembled and by the authority of the same that all and singular ministers in every cathedral and parish church or other usual place for common prayer within this realm of England and the dominions of the same shall always upon the fifth day of November say morning prayer and give unto Almighty God thanks for this most happy deliverance and that all and every person and persons inhabiting within this realm of England and the dominions of the same shall always upon that day diligently and faithfully resort to the parish church or chapel accustomed or to some usual church or chapel where the said morning prayer, preaching or other service of God shall be used and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of the said prayers, preaching or other service of God there to be used and ministered the minister to give warning of the day the Sunday before 3. And because all and every person may be put in mind of this duty and be then better prepared to the said holy service be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that every minister shall give warning to his parishioners publicly in the church at morning prayer the Sunday before every such fifth day of November for the due observation of the said day and that after morning prayer or preaching upon the said fifth day of November they read publicly, distinctly and plainly this present act End of The Observance of 5th November Act 1605 Of Seneca's Writings by Sir Roger Lestrange from Seneca's Morals of a Happy Life, Benefits, Anger and Clemency This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Grace Buchanan Of Seneca's Writings It appears that our author had among the ancients three professed enemies in the first place Caligula, who called his writings Sand Without Lime, alluding to the starts of his fancy and the incoherence of his sentences But Seneca was never the worse for the censure of a person that propounded even the suppressing of Homer himself and of casting Virgil and Livy out of all public libraries The next was Fabius, who taxes him for being too bold with the eloquence of former times and failing in that point himself and likewise for being too quaint and finical in his expressions which Tacitus imputes in part to the freedom of his own particular inclination and partly to the humor of the times He is also charged by Fabius as no profound philosopher but with all this he allows him to be a man very studious and learned of great wit and invention and well read in all sorts of literature a severe reprover of vice, most divinely sententious and well worth the reading if it were only for his morals adding that if his judgment had been answerable to his wit it had been much the more for his reputation but he wrote whatever came next so that I would advise the reader, says he to distinguish where he himself did not for there are many things in him not only to be approved but admired and it was great pity that he that could do what he would should not always make the best choice His third adversary as a jealous who falls upon him for his style and a kind of tinkling in his sentences but yet commends him for his piety and good counsels On the other side, Calumella calls him a man of excellent wit and learning Pliny, the prince of erudition Tacitus gives him the character of a wise man and a fit tutor for a prince Dio reports him to have been the greatest man of his age Of those pieces of his that are extant we shall not need to give any particular account and of those that are lost we cannot any farther them by lights to them from other authors as we find them cited much to his honor and we may reasonably compute them to be the greater part of his works that he wrote several poems in his banishment may be gathered partly from himself but more expressly out of Tacitus who says that he was reproached with his applying himself to poetry after he saw that Nero took pleasure in it out of a design to curry favor Saint Jerome refers to a discourse of his concerning matrimony like Tantius takes note of his history and his books of moralities Saint Augustine quotes some passages of his out of a book of superstition some references we meet with to his books of exhortations Fabius makes mention of his dialogues and he himself speaks of a treatise of his own concerning earthquakes which he wrote in his youth but the opinion of an epistolary correspondence that he had with Saint Paul does not seem to have much color for it some few fragments however of those books of his that are wanting are yet preserved in the writings of other eminent authors sufficient to show the world how great a treasure they have lost by the excellency of that little that is left Seneca says like Tantius that was the sharpest of all the Stoics how great a veneration has he for the Almighty as for instance discoursing of a violent death do you not understand says he the majesty and the authority of your judge he is the supreme governor of heaven and earth and the God of all your gods and it is upon him that all those powers depend which we worship for deities moreover in his exhortations this God says he when he laid the foundations of the universe and entered upon the greatest and the best work in nature in the ordering of the government of the world though he was himself all in all yet he substituted other subordinate ministers as the servants of his commands and how many other things does this heathen speak of God like one of us which the acute Seneca says like Tantius again saw in his exhortations we says he have our dependence elsewhere and should look up to that power to which we are indebted for all that we can pretend to that is good and again Seneca says very well in his morals they worship the images of the God says he kneel to them and adore them they are hardly ever from them either plying them with offerings or sacrifices and yet after all this reverence to the image they have no regard at all to the workmen that made it like Tantius again and invective says Seneca in his exhortations is the masterpiece of most of our philosophers and if they fall upon the subject of avarice lust, ambition they lash out into such excess of bitterness as if railing were a mark of their profession they make me think of Galapods in an apothecary shop that have remedies without and poison within like Tantius still he that would know all things let him read Seneca the most lively describer of public vices and manners and the smartest reprehender of them and again as Seneca has it in the books of moral philosophy he is the brave man whose splendor and authority is the least part of his greatness that can look death in the face without trouble or surprise who if his body were to be broken upon the wheel or melted lead to be poured down his throat would be less concerned for the pain itself than for the dignity of bearing it let no man says like Tantius think himself the safer in his wickedness for want of a witness for God is omniscient and to him nothing can be a secret it is an admirable sentence that Seneca concludes his exhortations with all God says he is a great I know not what an incomprehensible power it is to him that we live and to him that we must approve ourselves what does it avail us that our consciences are hidden from men when our souls lie open to God what could a Christian have spoken more to the purpose in this case than this divine pagan and in the beginning of the same work says Seneca what is it that we do to what and is it to stand contriving and to hide ourselves we are under a guard and there is no escaping from our keeper one man may be parted from another by travel, death, sickness but there is no dividing us from ourselves it is to no purpose to creep into a corner where nobody shall see us ridiculous madness make it the case that no mortal eye could find us out he that has a conscience gives evidence against himself it is truly and excellently spoken of Seneca says lactantius once again consider says he the majesty the goodness and the venerable mercies of the Almighty a friend that is always at hand what delight can it be to him the slaughter of innocent creatures or the worship of bloody sacrifices let us purge our minds and lead virtuous and honest lives his pleasure lies not in the magnificence of temples made with stone but in the pity and devotion of consecrated hearts in the book that Seneca wrote against superstitions treating of images says St. Austen he writes thus they represent the holy the immortal and the inviolable gods in the basest matter and without life or motion in the forms of men beasts fishes some of mixed bodies and those figures they call deities which if they were but animated would affright a man and pass for monsters and then a little farther treating of natural theology after citing the opinions of philosophers he supposes an objection against himself somebody will perhaps ask me would you have me then to believe the heavens and the earth to be gods and some of them above the moon and some below it shall I ever be brought to the opinion of Plato or of Strabo the parapetetic the one of which would have God to be without a body and the other without a mind to which he replies and do you give more credit then to the dreams of T. Taitius Romulus, Hustilius who caused among other deities even fear and paleness to be worshipped the vialist of human affections the one being the motion of an affrighted mind and the other not so much the disease as the color of a disordered body are these the deities that you would rather put your faith in and place in the heavens and speaking afterward of their abominable customs with what liberty does he write one says he out of zeal makes himself a eunuch another lances his arms if this be the way to please their gods what should a man do if he had a mind to anger them or if this be the way to please them they do certainly deserve not to be worshipped at all what a frenzy is this to imagine the gods can be delighted with such cruelties as even the worst of men would make a conscience to inflict the most barbarous and notorious of tyrants some of them perhaps have done it themselves or ordered the tearing of men to pieces by others but they never went so far as to command any man to torment himself we have heard of those that have suffered castration to gratify the lust of their imperious masters but never any man that was forced to act it upon himself they murder themselves in their very temples and their prayers are offered up in blood whosoever shall but observe what they do and what they suffer will find it so misbecoming an honest man so unworthy of a free man and so inconsistent with the action of a man in his wits that he must conclude them all to be mad if it were not that there are so many of them for only their number is their justification and their protection when he comes to reflect says St. Augustine upon those passages which he himself had seen in the capital he censures them with liberty and resolution and no man will believe that such things would be done unless in mockery or frenzy what lamentation is there in the Egyptian sacrifices for the loss of Osiris and then what joy for the finding of him again which he makes himself sport with for in truth it is all a fiction and yet those people that neither lost anything nor found anything must express their sorrows and their rejoicings to the highest degree but there is only a certain time says he for this freak once in a year people may be allowed to be mad I came to the capital says Seneca where the several deities had their several servants and attendants their lictors, their dressers and all in posture and action as if they were executing their offices some to hold the glass others to comb out Juno's and Minerva's hair one to tell Jupiter what o'clock it is some lasses there are that sit gazing upon the image and fancy Jupiter has a kindness for them all these things says Seneca a while after a wise man will observe for the law's sake more than for the gods and all this rabble of deities which the superstition of many ages has gathered together we are in such manner to adore as to consider the worship to be rather matter of custom than of conscience where upon St. Augustine observes that this illustrious senator worshipped what he reproved acted what he disliked and adored what he condemned and of of Seneca's writings by Sir Roger Lestrange from Seneca's morals of a happy life benefits anger and clemency read for LibriVox by Grace Buchanan Oscar Wilde and the aesthetic movement by Stuart Mason this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org if the serendipitous columns of punch be searched diligently it will be found that about the year 1880 there existed a movement generally referred to as the aesthetic craze the chief protagonist of which if not its originator was supposed to be Oscar Wilde persons approaching middle age may remember the period the male members of this school if we may believe the late George de Morier and his imitators wore sad superfluous collars and had quote lank limbs and haggard cheeks its female adherents clad themselves in garments of sage green and decorated their drawing rooms with dados Japanese fans and peacocks feathers both sexes indulged in writing poetry which was described as a mixture of swimburn and water and all had the reputation of living on lilies and of trying to live up to their blue china Wilde at this time was about 26 years of age just down from Oxford with his academic laurels fresh upon him few young men have been more savagely criticised and satirised more ruthlessly burlesque than caricatured such buffeting might have destroyed one with less stamina in him and some would never have recovered from the treatment but poets we know are obstinate people and Wilde took it all in good part and lived on he joined in the laughter against himself profited by the fame which advertisement brought him published his verses and went a lecturing in the United States whence he returned with his pockets full of American dollars punch with its ridicule failed to scotch the snake accordingly Mr. Byrne and remembering it is said an old French farce which had already done good service on the stage appropriated its plot adapted its situations threw in some tired jokes from the comic journal and produced early in 1881 a comedy called The Colonel in which Wilde's supposed foibles were to some extent embodied in the part of Lambert Strike a few weeks later on April 23rd 1881 Richard Doiley Cart presented at the opera comic London quote an entirely new and original aesthetic opera the libretto of which was stated to have been completed in the previous November entitled Patience or Bunthorn's Bride by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan Wilde himself was present on the first night when he had to bear a considerable amount of chaff from the denizens of the gallery who spotted him in the stalls but he took it in good humour even when archibald grovner quote an idyllic poet sang a most intense young man a soulful-eyed young man an ultra-poetical, super-aesthetical out-of-the-way young man Bunthorn's recitative and song contained the lines though the Philistines may jostle you will rank as an apostle in the high aesthetic band if you walk down Piccadilly with a poppy or a lily in your medieval hand and everyone will say as you walk your flowery way if he's content with a vegetable love which would certainly not suit me why, what a most particularly pure young man this pure young man must be established the legend that Wilde was want to appear in the public streets carrying a large sunflower or lily in his hand these songs bring us more directly to the subject of this article the series of seven dance pieces duet, lances, poker, quadril, etc by Charles Dalbert each called after the opera Patience was published in 1881 each has a title in coloured lithography by one of the Hanhearts representing scenes from Patience chapel and company of New Bond Street being the publishers in the same year Hop Wood and Crue published written and composed by Robert Coot under the title of Quite Too Utterly Utter with a rather elaborate title in colours by Alfred Con Cannon dated HA, i.e. 1881 it shows a young man with a mass of thick hair dressed in a black velvet suit gazing with clasped hands at a couple of pots of lilies and sunflowers standing on a red tiled floor against a daydowed wall standard and sun with the lithographers the song which was issued later in America in a series which will be described below has for chorus Quite Too Utter Utter Utter round fashions lamp we flutter I may sound absurd but utters the word we're all quite too utterly utter My Aesthetic Love or Utterly Utter Consumat II written by T. S. Lonsdale and composed by W. T. Eaton consists of such verse as She's Utterly Utter Consumat II and feeds on the lily and old china blue and with a sunflower she'll sit for an hour She's Utterly Utter Consumat II and according to the publisher Charles Sheard was quote, sung with immense success by the great Vance the full page coloured title by Alfred Concanon dated 1881 printed by standard and sun represents a disconsolate female in a pale blue dress seated on a straight backed bamboo chair in her corsage is a sunflower while she gazes at a blue pot in which bloom three lilies blue china plates, japanese fans and peacocks feathers adorn the wall above the dado a male figure rather like a stud groom with tight sporting breeches button boots and a monocle is entering from behind through a doorway hung with a bright red curtain on the mat is the greeting salve a quote cynical song entitled, oh law, oh law, oh dear, oh dear quote written expressly for the coming pantomimes 1881 by Frank W. Green and Oswald Allen with music by Edmund Foreman Francis Brothers and Day has in the second of its eight stanzas the following reference to the aesthetic movement folks get more aesthetical every day oh law, oh law but lilies and sunflowers ain't in my way oh dear, oh dear the girls think to lull and to pose is immense they're awfully utterly too too intense well, give me two twos at another's expense oh law, oh law, oh dear, oh dear concanon's brightly coloured cover standard and sun shows two unprepossessing females discussing the news of the day over the tea table their male includes a plate of winkles and a drop of gin with one pence on the bottle consternation is on their faces while a black cat is seen flying towards the door the elder of the two gossips wears a gown of a rich purple with a large egg-shaped brooch and heavy drop earrings her black curls are confined by a band round her forehead one of her feet in elastic jemimas rests on a bright red footstool her companion, a spinster of quote repellent aspect, is in a print dress and wears a black apron and mittens on the wall hangs a picture of the late lamented Mr. K. Phipps, vestry-clark faced on the opposite side of the fireplace with one of Mrs. Phipps herself as a blushing bride a sampler, a birdcage and an object not unlike the model of a zeppelin hang on the wall above the mirror on the mantelpiece we see little china figures of the period vases with hanging glass drops a clock and other domestic objects the dado song quote, the popular song sung nightly with immense success by Miss Lottie Venn in F. C. Bernan's comedy of the manager Hopwood and crew is another piece for which Alfred Con Cannon designed and Stannard and Sun printed a coloured lithographed title it represents a woman dressed in white with bits of green foliage in her bonnet and on her skirt she has her hands clasped and appears to be singing on the stage written by Harry Adams composed by E. Jongmans and, as usual, quote, sung with immense success by Charles Godfrey the flippity-flop young man is another of the many parodies inspired by Patience and the Colonel the choruses or refrains of the different stanzas include such lines as I'm a very aesthetic young man a non-energetic young man I'm a bitter and mildy naturey-childy oscary-wildy man pretty externally Patience and cernally otterly otter young man I'm a worship-the-lily young man crotch and tooth-pick-a-dilly young man cracked in the filberti burnand and gilberti strike you with paper, young man which may have sounded more amusing when sung on the stage than they do when read in cold print today more than 30 years afterwards the cover designed by Con Cannon, 1882 represents a young man dressed in a blue velvet suit with a large vermilion tie beneath a deep-eaten collar he has long ringlets of an almost garity hue wears buckle shoes over his red stockings and carries in his left hand a golden sunflower at which he appears to be gazing in rapt admiration in the background stands a blue Japanese ball with a flowering lily in a second edition, quote with additional verses the colouring is much brighter and the printing, standard and sun better executed the grey mare is a poker by L. C. Desormes quote, founded on J. L. Rockel's celebrated song the older generation may possibly understand the cryptical allusions in the words there were three young men of wear they were proud and debonair they said, such men are rare these three young men of wear there were three old men at wear of a mild dejected air and the folks do say who live at wear the better horse is the old grey mare with chromolithographic cover designed by William Spalding and lithographed by Thomas Packer is much more elaborate than the one just described though the colouring is less attractive it consists of three panels the upper one represents Lambert's Strait or archibald grovener dressed in a very unbecoming brown striped knickerbocker suit with large pearl buttons he wears blue clocked stockings with a small skullcap of the same shade on the back of his thick brown curls in which is stock of pink rose a loosely knotted pink cravat under a wide linen collar hangs outside his jacket in the breast pocket of which is a handkerchief of the same colour and material the conventional buckled shoes much in need of a blacking are on his feet a yellow flower in his buttonhole he stands with arms clasped behind his head in an attitude of declamation his lips parted below what is distinctly a Kaiser moustache round the wall is a typical sunflower dado above being a Japanese fan with a peacock's feather stuck behind it a blue bowl of growing lilies stands on a rickety three legged table the figure in the lower panel is more like Bunthorne the quote fleshly painter of patience clad in a purple knickerbocker suit the artist is transferring to his canvas a pot of sunflowers placed perilously on the edge of a table not many inches from his easel the third picture shows aestheticism in the office messes dado dumb and coes clark in an impossible pair of sky blue continuations is posing in front of the counting house door with a quill and a substantial check clasped tightly in his hands the wall is papered and emerald green with the inevitable dado all round Enoch and Sons of London published this song in 1882 Utterly Utter an aesthetic duet has an uncoloured lithographed title page showing two very intense young men in an absurd posture one holds a lily in his hand the other with downcast eyes having his hands clasped in front of him round the wall is arranged a row of art plates a large pot of lilies in the background the scene is described in the first stanza of the duet a pair of aesthetics before you, you see there are none so intense or consummate as we we worship the beautiful wherever it be we are so utterly utter in attitudes graceful we always recline write ballads whose meaning no man can divine and live up to teapots of high art design we are so utterly utter the first performance of patience in America was given at the standard theatre New York on September 22nd 1881 and shortly afterwards Wilde entered into an agreement with Doiley Cart to give a prolonged course of lectures in the United States and Canada on Christmas Eve Wilde set sail quote to carry culture to a continent arriving early in the new year disappointed with the Atlantic and, as he said with nothing to declare the customs quote accept my genius interview was buzzed round him on his arrival traveled in the train with him and filled the columns of the newspapers with his real or imaginary sayings and doings he is said to have lectured over two hundred times before he returned a year and a half later how many Wilde music pieces appeared during that time in America it would be difficult to say Oscar Deer a comic song by M.H. Rosenfeld published by W.Helmick of Cincinnati in 1882 has a lithographed cover tinted in yellow the design shows an elongated Oscar his face haloed by a sunflower holding his left hand a lily while with his right hand which is bent behind his back he is chucking under the chin a formed sombra who reaches scarcely up to his waist the piece contains the following stanzas they'll sing to you of a nice young man of virtues rich and rare of stature tall and ankles thin and long and curly hair aesthetic to a great degree in actions sweet and mild sublimely lank and nonchalant but just a little wild with a refrain Oscar Deer Oscar Deer how flutterly utterly flutter you are Oscar Deer Oscar Deer I think you are awfully wild Wild is also burlesque in the Oscar Poker Mazurka published by F.W. Helmick Cincinnati and advertised as a very pleasing dancing piece which is first becoming very popular the title page contains a cabinet size photograph of Wild the Oscar Wild Gallop arranged by F.H. Snow New York has a printed title bearing designs of a conventional sunflower of little merit or interest the Oscar Wild Forget Me Not Waltzes composed by Amy Henry Boston W.A. Evans is also an inferior production the cover design, lithographed shows Wild's head from a photograph within an oval surrounded by a series of seven pieces published by Oliver Ditson and Company of Boston, Massachusetts has an uncolored lithographed title which serves for the whole set a photograph of Wild by Sarnie of New York is reproduced showing him in a characteristic attitude as he appeared at some of his lectures he wears a black velveteen jacket with knee-bridges and silk stockings with low buckle shoes a gold fob is the only ornament displayed his hair which is long and very abundant falls over his brow and reaches the collar of his coat behind the set consists of six dance pieces Jolly Otter Gallop by G. Hayer Two All But Waltz by Maurizio G. Gianetti Dream of the Lily Waltz by Carl Uschman Sunflower Poker by Charles Coot Jr. Two Utterly Utter March by C. Faust Oscar's Shotish by Charles Coot Jr. and the Quite Too Utterly Utter song written and composed by Robert Coot only a few of these pieces are dated some of the English ones were published in 1881 the earliest American being 1882 probably none of the pieces here described is later than 1883 End of Oscar Wilde and the Aesthetic Movement by Stuart Mason Read by Rob Marland Mark Twain's Speeches by Mark Twain This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Read by Chad Horner Mr Clemens was one of the speakers at the Loros Club dinner to Governor O'Dell March 24th 1900 The police problem was referred to at length Let us abolish placement of carry clubs and revolvers and put in a squad of Poles armed to the teeth with Poles on spring and love I would be very glad to serve as commissioner not because I think I am especially qualified but because I am too tired to work for the rest Files would go well as my deputy he is tired too and needs a rest badly I would start in at once to elevate, purify and depopulate the Red Light District I would assign the most soulful Poles to that district all heavily armed with their Poles take Chomssey to view as a sample I would station them on the corners after they had rounded up all the depraved people of the district not escaped and then have them breed from their Poles to the power of Unfortunates the plan would be very effective in causing an immigration of the depraved elements end of Poles as police men Speculations or post impressionism in the prose of Gertrude Stein by Mabel Dodge from Arts and Decoration Volume 3 March 1913 This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Post impressionism consciously or unconsciously is being felt in every phase of expression this article is about the only woman in the world who has put the spirit of post impressionism into prose and written by the only woman in America who fully understands it editors note many roads are being broken today and along these roads consciousness is pursuing truth to eternity this is an age of communication and the human being who is not a communicant is in the sad plight which the dogmatist defines as being a condition of spiritual non-receptivity some of these newly opened roads lie parallel and almost touch in a large studio in Paris hung with paintings by Renoir, Matisse and Picasso Gertrude Stein is doing with words what Picasso is doing with paint she is impelling language to induce new states of consciousness and in doing so language becomes with her a creative art rather than a mirror of history in her impressionistic writing she uses familiar words to create perceptions conditions and states of being never before quite consciously experienced she does this by using words that appeal to her as having the meaning that they seem to have she has taken the English language and according to many people has misused it or has used it roughly, uncouthly and brutally or madly, stupidly and hideously but by her method she is finding the hidden and inner nature of nature in her impressions she chooses words for their inherent quality rather than for their accepted meaning her habit of working is methodical and deliberate she always works at night in the silence and brings all her willpower to bear upon the banishing of preconceived images concentrating upon the impression she has received she suspends her selective faculty waiting for the word or group of words that will perfectly interpret her meaning to rise from her subconsciousness to the surface of her mind then and then only does she bring her reason to bear upon them examining, weighing engaging their ability to express her meaning it is a working proof of the person theory of intuition she does not go after words she waits and lets them come to her and they do it is only when art thus pursues the artist that his production will bear the mark of inevitability it is only when the Ilan Vitale drives the artist to the creative overflow that life surges in his production Vitality directed into a conscious expression is the modern definition of genius it is impossible to define or to describe fully any new manifestation in aesthetics or in literature that is as recent as near to us as the work of Picasso or of Gertrude Stein the most that we can do is to suggest a little comparison point the way and then withdraw to know about them is a matter of personal experience no one can help another through it first before thought must come feeling and this is the first step towards experience because feeling is the beginning of knowledge it does not greatly matter how the first impress affects one one may be shocked stunned and dismayed or one may be aroused stimulated intrigued and delighted that there has been an approach is what counts it is only in a state of indifference that there is no approach at all and indifference reeks of death it is the tomb of life itself a further consciousness than is already ours will need many new forms of expression in literature everything that has been felt and known so far has been said as it has been said what more there may be for us to realize must be expressed in a new way language has been crystallized into four or five established literary forms that up to the present day have been held sacred and intranscendent but all the truth cannot be contained in any one or in any limited number of molds A. E. the Irish poet says of it the hero first thought it to him was a deed to those who retaught it a chain on their speed the fire that we kindled a beacon by night when darkness has dwindled grows pale in the light for life has no glory stays long in one dwelling and time has no story that's true twice in telling and only the teaching that never was spoken is worthy thy reaching the fountain unbroken this is so of all the arts for of course what is true of one must to be justifiable be true of them all even to the art of life perhaps first of all to that one nearly every thinking person nowadays is in revolt against something because the craving of the individual is for further consciousness and because consciousness is expanding and is bursting through the molds that have held it up to now and so let every man whose private truth is too great existing conditions pause before he turn away from Picasso's painting or from Gertrude Stein's writing for their case is his case of course comment is the best of signs any comment one that Gertrude Stein hears oftenest is from conscientious souls who have honestly tried and who have failed to get anything out of her work at all but why don't you make it simpler they cry because this is the only way in which I can express what I want to express is the invariable reply which of course is the unanswerable argument of every sincere artist to every critic again and again comes the refrain that is so familiar to the canvases of Picasso but it is so ugly so brutal but how does one know that it is ugly after all how does one know each time that beauty has been reborn in the world it has needed complete readjustment of sense perceptions grown all too accustomed to the blurred outlines faded colors the death in life of beauty in decline it has become jaded from over familiarity from long association and from inertia if one cares for Rembrandt's paintings today then how could one have cared for them at the time when they were painted when they were glowing with life if we like St. Mark's in Venice today then surely it would have offended us a thousand years ago perhaps it is not Rembrandt's paintings that one cares for after all but merely for the shell the ghost the last pale flicker of the artist's intention beauty one thing is certain that if we must worship beauty as we have known it we must consent to worship it as a thing dead in cravel shoes mort visit surely only death is ugly in Gertrude Stein's writing every word lives and apart from the concept it is so exquisitely rhythmical and cadenced that one read aloud and received as pure sound it is like a kind of sensuous music just as one may stop for once in a while before a canvas of Picasso and letting one's reason sleep for an instant may exclaim it is a fine pattern so listening to Gertrude Stein's words and forgetting to try to understand what they mean one submits to their gradual charm Huntley Carter of the new age says that her use of language has a curious hypnotic effect when read aloud out of her writing she made use of repetition and the rearranging of certain words over and over so that they became adjusted into a kind of incantation and in listening one feels that from the combination of repeated sounds varied ever so little that there emerges gradually a perception of some meaning quite other than that of the contents of the phrases many people have experienced this magical evocation but have been unable to explain in what way it came to pass but though they did not know what meaning the words were bearing nor how they were affected by them yet they had begun to know what it all meant because they were not indifferent to the portrait that she has finished recently she has produced a coherent totality through a series of impressions which when taken sentence by sentence strike most people as particularly incoherent to illustrate this the words in the following paragraph are strenuous words words that way and qualify conditions that are without softness yet that are not hard words perilous abstractions they seem containing agony and movement and conveying a vicarious livingness quote it is a gnarled division that which is not any obstruction and the forgotten swelling is certainly attracting it is attracting the wider division it is not sinking to be growing it is not darkening to be disappearing it is not aged to be annoying there cannot be sighing this is this bliss and quote many roads are being broken what a wonderful word broken and out of the shattering and petrification of today up from the cleavage and the disintegration of the sea order emerging tomorrow is it so difficult to remember that life at birth is always painful and rarely lovely how strange it is to think that the rough hewn trail of today will become tomorrow the path of least resistance over which the average will drift with all the ease and serenity of custom all the labor of evolution is condensed to this one fact of the vitality of the individual making way for the many we can but praise the high courage of the road breakers admitting as we infallibly must in Gertrude Stein's own words and with true Bergsonism faith quote something is certainly coming out of them end quote and of the hearing before a subcommittee of the committee on the judiciary United States Senate 83rd Congress second session on HR 7786 to honor veterans on the 11th day of November of each year a day dedicated to world peace this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Veterans Day Tuesday May 11th 1954 United States Senate standing subcommittee on charters holidays and celebrations of the committee on the judiciary Washington DC the subcommittee met at 10.30 am pursuant to call in room 341 Senate office building Senator John M. Butler chairman of the subcommittee presiding present Senator Butler presiding present also Thomas B. Collins subcommittee council Senator Butler you may go ahead Mr. Collins Mr. Collins Mr. Chairman this is a hearing by our standing committee on charters holidays and celebrations of the committee on the judiciary to consider HR 7786 a bill introduced by congressman Rees of Kansas to change armistice day to veterans day we have a number of witnesses here this morning our first witness is congressman Rees of Kansas the author of the bill HR 7786 follows HR 7786 83rd congress second session enact to honor veterans on the 11th day of November of each year a day dedicated to world peace be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled that the act entitled enact making the 11th day of November of each year a legal holiday approved May 13 1938 52 statute 351 5 USC section 87A is hereby amended by striking out the word armistice and inserting in lieu thereof the word veterans passed in the house of representatives March 15 1954 a test Lyle O. Snader clerk Senator Butler the purpose is to change armistice day to veterans day is the bill in the same form it was when the judiciary committee acted on it before Mr. Collins identical I might say for the record senator that this subcommittee of which you are chairman reported this bill favorably to the full committee Senator Butler we didn't get very far however congressman Rees we are happy to have you here statement of honorable Edward H. Rees a representative in congress from the state of Kansas Mr. Rees thank you Mr. Chairman we appreciate this opportunity of coming to talk with you with respect to this proposed legislation my statement will be short it is a bill that I introduced HR7786 it passed the house without a single dissenting vote this legislation will change the name of armistice day to veterans day under existing law November 11 of each year is a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be known as armistice day this bill which the subcommittee has before it merely changes the word armistice to veterans that is all it does it does not change the basic purpose for which this day has been set aside and that is the dedication of this day to the cause of world peace what it does however is to give recognition to the fact that before and since world war one millions of united states men have fought and died under the flag of the united states in the furtherance of world peace since the introduction of this bill I have received many letters commending its objective I know that editorials have been written in the press of the land recognizing the value of renaming this national holiday I believe it is particularly significant that the national veterans organizations who sponsored November 11 as armistice day in commemoration of world peace are unanimous in their support of my bill which would change the name armistice to veterans day and which would bring about a general recognition of the contribution that all veterans have made to the cause of world peace I note that representatives of the national veterans organizations are here today to give you the benefit of their views concerning this proposed change they have indicated to me that if this change is made a great effort will be put forth by all veterans organizations to sponsor national and local programs which will bring home to the American people the world the importance of world peace I know the chairman can understand that to properly recognize this change will take a considerable amount of planning and committee work I therefore hope that this subcommittee shall see fit to recommend it and obtain early and favorable consideration by the full committee of the judiciary and the senate Senator Butler I assure you that the subcommittee will recommend it favorably and work for its passage in the full committee as I recollect when this bill came up before the full judiciary committee the last time a question was asked well how are we to differentiate between veterans day and what we call in Maryland Memorial Day Mr. Collins May 30 Senator Butler the committee felt there would be a lot of confusion throughout the country if this day was changed to veterans day Mr. Rees in respect to memorial day I am not so sure that all states north and south recognize memorial day on May 30 anyway that is in recognition of the dead this is in recognition of world peace it is far different in my opinion it is so far different in my opinion that I can't see any reason for any confusion on that subject Mr. Collins supplementing what the chairman said congressman Rees this was also discussed before our full committee on this bill November 11 has traditionally been set apart for veterans of World War I there was some feeling expressed that we ought to leave that alone that it was just dedicated to the veterans of World War I if there is to be any day set aside to honor all veterans of all wars it was that then we should pick another day Mr. Rees as I said before it is quite significant that the organization that set aside provided for the setting aside of November 11 as armistice day intended of course as you will read if you read the history attached to it it was intended to be a day dedicated to world peace it is interesting to me that that organization using thousands of World War I veterans and including World War II veterans too that that organization is sponsoring the proposed legislation if that group favors this legislation I don't see that there is much argument as a matter of fact I want to say this to you I don't know what your experience has been but my experience is that armistice day unfortunately is not being observed as it ought to be observed if we could get the day named that is for all veterans so they all feel as if it is their day we might get it observed I had experience dealing with this matter out in my home state my home community where our groups out there said alright we will call armistice day all veterans day we will all observe it they did they closed the stores where the VFW the DAV all veterans not necessarily members of the American Legion or members of the VFW or DAV but all veterans took part that is what we are trying to do here Senator Butler I think it is a good thing too if you don't do something of this kind the day will come when you will have no more World War I veterans and the day will just go out of existence it is a national holiday and should be preserved I think you have got a very good idea I suggest to you when this matter comes up before the full committee that you come over and talk to the full committee Mr. Collins yes Mr. Rees if we maybe assigned a time when we can do that we will be glad Senator Butler I don't want all of you to come those sessions are executive sessions I want Congressman Rees Mr. Rees I see Senator Butler whereas you could be admitted the others couldn't we hold our Judiciary Committee meetings on Monday morning at 10.30 if you will come over I am certain the committee would like to hear from you Mr. Rees I should like to get to do that Senator if I may I would like to have you hear from my colleagues here I am convinced of them Senator Butler yes Mr. Kennedy how are you Mr. Kennedy fine Senator Butler I am a member of two of these organizations the American Legion and the VFW Statement of Miles D. Kennedy Director National Legislative Commission I would like to read it Senator Butler please do Mr. Kennedy Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the subcommittee my name is Miles D. Kennedy I am the National Legislative Director of the American Legion our office is at 1608 K Street Northwest Washington DC at the outset I wish to thank you for the opportunity of appearing before the subcommittee to present the views of the American Legion in connection with the bill HR7786 to honor veterans on the 11th day of November of each year a day dedicated to world peace the membership of the American Legion is composed of men and women who served in the armed forces during World War I World War II or the Korean Emergency and who hold honorable discharges as a result of such military service as everyone knows World War I ended on November 11th 1918 this became known as Armistice Day and has been more or less observed as such during the intervening years the American Legion first went on record in favor of having Armistice Day declared a legal holiday at its second national convention held in Cleveland, Ohio in 1920 similar action was taken at practically every subsequent national convention of the American Legion until public law 510 of the 75th Congress was approved on May 13, 1938 designating November 11th of each year a legal holiday before congressional action was taken to make November 11th a legal holiday 44 states had sponsored and enacted laws through the medium of their respective assemblies or legislature designating Armistice Day as a legal holiday the American Legion was instrumental in having this legislation adopted in many states the fact that no comparable date exists for the termination of hostilities of World War II or the Korean conflict has been of great concern to the members of our organization I attach a copy of resolution number 417 unanimously adopted at our 1952 national convention to the effect that our members desire one date to commemorate the ending of the three wars and urging Congress to pass legislation designating November 11 as a date to be observed annually to represent the closing of all wars in which this country participated and that a suitable name be chosen for the commemorative day I respectfully call the subcommittee's attention to the fact that by far the greater percentage of our membership is composed of veterans of World War II and Korea I make this point should anyone object to using November 11 upon the alleged ground that said date has been associated with the termination of World War I the resolution of the American Legion follows resolution number 417 of 1952 national convention of the American Legion New York, New York August 25 to 28, 1952 Committee Americanism Subject November 11 be observed as representing closing of all wars in which the United States has participated whereas the 11th of November has been designated by act of Congress as the national armistice day and is observed annually and whereas since this act was in honor of the closing of hostilities of World War I but since its enactment other wars have been fought with varied closing dates and whereas the American Legion is composed of veterans of all these wars and are united in all matters and desire one date to commemorate these wars of valor fought by valiant men and in the interest of the general public therefore be it resolved that the 1952 national convention of the American Legion assembled in New York, New York August 25 to 28, 1952 urge passage of legislation by the Congress of the United States designating November 11 as a date to be observed annually to represent closing of all previous wars in which the United States of America has participated and that a suitable name be designated for such commemorative day. Mr. Kennedy After Congressman Rees introduced HR7786 the American Legion was happy to support the bill when it came on for a hearing before a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee and later on when it was up for consideration by the House. As you know the bill was passed by the House under date of March 15, 1954 without objection as was set forth in House Report Number 1333 which accompanied HR7786 and issued by the Committee on the Judiciary under date of March 9, 1954 the general purpose of HR7786 is to expand the significance of Armistice Day and to change its name to Veterans Day. The holiday was originally dedicated to the cause of world peace and has been regarded and observed throughout the land as a day to honor the veterans of the First World War who fought and especially those who died for that cause. However, the United States has been involved in two other wars World War II and the Korean War in each of which we fought to advance the cause of peace and each of which added millions of veterans to those of World War I who had fought for the same objectives in 1917 and 1918. HR7786 does not establish a new legal holiday it expands the significance of an existing holiday in order that a grateful nation on a day dedicated to the cause of world peace may pay proper homage to all its veterans who have contributed so much to that cause and the preservation of our way of life. We feel that it is all together fitting that the United States should honor all of its veterans on a day when those of World War I in commemoration of the cause of world peace pause to pay tribute to their comrades who gave their lives fighting for that cause. At this time I would like to be permitted on behalf of the National Organization of the American Legion to express our sincere thanks and grateful appreciation to this man Edward H. Rees Chairman of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee for having introduced HR7786 and for sponsoring it in the House. I might insert that I respectfully call the subcommittee's attention to the fact that this is one piece of legislation that does not call for an appropriation and it doesn't cost the government very much money. Wherefore, on behalf of the American Legion I respectfully request the subcommittee to approve the bill HR7786. Also, I want to make a point in the record that resolution number 417 passed by the American Legion at its 1952 annual National Convention in New York on August 25-28 be incorporated here as part of my statement. Senator Butler it will be yes. Mr. Collins Could I refer to this? The only correspondence we have had which opposes such a change is a letter from the 8th Regional Council of the Amvets Department of Michigan. In their letter they state as follows We of Region 8 feel that this move is an encroachment on the right of each era of Amvets to have individual days to commemorate and honor their fallen comrades of their particular war. Further, that such effort will tend to allow the public to put their moral obligations to these veterans further back in their minds, and eventually conveniently forget that those who have fought for them in the past still exist. I wondered if Mr. Kennedy had any comment on this. Mr. Kennedy the Amvets? Senator Butler that is the 8th Regional Council of the whole body. Mr. Kennedy I don't know what the membership is I don't know the membership of the national organization I don't say this disrespectfully or as critical of any organization we are all good friends work and cooperate together I respectfully request the chairman take into consideration the memberships of the organizations here represented Furthermore, that this is an expression from one individual group or district I appreciate the fact just as in any of our organizations that we have the same thing of our own men composed of all races creeds, colors, occupations that you find here and there dissenting opinions we go by Robert's Rules of Order in our conventions and our meetings this came up in 1952 at our national convention I know I was there personally and there wasn't a single objection registered to it you will note in my statement that I said our membership is composed of veterans from World War II and Korea as well they expressed their sentiments there and no objections were raised you will note Mr. Chairman that that is not a statement of their national organization Statement of Frederick C. Bellin Chief Council and Civil Service Committee House of Representatives Mr. Bellin Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that this position should not be determinative unless the House and Senate and their respective judiciary committees are prepared to authorize at least two additional national holidays unless there is some reasonable chance every state will do the same if this is going to be determinative we shouldn't do it because of this you should authorize two additional holidays Senator Butler I think there is some resistance to authorization of additional holidays it seems to me the congressman's bill is the best way to get at what we all want to do I agree wholeheartedly that November 11 is not being used as it should be used it needs to be revitalized with a measure such as this that is why I voted for it and supported it in the first instance Mr. Collins Mr. Chairman, I am sorry may I state that I contacted the headquarters of the AmVets here in Washington and they are going to submit a statement I called their attention to this letter from that regional council in Michigan I was advised at their last annual meeting that they did not get to consider a resolution on this particular subject so they have no resolution to go by Mr. Kennedy as the chairman probably knows if I might interrupt sir with your permission the usual and accepted procedure in all of the chartered veterans organizations is to have these things cleared through their respective channels post county or state organization acted on by the national organization that is the way we do either by national convention or by our governing body between conventions known as our national executive committee Senator Butler that is why I pointed out it is the eighth regional council not the whole organization Mr. Kennedy I have no authority to speak for that organization I do think Mr. Downer will agree with me Mr. Foster and Mr. Clark that that is more or less accepted procedure Senator Butler we have the veterans of foreign wars here Mr. Downer yes statement of Aiden M. Downer assistant legislative representative veterans of foreign wars of the United States Washington DC Mr. Downer my name is Aiden B. Downer assistant legislative representative of the veterans of foreign wars of the United States in the beginning Mr. Chairman lest I forget to do so I should like to say that we sincerely appreciate your consideration in scheduling this hearing today and permitting us to express our views to you especially in view of the fact that the full committee had already voted to postpone indefinitely action on this measure we really appreciate your giving us an opportunity to express to you our views Senator Butler we will try to reverse the action of the committee Mr. Downer at first I think I should like to emphasize that our organization is composed of veterans who have served in the armed forces in every instance of armed conflict since and including the Spanish-American war subject of course to the requirement of service overseas or outside of the continental limits of the United States about 87% of the membership of our organization is World War II and Korea the remaining membership includes the Spanish-American war and such recognized campaigns and expeditions as we have had in that period of time I think it is fair to say that the viewpoint of our organization represents a pretty good composite of all the veterans that have served in all instances of armed conflict that are now living we have about a million and a quarter members 10,000 posts at our last encampment held at Milwaukee, Wisconsin which was attended by several thousand delegates that came from every state in the union and all of the territories this matter was submitted to our convention and without objection it was unanimously approved that we change the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day I think it is rather significant that an organization that has that composite of opinion took that action unanimously I should like to say this that in the analysis of the matter we started with this premise that there should be a day for nationwide recognition of the termination of our wars and recognition of those who had participated in them starting with that premise then the next step it seems to me in the reasoning process we came to is can we have a day for each and every one of them? if not we must select one day and any one day that we select certainly the argument could be made that it gives greater emphasis to the particular war that terminated on that date but the veterans of all the other wars except for that statement that Mr. Collins read into the record which I think represents a minority of that group have made no such objection the veterans of World War II in our organization have no such feeling I think we should keep in mind that when November 11 was established as Armistice Day that was before World War II had occurred certainly it seems to us that it is not a valid objection to say that we are taking anything from Armistice Day by now making this change by bringing in and adding to it World War II and Korea and such other wars as would be included the Spanish-American and any campaign it is our feeling that the recognition of Armistice Day has lost its significance because of the fact that World War II and Korea have occurred since that time and that since Armistice Day does not include them people have rather come to the view Armistice Day is rather a passé thing that it has become unimportant we believe it will be revitalized to add to it World War II and Korea one other objection I gather that has been made to it is the matter of recognition of Memorial Day I copied from the Encyclopedia Britannica this morning the statements contained in that Encyclopedia on Memorial Day it is significant to note in looking for Memorial Day in the Encyclopedia when I came to it I was referred to Decoration Day and the Encyclopedia Britannica is carried under Decoration Day it is significant I think to note that according to the Encyclopedia in the State of Virginia May 30 is observed as a Confederate Memorial Day on June 3 the birthday of Jefferson Davis and also in Louisiana and Tennessee April 26 is a date of observance in Alabama, Florida Georgia and Mississippi and May 10 in North Carolina and South Carolina so it is readily apparent that the observance of Memorial Day is not uniform throughout the country further I think that in the observance of Memorial Day we all recognize that it is the time for the paying of respect to deceased members of our families and friends whether they have or have not been in service I certainly agree with Congressman Reece that it just is not an analogous situation I don't see where it should be considered at all so in conclusion Mr. Chairman I will just emphasize that this almost is unanimous in our organization we recommend to your committee with all of the earnestness and sincerity that we have that you adopt the legislation contained in Mr. Reece's bill I thank you Senator Butler I feel our committee will respect the wishes of those who are most interested which are yourselves I think we can get this thing back on track I don't think the committee really grasped the significance of Congressman Reece's measure Mr. Reece I think that is correct Senator Butler I think with that explanation the committee will vote the bill out thanks very much we have the disabled American veterans with us Statement of Charles E. Foster Assistant Legislative Representative for the Disabled American Veterans Mr. Foster Senator Butler my name is Charles E. Foster I am the Assistant Legislative Representative for the Disabled American Veterans I am happy to say I am also a resident of the Free State of Maryland Senator Butler good it is a great state I am very proud to represent it in the Senate Mr. Foster I want to state in connection with the bill HR7786 in which we are appearing before your subcommittee this morning Senator Butler the Disabled American Veterans are in wholehearted agreement with the comments and statements that have been made by the previous witnesses on the subject matter under discussion there are just one or two other points that I would like to emphasize first the other days that have been set aside such as Memorial Day or Decoration Day as Mr. Downer described it are not uniform in that in many states that date is observed on different days of the calendar days of the year Senator Butler then it is true that the states within themselves have their different days I know we have in Maryland we have Defenders Day which is set aside to honor the men that died in North Point defending the capital in the war with England Mr. Rees oh yes I had never heard of that Senator Butler we observe that September 12 it is part of Maryland life the states themselves have their own little local situations I agree with you we should have a day set aside for veterans it will be a veterans day be dedicated not only to honoring our veterans but to the obtaining of world peace I think it is an excellent thing I think when the rest of the committee comprehends it they will do something about it Mr. Foster thank you I agree with that Senator Butler there are a few other points first when our organization adopted the resolution endorsing changing the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day the motion was made by a veteran of World War I our organization the same as the other great veterans organizations is comprised largely of veterans of World War II and Korea but I think it is significant that the motion which led to our national executive committee resolution was made by a World War I veteran secondly I would like to point out that the purpose of the bill HR7786 is so that the people of this nation can pay homage to the war dead of all the nation's wars and that the living can dedicate such date to the cause of world peace and to the veterans of this nation's wars I think that is extremely significant it certainly puts it on a different plane than adopting the date May 30 as Veterans Day in that May 30 has historically been dedicated to honoring the dead whether they happen to be veteran dead or non-veteran dead whereas this date November 11 would be set aside and the veterans organizations at the community level could join I know that they will they have in the past in Congressman Ries's district joined in putting on a proper celebration for the veterans who have fought in all of our wars and have also joined in paying the debt I can't too strongly urge this subcommittee to report this bill favorably and request the full committee to give its consideration Senator Butler fine, thank you ever so much Mr. Foster Mr. Foster thank you Senator Butler the resolution of the disabled American veterans is as follows National Executive Committee Resolution Number One whereas the date of November 11 has been chosen by the Congress to commemorate the close of World War One and whereas this date was dedicated to world peace and to the veterans of the First World War and whereas since the dedication of November 11 as Armistice Day the United States has been involved in two great military efforts each of which has added millions of veterans living and dead to the honor roles of this nation and whereas the war dead of World War Two and the Korean conflict as well as the living veterans of these two great military efforts have not been duly recognized by having an approved date set aside to properly commemorate their military achievements now therefore be it resolved by the National Executive Committee of the Disabled American Veterans meeting in Washington DC this 21st day of February 1954 that we urge our legislative representative to support the bill HR7786 introduced in the second session of the 83rd Congress by the honorable Edward Rees of Kansas which has for its purpose the establishment of Veterans Day on the 11th day of November in each year and that such day be declared a legal holiday so that the people of this nation can pay homage to the war dead of all the nation's wars and that the living can dedicate such date to the cause of world peace and to the veterans of this nation's wars Senator Butler we have the American Veterans Committee here Mr. Foster may I interrupt you again to ask that this resolution be made part of the record following my statement Senator Butler will be made a part of the record please state your full name statement of Phillip J. Hart National Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Policy Commission of the American Veterans Committee AVC Mr. Hart I am Phillip J. Hart National Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Policy Commission of the American Veterans Committee Incorporated on 1 New Hampshire Avenue Northwest Washington 9 DC Bill Maldon our National Chairman couldn't come today but I wish to make a brief statement my statement is very brief that is that the AVC heartily endorses the legislation for Veterans Day I am somewhat handicapped by the fact that our 10th annual convention last year at Atlantic City did not consider this as a specific decision it was on the agenda for our National Planning Committee meeting last month in Chicago during the discussion it was brought to the attention of the planning committee that the full senate committee had turned the bill down and therefore it was considered a dead issue and no vote was taken if I may say so however as chairman of the Veterans Affairs Commission I certainly feel free to convey the endorsement of HR7786 by the American Veterans Committee AVC and am certain the National Planning Committee would have endorsed a Veterans Day had they felt that it was a live issue as it certainly is now that senate hearings have been called I would like to state that our reasons for endorsing a Veterans Day may perhaps be somewhat different than the earlier gentlemen have stated we are particularly active and interested with some of the other United States Veterans Organizations in the World Veterans Federation and feel it highly appropriate that there not only be one day in the United States to focus the attention on the veterans and peace the whole problem of war and so forth but we are working through the World Veterans Federation for a World Veterans Day I don't know that the proposal has come along to the stage that it was proposed but this is what we have in mind that veterans throughout the free world would celebrate a single day commemorating veterans their sacrifices and world peace I would also like to state that our motto Citizens First Veterans Second has led us to oppose bills for bonus and certain other measures in the past it sometimes has brought the misunderstanding that we were working against the veterans our feeling is that the veteran certainly deserves special recognition and rehabilitation when he is disabled or when there is anything that deserves special consideration in getting readjusted to the community AVC has opposed some measures in which we felt bonuses or readjustment privileges after a normal number of years educational benefits years after World War II veterans should be adjusted or rehabilitated by this time but we are very much aware of the veterans rehabilitation and readjustment problems particularly with the Korean veteran in a representation at our convention from that group they felt very strongly on this we have now set up a veterans benefit reappraisal commission to look into the veterans benefits as they go to the Korean veterans I would just like to repeat that we heartily endorse this legislation we feel it is very appropriate to set aside one day for a veterans day as a day for reevaluating the purposes of veterans organizations and veterans benefits I wish to thank you for the opportunity to present the views of AVC on HR7786 Senator Senator Butler I can't tell you how happy I am to have had you Congressman Reece and gentlemen present today Statement of Omar Clark Disabled American Veterans Mr. Clark Senator Butler Mr. Foster spoke for the Disabled American Veterans the only thing I could add is that it would seem to me to be very timely for the Congress of the United States to designate one day in which the people of the United States would be dedicated to world peace Senator Butler Thank you ever so much sir I can't tell you how much I thank you all for coming here Whereupon at 11.15 a.m. the hearing in the above entitled matter closed End of Hearing before a subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate 83rd Congress 2nd Session on HR7786 to honor veterans on the 11th day of November of each year a day dedicated to world peace Recording by Tricia G