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Jforb 'Hall Jfolhs
Vol.
I,
No.
II.
March 9, 1913.
WHAT OF OUR FUTURE?
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Price Ten Cents
acquaintanceship,
It developed the
Idea and provided the material for the
Line Ushers. It engineered the plans
'for the birthday celebration,
It has
suggested the Idea of an accumulating
fund for our work and has made a
little beginning with It already,
It
has inaugurated and successfully published a weekly magazine which has
paid Its own way from the start.
Surely° a little company· of people
who could do all this in a few months
will find a great deal more to' do that
Is helpful and promising. This little
group of fifty or sixty should grow to
two or three hundred in time. With
such a force to co-operate what
couldn't we do? As things are now, we
nieet only on Sundays,
Why not a
mid-week gathering of some sort?
What shall its nature be? The Ford
Hall Folks will dig that out.
This magazine can be greatly · extended In circulation and enhanced In
value.
With our contributions we
might do some things ·that we would
very much like to do and which we
naturally could not permit any one
else to pay for.
Let us ·be dreaming about our future.
Some one has said that there Is enough
executive ability in the race to make
into reality every dream of which our
Imaginations are capable,
The only
question Is whether lb Is worth while.
Dream a dream that Is worth it and
some one will come along who will
·build It into ·real life. What we 'have
now -at Ford Hall was a dream before
it became a reality.
What we are
going to have at Ford Hall for the
next five years is somebody's dream
right now. Are you doing your share
of the dreaming? Why not? It helps.
Not much was said at our .Fifth Anniversary about the future of the Ford
Hall Meetings except those fine words
of President Bentley assuring · us of
the continued support and interest of
the Baptist Social Union, But nearly
everything that was said and done
took it for, granted• that there was to
be a fliture fo1' this ·woi:k, and some
very decided hints were dropped that
might lead one -to expect a good deal
of that future. 'l'his nutch of the future is already assured judging by the
activities of the present.
The idea
that Ford Hall stands for wilJ find
ready acceptance in all parts of the
country, and similar meetings will
greatly multiply, Our revival of the
Socratic, method as applied to a lar,ge
popular audience will be duplicated in
many church assemblies. These things
seem to be already assttred; it only requires -time for their wider extension.
, Just now, within the next •month, I
have accepted invitations to tell the
factE, and the meaning of the Ford
Hall Movement in four different states,
Pittsfield, Mass., Manchester, N. H.;
Buffalo, N. Y., and Philadelphia,
Pa,
In ·the fhst · two instances, it
is in connection with the Y. M. 0, A,;
In Buffalo, it ls In relation to the advertising men of the city, and In Philadelphia It is before the Presbyterian
Social Union, a ·body something like
the Baptist Social Union, ·and representing all the 1Presbyterian churches
of· the metropolitan area.
All these
.opportunities have been pressed upon
•me, Indicating how widely the knowl!ldge of the Ford Hall Meetings has
been extended and how the interest Is
springing lip of its own accord in various places at the same time.
·. But there Is another side to our future which is even more Interesting to
·us than the extension of our work
;abroad and that is the intensive deNEXT SUNDAY'S SPEAKER,
velopment of our work right here at
•home. Here, again, we are quite fortuWilliam Hard, of New York, on "The
·nate In being able to find in the pres- State and the Fatherless Child," Is
·ent, a very safe gauge for measuring our program for next Sunday,
No
the future.
more vital question than this Is now
Our little organization, The Ford before our people. Come and hear the
.Hall Folks, has already demonstrated mat~r talked out. Mrs. Coleman will
Its usefulness.
It has given us our preside In the absence of her husband,
·first opportt111lt.Y tP Ct)ltiYfltll J:)llf.liHJnRI om· beloved Jeade1·.
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FORD HALL FQLKS
DISIIOP WILLlAlllS.
Rev. Charles D. Williams, D. D.,
Bishop of Detroit, Michigan.
"Please accept my most sincere and
hearty congratulations upon the conclusion of your five years' work in the
Ford Hall movement. It ls, in my estimation, one of the significant movements of the day, Your are render-·
Ing a signal, most needed and most
valuable service to the deepest needs
of the day, The essential spirit of the
new social consciousness· and conscience is distinctly and fundamental-·
ly religious in the truest and deepest
sense of that word.
You are interpreting that religious spirit to many,
yes, multitudes, who have it and do
not recognize its religious nature, and
you are giving to movements that
would otherwise become purely materialistic a spiritual motive and in•
splration. You are helping to awaken
the church to her mission and task,
to· make herself big and hospitable
enough to be a home for the characteristic social religion of the day, and
you are making that religion conscious of its need of a spiritual home
In the church. God bless you in your
noble endeavor."
Prof. Richard M. Vaughan,
Newton Theological Institute,
Newton Centre, Mass.
"It is most important that all men
of good will should understand each
othe1\ You have enabled them to see
eye to eye, To you belongs the honor
of a pioneer."
Chas. H. Watson,
Belmont, Mass,
"The meetings are . revelations of
practical sympathy and brotherliness.
They bravely handle the present in•
equalities In our social conditions and
tile resentfulness and bitterness they
provoke."
D11, J, A, l\IACDONALD,
WAR AND THE HUM~N BREED.
(Address of Dr. J, A. Macdonald of
Toronto at the Ford Hall Meeting, March' 2, 1913.)
,Your chairman told me that the
t~eme upon which I should speak to·
mght ought to be vital and of human
interest-some such words · as these
he used, I tried to think up what
would be vital and of human interest
to that Ford Hall crowd he had talked
so much to me about in Ontario and
in Dallas. (Laughter,) I thought of
the trade agreement between Canada
and the United States, but that would
not be vital because the government
of the Dominion of Canada says it is
dead, I may not agree with the government. I may thlnlr It is very vital
today and is going to be more vital
in days to come. (Applause.) But as
I am · away from Canada, I must be
Joyal to the government-even if it Is
our tory government. So I cannot say
that reciprocity Is vital and of human
interest. It Is dead.
In my perplexity some dlspatche1:1
came In. One came In from Ottawa,
another from your side of the linefrom the United StateS', and one came
from Great Britain; and they all had
to do with the same theme. They all
talked about war.
The Minister of the Dominion of
Canada made a great speech and
called for more money to spend on
the militia for Canada, and said somet!Iing Jllrn this: that the soldiers and
the missionary must go hand In hand.
To me that ls not a happy combination. (Laughte1'.) The second gentleman, whom I will not name, but
whose name would be known to you
in Boston, had said something about
the importance of tile army, and the
influence of tl~~ 11,rmy- 01,1, ~ ;i, uatiQil,
· The thl.rl! man was a 11101
House of LordS' and he ou:
about wars because he w
as many wars as any 11
House of Lords.
Lord I
just as emµhatlc as eitl
other two. I began to thh
'that these. men-they are
all seemed to think that w
nation great. Now I know
poor. (APPiause.) It haf
our Dominion poor yet I
have'not had any. We are
few countries in this wor
importance that has no ,
no war page on our hist<
war debt to be paid by ,
(Applause.) Please, God, ,
have.
I know the history of ye
and I know that over 68
over 70 per cent., of all ti
of this republic goes no"
times to pay war debts an
taln your armaments. I I
I know It is burdensome.
about Great Britain. I Jrno
common people of Britain
pay the war taxes, to pay
est of their war debtS'. I
this year Britain will pay $
for her army and her navy ,
Is no war, and I know hov
taxed-many of them taxed
that they are burdened fo1
I know from what little
we have had in our Domlnio
bitter rebellion among the
the West, and when we E
contingents to South Afrlc1
that there was fraud and bo«
dishonesty of all sorts In <
with these things. I know
tory. I know that when yo111
on there was dishonesty v
and boodling. I know that I
uniforms sent out for the
S'oldlers to wear, that wen
food sent that was . rotten.
that the brave sons of the r
the South suffered htdeousli
·or dishonesty in trade-the
common business dishonest
of the men who stayed at
business? I know what you·
among other things, But wl
its effect? SuppoS'e it Is e:
suppose war debts are hea
pose all this. Is It not a 1
. thing for race development?
biology assert it? Is It not
it ls the S'truggle for exist«
makes the individual bravi
not true that It Is the su
the fittest that makes· the ra
We have been taught the gre
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,KS
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. J, A, l\IACDONALD,
ID THE HUMAN BREED,
of Dr. J. A. Macdonald of
> at the Ford Hall Meet9, March 2, 1913.)
airman told me that the
n which I should spealr to·
t to be vital and of human
,ime such words as these
I tried to think up what
·ital and of human interest
11 Hall crowd he had talked
i me about in Ontario and
(Laughter.) I thought of
1greement between Canada
ited States, but that would
.I because the government
inion of Canada says it ls
ty not agree with the govmay think it ls very vital
is going to be more vital
:ome. {Applause.) But as
from Canada, I must be
government-even if It is
.'ernment. So I cannot say
city Is vital and of human
is dead.
"rplexlty some dispatches
lne came in from Ottawa,
m your side of the linetited State"s, and one came
Britain; and they a\l had
he same theme. They all
t war.
ster of the Dominion of
de a great speech and
nore money to spend on.
or Canada, and said some•
his: that the soldiers and
iry must go hand In hand.
is not a happy comblna;hter.) The second genim I will not name, but
l would be known to you
iiad said something about
nee of the army, and the
the iirmy on, 11, natloll, ·
.The thlrct man was a member of the evolution. Does it not hold for the
House of Lords and he ought to know ·nation?
about wars because he was In about
I began to look through hlsto1•y, I
as many wars as any man in the counted over all the great empires of
House ot Lords.
Lord Roberts was the past; all gone; everyone of them
just as emphatic as either of the gone except the one great empire that
other two, I began to think how It is was not a war nation, Greece, Rome,
that the.se men-they are not fools- all gone! Rome, that was once masall seemed to thinlr that war makes a . ter of the world, sitting on her seven
nation great. Now I know it makes It hills, swinging her sceptre over the
poor. {App~a,uae.) It has not made world, nothing but a record in his· our Domlnlo11 poor yet because we tory!
I aslr why?
China rising
have not haq any. We are one of the across the Pacific, the only empire
few countries in, this world of some with no great war history survived,
importance that has no war record, and today presents man for man and
no war page p11 our history, and no capacity and power· equal to the best
war debt to· bl) paid by our people. Anglo-Saxon breed. {Applause.) And
{Applause.) Please, God, we may not I remember that little Japan with no
have.
war history at all, who was more than
I know the history of your country 250 years out of sight; little Japan
and I lcnow tllat over 68 per cent., when she went up against a great war
over 70 per cent., of all the revenue nation, Russia, showed herself so
of this republic· goes now In peace powerful that the world was stagWhy? I ask.
times to pay war· debts and to main- gered with wonder.
tain your armaments. I know that. Why? I began to reflect on the problem raised by these experts In miliI know it is burdensome.
I know
about Great Britain. I know how the tary art.
common people of BrHaln sweat to
And then I went back to Rome. I
pay the war taxes, to pay the inter- recalled my history of Rome.
The
est of their war debts. I know that decline and the fall of the Roman Emthis year Britain will pay $400,000 000 pire and the causes that led to it.
for her army and 1Ier navy when there I !mow what the militarists said. I
is· no war, and I !mow how they, are know that they said that Rome fell
taxed-many of them taxed too much, because Rome ceased to be a warlike
that they are bui·qened for llfe.
nation; because the Romans gave
I know from what little experience thems'elves up to luxury and ease; but
•
we have had in otu· Dominion with the I asked why did they give themselvei:I
bitter rebellion among the people in up to luxury and ease? There was a
the West, and when we sent three day when to be a· Roman was greater
contingents to South Africa,, I know than to be a king; There was a time
that there was fraud and boodling and when the true Roman sacrificed himdishonesty of all sorts in connection self for Rome's sake. There was a
with these things. I Jm·ow · your his- time when no Roman was satisfied
would
tory. I !mow that when your war was with his luxury and ease, but Caesar
on there was dishonesty, and fraud have followed in the wars of
But Rome
and boodling. I lmow that there were and the rest of them,
ceaS'ed
all that.
uniforms sent out for the American self up from luxury, andRome gave itto
I ask, why?
S'oldiers to wear that were shoddy,
food sent that was rotten. I know Why?
And then I read the record. Out
that the brave sons of the North and
the South suffereq hideously because of every thousand strong Romans·or dishonesty in trade-the ordinary out of every thousand strong Romans,
common business dishonesty. What 800 fell in war; out of every thouof the men who stayed at home-in sand weaklings, 95 ·per cent. survived.
business? I know what your war did Eighty per cent. of the strong falling
among other things, But what about In war, 95 per cent. of those who
Its effect? Suppose it is expensive;
could not stand the strain and stress
suppose war debts are heavy; sup- -95 per cent. of the weaklings lived.
pose all this. Is It not a necessary What happened? I thought of my
. thing for race development? Does not biology, Like father like son. Like
biology assert it? Is it not true that seed lllrn harvest. Blood tells. If
it Is the S'truggle for existence that the Romans killed off 80 per cent. of
makes the Individual brave? rs it her strong men, her self-devoted men,
not true that It is the survival ·of and if it allowed 95 per cent. of her
the fittest that maims the race great? · cowards, her weaklings, to live, what
We have been taught the great law of ,..happened? Those who survived bred
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FORD J!ALL FOLKS
the new generation of Romans, and
like father like son, like seed like harvest. The Roman women with all the
Roman blood in their veins bred a
new generation of Romans from the
slaves, from the wealcllngs, with what
reS'ult?
The combination of the
Roman aristocracy and the slaves
produced what? What history says:
fops and dandles. These fops and
dandies gave themselves up to luxury
and . ease, and when the husky 111011
from the mountains came down there
were none ready to deny themselves,
to sacrifice themselves< for Rome's
salrn, The old Rome was gone.
What about France? France was
once in the very forefront of the great
nations of the world. Napoleon made
her feared; made her enemies trem- ,
ble by what happened?
Napoleon
toolt the men in the strength , and
pride of their young manhood, and
, when they were cut off he. took the
old men and then he took the boys.
Napoleon said a boy could stop a bullet. of the Russian as well as a man,
and the flower of France's citizenship
was marched off-away from Paris
and the provinces, away, to Moscow,
and waS' sown on waste lands before
it came to seed. With .what result?
'fhat France's pride was humbled.
Frahces' army was weakened-three
or four times they had to ·1ower the
standard for admission of men to the
army because they had wiped off
1heir strong, their virile, their heroic.
And what,about Great Britain, with
her history, her war history: that made
her proud and spoken of with reverence the world over?
I was taught It and so were some or
you.· We speak of Crimea, of ·waterloo, of India, of EJgypt, and of the wars
that brought power to the British
army and of the great glory that came
to Britain and the Elmplre. Well, what
happened? What says biology? What
is the output? What is the result?
What do you see today? Many of you
know and have seen It. You go through
London,
Manchester,
Birmingham,
through Liverpool, through Glasgow,
through Eldinburgh, and you see wnat?
You are faced with the multitude of
the unfit. You are surprised.
I wae
surprised, going back after five generations of my breed living in this country• on this side of the water, going
back five generations to find what? Not
a man of the giant mould I have been
taught to believe marked the men w110
made up the army of Britain. I went
through the cities and there saw the
result of two things. Their damnable
land laws, to begin with.
Damnable
Is a good word-ls the fit word (Ap,
plause)-crowded the people from the
land Into the cities and so gave them
no chance whatever of the land that
God made for the people. (Applause.)
God made the land for, the people.
'l'he l)eople were crowded off the land
Into the cities and made to live In the
most unsanitary conditions, neglected,
despised, with what result?
You saw It In their faces; faces with
little hope, many a face was ri'a1?0W
on account of the outlook, weakened,
shriveled, niarked unmistakably with
disease; and I ask why? I remember
what Kipling wrote in his glorification, "Lord, God, we paid In full."
Very good. But If you .feed your very
hest to the sharks and the gulls again
biology comes in and asks who are
going to ·breed the generation tb come.
Sharks and gulls are sharks and gulls
after you have feel them your best. And
again and again the physical standard
of the soldiers from Elnglancl were lowered to keep the ranks full.
·worse
than even in Elnglancl is the north
country.
Scotland has had a reputation the
world over for the physique of her
men, especially men of the north. The
law of evolution holds in -the north, in
the highland h!lls, for life there has
been hard all through the centuriesit was hard.
'!'hey had to fight fm•
their life and the weaklings died in
infancy, therefore they bred a race of.
men of giant mould. Therefore when
the call came for war, regiment after
regl111ei1t marched otit, every man six
feet, most of them more.
(After describing the former great
regiments of Scotch Highlanders,
every member of which had to be at
least six feet in height, the speaker
said that the breeding places of -thos,3
regiments have now become shooting
preserves for noblemen and American
millionaires, and the natives now are
"little runts" and merely caddies or
lackeys of ,the sportsmen.
:Most of the virile' ,Scotchmen, he
said, were either sacrificed in war or
compelled to emigrate by "damnable
land laws which deprive the people of
the land that Qod gave them," and
which are constantly sending the country people Into the cities where they
are enfeebled by bad sanitation and
many other evil conditions.
He said
that in one district, 18 miles in length,
where regiments of men six feet in
height used to be raised, not a six-foot
ma.n can be found today,) ,:'/·
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The ar1
ond best
again th,
the nien ,
States an
b'alia, to
did not
by the Ia
All .OV(
has been
best. W
about th
place wh
chance.
America
turned h
sea? It E
race. Bi
eastward
and the
made it
of comm
Elurope
Isles nor
across
what? I
of the n
and men
'l'hey ha
from Ii
tralla, I
South E
every sl
the dre.
that giv
gives hi
suit of I
came fo:
clreamec
they we
and the
the old
lie plecl!
to life 1
· happi11e:
chance 1
world's
Greece
olig_ai·ch
But w
you do1
1.00 yen
what 11
chance
the ver.
and Ire
1.Jefore
1776 th
Into Vii
of Enp
damnal,
the sea
went in
the Vlr
did Vil
general
FORD HALL FOLKS
to begin with, Damnable
word-is the fit word (Ap,
rowded the people from the
I he cities and so gave them
whatever of the land that
for the people. (Applause.)
le the land for. the people.
were crowded off the land
ies and made to live in the
litary conditions, negleoted,
·ith what result?
it in their faces; faces with
many a face was 'narrow
of the outlook, wealrened,
mrlred unmistakably with
Ll I ask why? I remember
ng wrote in his glorifica' God, we paid in iull."
But if you ,feed your very
sharks and the gulls again
ies in and asks who are
ell the generation to come.
gulls are sharks and gulls
ve fed them ·your best. And
sain the physical standard
rs frop1 England were low> the ranks full.
Worse
n England is the north
ins had a reputation the
for the physique of her
lJy men of the north. The
ion holds in the north, in
hills, for life there has
l through the centuriesThey had to fight for
cl the weaklings died in
~fore they bred a race of
mould. Therefore when
•. for wqr, regiment after
·ched out, every man six
them more.
rilling the former great
r Scotch Highlanders,
· of which had to be at
in height, the speaker
]Jreeding places of thos,3
1e now become shooting
noblemen and American
Hd the natives now arc
and merely caddies or
sportsme1i,
virile Scotchmen, • he
lwr sacrificed in war or
emigrate by "damna·ble
,It deprive the people of
God gave them," and
tautly sending the couni the cities where they
lly bad sanitation and
ii conditions.
He said
trict, 18 miles in length,
,ts of men six feet in
Ile raised, not a six-foot
rnd today,)
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The army took their best, their second best and their third best, and
again the damnable •land laws drove
' the nien out over the sea to the United
States and Canada, drove them to Ausfralia, to South Africa,
Those they
did not Idll in war they drove away
by the land laws.
Al! over Great Britain the sacrifice
has been the same.
Wasting their
best. What about your country? What
about this new republic? Here was a
place where the race was to get a new
chance, Men and women, what did
America
signify, when Columbus
tumed his prow across the unknown
!3ea? It signified a new chance for the
race. British Europe had been facing
eastward but the fall of Constantinopl1;1
and the closing of -the Dardanelles
made it impossible for the carrying on
of commerce eastward any more,
So
·Europe tumed westward to the little
isles north of the· Atlantic,
We came
across the Atlantic.
Looking for
what? Dreaming of what? Dreaming
of the. new chance and of a new· land
a11d men have been coming ever since.
They have ·been coming from England,
from Ireland, Scotland, from Australia, from Europe, North Europe,
South Europe, coming ever since and
every ship load has them, Many are
the dreamer$ who dream of a land
that gives a man a fair chance, that·
gives him "life, liberty and the ptfrsuit of happiness." (Applause.) They
came for equality of opportunity, They
dreamed of America as a place where
they would be rid of the oppression
and the hardship and the injustice of
the old world. And then this republic pledged itself to what? To freedom
to life. and liberty and the pursuit ot
· liappiqess.
Here democracy had a
chance that autocracy never ·had in the
world's history before.
Talk about
Greece and her autocracy-it wus u:n
oligal'chy,
B1.1t what have you done? What haTu
you done? When you had had nearly
100 yearii of the great chance then
wliat lrnppened? When you had a
chance with the very best breed, for
the very best from England, Scotland
and Ireland· came to this United States
before 1860, what did you do? Before
1776 the best blood of England went
into Virginia, sons of the best families
of England, who, because of their
damnable land laws, had to come over
the seas.
Many thousands of them
went into Virginia, and the blood is in
the Virginian stoclr to this day, Why
did Virginia give men for presidents,
generals, leaders, orators? Because the
blood was in Virginia, Forty thousand
of the highlanders from Seotland,
speaking nothing but Gaelic, went into
North Carolina before 1776, and there
are counties in that state today wl1ere
nearly all the men have the Highland.
Scotch in their blood, From the nort11
of Ireland and from Ulster they went
into Canada and Tennessee, and the
best of Puritan England came into New
England. Boston got its share of Elngland's best men, her most heroic, most
devoted, most ·progressive men,
And
what happened? From Germany not a
few came and what happened?
You
had one great war,
One great war.
And what have you today?
I went
through your recent campaign, I lmow
your parties. I lrnow your leaders. I
know what they said, They have said
there ls now no equality of opportunity, that the big interests have destroyed freedom, (Applause.)
That
there needed to be a new revolution.
(Applause,) And that statement proclaimed to the world~what? That the
freedom promised by Washington and
by Franklin, and by Jefferson, had not
been made good. (Applause,)
And I
ask, Why? Why?
I heard it from Roosevelt; I heard
it from Taft, I asked Mr, Taft in Baltln10re one day, with 3500 people in
the theatre, w,th the Secretary of War
there, and members of the cabinet
there! also: Why is it, Mr, President,
that 111 this republic that was bom for
freedom, that was dedicated to freedom, why is it that over this republic
~hi_~ ls being said, that Lincoln's decla'.
iat10n of 'R government of the people
by the people and for the people ha~
been converted into a government of
the people, by the rascals for the rich?
(Prolonged applause,)
I do not say
that is true,
(Applause,)
·That is
none ·of my business.
But I do say
that, putting my ear to the ,ground r
heard that thing from the north, the
south, the east, the west, and the middle, And I ask them why? Why· is it
that here, where Democracy was to be
gi!e1~ Hs one great new chance to justify itself against the monarchies Democracy appears to have failed? '
Has it had anything to do witi1 this:
that scarcely more than a generation
ago, less than two generations ago in
your one great war, you sacrificed ~ver
G00,000 men from the North the best
men the North could breed; you sacrificed more than 400,000 men from the
South, .the best men that the South
could breed? That of those who ought
to have been the leaders in polltics of
those who ough-t ·to have ·been in 'the
/
FORD HALL FOU<S
What a richness it would have meant
great industries today, thousands have
never been born? They died with those to your republic if you hftd been able
heroes who went out In that awful war. Iii some other way to solve the problem
I do not say whether that war was a -without the sacrifice of so many, so
just war or not. I do not discuss the many hundreds of thousands in their
morality of that enormous struggle, teens-who left no bt·eed behind. That
but what I do say is that the biologiqal · 1s the tragedy. 'l'hat Is the tragedy of
reaction is plain.
Therefore am I it. It is not simply that you lost these
asking-where are the successors of men but you lost the sons they would
those leaders of men, the men who have bred for the necessity of today.
made the glory of Boston, who made '!'heirs are the spirits unborn, the lost
New England shine over the republic- multitude who ought to have been in
around the world-where are they? your State Legislatures today, who
Their names, some of them, are in the ought to have been in your Chamber,3
Memorial Hall of Harvard University. of Commerce, ,vho ought to have been
, · And they fell from among that 156,000 members of your Boards of Trade, and
who marched out of Massachu.setts, who ought to have been at the head of
singlrig "We are corning, Father Abra- Industries; who ought to have been at
ham."
They went from all these. the head of movements all over the
no.rthern states; from Illinois, In the United States today standing for jusWest they went; but what a sacrifice tice, standing for government of the
New England made! They never came 1ieople by the people and for the peoback, They were in the army at tlle ple, standing for the rights of men and
Potomac, in the army at Cumberland, saving your republic from the dishonor
in · the army at Tennessee.
Their of which you yourselves complain.
spirits were spllled in the air, and (Applause.)
their blood watered the wilderness.
Two years ago I was in Mexico. In
The tragedy ls on Boston, on Massa- one of the cities that I visited I was
chusetts a11d on New England to this greatly ,impressed by the fact that
day.
Lincoln said· "That the North the women were as well built and
paid the full measure of devotion." husky and physically flt as any
Aye, by the Great God, dlcln't the So,uth crowd of women I have ever seenpay. in •full? Virginia, North Carolina, outside of Boston.
(Laughter and
Tennessee, Kentucky, all around the applause.)
The women did all the
circle-whole families wiped out. business. I ask why?
In those 30
There is the tragedy, No· wonder the years of wars the men have been
South is suffering.
No wonder the killed off again and again and again
South has been all these years lagging until they are men no more.·
behind. '!'heir best blood was spilled
What about the Balkans? Look at
on the battlefield.
Their best brains, that war there. The time that I was
their high spirit was lost In the air reading these other despatches, there
and this republic ls the poorer-forever came in a despatch about the Balkar
the poorer, because of the loss that war that said that the Balkans had
.never can be recovered. You lost t.hose sacrificed the flower of their army,
that would have given distinction.
How ·long will It take them and its
Perhaps it could not have been done allies to breed a generation to match
in any other way; perhaps you ln the those ·who have gone down In that
United States could not have solved war? They will never recover that
the problem of slavery as It was solved · they have lost. Their dead come not
60 years before-more ·than 60 years back and their unborn, the unborn of
before, nearly 80 years before~in Can- their heroes that went up against
ada. A man who had slaves In the Turkey, will remain unborn.
Me1i. and women, Is it not time that
South brought them over into Canada.
The first Parliament in 1792 meeting we co1ii1Jatted this stupendous folly?
at Niagara, did what?
Took action The scientists are going to show you
that led to the abolition of slavery In that wars, which have killed off your
that Dominion.
(Applause.) It did best, are not going to Improve the
what? It enacted a law that no slave moral power, the ·physical strengt11,
could be sold in Canada and that the the social rights; the Industrial cachildren of all slaves would be born pacity, and the prestige of the nation.
free. The slaves remained in that re• For the fact Is that your law of evoIn the
lation to their masters, but they could lution Is . reversed In war.
not be sold and their children were struggle for existence the weak had
born fl'ee, And Canada got rid of the gone down, but ,In war you1· ,Jaw of
burden of slavery without shedding a evolution is reversed, It Is the fittest
who go down. It Is the most heroic
drop of blood. (Applause.)
FORD HALL FOLKS
1ess It would have meant
I ic If you had been able
way to solve the problem
sacrifice of so many, so
s of thousands in their
l no breed behind, That
'l'hat ls the tragedy of
mply that you lost these
ost the sons they \vould
the necessity of today,
spirits unb9rn, the lost
ought to have been in
eg-islatures today, who
been in your Chamber,~
who ought to have been
nr Boards of Trade, and
,ave been at the head of
o ought to have been at
,ovements •all over tlje
today standing for jusfor government of the
people and for the peo,r the rights of men and
mlllic from the dishonor
yourselves complain.
,o I was in Mexico, In
es that I visited I was
sed by the fact that
re as well built and
,Iiyslcally fit as any
<'ll I have ever seen;ton,
(Laughter and
he women did all tho
k why?
In those 30
the men have been
t and again a_nd again
men no more,
the Balkans? Look at
The time that I was
ither despatches, there
,atch about the Balkar
that the Balkans had
flower of their army,
it take them and its
a generation to match
e gone clown in that
I never recover that
'l'helr dead come not
unborn, the unborn of
1at went up against
,main unborn.
1en, Is It not time that
tills stupendous folly?
ti·e going to show you
h have killed off your
l;oing to improve the
he physical strength,
,ts, the Industrial caprestige' of the nation,
that your law of evosed in war,
In the
istence the weal, had
in war your •law of
ersed, It Is the fittest
It ls the most heroic
who go to the field, The unfit, they
survive. We have got a few of the
breed In Toronto,
They have SUI'·
vlved, the ones who made fortunes
out of selling rotten food and shoddy
uniforms and dishonest eqrjpment
for your heroes to die froin, they
have survived.
They breed their
kind. (Applause.) And out of them
co111e the manipulators and the booc'!•
lers and the bosses and the rest or
the crowd that have cursed yon to
this very day, (Applause.)
But it is time that a new note was
struck and America ought to strike
that note and strike it strongly, (Applause,)
The supreme opportunity
comes now to America and to the
United States and to Canada-for we
also are Americans. ( Appia use.) Canada and the United States must
stand together for this thing, for the
redemption of the ,vorld from the
curse of war. (Applause,) We have
a right to speak to our fellows in
Britain, those of us who are of Anglo
•on stock,
We have a right to
speak to our •fellows in Germany, ·
those of us who ,have Teuton in us.
'\'Ve have a right to speak, For what
have! we done? For through one hundred years we have kept peace between two of the proudest people God
lets live
anywhere,
(Applause.)
Those .inland seas of ours never heard
a shot from a man-of-war and never
will.
(Applause,)
Four thousand
miles stretches our boundary line.
Four thousand miles of a boundary
line without a gun, without a soldier
or a fort to be seen anywhere, W.hen
some military genius came over from
Britain he tried to make us nervous
on our side of the line because w,~
had no baftleshlps and were unfortified.
I took occtislon at -the press
conference in London with Balfour
in · t•he chair, and Lord Roberts hlmi,elf. there, I. took occasion to tell them
and to tell the representatives from
Australia, New Zealand · and South
, Africa, that we could show them on
this continent what they could see
nowhere else. (Applause.)
I told
them this: that the only fortification
needed between the Canadians and
the Americans, the only battleships,
the only guns that were needed, the
only guns we had and the only guns
we wlll allow are the common sense
and clvlllzed relations •of these two
people, (Prolonged applause,)
When men tell me that there can
neYer ·be peace between Germany and
England, I ask what ls in the blood
of the Teuton that you cannot civil•
lze, If you can civilize the blood of
7
the MacDonalds and the Campbells,
with their historic fends, If you can
civilize that, what ls there in the
Teuton blood that common sense can·
not do? And if the Teutons would get
together they would make the Nol'th
Sea as peaceful as the English speech
has made Lake ,ontario, Lake Erie
and Lake Superior, (Applause,)
And America should lead the vis•
ion of America. Oh, that we who are
native born, would that we could
catch that vision!
That we would
dream the dream not only for America but for the new world!
(Ap·
planse.) That is why I stand arrainst
this wild and wicked scare, about
war between the United States and
Japan-a most colossal, shining joke!
(Applause.)
The new note; the new
idea, that we must stand for, is the
idea of world-neighborhood.
(Ap•
plause.)
Not the law of the jungle
but the law of the neighborhood, that
eternally righteous low:
"Love thy
neighbor as thyself."
(Prolonged
applause,)
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
Q, Can the speaker account for the
ae;tion of the Canadian Parllament
contributing two battleships to the
rnnglish navy?
A.' 'l'he Canadian Parliament has
not contributed two battleships to the
rnnglish navy, Three is what they
are proposing to contribute, but all
they irnve been doing as yet ls to de•
bate in Parliament, and the party
to which I belong is opposed to that,
I still pray God that the government
may be defeated. (Applause.)
Q, Isn't the factory system as m'!ch
tn blame 'aS' war for the det_eriorat10n
of the human breed?
A. The factory system is the result
of what we call again and again the
damnable land laws that crowd the
people off the land beyond all reason
into the cities where there is nothing
adequate for them to do and where
they do not get a chance to live on
the land, The cities, as we all know,
mther tend to destroy, The rural part
ot' Britain has been feeding cities all
these years, and the factory system is
the result of the land laws and the
Jund JawS' are the result of war laws,
'I'he land was taken away from the
people who fought for it.
Q, Has Japan become great be•
cause of her ability to defeat Russia?
A, Japan has become great in the
oyes of a great inany, people because
of what she did, but Japan was just
as gri,at before, because· she did not
waste her blood and destroy her
lr
8
FORD HALL FOLKS
breed. Through centuries of peace
Ja.pan built up her own people. Read
Japan's whole history and that of Russ·ia and of England, and the law will
hold for the Japanese as for us. (Applause.)
Q. Is child labor responsible for
degeneration as well as war?
A. I should say yes, and i.o the men
Who say you must have~war to discipline your people in order to call out
their heroic qualities and their devotion, to those men I say: if you men
want to show your heroism and prove
rour devotion, here is' the battle. Here
Is the call to save your nation from
the evils that are within. Here is a
cause worth while.
(Prolonged applause.)
·
Q. ·what Is the chance of Canadu
bolng annexed?
~
A. I do not believe that there is
any likelihood of the Dominion being
annexed, or the Republic being annexed to the Dominion. (Applause.)
Q. Does the speaker think we will
have reciprocity between the United
States and Canada?
A. Yes, and I think it. would malt'e
our breed better. I think you people
would be better if you had some of
our good food and we had some of
your good food. I stand for freedom
of trade in all the foodstuffs of the
people for this whole country, (Applause.)
Q. Is it worth while to have a social war?
A. I do not see where you are• going to improve the social situation by
killing off either side.
Q. How can we be for the suspens'ion of war as long as those who 'are
manufacturing arms and war nl.aterials find profit in them'?
A. By turning the searchlighL of
public opinion on the stEJ.el plate interests, on the battleship interests and ~
on all the interests that make profit
out of war scares. Turn the searchllght again and again and name the
firms that could not pay a penny of
interest or dividend on the capital in•
valved if It were not for new orders
from. the admiralty of Britain and
from the navy of this republic,·
Q. From a disinterested point of
view-as a neighborfOn the other side
of the line-do you think that the con-.
fllcting interests of capital and labor
in this country can be settled without
war?
· A. The United States is at a serious stage in Its hlstoi•y. It becomes ,
every cltlr,en of this republic to face
the problem, a new problem, not or
wa1· with enemies from without, but
of the disturbances raised in the conflict of Interests within. your own republic.
This great thing th~t yott
hnve to do for the world now is to justify democracy-whether the government of the people, by the people -and
for the people is going to make good.
I-
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SUBSCRIBE FOR YOURSELF AND A FEW IPRIEJIDS. Thus you will
help one of The Democratic Forces of our 'l'hue, a Movement Whose Guiding
Principles are:
·
Nothing is permitted on our platform intentionally offensive to race,
class or creed.
We are ready to consider any ~ub ject that has moral and spiritual value,
No place forf anything merebc entertaining or purely technical.
Only requirement of a speaker is that he have a real message and
the' power to put It over,
[Make all checks payable to Mat·y C. Crawford, 'freasurer.]
I
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•
Jforb 'Hall Jfolhs
Vol.
I,
No.
II.
March 9, 1913.
WHAT OF OUR FUTURE?
'.
I
l
I.'
Price Ten Cents
acquaintanceship,
It developed the
Idea and provided the material for the
Line Ushers. It engineered the plans
'for the birthday celebration,
It has
suggested the Idea of an accumulating
fund for our work and has made a
little beginning with It already,
It
has inaugurated and successfully published a weekly magazine which has
paid Its own way from the start.
Surely° a little company· of people
who could do all this in a few months
will find a great deal more to' do that
Is helpful and promising. This little
group of fifty or sixty should grow to
two or three hundred in time. With
such a force to co-operate what
couldn't we do? As things are now, we
nieet only on Sundays,
Why not a
mid-week gathering of some sort?
What shall its nature be? The Ford
Hall Folks will dig that out.
This magazine can be greatly · extended In circulation and enhanced In
value.
With our contributions we
might do some things ·that we would
very much like to do and which we
naturally could not permit any one
else to pay for.
Let us ·be dreaming about our future.
Some one has said that there Is enough
executive ability in the race to make
into reality every dream of which our
Imaginations are capable,
The only
question Is whether lb Is worth while.
Dream a dream that Is worth it and
some one will come along who will
·build It into ·real life. What we 'have
now -at Ford Hall was a dream before
it became a reality.
What we are
going to have at Ford Hall for the
next five years is somebody's dream
right now. Are you doing your share
of the dreaming? Why not? It helps.
Not much was said at our .Fifth Anniversary about the future of the Ford
Hall Meetings except those fine words
of President Bentley assuring · us of
the continued support and interest of
the Baptist Social Union, But nearly
everything that was said and done
took it for, granted• that there was to
be a fliture fo1' this ·woi:k, and some
very decided hints were dropped that
might lead one -to expect a good deal
of that future. 'l'his nutch of the future is already assured judging by the
activities of the present.
The idea
that Ford Hall stands for wilJ find
ready acceptance in all parts of the
country, and similar meetings will
greatly multiply, Our revival of the
Socratic, method as applied to a lar,ge
popular audience will be duplicated in
many church assemblies. These things
seem to be already assttred; it only requires -time for their wider extension.
, Just now, within the next •month, I
have accepted invitations to tell the
factE, and the meaning of the Ford
Hall Movement in four different states,
Pittsfield, Mass., Manchester, N. H.;
Buffalo, N. Y., and Philadelphia,
Pa,
In ·the fhst · two instances, it
is in connection with the Y. M. 0, A,;
In Buffalo, it ls In relation to the advertising men of the city, and In Philadelphia It is before the Presbyterian
Social Union, a ·body something like
the Baptist Social Union, ·and representing all the 1Presbyterian churches
of· the metropolitan area.
All these
.opportunities have been pressed upon
•me, Indicating how widely the knowl!ldge of the Ford Hall Meetings has
been extended and how the interest Is
springing lip of its own accord in various places at the same time.
·. But there Is another side to our future which is even more Interesting to
·us than the extension of our work
;abroad and that is the intensive deNEXT SUNDAY'S SPEAKER,
velopment of our work right here at
•home. Here, again, we are quite fortuWilliam Hard, of New York, on "The
·nate In being able to find in the pres- State and the Fatherless Child," Is
·ent, a very safe gauge for measuring our program for next Sunday,
No
the future.
more vital question than this Is now
Our little organization, The Ford before our people. Come and hear the
.Hall Folks, has already demonstrated mat~r talked out. Mrs. Coleman will
Its usefulness.
It has given us our preside In the absence of her husband,
·first opportt111lt.Y tP Ct)ltiYfltll J:)llf.liHJnRI om· beloved Jeade1·.
·
Ir~~
2
FORD HALL FQLKS
DISIIOP WILLlAlllS.
Rev. Charles D. Williams, D. D.,
Bishop of Detroit, Michigan.
"Please accept my most sincere and
hearty congratulations upon the conclusion of your five years' work in the
Ford Hall movement. It ls, in my estimation, one of the significant movements of the day, Your are render-·
Ing a signal, most needed and most
valuable service to the deepest needs
of the day, The essential spirit of the
new social consciousness· and conscience is distinctly and fundamental-·
ly religious in the truest and deepest
sense of that word.
You are interpreting that religious spirit to many,
yes, multitudes, who have it and do
not recognize its religious nature, and
you are giving to movements that
would otherwise become purely materialistic a spiritual motive and in•
splration. You are helping to awaken
the church to her mission and task,
to· make herself big and hospitable
enough to be a home for the characteristic social religion of the day, and
you are making that religion conscious of its need of a spiritual home
In the church. God bless you in your
noble endeavor."
Prof. Richard M. Vaughan,
Newton Theological Institute,
Newton Centre, Mass.
"It is most important that all men
of good will should understand each
othe1\ You have enabled them to see
eye to eye, To you belongs the honor
of a pioneer."
Chas. H. Watson,
Belmont, Mass,
"The meetings are . revelations of
practical sympathy and brotherliness.
They bravely handle the present in•
equalities In our social conditions and
tile resentfulness and bitterness they
provoke."
D11, J, A, l\IACDONALD,
WAR AND THE HUM~N BREED.
(Address of Dr. J, A. Macdonald of
Toronto at the Ford Hall Meeting, March' 2, 1913.)
,Your chairman told me that the
t~eme upon which I should speak to·
mght ought to be vital and of human
interest-some such words · as these
he used, I tried to think up what
would be vital and of human interest
to that Ford Hall crowd he had talked
so much to me about in Ontario and
in Dallas. (Laughter,) I thought of
the trade agreement between Canada
and the United States, but that would
not be vital because the government
of the Dominion of Canada says it is
dead, I may not agree with the government. I may thlnlr It is very vital
today and is going to be more vital
in days to come. (Applause.) But as
I am · away from Canada, I must be
Joyal to the government-even if it Is
our tory government. So I cannot say
that reciprocity Is vital and of human
interest. It Is dead.
In my perplexity some dlspatche1:1
came In. One came In from Ottawa,
another from your side of the linefrom the United StateS', and one came
from Great Britain; and they all had
to do with the same theme. They all
talked about war.
The Minister of the Dominion of
Canada made a great speech and
called for more money to spend on
the militia for Canada, and said somet!Iing Jllrn this: that the soldiers and
the missionary must go hand In hand.
To me that ls not a happy combination. (Laughte1'.) The second gentleman, whom I will not name, but
whose name would be known to you
in Boston, had said something about
the importance of tile army, and the
influence of tl~~ 11,rmy- 01,1, ~ ;i, uatiQil,
· The thl.rl! man was a 11101
House of LordS' and he ou:
about wars because he w
as many wars as any 11
House of Lords.
Lord I
just as emµhatlc as eitl
other two. I began to thh
'that these. men-they are
all seemed to think that w
nation great. Now I know
poor. (APPiause.) It haf
our Dominion poor yet I
have'not had any. We are
few countries in this wor
importance that has no ,
no war page on our hist<
war debt to be paid by ,
(Applause.) Please, God, ,
have.
I know the history of ye
and I know that over 68
over 70 per cent., of all ti
of this republic goes no"
times to pay war debts an
taln your armaments. I I
I know It is burdensome.
about Great Britain. I Jrno
common people of Britain
pay the war taxes, to pay
est of their war debtS'. I
this year Britain will pay $
for her army and her navy ,
Is no war, and I know hov
taxed-many of them taxed
that they are burdened fo1
I know from what little
we have had in our Domlnio
bitter rebellion among the
the West, and when we E
contingents to South Afrlc1
that there was fraud and bo«
dishonesty of all sorts In <
with these things. I know
tory. I know that when yo111
on there was dishonesty v
and boodling. I know that I
uniforms sent out for the
S'oldlers to wear, that wen
food sent that was . rotten.
that the brave sons of the r
the South suffered htdeousli
·or dishonesty in trade-the
common business dishonest
of the men who stayed at
business? I know what you·
among other things, But wl
its effect? SuppoS'e it Is e:
suppose war debts are hea
pose all this. Is It not a 1
. thing for race development?
biology assert it? Is It not
it ls the S'truggle for exist«
makes the individual bravi
not true that It Is the su
the fittest that makes· the ra
We have been taught the gre
.,
\
:/
,KS
I
. J, A, l\IACDONALD,
ID THE HUMAN BREED,
of Dr. J. A. Macdonald of
> at the Ford Hall Meet9, March 2, 1913.)
airman told me that the
n which I should spealr to·
t to be vital and of human
,ime such words as these
I tried to think up what
·ital and of human interest
11 Hall crowd he had talked
i me about in Ontario and
(Laughter.) I thought of
1greement between Canada
ited States, but that would
.I because the government
inion of Canada says it ls
ty not agree with the govmay think it ls very vital
is going to be more vital
:ome. {Applause.) But as
from Canada, I must be
government-even if It is
.'ernment. So I cannot say
city Is vital and of human
is dead.
"rplexlty some dispatches
lne came in from Ottawa,
m your side of the linetited State"s, and one came
Britain; and they a\l had
he same theme. They all
t war.
ster of the Dominion of
de a great speech and
nore money to spend on.
or Canada, and said some•
his: that the soldiers and
iry must go hand In hand.
is not a happy comblna;hter.) The second genim I will not name, but
l would be known to you
iiad said something about
nee of the army, and the
the iirmy on, 11, natloll, ·
.The thlrct man was a member of the evolution. Does it not hold for the
House of Lords and he ought to know ·nation?
about wars because he was In about
I began to look through hlsto1•y, I
as many wars as any man in the counted over all the great empires of
House ot Lords.
Lord Roberts was the past; all gone; everyone of them
just as emphatic as either of the gone except the one great empire that
other two, I began to think how It is was not a war nation, Greece, Rome,
that the.se men-they are not fools- all gone! Rome, that was once masall seemed to thinlr that war makes a . ter of the world, sitting on her seven
nation great. Now I know it makes It hills, swinging her sceptre over the
poor. {App~a,uae.) It has not made world, nothing but a record in his· our Domlnlo11 poor yet because we tory!
I aslr why?
China rising
have not haq any. We are one of the across the Pacific, the only empire
few countries in, this world of some with no great war history survived,
importance that has no war record, and today presents man for man and
no war page p11 our history, and no capacity and power· equal to the best
war debt to· bl) paid by our people. Anglo-Saxon breed. {Applause.) And
{Applause.) Please, God, we may not I remember that little Japan with no
have.
war history at all, who was more than
I know the history of your country 250 years out of sight; little Japan
and I lcnow tllat over 68 per cent., when she went up against a great war
over 70 per cent., of all the revenue nation, Russia, showed herself so
of this republic· goes now In peace powerful that the world was stagWhy? I ask.
times to pay war· debts and to main- gered with wonder.
tain your armaments. I know that. Why? I began to reflect on the problem raised by these experts In miliI know it is burdensome.
I know
about Great Britain. I know how the tary art.
common people of BrHaln sweat to
And then I went back to Rome. I
pay the war taxes, to pay the inter- recalled my history of Rome.
The
est of their war debts. I know that decline and the fall of the Roman Emthis year Britain will pay $400,000 000 pire and the causes that led to it.
for her army and 1Ier navy when there I !mow what the militarists said. I
is· no war, and I !mow how they, are know that they said that Rome fell
taxed-many of them taxed too much, because Rome ceased to be a warlike
that they are bui·qened for llfe.
nation; because the Romans gave
I know from what little experience thems'elves up to luxury and ease; but
•
we have had in otu· Dominion with the I asked why did they give themselvei:I
bitter rebellion among the people in up to luxury and ease? There was a
the West, and when we sent three day when to be a· Roman was greater
contingents to South Africa,, I know than to be a king; There was a time
that there was fraud and boodling and when the true Roman sacrificed himdishonesty of all sorts in connection self for Rome's sake. There was a
with these things. I Jm·ow · your his- time when no Roman was satisfied
would
tory. I !mow that when your war was with his luxury and ease, but Caesar
on there was dishonesty, and fraud have followed in the wars of
But Rome
and boodling. I lmow that there were and the rest of them,
ceaS'ed
all that.
uniforms sent out for the American self up from luxury, andRome gave itto
I ask, why?
S'oldiers to wear that were shoddy,
food sent that was rotten. I know Why?
And then I read the record. Out
that the brave sons of the North and
the South suffereq hideously because of every thousand strong Romans·or dishonesty in trade-the ordinary out of every thousand strong Romans,
common business dishonesty. What 800 fell in war; out of every thouof the men who stayed at home-in sand weaklings, 95 ·per cent. survived.
business? I know what your war did Eighty per cent. of the strong falling
among other things, But what about In war, 95 per cent. of those who
Its effect? Suppose it is expensive;
could not stand the strain and stress
suppose war debts are heavy; sup- -95 per cent. of the weaklings lived.
pose all this. Is It not a necessary What happened? I thought of my
. thing for race development? Does not biology, Like father like son. Like
biology assert it? Is it not true that seed lllrn harvest. Blood tells. If
it Is the S'truggle for existence that the Romans killed off 80 per cent. of
makes the Individual brave? rs it her strong men, her self-devoted men,
not true that It is the survival ·of and if it allowed 95 per cent. of her
the fittest that maims the race great? · cowards, her weaklings, to live, what
We have been taught the great law of ,..happened? Those who survived bred
"
FORD J!ALL FOLKS
the new generation of Romans, and
like father like son, like seed like harvest. The Roman women with all the
Roman blood in their veins bred a
new generation of Romans from the
slaves, from the wealcllngs, with what
reS'ult?
The combination of the
Roman aristocracy and the slaves
produced what? What history says:
fops and dandles. These fops and
dandies gave themselves up to luxury
and . ease, and when the husky 111011
from the mountains came down there
were none ready to deny themselves,
to sacrifice themselves< for Rome's
salrn, The old Rome was gone.
What about France? France was
once in the very forefront of the great
nations of the world. Napoleon made
her feared; made her enemies trem- ,
ble by what happened?
Napoleon
toolt the men in the strength , and
pride of their young manhood, and
, when they were cut off he. took the
old men and then he took the boys.
Napoleon said a boy could stop a bullet. of the Russian as well as a man,
and the flower of France's citizenship
was marched off-away from Paris
and the provinces, away, to Moscow,
and waS' sown on waste lands before
it came to seed. With .what result?
'fhat France's pride was humbled.
Frahces' army was weakened-three
or four times they had to ·1ower the
standard for admission of men to the
army because they had wiped off
1heir strong, their virile, their heroic.
And what,about Great Britain, with
her history, her war history: that made
her proud and spoken of with reverence the world over?
I was taught It and so were some or
you.· We speak of Crimea, of ·waterloo, of India, of EJgypt, and of the wars
that brought power to the British
army and of the great glory that came
to Britain and the Elmplre. Well, what
happened? What says biology? What
is the output? What is the result?
What do you see today? Many of you
know and have seen It. You go through
London,
Manchester,
Birmingham,
through Liverpool, through Glasgow,
through Eldinburgh, and you see wnat?
You are faced with the multitude of
the unfit. You are surprised.
I wae
surprised, going back after five generations of my breed living in this country• on this side of the water, going
back five generations to find what? Not
a man of the giant mould I have been
taught to believe marked the men w110
made up the army of Britain. I went
through the cities and there saw the
result of two things. Their damnable
land laws, to begin with.
Damnable
Is a good word-ls the fit word (Ap,
plause)-crowded the people from the
land Into the cities and so gave them
no chance whatever of the land that
God made for the people. (Applause.)
God made the land for, the people.
'l'he l)eople were crowded off the land
Into the cities and made to live In the
most unsanitary conditions, neglected,
despised, with what result?
You saw It In their faces; faces with
little hope, many a face was ri'a1?0W
on account of the outlook, weakened,
shriveled, niarked unmistakably with
disease; and I ask why? I remember
what Kipling wrote in his glorification, "Lord, God, we paid In full."
Very good. But If you .feed your very
hest to the sharks and the gulls again
biology comes in and asks who are
going to ·breed the generation tb come.
Sharks and gulls are sharks and gulls
after you have feel them your best. And
again and again the physical standard
of the soldiers from Elnglancl were lowered to keep the ranks full.
·worse
than even in Elnglancl is the north
country.
Scotland has had a reputation the
world over for the physique of her
men, especially men of the north. The
law of evolution holds in -the north, in
the highland h!lls, for life there has
been hard all through the centuriesit was hard.
'!'hey had to fight fm•
their life and the weaklings died in
infancy, therefore they bred a race of.
men of giant mould. Therefore when
the call came for war, regiment after
regl111ei1t marched otit, every man six
feet, most of them more.
(After describing the former great
regiments of Scotch Highlanders,
every member of which had to be at
least six feet in height, the speaker
said that the breeding places of -thos,3
regiments have now become shooting
preserves for noblemen and American
millionaires, and the natives now are
"little runts" and merely caddies or
lackeys of ,the sportsmen.
:Most of the virile' ,Scotchmen, he
said, were either sacrificed in war or
compelled to emigrate by "damnable
land laws which deprive the people of
the land that Qod gave them," and
which are constantly sending the country people Into the cities where they
are enfeebled by bad sanitation and
many other evil conditions.
He said
that in one district, 18 miles in length,
where regiments of men six feet in
height used to be raised, not a six-foot
ma.n can be found today,) ,:'/·
/
The ar1
ond best
again th,
the nien ,
States an
b'alia, to
did not
by the Ia
All .OV(
has been
best. W
about th
place wh
chance.
America
turned h
sea? It E
race. Bi
eastward
and the
made it
of comm
Elurope
Isles nor
across
what? I
of the n
and men
'l'hey ha
from Ii
tralla, I
South E
every sl
the dre.
that giv
gives hi
suit of I
came fo:
clreamec
they we
and the
the old
lie plecl!
to life 1
· happi11e:
chance 1
world's
Greece
olig_ai·ch
But w
you do1
1.00 yen
what 11
chance
the ver.
and Ire
1.Jefore
1776 th
Into Vii
of Enp
damnal,
the sea
went in
the Vlr
did Vil
general
FORD HALL FOLKS
to begin with, Damnable
word-is the fit word (Ap,
rowded the people from the
I he cities and so gave them
whatever of the land that
for the people. (Applause.)
le the land for. the people.
were crowded off the land
ies and made to live in the
litary conditions, negleoted,
·ith what result?
it in their faces; faces with
many a face was 'narrow
of the outlook, wealrened,
mrlred unmistakably with
Ll I ask why? I remember
ng wrote in his glorifica' God, we paid in iull."
But if you ,feed your very
sharks and the gulls again
ies in and asks who are
ell the generation to come.
gulls are sharks and gulls
ve fed them ·your best. And
sain the physical standard
rs frop1 England were low> the ranks full.
Worse
n England is the north
ins had a reputation the
for the physique of her
lJy men of the north. The
ion holds in the north, in
hills, for life there has
l through the centuriesThey had to fight for
cl the weaklings died in
~fore they bred a race of
mould. Therefore when
•. for wqr, regiment after
·ched out, every man six
them more.
rilling the former great
r Scotch Highlanders,
· of which had to be at
in height, the speaker
]Jreeding places of thos,3
1e now become shooting
noblemen and American
Hd the natives now arc
and merely caddies or
sportsme1i,
virile Scotchmen, • he
lwr sacrificed in war or
emigrate by "damna·ble
,It deprive the people of
God gave them," and
tautly sending the couni the cities where they
lly bad sanitation and
ii conditions.
He said
trict, 18 miles in length,
,ts of men six feet in
Ile raised, not a six-foot
rnd today,)
·
8
I
The army took their best, their second best and their third best, and
again the damnable •land laws drove
' the nien out over the sea to the United
States and Canada, drove them to Ausfralia, to South Africa,
Those they
did not Idll in war they drove away
by the land laws.
Al! over Great Britain the sacrifice
has been the same.
Wasting their
best. What about your country? What
about this new republic? Here was a
place where the race was to get a new
chance, Men and women, what did
America
signify, when Columbus
tumed his prow across the unknown
!3ea? It signified a new chance for the
race. British Europe had been facing
eastward but the fall of Constantinopl1;1
and the closing of -the Dardanelles
made it impossible for the carrying on
of commerce eastward any more,
So
·Europe tumed westward to the little
isles north of the· Atlantic,
We came
across the Atlantic.
Looking for
what? Dreaming of what? Dreaming
of the. new chance and of a new· land
a11d men have been coming ever since.
They have ·been coming from England,
from Ireland, Scotland, from Australia, from Europe, North Europe,
South Europe, coming ever since and
every ship load has them, Many are
the dreamer$ who dream of a land
that gives a man a fair chance, that·
gives him "life, liberty and the ptfrsuit of happiness." (Applause.) They
came for equality of opportunity, They
dreamed of America as a place where
they would be rid of the oppression
and the hardship and the injustice of
the old world. And then this republic pledged itself to what? To freedom
to life. and liberty and the pursuit ot
· liappiqess.
Here democracy had a
chance that autocracy never ·had in the
world's history before.
Talk about
Greece and her autocracy-it wus u:n
oligal'chy,
B1.1t what have you done? What haTu
you done? When you had had nearly
100 yearii of the great chance then
wliat lrnppened? When you had a
chance with the very best breed, for
the very best from England, Scotland
and Ireland· came to this United States
before 1860, what did you do? Before
1776 the best blood of England went
into Virginia, sons of the best families
of England, who, because of their
damnable land laws, had to come over
the seas.
Many thousands of them
went into Virginia, and the blood is in
the Virginian stoclr to this day, Why
did Virginia give men for presidents,
generals, leaders, orators? Because the
blood was in Virginia, Forty thousand
of the highlanders from Seotland,
speaking nothing but Gaelic, went into
North Carolina before 1776, and there
are counties in that state today wl1ere
nearly all the men have the Highland.
Scotch in their blood, From the nort11
of Ireland and from Ulster they went
into Canada and Tennessee, and the
best of Puritan England came into New
England. Boston got its share of Elngland's best men, her most heroic, most
devoted, most ·progressive men,
And
what happened? From Germany not a
few came and what happened?
You
had one great war,
One great war.
And what have you today?
I went
through your recent campaign, I lmow
your parties. I lrnow your leaders. I
know what they said, They have said
there ls now no equality of opportunity, that the big interests have destroyed freedom, (Applause.)
That
there needed to be a new revolution.
(Applause,) And that statement proclaimed to the world~what? That the
freedom promised by Washington and
by Franklin, and by Jefferson, had not
been made good. (Applause,)
And I
ask, Why? Why?
I heard it from Roosevelt; I heard
it from Taft, I asked Mr, Taft in Baltln10re one day, with 3500 people in
the theatre, w,th the Secretary of War
there, and members of the cabinet
there! also: Why is it, Mr, President,
that 111 this republic that was bom for
freedom, that was dedicated to freedom, why is it that over this republic
~hi_~ ls being said, that Lincoln's decla'.
iat10n of 'R government of the people
by the people and for the people ha~
been converted into a government of
the people, by the rascals for the rich?
(Prolonged applause,)
I do not say
that is true,
(Applause,)
·That is
none ·of my business.
But I do say
that, putting my ear to the ,ground r
heard that thing from the north, the
south, the east, the west, and the middle, And I ask them why? Why· is it
that here, where Democracy was to be
gi!e1~ Hs one great new chance to justify itself against the monarchies Democracy appears to have failed? '
Has it had anything to do witi1 this:
that scarcely more than a generation
ago, less than two generations ago in
your one great war, you sacrificed ~ver
G00,000 men from the North the best
men the North could breed; you sacrificed more than 400,000 men from the
South, .the best men that the South
could breed? That of those who ought
to have been the leaders in polltics of
those who ough-t ·to have ·been in 'the
/
FORD HALL FOU<S
What a richness it would have meant
great industries today, thousands have
never been born? They died with those to your republic if you hftd been able
heroes who went out In that awful war. Iii some other way to solve the problem
I do not say whether that war was a -without the sacrifice of so many, so
just war or not. I do not discuss the many hundreds of thousands in their
morality of that enormous struggle, teens-who left no bt·eed behind. That
but what I do say is that the biologiqal · 1s the tragedy. 'l'hat Is the tragedy of
reaction is plain.
Therefore am I it. It is not simply that you lost these
asking-where are the successors of men but you lost the sons they would
those leaders of men, the men who have bred for the necessity of today.
made the glory of Boston, who made '!'heirs are the spirits unborn, the lost
New England shine over the republic- multitude who ought to have been in
around the world-where are they? your State Legislatures today, who
Their names, some of them, are in the ought to have been in your Chamber,3
Memorial Hall of Harvard University. of Commerce, ,vho ought to have been
, · And they fell from among that 156,000 members of your Boards of Trade, and
who marched out of Massachu.setts, who ought to have been at the head of
singlrig "We are corning, Father Abra- Industries; who ought to have been at
ham."
They went from all these. the head of movements all over the
no.rthern states; from Illinois, In the United States today standing for jusWest they went; but what a sacrifice tice, standing for government of the
New England made! They never came 1ieople by the people and for the peoback, They were in the army at tlle ple, standing for the rights of men and
Potomac, in the army at Cumberland, saving your republic from the dishonor
in · the army at Tennessee.
Their of which you yourselves complain.
spirits were spllled in the air, and (Applause.)
their blood watered the wilderness.
Two years ago I was in Mexico. In
The tragedy ls on Boston, on Massa- one of the cities that I visited I was
chusetts a11d on New England to this greatly ,impressed by the fact that
day.
Lincoln said· "That the North the women were as well built and
paid the full measure of devotion." husky and physically flt as any
Aye, by the Great God, dlcln't the So,uth crowd of women I have ever seenpay. in •full? Virginia, North Carolina, outside of Boston.
(Laughter and
Tennessee, Kentucky, all around the applause.)
The women did all the
circle-whole families wiped out. business. I ask why?
In those 30
There is the tragedy, No· wonder the years of wars the men have been
South is suffering.
No wonder the killed off again and again and again
South has been all these years lagging until they are men no more.·
behind. '!'heir best blood was spilled
What about the Balkans? Look at
on the battlefield.
Their best brains, that war there. The time that I was
their high spirit was lost In the air reading these other despatches, there
and this republic ls the poorer-forever came in a despatch about the Balkar
the poorer, because of the loss that war that said that the Balkans had
.never can be recovered. You lost t.hose sacrificed the flower of their army,
that would have given distinction.
How ·long will It take them and its
Perhaps it could not have been done allies to breed a generation to match
in any other way; perhaps you ln the those ·who have gone down In that
United States could not have solved war? They will never recover that
the problem of slavery as It was solved · they have lost. Their dead come not
60 years before-more ·than 60 years back and their unborn, the unborn of
before, nearly 80 years before~in Can- their heroes that went up against
ada. A man who had slaves In the Turkey, will remain unborn.
Me1i. and women, Is it not time that
South brought them over into Canada.
The first Parliament in 1792 meeting we co1ii1Jatted this stupendous folly?
at Niagara, did what?
Took action The scientists are going to show you
that led to the abolition of slavery In that wars, which have killed off your
that Dominion.
(Applause.) It did best, are not going to Improve the
what? It enacted a law that no slave moral power, the ·physical strengt11,
could be sold in Canada and that the the social rights; the Industrial cachildren of all slaves would be born pacity, and the prestige of the nation.
free. The slaves remained in that re• For the fact Is that your law of evoIn the
lation to their masters, but they could lution Is . reversed In war.
not be sold and their children were struggle for existence the weak had
born fl'ee, And Canada got rid of the gone down, but ,In war you1· ,Jaw of
burden of slavery without shedding a evolution is reversed, It Is the fittest
who go down. It Is the most heroic
drop of blood. (Applause.)
FORD HALL FOLKS
1ess It would have meant
I ic If you had been able
way to solve the problem
sacrifice of so many, so
s of thousands in their
l no breed behind, That
'l'hat ls the tragedy of
mply that you lost these
ost the sons they \vould
the necessity of today,
spirits unb9rn, the lost
ought to have been in
eg-islatures today, who
been in your Chamber,~
who ought to have been
nr Boards of Trade, and
,ave been at the head of
o ought to have been at
,ovements •all over tlje
today standing for jusfor government of the
people and for the peo,r the rights of men and
mlllic from the dishonor
yourselves complain.
,o I was in Mexico, In
es that I visited I was
sed by the fact that
re as well built and
,Iiyslcally fit as any
<'ll I have ever seen;ton,
(Laughter and
he women did all tho
k why?
In those 30
the men have been
t and again a_nd again
men no more,
the Balkans? Look at
The time that I was
ither despatches, there
,atch about the Balkar
that the Balkans had
flower of their army,
it take them and its
a generation to match
e gone clown in that
I never recover that
'l'helr dead come not
unborn, the unborn of
1at went up against
,main unborn.
1en, Is It not time that
tills stupendous folly?
ti·e going to show you
h have killed off your
l;oing to improve the
he physical strength,
,ts, the Industrial caprestige' of the nation,
that your law of evosed in war,
In the
istence the weal, had
in war your •law of
ersed, It Is the fittest
It ls the most heroic
who go to the field, The unfit, they
survive. We have got a few of the
breed In Toronto,
They have SUI'·
vlved, the ones who made fortunes
out of selling rotten food and shoddy
uniforms and dishonest eqrjpment
for your heroes to die froin, they
have survived.
They breed their
kind. (Applause.) And out of them
co111e the manipulators and the booc'!•
lers and the bosses and the rest or
the crowd that have cursed yon to
this very day, (Applause.)
But it is time that a new note was
struck and America ought to strike
that note and strike it strongly, (Applause,)
The supreme opportunity
comes now to America and to the
United States and to Canada-for we
also are Americans. ( Appia use.) Canada and the United States must
stand together for this thing, for the
redemption of the ,vorld from the
curse of war. (Applause,) We have
a right to speak to our fellows in
Britain, those of us who are of Anglo
•on stock,
We have a right to
speak to our •fellows in Germany, ·
those of us who ,have Teuton in us.
'\'Ve have a right to speak, For what
have! we done? For through one hundred years we have kept peace between two of the proudest people God
lets live
anywhere,
(Applause.)
Those .inland seas of ours never heard
a shot from a man-of-war and never
will.
(Applause,)
Four thousand
miles stretches our boundary line.
Four thousand miles of a boundary
line without a gun, without a soldier
or a fort to be seen anywhere, W.hen
some military genius came over from
Britain he tried to make us nervous
on our side of the line because w,~
had no baftleshlps and were unfortified.
I took occtislon at -the press
conference in London with Balfour
in · t•he chair, and Lord Roberts hlmi,elf. there, I. took occasion to tell them
and to tell the representatives from
Australia, New Zealand · and South
, Africa, that we could show them on
this continent what they could see
nowhere else. (Applause.)
I told
them this: that the only fortification
needed between the Canadians and
the Americans, the only battleships,
the only guns that were needed, the
only guns we had and the only guns
we wlll allow are the common sense
and clvlllzed relations •of these two
people, (Prolonged applause,)
When men tell me that there can
neYer ·be peace between Germany and
England, I ask what ls in the blood
of the Teuton that you cannot civil•
lze, If you can civilize the blood of
7
the MacDonalds and the Campbells,
with their historic fends, If you can
civilize that, what ls there in the
Teuton blood that common sense can·
not do? And if the Teutons would get
together they would make the Nol'th
Sea as peaceful as the English speech
has made Lake ,ontario, Lake Erie
and Lake Superior, (Applause,)
And America should lead the vis•
ion of America. Oh, that we who are
native born, would that we could
catch that vision!
That we would
dream the dream not only for America but for the new world!
(Ap·
planse.) That is why I stand arrainst
this wild and wicked scare, about
war between the United States and
Japan-a most colossal, shining joke!
(Applause.)
The new note; the new
idea, that we must stand for, is the
idea of world-neighborhood.
(Ap•
plause.)
Not the law of the jungle
but the law of the neighborhood, that
eternally righteous low:
"Love thy
neighbor as thyself."
(Prolonged
applause,)
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
Q, Can the speaker account for the
ae;tion of the Canadian Parllament
contributing two battleships to the
rnnglish navy?
A.' 'l'he Canadian Parliament has
not contributed two battleships to the
rnnglish navy, Three is what they
are proposing to contribute, but all
they irnve been doing as yet ls to de•
bate in Parliament, and the party
to which I belong is opposed to that,
I still pray God that the government
may be defeated. (Applause.)
Q, Isn't the factory system as m'!ch
tn blame 'aS' war for the det_eriorat10n
of the human breed?
A. The factory system is the result
of what we call again and again the
damnable land laws that crowd the
people off the land beyond all reason
into the cities where there is nothing
adequate for them to do and where
they do not get a chance to live on
the land, The cities, as we all know,
mther tend to destroy, The rural part
ot' Britain has been feeding cities all
these years, and the factory system is
the result of the land laws and the
Jund JawS' are the result of war laws,
'I'he land was taken away from the
people who fought for it.
Q, Has Japan become great be•
cause of her ability to defeat Russia?
A, Japan has become great in the
oyes of a great inany, people because
of what she did, but Japan was just
as gri,at before, because· she did not
waste her blood and destroy her
lr
8
FORD HALL FOLKS
breed. Through centuries of peace
Ja.pan built up her own people. Read
Japan's whole history and that of Russ·ia and of England, and the law will
hold for the Japanese as for us. (Applause.)
Q. Is child labor responsible for
degeneration as well as war?
A. I should say yes, and i.o the men
Who say you must have~war to discipline your people in order to call out
their heroic qualities and their devotion, to those men I say: if you men
want to show your heroism and prove
rour devotion, here is' the battle. Here
Is the call to save your nation from
the evils that are within. Here is a
cause worth while.
(Prolonged applause.)
·
Q. ·what Is the chance of Canadu
bolng annexed?
~
A. I do not believe that there is
any likelihood of the Dominion being
annexed, or the Republic being annexed to the Dominion. (Applause.)
Q. Does the speaker think we will
have reciprocity between the United
States and Canada?
A. Yes, and I think it. would malt'e
our breed better. I think you people
would be better if you had some of
our good food and we had some of
your good food. I stand for freedom
of trade in all the foodstuffs of the
people for this whole country, (Applause.)
Q. Is it worth while to have a social war?
A. I do not see where you are• going to improve the social situation by
killing off either side.
Q. How can we be for the suspens'ion of war as long as those who 'are
manufacturing arms and war nl.aterials find profit in them'?
A. By turning the searchlighL of
public opinion on the stEJ.el plate interests, on the battleship interests and ~
on all the interests that make profit
out of war scares. Turn the searchllght again and again and name the
firms that could not pay a penny of
interest or dividend on the capital in•
valved if It were not for new orders
from. the admiralty of Britain and
from the navy of this republic,·
Q. From a disinterested point of
view-as a neighborfOn the other side
of the line-do you think that the con-.
fllcting interests of capital and labor
in this country can be settled without
war?
· A. The United States is at a serious stage in Its hlstoi•y. It becomes ,
every cltlr,en of this republic to face
the problem, a new problem, not or
wa1· with enemies from without, but
of the disturbances raised in the conflict of Interests within. your own republic.
This great thing th~t yott
hnve to do for the world now is to justify democracy-whether the government of the people, by the people -and
for the people is going to make good.
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