SAN FRANCISCO NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1915, Page 6

SAN FRANCISCO NOTES

(By G. P. Armstrong)

SAILOR KIXG OF ENGLAND. San Francisco, August 3. A function in which the name of King Georgo V. was brought prominently before the American people took place in the Court of Abundance at the Exposition on July 20, when England's official recognition of the great fair was made. Lord Richard Xevill. attired in the army regimentals of Great Britain, attended as file personal emissary of the King to make the presentation of a gold cup to the Exposition for competition in the yachting regatta, beginning on August 14. The trophy was a very handsome one, and is mined at £ISOO. The speakers paid many tributes to the Sailor King, designating the occasion as unique, as King George was the only monarch to send evidence of his love of sport and his friendship for the United States. Lord Nevill read congratulatory messages from the lung and the Duke of Connaught, and said if it had not been for such troublous times a more worthy representative would have been sent. The waving of the red, wliite and blue flag of Britain and the playing of our National Anthem was much appreciated by the large number of Britishers who were present, many of whom had a few words of conversation with the bearer of the lung's message, as he is familiar with Canada, New Zealand and Australia, having spent many years in the latter country as aide-de-camp to several Governors. During the ceremony one of the speakers (a judge), in referring to British rule, commented on the Justice of her law courts, which was in marked contrast to that which prevails in this country, and he said that America could weil take a lesson from the ldnd of the Sailor King. But the local papers never mentioned a word of anyone suggesting such a thing as copying anything from England!

AMERICA'S -PREPAREDNESS. The'question as to whether America should prepare herself for an emergency is exercising the minds of leading men, and addresses are being given in pulpits and public places whenever an opportunity offers. Theodore Roosevelt is very much to the fore in giving expression to his opinion, urging the. public to awake and see that their country does not become as China is through being unprepared for war. "Peace is what we want." he says, "but not at -any price. If America's shores are left unprotected because tie nation is opposed to war and wants to sail along quietly, they will one day find that some nation will take advantage of it." Several other leading men support this outspoken man. William Jennings Bryan, who is spoken of as the silver-tongued orator of the States, and who recently resigned from the Cabinet, is right up against.- Roosevelt, and accuses him. and his followers of being military jingoists; and suggests thai they should be placed in the front rank if it should ever come to a war. Mr. Bryan is very fond of quoting the peaceful relations which exist between Canada and the States as a reason why his country should not arm. He preached a "sermon at Dr. Aked's Congregational Church to an overflowing congregation, where, of course, he had a sympathetic hearing, but his arguments were far from being convincing that America would be safe without an army or navy.

Dr. Aked, who has a strong position here as a minister, supports Bryan, and makes a point of belittling Roosevelt, while some papers say that the colonel does not intend to contest'the - presidency, or he would not be so outspoken; at the same time, they advocate keeping out of the present war, but being prepared for any future emergency. TEB W ARRIXG PEOPLE. The German element is very strong on the Pacific Coast, and, with the exception of Milwaukee, has more followers than a.ny other part of the States. Mainpeople pride themselves on the neutral position that America has taken, while others point out that she could not have done anything else, because her navy has nothing to fight, and her ariny is not worth talking about. A number of Germans have been convening meetings to advocate the continuace of America's neutrality, and decorated the rooms with Germai'. and State flags. There being a large number of German sympathisers here, uic would think they were in a ma.jorii'y against the Allies, judging by the noise they make, and the prominence given in some of the papers to German news, the Tlearst papers being particularly conspicuous in that respect. The average Britisher seems to hear and see a lot without even raising his voice of protest, whilst little bands of Germans can be seen in various parts of the city discussing matters, and speaking in no uncertain way what is going to happen to the Allies, and also what they are doing to kec-p Germany on top.

The Brltiali-.4mer.ican League, which is in sympathy with t!ie Allies, is doing what it can to conciliate the disaffected Irish, some of whom aw pro-German. They recently held an 'tfrish evening," at wluch speeches, sones and dances all had reference to the Fmerald Isle, anrt one of the principal speakers was Dr. Buckley, a brother of Kir Pntriok Bucklev.

Mrs. Philip Snowdcn lias been lecturing in the city, and recently took Dr. Aked's pulpit, preaching on "Peace." Like many clergymen, she quotes Scripture, and uses worn-cat platitudes which have no bearing on the war, and after her oration And poets' quotations you leave the building wondering if she has any idea of how she oould end the struggle. b

OVERSEAS CLUB, i The Overseas Club, which is a branch 0 " the Motherland institution', meets here c!" !<u 7 an( ' although its membership is 130, it Is ft lire concern, and the ■ (^ r - Marison), together willi his wife a'" 4 da 4 u S ht< ' r > take a personal interest in it, aiiu week something is organised to entertau?'* bers—such as lectures, concerts, caru& or dance?. A few weeks ago Captain i Xeisigh, tiie intelligence officer at the Commonwealth pavilion, gave an illustrated address on "Australia," pointing out that it was the healthiest country in the world except its neighbor, New Zealand. Last week Lord Xevill was entertained by the club, and a reception was held, when members and visitors from all parts of the* British, dominions were introduced to the genial lord. WHAT IS TROUBLING THE PEOPLE. Conferences of every conceivable description are being held now that the fair is on, and the religions question naturailly looms large, consequently evangelical meetings are diiawing crowd# g{ses>fc| ; A temporary building, wMflli 'Seats wdb people-has bfcen erected, a-tyd is known as the Tabernacle, where R&v. John McXei), the noted Scotch evauga*

list, drew packed (houses; also William Jennings Bryan, and Rev. "Billy" Sonday. The latter is quite a character and makes people listen to foam. He has been a baseball player, and uses a fair amount of slang to express himself, which makes the people understand hhn more readily. In telling hia hearers that it was the cut-throat politicians who rejected Christ ami not the common people, he said the latter laid their garments at 'llis feet, saying which he took off his coat an I laid it an tli« floor. A little while after he stood on the railing of the rostrum and shrieked: "Away with your damnable Unitarian doctrine," when he wanted to convince them that Christ was the Son of God. He warmed up on the subject, divested himself of his collar and tie, stood on a chair, and held forth: ''You don't want to go back 2000 years in history to find the class of people who would crucify Christ—they would do it in Sam Francisco to-day." Getting still warmer, lie mounted the thin top rail of his pulpit, gave the men of the world a bad hit, and eulogised the women, concluding with a prayer. The meeting was timed to commence at 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, but the building was packed at 1 o'clock, and 1000 people were left in the afreets. As if in opposition to the churchpeople, the National Rationalists Association are holding their free-thought congress. The speakers claim that Christ is a myth, and that religion lias been the curse of many centuries. The reason that it has not been the Jltrse of America is because there is not much in it. One speaker, in an hours' speech, professed to prove that Christ was never a living person. He tore the four gospels to pieces, quoted passages which contradicted each other, and likewise contradicted himself, and wound up by saying that Ghiist did not establish the Church, but that the Church established Christ. They had a tilt a.t Dr. Aked and the way he gets the dollars for keeping tlie myth going; referred to Billy Sunday in sarcastic terms, and called the tabernacle "the sheep-yard over the way."' They Claim that their object is to try and make people happy and try to civilise the Christians. From what the writer could see the average man goes into the building expecting to hear something new, but all he gets is the usual amount of tearing to pieces of the structure upon which civilisation is built, and receives nothing in its place.

Marriage and divorce. The number of divorces in this country has caused a conference to sit and discuss "Marriages and Divorce." The Bishop of Sacramento, speaking in the local cathedral the other Sunday, said the number of divorces granted was appalling. While the population had increased three-fold during the past thirty years, the divorces had increased twelvefold, and he said that a leading New York lawyer stated that as long as the ministers of the church were prepared to manry divorced persons for tile sake of the fee, so long would it continue. This caused a Totum to be issued showing the number of divorced persons married in the various churches in seven years, and while, the highest in two churches was o*er 1000 each, the total number registered in the Church of England during that period was only-Si, for the reason that the latter church will only perform the ceremony in the case of the innocent party. In order to stem the divorce tide it is proposed to make a federal law for divorce, and so many weeks' notice to be given before a license can be issued. The State of California, ranks near the top of the list in the matter of divorces.