Speech on "America" delivered at banquet for the Norwegian Student Singers at the Sherman House,

Chicago, May 22nd 1905.

While I naturally would esteem it a great honor under any circumstances to speak on this occasion, to address these guests of ours, I feel it to be an especial privilege to do so when this body of men is headed by Grøndahl. The great master of song, under whose baton also I piped with boyish treble for many years, until he suddenly one day announced: "Gade, your voice is cracking, and you'll have to stop; instead of song you lucky dog may now have the hour free!" I did not consider myself lucky; for somehow the manner of teaching or the personality of the master, or perhaps both combined, had made that school hour a treat and not a drudgery. In these distant after years I can trace to those hours of song under Grøndahl the germ of the musical feeling and understanding that have brought such infinite pleasure in later life.

As the toastmaster has imposed no restrictions in connection with the subject "America' alloted to me, I feel at liberty to follow freely the bent of my inclination and say a word of fraternal advice to the Norwegian student from his brother, the American college graduate. We who missed the greatest distinction in the world, that of becoming civis academicus in Christiania, and have had to content ourselves with the next best thing, that of a

sheepskin from an American University, are none the less your full fledged academical brethren.

"Ja Brødre, herligt er vort Kald,

At vogte Aandens høie Alter, etc.'

and as such brother I feel I have the right to talk with you in a very direct, nay, outspoken and intimate way.

Now in coming to this country, as most of you do for the first time, you are naturally somewhat confused and puzzled as to what to believe about it, the accounts given you being so conflicting and contradictory. In the wellknown poem of "Flugten til Amerika" occur the impressive lines: "Guldet ligger for ens Fod; man bukker sig kun for at ta' det". You there had presented to you a certain version, which now may cause you disappointment, and I am forced to admit that the description in that poem was the slightest bit optimistic. On the other hand, the Norwegian papers, and particularly the conservative ones (which, as we all know, never fail in perfect charity, humanity and fairness) have assiduously supplied you with exactly the opposite kind of description, abounding in tales of most dreadful robbery and murder; tales labeled "Amerikansk," which, if not actually scaring you away from the country altogether, at least would cause you, as prudent men, to hesitate long and then to take out all possible life insurance before coming, and to arm yourselves abundantly with revolvers and tomahawks to be on equal footing with the ferocious natives. By this time, gentlemen (you still look pretty sound and ablebodied!) you may have discovered that all of these pre

cautions were not absolutely necessary.

still, do you know what to believe of America?

But

In your rapid flight over this country, you birds of passage (you are barely giving us a chance to listen to your melodious note) will notice that the air through which you pass is often smoky and foul, that your foot cannot easily find a clean place to alight on, at least not on our city streets, that the boys threaten with slings and stones, for such is the method of our strikes! If you pause long enough, you may also observe many evidences of corruption, political and otherwise-much that is not as it should be. Brothers, is this all? Is this America? Verily, verily no, it is not; it is only the surface, the mere outside of things. If you cannot see beyond it, if you cannot reach beneath it, your journey, as far as learning to know America goes, will have been in vain.

For you should know, and if you realy seek, you will find, that under the negligence and carelessness and apparent corruption there is great national earnestness, energy and principle, which once aroused, are capable of accomplishing any task, however great and difficult.

That under the vanities and weaknesses of the nation, there is an abundant and never-failing store of good national common sense, which in the end always asserts itself in the determination of any really vital issue.

That under the capriciousness and fickleness that often mark the public's treatment of so-called national heroes, lauded to the skies one day, only to be ridiculed the next, there is a constant and enduring belief in and reverence for truly heroic deeds and lofty ideals.

That under the pernicious system that centers vast fortunes in a few individual hands-the trusts with all their attendant evils making for plutocracy, there is a universal grand democratic feeling that demands equal opportunities to all and fair play for all-what may be called "The American Spirit".

It is the American spirit that more than anything else lays hold of the newcomer and converts him into a good loyal citizen of this, his adopted country. May you, while here, feel some touch of this American spirit and carry away with you some appreciation of it; for then you will have partaken of the greatest blessing this country has to bestow!

Letter to the President of the United States accompanying petition for recognition of Norway's new government

Lake Forest, June 28, 1905.

To the President of the United States,

Oyster Bay, Long Island,

Honored Sir:

New York.

I beg herewith respectfully to hand you the petition of nearly twenty thousand Norwegians residing in and near Chicago, asking that you will, at the earliest opportunity, signify your recognition of the new Government of Norway.

This government is a de facto government in full, complete and peaceable control and possession of the governmental machinery and functions of the country, was established by the unanimous action of the representatives of the people, and is supported by the entire people of Norway.

Nearly one-third of the entire Norwegian population of the world resides in the United States under your care and protection, and these citizens of the United States, following the events in their old home with the deepest interest and concern, earnestly hope that their Country of adoption will be the first to accord friendly recognition to their Country of birth.

Most respectfully,

F. Herman Gade,

Chairman of Committee having

petition in charge.