Monday Evening, November 10. (Forum Meeting) B. C. FORBES Of Forbes Magazine "THE CHANGED ATTITUDE OF BIG BUSINESS TOWARD LABOR " Banquet Hall, 9th Floor, eight o'clock Thursday Evening, November 13 JOSEPH C. LINCOLN "OLD CAPE COD CHARACTERS " Auditorium, eight o'clock WILLIAM C. CRAWFORD will preside. A native of Brewster, Mass., and for many years a resident near Boston, the return to the City Club of this distinguished author, known throughout the country for his famous stories of Cape Cod, will be greeted by a host of friends and admirers. Those who do not know him should take advantage of this opportunity to become acquainted with one of the best-known American humorists. Dinner at 6 o'clock. Tickets are required for the dinner only, and may be procured at the Civic Secretary's office. HOLMAN DAY Speakers at dinner: NIXON WATERMAN Thursday Evening, November 20 CARL E. AKELEY (American Museum of Natural History) "BIG GAME HUNTING IN EQUATORIAL AFRICA " Dr. HERMON C. BUMPUS will preside. Auditorium, eight o'clock (No tickets required) Mr. Akeley, who is probably the foremost authority in this country on big game, has made three extended hunting trips to the heart of Africa, where he had many thrilling adventures, and procured a most remarkable collection of photographs and motion pictures. His last expedition was for the purpose of securing a series of elephants which are to form a monumental group in the American Museum of Natural History. In this effort he had the coöperative assistance of Colonel Roosevelt, and among other interesting incidents he will tell of an elephant hunt with the ex-President and exhibit lantern slides showing the Roosevelt expedition in action. For several years Mr. Akeley was chief taxidermist at the Field Columbian Museum in Chicago, and since 1909 he has had charge of the African Hall in the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Dinner at six o'clock Dinner tickets at the office of the Civic Secretary Note: James Barnes, of New York, and Rev. Gabriel R. Maguire, both of whom have hunted in Africa, have been invited to speak at the dinner. Monday Evening, November 24 (Forum Meeting) PROF. LEO WEINER Of Harvard University "SELF-DETERMINATION OF PEOPLES " Banquet Hall, 9th Floor, eight o'clock Thursday Evening, November 27 THANKSGIVING DAY (No entertainment) ADVANCE ANNOUNCEMENT Thursday Evening, December 4 ISAAC F. MARCOSSON "GERMANY TO-DAY" Auditorium, eight o'clock Mr. Marcosson arrived from an extended trip in Germany only a few days ago. As he will not appear upon the public lecture platform this season, members of the City Club will have an exclusive opportunity to learn the latest information on Germany from one of the most popular writers and speakers of to-day. Dinner at 6 o'clock Tickets for the dinner may be secured at the office of the Civic Secretary. BOSTON CITY CLUB FORUM November Program Monday Evening, November 10 B. C. FORBES, of Forbes Magazine. Attitude of Big Business toward Labor." Subject: "The Changed Mr. Forbes is one of the best-known magazine writers, and has perhaps a larger acquaintanceship among men of big business than any other man of his profession. He is thoroughly familiar with the modern business and industrial conditions and is in a splendid position to give us facts and information on “The Changed Attitude of Big Business toward Labor." Monday Evening, November 24 PROF. LEO WEINER, of Harvard University. Subject: SelfDetermination of Peoples." Perhaps no one in the country is better qualified to discuss this subject than Professor Weiner. He is conversant with the situation in middle Europe, has strong sympathies with the aspirations of the small nations who are struggling for self-expression, and as a fearless speaker is sure to create a very interesting discussion. Monday Evening, December 8 JUDGE A. C. BACKUS, of Milwaukee, will speak on "What Society Owes the Erring." Judge Backus has made a wonderful record in the handling of adult delinquents, and is rapidly attaining a reputation equal to that of Judge Lindsey in his work with children in Denver. This is Judge Backus's first visit to the East, and we have reason to believe that his appearance will be an inspiration to our City Club Forum. ADDRESS BY HON. JOHN C. FERGUSON October 16, 1919 INTRODUCTION BY JAMES T. WILLIAMS, JR. Guests and Fellow-Members of the Boston City Club, Your chairman asks the opportunity of expressing his appreciation of the privilege of presiding over a meeting made up of such splendid representatives of the red-blooded Americanism that characterizes the citizenship of Boston. The privilege is the more appreciated because it carries with it the pleasure and the high honor of presenting the distinguished guest of the evening. It is characteristic of his thoughtfulness and generous courtesy that he should have suggested that I ask your permission, before introducing him, to send, in your name, a telegram to a member of this club upon whom has been bestowed this day the highest non-political honor that can be bestowed in your day and in mine upon a citizen of Massachusetts. I ask your permission, at Dr. Ferguson's suggestion, to send a telegram of congratulation to Col. Edward L. Logan, who has this day been elected the first commander of the Massachusetts Branch of the American Legion. [Great applause.] Several distinguished gentlemen were invited to join us this evening in paying tribute to Dr. Ferguson. Fidelity to their official obligations prevents them from being here. Allow me to read the four telegrams that I have received, expressing the regret of the senders. "I regret very much that owing to the necessity of being in Washington every minute at the present phase of the consideration of the treaty, I cannot accept your kind invitation. I should like very much to have the privilege of again hearing Dr. Ferguson. Dr. Ferguson understands, as few men in this country understand, the fatal blow to the integrity of China which will result by the transfer of the alleged rights which Germany claims to possess in China, to the empire of Japan. "[Signed] FRANK B. BRANDEGee." I read a telegram from President Taft's Secretary of State, Philander C. Knox, Senator from Pennsylvania [reading]: "Your letter misplaced in my office. I am profoundly sorry that I cannot be present to assist the members of the Boston City Club in honoring Dr. John C. Ferguson, whose Americanism, always fine, has never been more true than now." The third telegram [reading]: "Have just returned from the West and find your letter inviting me to be present at dinner Thursday night to Dr. Ferguson. I regret exceedingly I am unable to be present. Not only have Dr. Ferguson's ability and high character commanded my very great respect, but his delightful personality won my lasting regard. I saw him as a witness before the Foreign Relations Committee, and no witness ever appeared here with a greater mastery of his subject or whose testimony was more convincing. I wish that it were possible for me to be with you and tell you and those associated with you the high opinion I entertain for Dr. Ferguson and the great contribution he has made to one of the most important phases in the pending controversy. I join with you in every good wish to the doctor. [Great applause.] "[Signed] HIRAM W. JOHNSON." The last telegram reads [reading]: Regret extremely that I cannot leave the Senate to speak anywhere at present, owing to my duties here. Am particularly disappointed that I cannot accept invitation of Boston City Club because I have highest opinion of Dr. Ferguson, who has rendered great service in China, both to the Chinese government and to the United States. He also has been of very great assistance in trying to make the League covenant safe for the United States. A majority of the Senate is for strong reservations, and without those reservations the treaty cannot pass. Am very sorry I cannot share with you in the cordial greeting which I know will be given to Dr. Ferguson and which he will so thoroughly deserve. '(Signed] HENRY CABOT LODGE." Thoreau tells us in one of his noblest passages, that it takes two telling the truth, the one to speak it and the other to hear it. The truth about China, therefore, will be heard here to-night because we have a man eminently qualified to tell it and an audience honestly eager to hear it. An introduction on my part would be presumptuous. I can only reiterate my appreciation of the privilege and honor of presenting one of America's truth tellers in one of the most critical periods of American life, a man who, although his duty has carried him for many years to China, returns to us every two or three years with this rare distinction: Every year that he returns he comes back a stronger and truer American than ever before, Dr. John C. Ferguson. [Great applause, the members rising.] DR. JOHN C. FERGUSON Gentlemen of the City Club, I am profoundly touched and deeply moved not only by the kind reception which you have just given me but also by the telegrams from those distinguished gentlemen. I had not known that they had been invited. I appreciate, more than I can say, their kindly words which I feel that I so little deserve; for, after all, when one has but attempted his obvious duty, there is little that need be said in praise. I think that those of us who have stayed at home or have taken a part in this great World War which did not take us into the front line and the trenches, which did not cause us any anxiety as to our own personal safety, which did not give us any thought as to the possible sorrow which might come to those whom we might leave behind us, those of us who have taken more or less of a passive part in this great world struggle, have but little that needs to be said about us. In the disposition of the affairs of the world, at the Paris Peace Conference, it is said that we sat down with the other nations, and that it was necessary for us to consider their wishes and to make compromises. We all know how true this is to a certain extent, and yet I have not escaped, at all, the feeling that if we had been as vigorous in Paris in asserting the principles which took us into the war and had not hidden our own light under a bushel and had not tried to compromise our own American ideals and leveled them down to the level of nations which had been accustomed to compromise, which had not been accustomed to as high an idealistic spirit as our nation, that we could have accomplished very much more. |