Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-07
GERMAN SOCIETIES TAKE
PART IN BIG PARADE
Chorus of 1000 Voices Is Heard in
Patriotic Songs.
MISS HELEN TAFT DRAWS CORD
Addresses by the President, the Ger
man Ambassador and Representa-
tive Bartholdt of Missouri.
Delegations From New York.


which enfolded the cheerless camp of
the great commander r-in-chief at Valley
Forge when barefoot colonials tracked
their course in blood over the pitiless
snow. the United States of America, 133
years later, this afternoon. at the capital
OF the nation unveiled the statue of
Frederick Wilhelm August Won Steuben.
the adjutant general of the armies of
Frederick the Great. the friend of Wash
ington and the great inspector OF the
colonial army that wrested its independ-
ence from the British crown.
Surrounding the tribute of bronze were
thousands of Won Steuben's countrymen.
proud of heart and eXultant at the honor
conferred upon their great representative.
who. in his time. conferred honor upon
their adopted country and gave to it all
the force of his military wisdom and
skill in it's fight for liberty. Not
the barefoot and disorganized stragglers
Of the patriotic army of long ago. but
officers and troops of an army and navy
second to none in Christendom were
gathered with them, while on all sides
americans to the manner born Joined
With all in the tribute to the memory of
ihe great man who yet lives in the
'roudest annals of their native land.
Chorus of 1000 Voices.
After a ringing chorus by nearly
thousand voices Of the Northeastern
fingers Association and the invocation
hy Rev. DR.. Charles F. Steck, Jacob M.
Dickinson. Secretary Of War; who pre-
sided at the ceremonies, introduced Rep
resentative Richard Bartholdt of Mis-
souri,, who delivered the opening ad-
dress. Recounting the effect Of the Dec
laration of Independence, 1.-The greatest
political deliverance in history" upon the
sovereigns and peoples of Europe, the in
ruler, and its wide effect generally, Mr..
Bartholdt reviewed the influences
brought to bear on Baron Won Steuben
that resulted in his allying himself With
the American cause December at
the age Of forty-seven, after a distin-
euished military career with the armies
of Frederick the Great. and at a time
when things looked rather blue for the
colonials. THE cause of all the reverses,"
declared the speaker. had mainly been
the lack of discipline. Up to that time
American soldiers had fought only
against Indians. which. it is true, caused
them to excel in Workmanship. in skir-
mishing and in the ability to undergo
great hardships. but they could not well
hold their own in open battle against the
we'll trained British.
The Man for the Time.
The French government was fully
aware Of that fact, and it also recognized
that Baron Steuben. the pupil of Freder-
lex the Great, would be the right sort Of
man to create order out of chaos, to
properly drill and equip the American
army and make it equal to any emer-
sency. The appeals In behalf of Amen-
IAN freedom found an echo in Steuben'S
heart, and he accepted the offers made
10 him. When. after a voyage of more
than two months he landed at Ports
mouth. the first news he received was of
important American successes in the state
OF New York, and of the surrender of the
English general, Burgoyne. with his whole
army. New York. PHILADELPHIA and near
" the whole coast, however, were still
~ the possession of the British, and
Washingtons army was nearly frozen and
starved to death in winter quarters at
Valley Forge. Steuben was everywhere
received with due honors.
Congress readily accepted the offer
II liis services as volunteer, granted
him the rank of major general. and
intrusted him with the task to drill the
troops and establish better order in the
commissary and other departments
The reception of Won Steuben oy WASH
iugton and the army, his monumental
task and the difficulties he experienced
in performing it, and his ultimate sue
cess as inspector general and chief OF
STAN up TO the time when the American
Steuben's plans. Wee reviewed Mr..
Bartholdt then referred to the surrender
OF CORVALLIS to the German general,
after difference with Lafayette. which
was settled only by appeal to Washing
ton himself.
Worthy of Lasting Gratitude.
This, my friends he said "is but a
meager account of Baron Steubens great
achievements. but enough has been dis
closed to satisfy us that he is worthy of
the lasting gratitude of the American
people. What he was he was through
himself. He had to conquer every foot
Of ground and for years his fellow
officers. with few honorable exceptions
regarded him with distrust and enmity
until he could beat a path AMI by his
own merit overcome the prejudices of his
comrades. His services were ON be-
ginning 10 end. acts Of personal Ienuncia-
tion. and only the satisfaction Of duty
well performed, the growing prospects of
nnal success. and probably the conviction
that II would be difficult for othe to
III his particular place. could inspire the
loyalty and cheerfulness of his work
With him selfish considerat tiOns were ever
pushed into the background by his re-
gard for the public welfare and the
sacredness of the cause His lif proved
to be true what he wrote to Congre SIS !:
When i drew my sword made a solemn
VOW that only death could compel me
10 give up befor" Great Britain would
recognize America independence
The speaker then recounted the various
testimonials to Won Steubens worth CON
tributed by Congress and the states and
finally quoted the last letter written Inv
Washington himself before his retirement
in which his feelings of gratitude and af.
fection for Won Steuben were specially
mentioned
Died in America
In conclusion. Mr. Bartholdt said:
Unlike many other foreign officers
Baron Steuben never returned to his ma
tive country, but died November IS, 1874