Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-04
WILSONPAYS
VETERANS
TRIBUTE
President, in Mastery Speech,
Stirs the Great Throngs on
Historic Battlefield.

GETTYSBURG, PA. July 5.-Presi-
dent Wilson sounded the final note
Of the battle of peace at the golden
anniversary Of the battle of Gettys-
burg in an address before several
thousand of the veterans, both blue
and gray, in the great reunion tent
to-day.
Although practically every Presi-
dent since the great war, including
Lincoln, has visited the battlefield
here, Wilson is the first, except Lin
coin, who came to address the old
veterans, and for whom the national
salute Of p guns was fired. He is
the first since Lincoln to come in an
official capacity.
AS the President alighted from the
train down in Gettysburg a battery
Of field artillery from Fort Myer.
Va, stationed at the Pennsylvania
College on Seminary Ridge. fred the
national salute Of II guns. He was
met by Colonel Schoonmaker, presi-
dent Of the Gettysburg celebration
commission. who escorted him in an
automobile to the tent two miles
away.
Out on old historic. battleswept
| Emmittsburg Road they went. COW
ering in five minutes in a swift motor
the path taken by Lincoln. who took
half an hour in an old carriage. y
Thousands Greet President.
The greatest number to see the
President doubtless were the greata
mass Of visitors stopping in the cit
and the thousands who came fro
the countryside. The entire tent b
been reserved for the veterans &
there was much vacant space.
This was due to the fact that ma
veterans had a misunderstanding :
to whether the President was actuaHy4
coming. a rumor having spread
broadcast throughout the camp last
night that he had again Cancelled his
engagement. Others felt the Presi-
dent was Indifferent and still others
had gone home.
The President was received by As
sistant Secretary of War Breckfn-
ridge, as representing the War De-
partment in charge of the camp, and
he was introduced to the audience by
Governor Tener, representing the
State of Pennsylvania as host to the
veterans.
Immediately upon concluding his
address the President was escorted
from the rear of the tent to his car.
which had been switched around
through the camp. and he passed out
through Long Lane. the central thor
oughfare of the great camp.
He did not attempt to make an IN
spection. but was carried through to
the main line of the road and started
at once for Cornish, N. H.
Nearly 10000 veterans left this
morning and an equal number viii
get away this afternoon, if the trains
can handle them.
About 5000 had left previously up
to this morning. The greater part
of the army of the veterans Will
leave tomorrow, although the War
Department is prepared to keep them
Saturday night and feed them Sun
day morning.
The Presidents Address.
President Wilson, in addressing the
veterans, said:
Friends and Fellow Citizens: need
not tell you what the battle of Get
tysburg meant. These gallant men ia
blue and gray sit all about US here.
Many Of them met here upon this
ground in grim and deadly struggls~
Upon these famous fields and hill
sides their comrades died about them
In their presence it were an tmper-
thence to discourse on how the battle
went, how 1t ended. what 1t signifcd,
But 80 years have gone by since then,
and 1 crave the privilege Of speaking
to YOU for a few minutes Of what
those so years have meant.
What have they meant? They have
meant peace and union and vigor and
the maturity and might of a great
nation. How wholesome and healing
the past has been. We have found
one another again as brothers and
comrades in arms, enemies no longer,
generous friends rather, our battle
song past. the quarrel forgotten-ex-