The Alaska daily empire., 1917-11-24

Americans will find it hard to read without dir ming eyes the tribute paid by French officer the American privates Enright, Gresham and Ha the first to fall under the American flag in Franc
 It is well reread and to remember the ft lowing:
 "In the name of the tn Division in the name of the French army and in the name Of France bid farewell to Private Enright, pri- vate Gresham and Private Hay of the Ameri- army.
 "Of their own free will they had left pros porous and happy country to come over here They knew war continuing in Europe; they knew that the forces fighting for the hon or, love of justice and civilization were still checked by the long prepared forces serving the powers of brutal domination, oppression and barbary. They knew that efforts were generous hearts and they have not forgotten old historical memories, while others forget more recent ones.
 They ignored nothing of the circumstances and nothing had been concealed from them neither for the length and hardships of the war, for the violence of battle nor the dreadful of new weapons, not the perfidy of the foe. Nothing stopped them. They adopted the hard and strenuous life they crossed the ocean at great peril; they took their places the front by side, and they have fallen facing the foe in hard and desperate hand-tohand fight. Honor to them Their families, friends and fel- low citizens will be proud when they learn of their deaths
 Men These graves the first to be dug in our national soil and only short distance from d and Allies firmly cling to in the common task, confirming the will of the people and the army of the United States to fight with to finish, ready to sacrifice so long as it is neces- sary until final victory for the most noble of causes that of liberty of nations, the weak as well as the mighty. Thus the deaths of these humble soldiers appear to us with eXtraordn- ary grandeur.
 We will therefore ask that the mortal re mains of these young be left here left with us forever. We inscribe on the tombs,
 Here Lie the First Soldiers of the Republic of the United States to Fall the Soil of France for Liberty and Justice The passerby will stop and uncover his head. Travellers will stop and men of heart will go of their way to come here and to pay their respective tr- butes.
 Private Enright! Private Gresham, Pr yate Hay! In the name of France I thank you God receive your souls. Farewell.
 Theodore O'Iiara poet, soldier American patri, who sleeps beneath messy marble in ground at Fran fort, hallowed by formal Kentucky statute sang his "Bvouac of the Dead' that the ashes of f brave should be claimed from war, as its rche spoil and returned to the warriors native land
 Ordinarily the rule laid down by this prize sp among kentuckans should be obeyed but in this stance 1t may well be waived The graves of Privat Enrght Gresham and Hay should remain forev Tn France where the first Americans wearing t American uniform. under the American flag, di in Europe for Americas conception of liberty fir, dom from the dictates of throne and crown inc verse peacably and unassailed the open roads of { world. by land or sea-
 Nothing is more fitting than that the graves three private soldiers from America should becoi a shrine of liberty in France visited by Europea and Americans as the milestone upon the highway human progress, marking the point at which f flame of freedom which had burned bravey bright and steadily since the inauguration of the Amerc Revolution flared back the Atlantic and lumined the scene of the struggle republican Fran against her hereditary enemy autocratic Prussia
 There are few-far too few-monuments to co mon soldiers. Let there be a lasting one to Privat Gresham. Enright and Hay France will keep t turf about it green. The feet of lovers of freedo will keep the pathway to it well beaten The soldie