The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-07-26
Mayor Pfenr,ig's
Official Good Bye

| sGood-bye-God Bless You to the
members of the Kenosha military COM
panies in the great patriotic meeting
held by the Elks on City Hall Square
on Saturday evening. Here was his
message of farewell to the two hundred
and twenty men who had volunteered
their services to fight the battles
of the nation.
/ Soldiers and Citizens of Kenosha:
come to you this evening with a
/ peculiar mission, mission both patrio-
tic and pathetic As the representative
of the old home town [ appear be-
fore you with a message of praise,
thanks, and love. My words hold joy
and sorrow strangely intertwined-joy
at the glory Of your manhood and sor-
row for the loss of your presence. A
/ Greek student once asked his master,
What is the hardest thing man can
do " The great philosopher replied;
''The hardest thing man can do is
to say Goodbye" If the ancient sage
was right am to attempt at this time
the hardest thing a man can do, !" for
have come to say Goodbye"
Soldiers of Uncle Sam, I bring YOU
the farewell of your fellow-townsmen
There is not heart in Kenosha this
evening that does not beat faster with
its pride for you. There is not a soul
in this city that does not feel thrill
of satisfaction as it sends you "out
there" to do or die for democracy and
/ truth The people who have seen your
valor and know your virtues. are gath
cred here to show an appreciation Of
/ heroes and breathe fond farewell to
friends. They are here to look again
into the eyes of men who have volun-
teered their services 20 their country
and who ere facing the horrors of gas
and the curtain of fire in order that
their fellowmen may live to en-
joy the pleasures of worldwide free
dom and democracy.
Soldiers of Uncle Sam, I bring you
the fears of the folks back home. You
are marching away to face the most
destructive engines of war the mind of
man has ever devised. You are going
to take your place along battle front
that has been drenched with liquid fire
and torn by bombs of DEATH You are
| leaving us to fight the most cruel and
resourceful enemy the world has ever
seen and to humble the most boastful
empire the universe has yet produced
We are proud of your courage and
resignation. But as we say % Goodbye"
it is with tears in our eyes and fears
in our hearts. We realize the dangers
that surround you and are made appre-
hensive by that knowledge Neverthe-
less we wish YOU to understand in part
ing that our fears are for your safety
and never for your valor. We are con
WINGED that your bravery will carry
you far and bring the most of you back
home to US laureled with praise and
shoulder-strapped with honor.
Soldiers of Uncle Sam bring to you
the hopes of those you love. We are
sending Won upon perilous mission but
we are confident that you will perform
/ it with Franco-American spirit. When
| y
| General Joffre sent to General Nivelle
this message: "The Huns are APP
preaching Verdun, the key to Paris
Hold it at all costs. The great
| Nivelle wired back: General, they
shall not pass - And they didn t,
The Teuton hurled all his Wanted
strength against the barricades of Yer
dun only to fall back in hopeless de-
feat. This is French resolution, the
spirit that made memorable a Marine
and humbled a HindenbErg. But not
all the heroes are in France. When
/ the late General Funston was fighting
| in Luzon his superior officer asked at a
| critical stage in skirmish: "Genersl
Funston, how long can you hold your
/ position?" The undaunted patriot
answered.: "Until l am mustered
out. " That is American persistence.
That is the spirit which will combine
with French resolution to drive the
| Teutons from the fair field of free
dom and hurl them back in headlong
fight upon the trembling trenches Of
Berlin. Tt is our hope that you will
exemplify that spirit Tt is our belief
that you will say with Nivelle, f'They
shall not pass" and with Funston, ~
viii hold my position until ] am mus
tered out" and join the army Of the
great immortals. This done you will
have performed your reasonable serv-
ice and all we hope for you.
Such is my message to you this even
ing, message of parting, of fear, and
hope. a message that breathes an appre-
hension for your safety but an abso
Lutte confidence in your courage. Tt
may be misquoted but never misunder-
stood It is an expression Of a senti-
ment SO sincere and so strong as to be
incapable of complete conveyance in
weaker words. Through it's inadequate
statements I say to you this evening,
not as an individual but as an entire
city: 9eSoldiers of Truth and Right,