The Monticellonian., 1918-12-06


 Congress in joint session, President Wilson formally announced his inten- tion to go to Paris or the peace con. ference, saying the allied govern ments have accepted principles enun- ciated by him for peace and it is his paramount duty to be present.
 The president said lie would be in close touch by cable ahd wireless and that Congress will know all that he does on the other side.
 The Presidents Message.
 Gentlemen of the Congress-The year that has elapsed since I last stood before you to fulfill my consti- tutiona1 duty to give to the Congress from time to time information on the state of the Union, has been so crowded with great events, great pro cesses and great results that I can not hope to give you an adequate picture of its transactions or of the far-reaehing changes which have been wrought in the life of our nation and of the world
 
 these things, as I have It is too soon to assess them; and we who stand in the midst of them and are part of them are less qualified than men of another generation will be to say what they mean or even what they have been. But some great out standing facts are unmistakable and constitute in sense part of the pub lie business with which 1t is our duty to deal To state them is to set the stage for the legislative and executive action which must grow out Of them and which we have yet to shape and determine.
 "A year ago we had sent 145.9fS men overseas. Since then we have sent 1,950.513 an average of 162,542 each month, the number in fact, ris. ing in May last to 245,951, in June to 27S,760, in July to BOT, ,1S2, and con tfnuing to reach similar figures in August and September-in August 2S9.570 and in September 257,43S.
 No such movement of troops ever
 
 miles of sea, followed by adequate equipment and supplies, and carried safely through extraordinary dangers of attaek-dangers which were alike strange and infinitely difficult to guard against. In all this movement only 75S men were lost by enemy at tacks-630 of whom were upon a single English transport which was sunk near the Orkney Islands.
 T need not tell you what lay back of this great movement of men and material It is not invidous to say that back of it lay supporting or ganization of the industries of the country and all it's productive activi- ties more complete, more thorough in method and effective in results, more spirited and unanimous in purpose and effort than any other great bellig- erent had ever been able to effect. We profted greatly by experience of the nations which had already been engaged for nearly three years in the exigent and eXacting business, their every resource and every executive proficiency taxed to the uttermost. We were the pupils. But We learned quickly and acted with a promptness and a readiness of cooperation that justify our great pride that we were able to serve the world with unpar- alleled energy and quick accomplish ment.
 But it is not the physical scale and executive efficiency Of prepara- ton, supply, equipment and dispatch kthat l would dwell upon, but the me- tie and quality of the officers and men we sent over and of the. sailors who kept the seas and the spirit of the nation that stood behind them. No soldiers, or sailors, ever proved them selves more quickly ready for the test of battle or acquitted themselves with more splendid courage and achieve ment when put to the test. Those of us who played some part in directing the great processes by which the war was pushed irresistibly forward to Z the final triumph may now forget all that and delight cur thoughts with the story of what our men did. Their of hcers understood the grim and exact ing task they had undertaken and performed with audacity, efficiency and unhesitating courage that touch the story of convoy and battle with imperishable distinction at every turn. whether the enterprise were great or small-from their chiefs, Pershing and Sims, down to the youngest lieu tenant, and the men were worthy of them-.such men as hardly need to be commanded and go to their terrible adventure blithely and with the quick intelligence of those who know just
 Vienna Averts Famine.