The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-12-06
GOES TO FRANCE
TO MAKE GOOD
President Tells Congress Para
mount Duty Is to Be at
Peace Conference.
To KEEP NATION POSTED
Congress to Know All Details of Par.
ley by cabIe-Reconstruction 10
Left to Lawmakers-Urges
Woman Suffrage.

Washington, Dec. 3.-Following is
the full text of President Wilson's
message, delivered by him before both
houses of congress,
Text of the Message.
Gentlemen of the Congress-:
The year that has elapsed since l
last stood before you to fulfill my con-
stitutional duty to give the congress,
from time to time, information on the
state of the Union has been SO crowd
ed with great events, great processes
and great results that l cannot hope
to give you an adequate picture of its
transactions or of the far-reaching
changes which have been wrought in
the life of our nation and of the world.
You have yourselves witnessed these
things as / have. 1t is too soon to as
sess 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 outstanding facts are
part of the public 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 1888 men
overseas. Since then we have sent
1,950,513, an average of 162,542 each
month, the number in fact rising in
May last to 245,951, in June to 1880,
in July to 307,1S2 and continuing to
reach similar figures in August and
September-in August 2S9.570 and in
September 257,438.
Movement Is Unique.
No such movement of troops ever
took place before, across 5000 miles
of sea, followed by adequate equip
ment and supplies and carried safely
through extraordinary dangers Of at
tack = dangers which were alike
strange and infinitely difficult to guard
against. In all this movement only
1853 men were lost by enemy attacks
$50 of whom were upon single Eng
lish transport, which was sunk near
the Orkney islands.
Fighters Are Praised.
But it is not the physical scale and
executive efficiency of preparation,
supply, equipment and dispatch that l
would dwell upon, but the mettle 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 themselves more
quickly ready for the test of battle
or acquitted themselves with more
splendid courage and achievement
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 the
final triumph may now forget all that
and delight our thoughts with the
story of what our men did.
I need not tell you what lay back of
this great movement of men and ma
terial. 1t is not invidious to say that
back of it lay supporting organiza-
ton of the industries Of the country
and all it's productive activities more
complete, more thorough in method
and effective in results, more spirited
and unanimous In purpose and effort
than any other great belligerent had
ever been able to effect. We profited
greatly by the experience of the ma
lions which had already been en-
gagged for nearly three years in the
exigent and exacting business, their
every resource and every executive
proficiency taxed to the utmost. We
were the pupils, but we learned quick
ly and acted with promptness and a
readiness of cooperation that justify
our great pride that we were able to
serve the world with unparalleled
energy and quick accomplishment.
Their officers understood the grim
and exacting task they had undertaken
and performed with audacity, eff
cheney 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 young
est lieutenant, and their men worthy
of them-such men as hardly need to
be commanded, and go to their ter
rible adventure blithely and with the
quick intelligence of those who know
just what it is they would accomplish.
/ am proud to be the fellow country
man of men of such stuff and valor.
Those of us who stayed at home did
our duty-the war could not have been
won or the gallant men who fought it
given their opportunity to win it other
wise; but for many long day we
shall think ourselves "accursed we
were not there and hold our manhood
cheap while any speaks that fought"
with these at St. Mihiel or Thierry.
The memory of those days Of triumph
ant battle will go with these fortu-
nate men to their graves, and each will
have his favorite memory. "Old men
forget, yet all shall be forgot, but he'll
remember with advantages what feats
he did that day."
Germans Beaten Back.
What we Nall thank God for with
deepest gratitude Is that our men went