New Britain herald., 1918-12-02

went in force into the line of battle
just at the critical moment when the
whole fate of the world seemed to
hang in the balance and threw their
fresh strength into tho ranks of free
dom in time to turn the whole tide
and sweep off the Hateful struggle
turn it once for all, SO that thence
forth it was back, back back for their
enemies, always back, never again
forward.
After that it was only a scant four
months before the commanders Of
the Central Empires knew them
selves beaten: and now their very
empires are in liquidation.
And throughout it ALL how fine
the spirit of the nation was what
unity of purpose, what untiring zeal.
What elevation OF purpose ran
through all it's splendid display of
strength, its untiring accomplishment.
l have said that those of US who
stayed at home to do the work of or
ganization and supply will always
wish that he had been with the men
whom we sustained by our labor; but
We can never be ashamed 1t has
been an inspiring thing to be here in
the midst of fine men who had turned
aside from every private interest of
their own and devoted the whole of
their trained capacity to the tasks
that supplied the sinews of the whole
great undertaking.
The patriotism, the unselfishness,
the thoroughgoing devotion and dis
tinguished capacity that marked their
toilsome labors day after day, month
after month, have made them fit
mates and comrades OF the men III the
trenches and on the sea. And not the
men here in Washington only. They
have but directed the vast achieve
ment Throughout innumerable fac
tories, upon innum cradle farms, in the
depths of coal mines and iron mines
and copper mines, wherever the 5tuffs
Of industry Werefto be obtained and
prepared, in the shipyards on the
railways, at the docks, on the sea, in
every labor that was needed to sus-
tain the battle lines, men have We'd
with each other to do their part and
do it we'll. They can look any man
alarms in the face and say: We also
strove to win and save the best that
was in us to make our fleets and ar
mics sure Of their triumph
And what shall we say of the wo-
men--of their instant intelligence,
quickening every task that they touch
ed; their capacity for organization and
cooperation, which gave their action
discipline and enhanced the effeC-
tiveness of everything they attempted:
their aptitude at tasks which they
had never before set their hands;
their utter self-sacrifice alike in what
they did and in what they gave?
Their contribution to the great result
is beyond apprisal They have add
ed a new lustre to the annals of Amer
Ncan womanhood.
The least tribute we can pay them
is TO make them the equals of men in
political rights as they have proved
themselves their equals in every field
of practical work they have entered,
whether for themselves of for their
country. These great days of conn
pleted achievements would be sadly
married were we to omit that act of
Justice. Besides the immense practical
services they have rendered, the wo-
men Of the country have been the
moving spirits in the systematic econ
omies by which our people have VOL
unfairly assisted to supply the suffer-
ing peoples of the world and the ar
niles upon every lTOHI Will IOoh dllo
everything else that we had that might
serve the common cause. The details
of such a story can never be fully
written, but we carry them at our
hearts and thank God that we can say
we are the knsn1en of such.
And now We are sure of the great
triumph for which every sacrifice was
made. 1t has come, come In It's COM
pleteness and with the pride and IN
SEPARATION of these days OF achievem emf
quick within us we turn to the tasks
of, peace again--a peace secure
against the violence of irresponsible
monarchs and ambitious missy CO.
teries, and made ready for q, new or
, der for new foundations of Justice
and fair dealing.
We are about to give order ard
organization to this peace, not only
fer ourselves but for the other peo-
pies of the world as we'll, SO far as
they will suffer us to serve them. Tt
Is interna tional justice that we seek,
not domestic safety merely. Our
thoughts have dwelt Of late upon Flu
rope, upon Asia, upon the Near and
the Far East. very little upon the acts
Of peace and accommodation that wait
to be performed at our own doors.
While we are adjusting our relations
with the rest of the world is il not of
capital importance that we should
clear away all grounds of misunder-