The Pulaskian., 1918-12-06
WILSON'S ADDRESS OPENS
new SESSION OF CONGRESS
FORMALLY Announces His Trip to Europe Take
Observation-Disclosures Hope of Public SuppOrt-Desires
to See Treaty of Peace by Sprng-No Definite
Program of Reconstruction at This Time.

Washington. - In an address tt
Congress in joint session, President
Wilson formally announced his inten
zion to go to Paris or the peace con
aorence, saying the allied govern
tnents have accepted principles enun
Elated by him for peace and it is his
paramount duty to be present.
The president said he would be in
close touch by cable and wireless and
that Congress viii 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-
emtional duty to give to the Congress
from time to time information on the
state of the Union; has been SO
cTowded with great events, great pro-
eesses and great results that can
mot hope to give you an adequate
wfcture Of its transactions or of the
aar-reaching changes which have been
wrought in the life of our nation and
OF the world
You have yourselves witnessed
these things, as / have It is too
hoon to assess them; and we who
Etand in the midst of them and are
part Of them are less qualified than
fnen 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 a sense part of the pub
Tic business with which 1t is our
auty TO deal. To state them is to
set the stage for the legislative and
executive action which must grow out
cR them and which we have yet to
shape and determine.
"A year ago we had sent 1898
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 3e7,fS2, and con-
efnuing to reach similar figures in
August and September-in August
sxSs,570 and in September 257,43S.
NsNo such movement of troops ever
took place, across three thousand
Eniies OF sea, followed by adequate
equipment and supplies, and carried
safely through extraordinary dangers
OF attack-dangers which were alike
strange and infinitely difficult to
guard against. In all this movement
emily 75S men were lost by enemy at
aacks-630 of whom were upon a
single English transport which was
sunk near the Orkney Islands.
Il need not tell you what lay back
CT this great movement of men and
material. 1t is not invidous to say
that back of it lay a supporting or
Ganization of the industries of the
country and all its 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 profited greatly by experience of
the nations which had already been
engaged for nearly three years in the
exfgent and exacting business, their
every resource and every executive
proficiency taxed to the uttermost.
We We're the pupils. But we learned
quickly and acted with a promptness
Hnd readiness of cooperation that
Justify our great pride that we were
able to serve the world with unpar-
alleled energy and quick accomplish
nent
~But 1t is not the physical scale
and executive efficiency or prepare
zion. supply, equipment and dispatch
xhat | would dwell upon, but the met
Gle 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
azore splendid courage and achieve
nent when put to the test. Those of
as who played some part in directing
the great processes by which the war
was pushed irresistibly forward to
Che final triumph may now forget all
Chat and delight cur thoughts with the
story OF what our men did. Their of.
sacers understood the grim and exact
sng task they had undertaken and
performed with audacity. efficiency
and unhesitating courage that touch
the story of convoy and battle with
tniperishable distinction at every turn
whether the enterprise were great OF
aulaIl-from their chiefs, Pershing
and Sims, down to the youngest lieu.
senant, and the men were worthy OF
shem-such men as hardly need to be
commanded and go to their terrible
adventure blithely and with the quick
sntelligence of those who know just
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Njanna Avar+s Eaynina