Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-08-07
B ARRETT AT BANQUET


nierc;al Attache at Buencs Aires,
Hcnor Garct at Feast of Armour
Organic :ic:::
The third annual banquet Of tho
Armour organization was held July )
at Buenos Aires and Robert 6. Bar
retr, former editor of this paper and
Commercial Attachc at Buenos Aires,
Argentine Republic, was one of the
prmcial speakers.
An account of he affair contained
in "Thc River Plate Observer" says:
Hanford Z. Finney, toastmastcr, well
coined the guests and paid high tri-
butte to Robert s. Barrett. United
States Commercial Attache whom he
introduced as a former newspaper
man and a Southerner from state
which had produced some of the
greatest men in all walks of life in
the United States.
Mr.. Barreti's speech was stirring,
inspiring. He said that he rejoiced in
being son of the grand old state of
Virginia, but that he rejoiced still
more, at the present time, in being an
American. No prouder title could be
borne BY any man. That, indeed, was
an inspiring occasion. He felt him
self surrounded by some of the best
men of the American colony in Ar
gentina. In such company he could
not be anything but proud of his coun-
try and of his compatriots. The
United States were facing one of the
most momcntous periods in their his
tory. The liberty of the world and
the preservation of their own freedom,
home and country depended on their
boys who were fighting side by side
with their blood brothers of England,
and their heart brothers of France,
for Liberty.
They could not all be with them.
There was always someone who must
stay behind, keeping the home fires
burning. The work in which the AM
ericans in Argentina were engaged
would bring with it neither honor nor
glory. But there were other trenches
besides those in France and of all the
trenches he knew of outside the bat
tie ground there were none more i'm
portant than those which band of
his fellow countrymen were digging
in the Argentine Republic.
1t was for the occupants of those
trenches to strive in order that the
boys in France might not want for
the necessities of life which would;
help them in their struggle for vic;
tory. !.
The Importance of food production
could not be exaggerated. The men
present who were carrying out their.
part of the war would receive neither
honor nor glory. On returning to,
the United States they would be rei
ccived with neither cheers, applause
nor brass bands. The curious person
anxious to know what part Mr.. Fin
ney had played in the world war
would learn that he had been COM
mander-in-C Chief of the "novillos
squad" Mr.. Gresham's exploits in
the field of Flanders would be con-
fined to the command of the pig COM :
pany. Mr.. Campbell's name would be
recorded as that of the leader of the :
hide brigade. Such as they would
not be thanked by the unthinking pop
ulace. But by the less short-sighted
their role would be asserted at its
true value and they would be credited
with having done their best for the
great cause. The war could not be
won without overseas trade. The
dollars won in. foreign lands would
help carry the burden of expenditure
and without such mears he fnani7,,
cinr of the war would be impossible.
So every man striving for the develop
nient and growth of American CONF
mercial interests in Argentina was,
in reality, serving his country equally
we'll as though he were shoulderlng
the musket and patrolling the
trenches of France.
Regarding the final outcome Of the
struggle there was no possible doubt.
Theirs was a just cause and they
were united people both at home
and abroad. Victory must be theirs,
In conclusion, therefore, he proposed
the heartfelt toast, "Amerlca! First,
Last and All the Time"