The Butler weekly times., 1918-04-25
TRIBUTE TO HIS OLD
COMMAND


General Clark Bids the asth Division
God Speed.
At the request of the editor of the
"Tiger- Hawk, the official paper OF
the 35th Division, printed in Camp
Doniphan, letters from the Govern
ors of Missouri and Kansas, the Di-
vision Commander, General Wright,
and Brigadier General Harry c.
Clark, Adjutant General of Missouri,
were written for publication on the
eve of the departure of the Division
for France The following is the let
ter written by General Clark:
ITO the Officers and Men of the 35th
Division:
In wishing you Godspeed on the
eve of your departure for France, 1t
is not necessary for me to tell you
that it is the supreme sorrow of my
whole life that | cannot go with you
Your Division is composed of mem-
bers of the National Guard of Mis-
souri, and Kansas. | have served
continuously with the former from
the day left military school, a young
boy twenty-nine years ago. l served
with many of you during the Spanish
American War, and the Missouri
National Guard was under my COM
mand during the six months we were
on the Mexican border in 1916. l
commanded the thirteen thousand
National Guard troops furnished by
this state from the time they entered
the federal service on August 5, 1917
until they moved to Camp Doniphan.
| served with you at your present
station until my discharge because
of my inability to meet the physical
test of the examining board on De-
cember 22. 1917 and it would be
strange indeed if this long association
with you had not resulted in an at
fectionate regrad for you and spirit
OF comradship known only to those
who lave served together in the field.
During the time | was with you at
Camp Doniphan, had opportunity
to observe the Kansas. National
Guard and to know many of its ottl-
GERS intimately and we'll, and what
say to my own people applies to Our
comrades from our sister state who
come from the same stock. having
the same ideals and characteristics
and separated only by an imaginary
line marking the boundary between
the two states. 1t is your good for
tune to be commanded by a Regular
officer of the highest standing in the
army and whose service in the field
has won him this command His mil
itary ability is beyond question.
You represent the highest type of
the American Volunteer. You are
volunteers pure and simple. You en-
tered the National Guard OF your
own accord and with motives OF un-
selfish and dsinterested devotion to
the highest duty which an American
citizen can perform. You took an
obligation to serve your state and to
answer the call of the nation should
the emergency arise. The emergency
has come and you have not taltered.
Many OF you have given your very
lives to this service; no one knows
better than the undersigned of your
faithful and answering loyalty un-
der the most discouraging clrcum-
stances and surroundings. You have
been r;d;culed and made light OF, but |
YOU have not faltered. You have
kept the faith. You have been given
the acid test and the scoffers lips
have been forever silenced, lhe
people of Missouri are proud OF you
and they pay homage to you, know
ing that you will measure up to the
best traditions of the American vol
unteer. You represent the first line
troops furnished by Missouri and
Kansas and you will soon demon
strate to the world on the battle
fields of Europe that the virile man
hood and rugged citizenship OF your
state, as exemplified in the Mexican
War, the Civil War, the expedition
commanded by a MSsourian whose
name your camp bears, and IN the
Spanish War. is not surpassed in any
army in the world.
The heart of every loyal Mis-
sourian goes out to you and you VIII
be in their thoughts constantly until
you return. They do not tell you to
do your duty; they know you. will do
that and more. And be assured that
when you return they will welcome
vou with everlasting gratitude and
undying appreciation. can only
keep camp for you while you are
gone, but l will not fail you and
yours. and if l am alive I will be
here to welcome you when you re-
turn. If l could shake the hand OF
each officer and man in the Division
I could not express to him what is IN
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