Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-10-11
The American Soldier in France


of a more heroic resistance unto
death than we read of in the
older tale. 1t will be the story
of what the men of Belgium did
in 1914. There will be in the
books Of tomorrow a greater
chronicle Of France than that
which records for us the saving
Of civilization at Chalons-sur-
Marine in 451. twill tell how in
1914 the Hun again was held and
turned back at the Marine. And
if some day a new Ilaid shall be
composed, it will recite the deeds
of a mightier overseas expedition
than that of the men who followed
Achilles across the blue Tgean
waters. 1t will tell the deeds of
the men of Britain and of Can
ada, of Australia and Of America
whose ships once more have
borne to foreign parts a match
less military strength derided by
G fatuous foe.
In all the long centuries of hui
man adventure theae is no figure
comparable to the American sol
dierin France. There if no other
so romantic, not even the Cru
sader. The American soldier in
France is not like the man of the
Northern armies in 1861, fight.
ing to preserve his own nation
from immediate disruption. He
is not like the poilu, resisting the
invader of his own fireside; noI
like the Briton, throwing himself
into a life and death struggle for
the preservation of an empira il
immediate peril. He does indeed
know that his home and countr,
were threatened, but that is not
the compelling reason for his ef
fort and his sacrifice. He has
surrendered every ed
thing and is offering his life be
cause he saw women and children
being murdered and their fathers
and husbands and sons nearly
spent; and because he saw every
fair fruit of civilization being
wantonly destroyed, and liberty
once more in dangero of extinction!
The American soldier is fighting
on the battle lineso of France SIM
ply and solely because he is a civ
ilized man.
And a drawer, aclearer, a more
high minded civilized man there
never has been. He has long in
terested and a good deal puzzled
the men of other lands. They
have thought him boastsul. They
have found him, instead, singu-
larls modest, glad and quick to
learn, and ready to plcy his part
in obedient subordination to 9th,
ers, if that be the way to military
success. They have thought him
irresponsible and trining, caring
only to match with Destiny fol
beer" and they have found him,
instead, turning a calm, un.
troubled face Home to the in.
slant need of things and ready
at their call ITO shake the iror
hand of Fate"
This is not the time to talk Of
the American soldiers military
competency and achievement. |
is enough for the president to sa,
that he has met and more thar
met every demand and opportu
nifty so far, There is bigge.
work yet to do. He will not fail
1t is only a little while sine,
the first American soldiers left u
for the world war, yet alread,
nearly two million men like then
have followed and death has no
spared them. There are te'
thousand graves of American
soldiers in France, and there Wi
be tens of thousands more. |,
thousands of American cities an,
towns, and in hundreds of thous
ands of scattered homes by coun
try waysides, gold stars are stat
tered among the blue. No NOR
than the women and children an
the fathers and mothers Franc
and sof England do our wome
and children and fathers an
mothers complain They hav
given the greatest gift, and the
ask only that it shall not be fo
nought. For the American so.
" n- II III -I