Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-26
AND BOYS
Continued from Page One)

or to the commander Of our armies and
navies. For the first time an American
President will review an American ar
my OF foreign soil-the soil of a sister
republic beside whose gallant troops we
have fought to restore peace to the
world
Speaking for YOU and your comrades.
am proud to declare to the President
that no army has ever more Loyalty nor
more effectively served its country, and
none has ever fought in nobler cause.
You, Mr.. President, by your conf
dcnee and by your support, have made
the success of our army and to you,
as our COMMUNICATIVE chief. may ] now
present the nations victorious army
In replying. President Wilson said:
General Pershing and Fellow Com
rades: 1 wish that 7 could give 10 each
one Of you the message that ! know you
are longing 10 receive from those at
home who love you. J cannot do that
but ] can tell YOU how everyone has
put his heart into it. So you have done
your duty and something more. You
have done your duty. and YOU have
tirction and glory.
And now we are to hail the fruits OF
everything. You conquered when you
came over, what YOU came over for,
and you have done what it was inpos-
sible for you to do. I know what YOU
expected of me. Some time ago a gen
tlcman from one of the countries with
which we are associated was discussing
with me the moral aspects of this war,
and l said ;hat If we did not insist upon
the high purpose which we have accom-
plished the end would not be justified.
Everybody at home is proud of
you and has followed every move
nent OF this great army with conf
dence and affection The whole
people Of the t. S. are now waiting
to welcome you home. with an ac-
claim which probably has never
greeted any other army because our
country is like this country. We
have been SO proud of the stand tax
en-; of the purpose for which this
war was entered by the United
States
You knew what we expected Of
You and you did it; | know what you
and the people at home expected Of
me, and | am happy to say, my fell
low countrymen, that do not find in
the hearts of the great leaders with
whom it 1t my privilege now 10 CO.
operate. any difference Of principle or
fundamental purpose.
at happened that it was the priv
ilege of America to present the chart
for peace and now the process Of
settlement has been rendered COM
paratively simple because of the fact
hiatt all the nations concerned have
accepted that chart, and the applica-
ton of these principles laid down
there will be their application. The
world will now know that the ma
tons fought this war, as well as the
soldiers who represented them. are
ready to make good, not only in the
assertion of their interests bat make
good in the establishment Of peace
upon the permanent foundation of
right and of justice.
Because this is not n war in which
the soldiers of the free nations have
obeyed masters. You have com
manders. but you have no masters.
Your very commanders represent you
in representing the nation, of which
you constitute SO distinguished g
part. And everybody concerned in
the settlement knows that it must be
a peoples peace, and that nothing
must be done in the settlement Of the
issues of the war which is not as
handsome as the great achievements
Of the armies Of the United States
and the Allies.
1T is difficult, very difficult, men
in any normal speech thus TO show
you my real heart. You men prob
ably do not realize with what anxious
attention and care we have taken for
every step you have advanced. and
how proud we are that every step
was in advance and not in retreat,
that every time you set your faces in
any direction, you kept your faces in
that direction.
"A thrill has gone through my
heart. as it has gone through the
hearts Of every American with almost
every gun that was fred ana every
stroke that was struck in the gallant
fighting that you have done. and there
has only one regret in Aneriac and
that was the regret that ever man
there felt that he was not there in
France. too.
ut has hecn hard thing &c per
form the tasks in TIE nited Stayes.
IL hes beer a hard thing % t,lc part
in directing what Vou did without
coming over and helping you to do