Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-12-02

complete, more thorough in method and
effective in result, more spirited and
unanimous in purpose and effort than
any other great belligerent had been
able to effect. We profited greatly by
the experience of the nations which had
already been engaged for nearly three
years in exigent and exacting business,
their every resource and every execu.
tive proficiency taxedt the utmost
We were their pupils, but we learned
quickly and acted with promptness
and readiness that justify our great
pride that we were able to serve the
world with unparalleled energy and
quick accomplishment.
Praises Fighting Men.
But it is not the physical, scale and
executive efficiency Of preparation.
supply, equipment and despatch that l
would dwell upon but the mettle and
quality Of the officers and men we sent
over and of the sailors who keep tho
seas, and the spirit of the nation that
stood behind them. No soldiers or
sailors, ever proved themselves more
quickly ready for the test of the battle
or acquitted themselves with more
splendid courage and achievemens waen
put to the test. Those Of us who played
some part in directing the great pro.
cesses by which the war was pushed ir-
rosistibly forward to til g final tri,
umph may now forget all that and de-
light our thoughts with the story of
what our men did Their Officers un-
derstood the grim and exacting task
they had undertaken and they perform
ed them with an exactitude and unhes-
itating courage that touch the story
Of convoy and battle with imperishable
distinction at every turn, whether the
enterprise were great Or small--from
their great chiefs, Pershing and Sims
down to the youngest Geutenants; and
their men were worthy of them-such
men as hardly need to be commanded
and 90 to their terrible adventure
blithely and with the quick intelligence
of those who know just what it is they
would accomplish. am proud to be
the fellow countryman Of men of such
stuff and valour. Those of .us who
stayed at home did our duty; the wal
could not have been won or the gal.
liant men who fought it given their op.
lportunity to win it otherwise; but for
many a long day we shall think our
selves "accurs d we were not there and
hold our manhood cheap while any
speaks that fought" with these at St.
Mihiel or Thierry. The memory Of
those days of triumphant battle will 60
with these fortunate men to their
graves; and each will have his favorite
memory.
! cold men forget; yet all shall be for.
got, but he II remember with advantag
es what feats he did that dayl"
What we all thank God for with
deepest gratitude is that our men went
in force into the line of battle just al
the critical moment when the wnoie
fate of the world seemed to hang in
the balance and threw their fresh
strength into the ranks of freedom ID
time to turn the whole tide and sweep
Of the fateful struggle-turn it once
for all, SO that henceforth it was back
back, back for their enemies, always
back, never again forwardi
After that it was only seant -four
months before the commanders Of the
central empires knew themselves beat
en-; and now their every empires are
in hquidationi
And throughout it all how fine the
spirit of the nation was; what unity
of purpose, what untiring zeall
What leaven of purpose ran through
all its splendid display Of strength, its
untiring accomplishment. / have said
that those Of us WHO stayed at home
to.do the work of organization and sup
ply will always wish that he had been
with men whom we Substances y. our
labour; but we can never be ashamed
1t has been an inspiring thing to be
here in the midst of fine men who had
turned aside from every private inter
est Of their own and devoted the whole
of their trained capacity to the tasks
that supplied the sinews Of the whole
great undertaking.
The patriotism, the unselfishness, the
thoroughgoing devotion and disting
uished capacity that marked their toll
some labours, day after day, month
after month, have made them fit mates
and comrades Of the men in the trench
es and on the sea. And not the men
here in Washington only. They have
but directed the vast achievement.
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