New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-12
In Farewell Message Urges
Nation to Stand Behind
Men in Battle
Great Republic
Spirit Is Aroused
Will Tell England United
States Is Coming to Stand
to the End

The Most Rev. DR.. Cosmo Gordon
Lang, Archbishop of York, delivering
his cighty-ffth speech in five weeks
and his last before returning to Eu-
rope, last night before Liberty Loan
audience that filled Carnegie Hall to
the doors, said:
God knows how NV heart longs for
the day in which it can be said 1T is
peace. But I would rather, for the
whole rest of my life whatever it costs,
be unable to say these blessed words
unless and l could say with the other
and greater words about the task com
mitted to US: 1T is finished.
He asked America to see in Lloyl
Georges speech, in which he proposed
the application of CONSUMPTION to Ire
land and the extension of the draft to
the age of fifty, the determination OF
nation to make any sacrifice and take
any risk to win victory.
England, for all that she has SUI
fered, sees, l think, that she must still
stand" he said, after referring to the
great battle now going on in France
you have read the speech of our
Prime Minister. 1t touched my heart,
for | have been absent from England
nearly two months in this hour of
stress, but l could read between the
lines.
Il saw there, and I ask you to see
there. that country stripping herself
for the last struggle, showing that it
Is willing to make any sacrifice, and
What IS, think. even greater, the
speech shows that our government is
prepared not only to ask for sacrifice,
nut what is sometimes even harder, to
lnn great risks lest any steps should
not be taken for the winning of victory
al this critical time
You may not here in America, my
friends, approve of this policy, but |
do ask you in justice to my country to
admire the courage with which, in the
midst of struggle like this. she is
Wiling to face these risks"
Ihe applause was SO great that tho
Archbishop could not resume his speech
for several minutes, and then he con-
tinued:
France, France is still standing. with
set teeth, undaunted eyes, unconuuer-
able soul, facing the enemy that has
set his teeth in her very flesh" He
told of visiting Amiens Cathedral and
feeling there that there was something
in the soul of historic France that
would remain unconquerablc and with
stand the barbarian invasion to the
end.
But suppose" he continued God
forbid that it should be so, suppose
that England was unequal to the task
and the spirit of her people failed.
Suppose that France should have, with
all her pride, to bow her head before
the enemy, at least these two great
countries would fall with a great past
behind them, and be able in the hour
OF their shame to think with pride of
the memories Of the great days thai
were gone.
But America. the land of the fu-
ture, If she were to. fail, there would
be no great past TO sustain her: there
would be nothing but the loss of a
great future. As one of your citizens
SAID: 1T would be the difference be-
tween the death of an old man whose
hairs were gray with long service
and proud achievement, and the death
of child cut away in the very sprinc
of its PROMISE
America will not fail US. We. please
God, will not fail you l know that
when | leave this country | am going
back to my own, and meeting in the
hour of its great experience, and |
can tell it: The spirit of the mighty
Republic IS rising. 1t is coming. And
when it does come it will stand bv Won
tc the last"
The Archbishop read this poem, be-
lieved hitherto unpublished, written bv
the late Sir Cecil Spring Rice, British
ambassador, at the grave of George
Washington:
Tell again your fathers story,
How tie victory won;
Not TO praise and not 10 glory
Not to triumph led them on:
But the faith that stood unatered
Bore the brunt and paid the toll
And the heart that never faltered
The unconQuerable soul.
Il will beg of YOU" said the Arch
bishop, mot to say the word wait any
more about the war, but to put all your
strength and determination into the
single word now | don't think any
thing has ever SO clearly and palpably
Impressed the imagination and heart Of
any people as this great and awful bat
tie has moved the heart Of the Amer
ican nation. I have felt myself diff
ference of tone and spirit since the
news Of that awful battle reached US
here.
Il think il has. as nothing else could