Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-17

L'Elysee in honor of Presi
dent and Mrs. Wilson today. Presi
dent Wilson, on this occasion, spok
as follows, in replying to an address
by President Poincare:
MIR. President: / am deeply
indebted to you for your gracious
greeting. 1t is very delightful
10 find myself in France and to
feel the quick contact of sympa-
thy and unaffected friendship be-
tween the representatives of the
United States and the represent
atives of France.
you have been very gener-
Gus in what you were pleased to
say about myself, but / feel that
what l have said and what |
have tried to do has been said
and done only in an attempt to
speak the thought of the people
of the United States truly and
to carry that thought out in ac-
ton.
From the first the thought of
the people of the United States
turned toward something more
than the mere winning OF this
war. 1t turned to the estab-
lishment of eternal principles of
right and Justice. 1t real. zed
that merely to win the war was
not enough; that it must be won
in such a way and the ques-
tons raised by it settled In such
way as to insure the future
peace of the world and lay tue
foundations for the freedom and
happiness of its many peoples
and nations.
Illicit Ambitions
so terrible a visage or exhibited
more grossly the debaSing infiu-
ence OF Illicit ambitions. l am
sure that l shall look upon the
ruin wrought by the armies of
the central empires with the
same repulsion and deep indigna-
ton that they STIR in the hearts
of the men of France and Bel
gium, and 1 appreciate, as you
do, sir, the necessity of Such ac-
ton in the final settlement of
the issues of the war as will not
only rcbuke such acts of terror
and Spoliation, but make men
everywhere aware that they can
not be ventured upon without
the certainty of just punish
ment."
AZ know with what ardor and
enthusiasm the soldiers and sail
ors of the United States have
given the best that was in them
in this war of redemption. They
have expressed the true spirit of
America. They believe their
ideals to be acceptable to free
peoples everywhere and are re-
joiced to have played the part
they have played in giving re-
atty to those ideals in cooper
alton with the armies of the
allies.
1--WE are proud of the part
they have played and we are
happy that they should have
been associated with such COM
rades in a common cause.
ut is with peculiar feeling,
Mr.. President, that find myself
in. France joining with you. in
rejoicing over the victory that
has been won. The ties that bind
France and the United States
are peculiarly close"
Permanent Friendship
l do not know in what other
fought with more zest or en-
thusiasm. 1t will daily be a mat
ter of pleasure with me to be
brought into consultation with
the statesmen of France and her
allies in concerning the measures
by which we may secure perma-
hence for these happy relations
and secure for the world at large
such safety and freedom in its
life as can be secured only by
the constant association and CO.
operation of friends.
II greer you, not only with. deep
personal respect, but as the rep
resentative of the great people
of France, and beg to bring you
the greetings of another great
people to whom the fortunes of
France are of profound and last
ing interest. .,
o. the president of the French re-
public and to Madame Poincare
and the prosperity of France"
Poincare's Speech
In his address sto President WilsC
President Poincare said:
"Mr. President: Paris and
France awaited you with impa-
thence. They were eager to &C
claim you the illustrious demo-
crat whose words and deeds were
inspired by exalted thought, the
philosopher delighting in the So
luton of universal laws from
particular events, the eminent
statesman who had found way
to express the highest political
and moral truths in formulas
which bear the stamp of immor-
tally.
sire to offer thanks, in your per.
son, to the great republic OIL
which you are the chief, for the
invaluable assistance which had
been given spontaneously, DUR
ing this war, to the defenders OF
right and liberty.
Gwen before America mad re-
solved to intervene in the strug-
gle she had shown to the wound
ed and the orphans of France, a
solicitude and a generosity the
memory of which will always be
enshrined in our hearts. The
liberality of your Red Cross, the
countless gifts of your FELLOW
citizens. the inspiring initiative
of American women. anticipated
your military and naval actioa
and showed the world TO Wnlcn
side your sympathieS inclined.
And on the day when you flung
yourselves into the battle. with
what determination your great
people and yourself prepared Tor
united success!
"Some months ago you capleo
to me that the United States
would send ever-increasing
forces until the day should be
reached on which the allied ar
mics were able to submerge the
enemy under an overwhelming
flow of divisions. And in an
effort for more than year, a
steady stream of youth and ener-
gy had been poured out upon the
shores of France. No sooner had
they landed than your gallant
battalions, fired by their chief.
General Pershing, flung them
selves into the combat with
such a manly contempt of dan
ger, such a smiling disregard of
death, that our longer expert
ence of this terrible war often
moved us to counsel prudence.
They brought with them. in ar
irving here, the enthusiasm of
crusaders leaving for the Holy
land. 1t is their right today to
look with pride upon the work
acComnIiched and 70 tell them