Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-02
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ready for the test of battle or
acquitted themselves with more
splendid courage and achieve
ment when put to the test
Those of us who played some
part in directing the great proc
esses by which the war was
pushed irresistibly forward to
the final triumph may now for
get all that and delight our
thoughts with the story of what
oiIr men did. Their officers
understood the firm and exact
ing task they had undertaken
and performed with audacity,
efficiency and unhesitating cour-
age that touched the story of
convoy and battle with imper-
ishable distinction at every turn,
whether the enterprise were
great or small-from the chiefs,
Pershing and Sims, down to the
youngest lieutepant; and their
men We're worthy of them
such men as hardly need to be
commanded, and go 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-country-
man of men of such stuff and
valor. Those of us who stayed
at home did our duty; the war
could not have been won or the
gallant men who fought 1t given
their opportunity. to win 1t
otherwise; but for many n long
day we shall think ourselves
"accursed We were not there,
and hold our manhoods cheap
while any speaks that fought
with these at st. Mihiel or
Thierry. The memory of those.
DAYS of triumphant battle will
go with these fortunate men to
their graves; and each will have
his favorite memory. "Old men
forget; yet all shall be forgot,
but he'll remember with advan-
tages what feats he did that
day!"
The Critical Time
What We all thank God for
with deepest gratitude is that
our men went in force into the
line of battle just at the critical
moment, when the whole fate
of the world seemed to hang in
the balance. and threw Their
fresh strength into the ranks of
freedom in time TO turn the
whole tide and sweep of the
fateful struggle-turn it once
for ALL so that thenceforth it was
back. back, back for their enc
mics, always back, never again
forward. After that, it was
only a scant four months before
the commanders of the Central
Empires knew themselves beat
en-; and now their very empires
are in liquidation.
And throughout it all, how
fine the spirit of the nation as;
what unity of purpose, what un-
firing zeal! What elevation of
purpose ran through all It's
splendid display of strength, its
untiring accomplishment. have
said that those of us who stay
ed at home to do the work of
organization and supply Will
always wish that G had been
with the men whom we sustain
ed by our labor; 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
interest of their own and de-
voted the whole of their trained
capacity to the tasks that sup
piled the sinews of the whole
great undertaking! The patriot
ism, the unseliishness, the
thoroughgoing devotion and dis
tinguished capacity that mark
ed their toilsome labors day
after day, month after month,
have made them fit mates and
comrades of the men in the
trenches and on the sea. And
not the men here in Washing
ton only. They have but direct
ed the vast achievement.
Throughout 4numerable fac
tories, upon innumerable farms,
in the depths of coal mines and
iron mines, and copper mines,
wherever the stuffs of industry
were to be obtained and pre-
pared, in the shipyards, on the
railways, at the docks, on the
sea. in every labor that was
needed to sustain the battle
lines, men have We'd with each
other to do their part and do it
well. They can look any man
alarms in the face and say, we
also strove to win and gave the
best that was in us TO make our
fleets and armies sure of their
triumph
Plea For Suffrage
And what shall we say of the
women-of their instant intel
ligence, quickening every task
that they touched; their ca
pacity for organization and CO.
operation, which gave their
action discipline and enhanced
the effectiveness of everything
they attempted; their aptitude
at tasks to which they had never
before set their hands; their
utter selfsacrifice alike in what
they did and in hat they gave?
Their contribution to the great
result is beyond appraisal. They
have added new lusttre to the
annals of American womanhood.
The least tribute e can pay
them is to make them the equals
of men in political rights as
they have proved themselves
their equals in every field of
practical work they have enter
ed, neither for themselves or for
their country These great DAYS
of completed achievements
would be sadly marred were we