New-York tribune., 1918-04-24
Envoy Says We Will Fight
Until Military Despot-
ism Is Crushed
Praises Gen. Pershing
Major Toasts Women at St.
George Society's
Dinner

George Society, founded when New
York was British colony, nine hum
dred persons, in the grand ballroom of
the Waldorf-Astoria last night, ccle-
brated the closer union the war has
brought to the two nations.
They were addressed by the British
Ambassador, the Earl of Reading, who,
prophesying a final Allied victory in
the great battle now raging, said:
eve shall reach the greatest heights
Of patriotism when we have followed
the unselfish example set by America.
So long as the enemy is beaten, we
need never question which one of the
Allies was responsible for winning the
victory. We arc not likely I'd forget
the prompt and unhesitating response
of the United States when we called for
her assistance"
Praises General Pcrshing
He spoke of the stimulation to all
the Allied armies when General Per-
shing, acting under the instructions of
his commander in chief, said, in effect,
to General Foch:
Here l am with American troops
ready to be used as and when you like
to help you win the victory. Every
thing we have is at your disposal"
The supreme Allied command was
one of the things the Germans had
brought about by their great massed
attack begun more than q month ago,
he said, and added:
"This has enabled us to place our
troops under the leadership of that dis
tinguished French leader, General
Foch. Do not think for one moment
this was a light thing for British
army to have done. We are naturally
a proud people. but we have risen to a
higher patriotism"
Unity in Navies, Too
That a similar unity exists in the
Allied navies is evidenced by to-days
reports that the French have co0perat-
ed in the latest naval exploit against
German submarine bases.
There never was a greater coopera-
tion than exists among the Allied ma
vies," he declared.
He said that recent disclosures of
events in July and August, 1914, had
confirmed to the world how Sir Edward
Grey strove to prevent war, and how,
when was might have been prevented,
Germany precipitated "ths hdeous
crime''
"The war to-day stands clearly re-
vealed," he said. "On the one hand
is the struggle to maintain a great and
cruel military despotism; on the other
the countries that look to military
force only for the defence of liberty.
If ever there was war conducted for
high and noble principles. war on
which everything is at stake, war to
be made religion, it is this war for
civilization. 1t will not be won bv ap-
plause or by mere enthusiasm. We will
have to put into it infinite strucgle.
But we are determined to continue
until we have freed the world of mil
ltary despotism, and we stand with
unf1inching determination until we
have won a peace dictated by Justice
and enduring, because based on the
solid rock of freedom and of liberty"
The Earl of Reading was introduced
by the president of the society, c..
Give Bayley. British Consul General.
Ex-Prcmier Praises Allies
Crawford Vaughn, cx-Premcr of
South Australia, was the next speaker
He said, in part:
"When Belgium took up that chal-
lenge with Germany she did so with
the spirit that prompted Patrick Henry
when he said, Give me liberty or give
me death.'"
MIR. Vaughn paid tribute to France,
Italy and Russia. He said Australia
had sent 100000 soldiers around the
earth and was in hurry because she
feared Britain couldn't get to the front
in time. He said he had seen enough
Of Americans to know that they will
never acquiesce in patched-up peace. |
"The most eloquent words that have
been uttered in this war" he said. |
were those of General Pefshing when
1e stood by the statue of Lafayette in
France and said: Lafayette, we have
.omc.'