The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-12-06

III IOTCS iutO the line Oh DdtIie just dJ
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 henceforth it was back,
back, back for their enemies, always
back, never again forward After that
it was only scant four months before
the commanders of the Central EN-
pires knew themselves beaten; and
now their very empires are in liquida-
ton.
And through it all how fine the
spirit of the nation was. What unity
of purpose, what untiring zeal; what
elevation of purpose ran through all
its splendid display of strength, it's un-
firing accomplishment. l. have said
that those of US who stayed at home to
do the work of organization and sup
ply will always wish that we had been
with the men whom we sustained by
our labor; but we can never be
ashamed.
ut 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; that patriotism,
the unselfishness, the thorough-going
devotion and distinguished capacity
that marked 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.
"Women Gain New Luster."
"And not the men here in Wash
ington only-they have but directed the
vast achievement. Throughout innu-
merable factories, upon innumerable
farms, in the depths of coal mines and
iron mines and copper mines, wher-
ever the stuffs of industry were to be
obtained and prepared, in the ship
yards, 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-at-arms 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
"And what shall we say of the
women-of their instant intelligence,
quickening every task that they
touched; their capacity for organiza-
ton and cooperation, which gave their
action discipline and enhanced the eff
fectiveness of everything they at
tempted; their aptitude to tasks to
which they had never before set their
hands; their utter self-sacrifice alike
in what they did and in what they
gave? Their contribution to the great
result is beyond appraisal. They have
added new luster to the annals Of
American womanhood.
"New Foundation Laid"
"The least tribute we 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 entered,
whether for themselves or for their
country. These great days of complet-
ed achievement would be sadly marred
were we to omit that act of justice.
Besides the immense practical SER
vices they have rendered, the women
! of the country have been the moving
spirits in the systematic economics by
which our people have voluntarily as
sisted to supply the suffering peoples
of the world and the armies upon
every front with food and everything
common cause. Details of such a
story can never be fully written, but
we carry them at our hearts and thank
God that we can say we are the kins-
men of such.
"And now we are sure of the great
triumph for which every sacrifice was
made. 1t has come-come in it's COM
pleteness; and with the pride and in
spiration of these days of achieve
ment quick within us we turn to the
tasks of peace again-a peace secure
against the violence of Irresponsible
monarchs and ambitious military CO.
teries-and make ready for a new or
der, for new foundation Of justice and
fair dealing
s'We are about to give order and or
ganization to this peace not only for
ourselves but for the other peoples of
the world as well, 80 far as they will
suffer us to serve them. 1t is interna-
tional justice that we seek, not domes-
tic safety merely.
"Our thoughts have dwelt of late
upon Europe, upon Asia, upon the Near
and the Far East, very little upon the
acts of peace and accommodation that
wait to be performed at our own
doors While we are adjusting our re-
lations with the rest of the world, is
it not of capital Importance that we
should clear away all grounds of mis-
understanding with our immediate
neighbors and give proof of the friend
ship we really feel?
II hope that the members of the
Senate will permit me to speak once
more Of the unratified treaty Of friend
ship and adjustment with the republic
of Colombia. very urgently urge on
them an early and favorable action
upon that vital matter. believe that
they will feel with me that the stage
of affairs is now set for such action as
will be not only just but generous and
in the spirit of the new age upon
which we have so happily entered.
$50 far as our domestic affairs are
concerned the problem of our return
to peace is problem of economic and
Industrial readjustment. That problem
is less serious for us than it may turn
out to be for the nations which have
suffered the disarrangements and the
losses of war longer than we. Our