The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-12-16
P0|NCA|RE TO WILSON
WILSON TO PO|NCA|RE

A notable meeting was that of the
presidents of the two leading republics
of the world, Wilson of the United
States, and Poincaire, of France, in
Paris, Saturday night when President
tertained President and Mrs. Wilson
at dinner. The addresses of the two
presidents on this occasion will go
down in history when the story of
the worlds greatest war is told. In
his address of welcome to President
Wilson, President Poincaire said:
"Mr. President, Paris and Franco
awaited you with impatience. They
were eager to acclaim in you, the il
lustrious democrat whose words and
deeds were inspired by exalted
thought, the philosopher delighting in
the solution of universal laws from
particular events, the eminent states
men who had found a way to express
in formulas which bear the stamp of
Immortality.
''They had also a passionate desire
to offer thanks, in your person, to
the great republic of which you are
the chief, for the invaluable assist
ance which had been given spon-
taneously, during this war to the de-
tenders Of right and liberty.
Gwen before America had resolved
to intervene in the struggle it had
shown to the wounded and the or
phans of France a solicitous gener-
osity, the memory of which will al
ways be enshrined in our hearts.
"The liberality of your Red Cross,
the countless gifts of your fellow citi-
zens, the inspiring initiative of Am
erican women, anticipated your mill
tary and naval action and showed the
world to which side your sympathies
inclined. And on the day when you
flung yourselves into the battle, with
what determination your great people
and yourself prepared for united sue
cess!
z Made Promise Good.
"Some months ago you cabled to me
that the United States would send
ever-increasing forces until the day
should be reached on which the allied
armies were able to submerge the
enemy under an overwhelming flow
Of new divisions, and, in effect, for
more than a year steady stream of
youth and energy has 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 danger, such a
smiling disregard of death, that our
longer experience Of this terrible war
often moved us to counsel prudence.
They brought with them the enthusi-
asm of crusaders leaving for the Holy
Land.
at is their right today to look with
pride upon the work accomplished and
to feel assured that they have power
fully aided by their courage and their
faith.
Witnessed Hun Crimes.
Eager as they were to meet the
enemy, they did not know when they
arrived the enormity of his crime.
That they might know how the Ger
man armies make war it has been
necessary that they see towns sys-
tematically burned down, mines flood
ed, factories reduced to ashes, or
chards devastated, cathedrals shelled
and fired-all that deliberate savag
cry aimed to destroy natural wealth,
nature and beauty, which the imagi-
nation could not conceive at distance
from the men and things that have
endured it and today bear witness
to it.
President Wilson's Reply.
In his reply to the address of well
come President Wilson said:
"Mr. President: l am deeply in
debted to you for your gracious greet
ing. 1t is very delightful to find my
self in France and to feel the quick
contact of sympathy and unaffected
friendship between the representa-
tives of the United States and the
representatives of France.
what you were pleased to say about
myself, but 1 feel that what I have
said and what I 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 action.
"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
establishment Of eternal principles of
right and justice.
''It realized that merely to win the
war was not enough; that it must be
won in such way and the questions
raised by it settled in such way as
to insure the future peace of the
world and lay the foundations for the
freedom and happiness of its many
peoples and nations.
"Never before has war worn so ter
rible a visage or exhibited more
grossly the debasing influence of IL
licit ambitions. / am sure that |
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
men of France and Belgium.
Justice for Belgium.
"And Belgium, I appreciate as you
do, sir, the necessity Of such action
in the final settlement of the issues
of the war as will not only rebuke
such acts of terror and spoilation, but
make mem everywhere aware that |
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