Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-02
Complete Text of President Wilson's
Address Delivered in Congress Today

Washington, Dec. 2.-The presi-
dent said:
Gentlemen of the congress.
The year that has elapsed since
last stood before you to fulhlI
my constitutional duty to give the
congress from time TO time infOr-
nation on the state of the union
has been so crowded with great
events, great processes and great
results that | cannot hope to give
you an adequate picture of its
tranSa CtiOns, or of the far-rea ching
changes which have been wrought
in the life of our hation and of the
world. You have yourselves wit
messed these things, as | have. It
is TOO soon to assess the situation
and we who stand in the midst of
them and are part of them are less
qualified than men of another gen
GRAFTON Will be to say what they
mean or even what they have been.
But some great outstanding facts
are unmistake cable, and constitute
in a sense, part of the public bust
ness with which it is our duty TO
deal To state them is to set the
stage for legislative and executive
action. which musc grow out of
them and which we have vet to
shape and determine
Reviews Troop Movements.
a year ago we had sent 145,91S
men overseas. Since then we have
sent l.95O,5I3, an average OF 1872
SAP each month, the number in fact
riG ~ n n
June to 278.760. in July 10 307,1S2,
and continuing to reach similar fig
ures in August and September in
August 2S9.570 and IN September
z57.43S No such movement OF
troops ever took place before.
across 5000 miles of sea, followed
by adequate equipment and sup
plies, and carried safely through
extraordinary dangers of attack
dangers which were alike strange
and infinitely difficult to guard
against In all this movement only
i5S men were lost by enemy at
tacks $50 of whom were upon a
single English transport which
VISA sunk near the Orkney islands.
Worlds Best Record.
Il need not tell you what lay
back of this great movement of
men and material It is not invid-
iOus TO say that back of il lay d
~orting organization of the in
dustries Of the country and all its
productive activities more complete,
more thorough in method and eff
fective in results, more spirited and
unanimous in purpose and effort
than any other great belligerenr
had ever been able 10 effect. We
prOfited greatly by the experience
of the nations which had already
been engaged for nearly three years
in the exigent and exacting bust
ness, their every resource and ev-
cry executive proficiency taxed 10
the utmost We were the pupils
But we learned quickly and acted
with a promptness and a readiness
OF cooperation that justify our
great pride that we were able 70
serve the world with unparalleled
energy and quick accomplishment.
Lands L. =. Fighters.
But it is not the physical scale
and executive efficiency Of prepa-
alton. supply, equipment and
despatch that | would dwell upon,
hut the mettle and quality of the
officers and men we sent over and
Of the sailors who kept the seas,
and the spirit of the nation that
stood behind them. No soldiers or
sailors ever proved themselves
more quickly ready for the test Of
battle or acquitted themselves
with more splendid courage and
when nut 10 the test.
Those of us who played some part
in directing the great processes by
which the war was pushed IRE