The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-12-13
President Tells Congress Para
mount Duty Is to Be at
Peace Conference.
TO KEEP NATION POSTED
Congress to Know All Details OF Par
ley by Observation-Disclosures 10
Left to Lawmakers-Urges
Woman Suffrage.

Washington, Dec. 3.-Following Is
the full e * of President Wilson's
message. delivered by him before both
houses Of congress:
Text of the Message.
Gentlemen Of the Congress:
The a that has elapsed since
last stood before you to fulfill my con-
stitutional duty to give the congress.
from time to time, information on the
state Of the Union has been SO crowd
ed with great events. great processes
and great results that | cannot hope
to give you an adequate picture of it's
transactions or Of the f~ar-reaching
changes which have been wrought in
the life Of our nation and of the world.
You have yourselves witnessed these
things as | have. 1t is too soon to as
sess them, and we who stand in the
midst Of them and are part of them
are less qualified than men of another
generation will be to say what they
mean, or even what they have been.
Gut some great outstanding facts are
unmistakable and constitute in a
part OF the public business with which
It is our duty to deal. To state them
IL to set the stage for the legislative
and executive action which must grow
out of them and which We have yet to
shape and determine.
A year ago we had sent 1898 men
overseas. Since then we have sent
1.950,513, an average OF l62,542 each
month. the number in fact rising in
May last to 245.95l. in June to 27S. 760.
in July to 3O7.lS2 and continuing to
reach similar figures in August and
September-in August 289,57O and in
September 257,438.
Movement. 10 Unique.
No such OF troops ever
of sea. followed by adequate equip
ment and supplies and carried safely
through extraordinary dangers of at
tack - dangers which were alike
strange and infinitely difficult to guard
against. In all this movement only
76S men were lost by enemy attacks
$50 of whom were upon q single Eng
lish transport. which was sunk near
the Orkney islands.
Fighters Are Praised.
But it is not the physical scale and
executive efficiency Of preparation.
supply. equipment and dispatch that !
would dwell upon, but 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 achievement
when put to the test. Those of III who
played some part in directing the
great processes by which the war was
pushed irresistibly forward to the
final triumph may o forget all that
| and delight our thoughts with the
story of what our men did.
l need not tell you what lay back Of
this great movement Of men and ma
terial. 1t is not invidious to say that
back OF It lay a supporting organiza-
ton OF the industries Of the country
1 dllu III lie UlO0uNlAV0 0ANkVA ~ lAAO ~
complete, more thorough in method
and effective in results, more spirited
and unanimous in purpose and effort
than any other great b%elligerent had
wei been able to effect. We profited
greatly by the experience Of the ma
tions which had already been en-
gagged for nearly three years in the
exigent and exacting business. their
every resource and every executive
proficiency taxed to the utmost. We
were the pupils. but we learned quick
~ and acted with a p~romptness and a
readiness of cooperation that justify
our great pride that we were able to
serve the world with unparalleled
energy and quick accomplishment.
Their officers understood the grim
and exacting task they had undertaken
and performed with audacity. eff
cheney and unhesitating courage that
touch the story Of convoy and battle
with imperishable distinction at every
turn. whether the enterprise were
great or small - from their chiefs,
Pershing and Sims. down to the young
est lieutenant. and their men worthy
Of them-such men as hardly need to
bs commanded. and go to their ter
rible adventure blithely and with the
quick intelligence OF those who know
Just what It ID they would accomplish.
nm proud to be the fellow country
man OF men OF such stun and valor.
Those Of W who stayed 1T home did
100 Wounded Arrive Home.
New York. Dec. 3.-The men who
helped pay the inevitable price OF vic
tory In the great WI are coming home,
hut there will be n. parades for them.
no march down Filth avenue or any
other avenue between lanes or cheer
ing hero worshippers. The hospital
chip Northern Pacific docked at Hobo
ken with 100 wounded soldiers and
marines on board. including 10 officers.
She steamed slowly through the Mar
rDws after dark. hours late because
s.aEA Y