Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-12-07
DUTY FORCED
PEACE TRIP
Wilson Gives Congress Post.
Var Program.
TREATY SIGNED BY SPRING
No Thought Or Purpose OF Serving
Private Ends In Going Abroad
Seeking To Make Good What Sol.
1iers Shed Blood To Obtain.

washington, Dec I'm an address
% Congress in joint session today
President Wilson formally announced
6is intention to go to Paris for the
peace conference, saying the Allied
Governments have accepted principles
enunciated by him for peace and it is
his paramount duty to be present.
The President said he will be in
close touch by cable and wireless and
That Congress will know all that he
does on the other side.
He expressed the hope that he would
have the cooperation of the public
and of Congress. saying through the
cables and wireless constant counsel
and advice would be possible.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CONGRESS-:
The year that has elapsed since !
hast stood before you to fulfill my con.
1tttutional duty to give to the Con
9ress from time to time information
on the state of the Union has been
% crowded with great events, great
processes and great results that can.
not hope to give you an adequate pic
1nre OF its transactions or Of the far.
Teaching changes which have been
wrought In the life Of our nation and
= the world. You have yourselves
Witnessed these things, as have.
It Is too soon to assess them, and we
Who stand in the midst of them and
IRE part OF them are less qualified
than men Of another generation will
be to say what they mean or even
what they have been. But some great
outstanding facts are unmistakable
and constitute in sense, part Of the
public business with which it is our
duty to deal. To state them is to set
the stage for the legislative and exec
utive action which must grow out of
them and which we have yet to shape
and determine.
Steady Stream OF Troops.
A year ago we had sent 145.918 men
overseas. Since then we have sent
1850, 513, an average of 162.542 each
month, the number, in fact, rising in
May last to 245,951, in June to 278, 76O,
in July to 307.182 and continuing to
reach similar figures in August and
September-in August 289,57O and in
September 251,438. No such move
ment of troops ever took place before,
across 5000 miles of sea, followed by
adequate equipment and supplies and
carried safely through extraordinary
dangers of attack = dangers which
"t'~e alike st~ar~e and infinitely diff
cult to guard against.
In all this movement only 75S men
were lost by enemy attack, $50 of
whom were upon a single English
transport which was sunk near the
Orkney Islands.
Country Backs Soldiers.
need not tell you what Law back
81 this great movement of men and
material. 1t is not invidious to say
that back of it lay supporting or
Eanization of the industries of the
country and Of all its productive actiy-
ss:es '"c"e corDieta r,cre thorough in
method and effective in results. more
spirited and unanimous in purpose and
effort than any other great belligerent
had ever been able to effect.
"" n~oited greatly by the expert
snce of the nations which had already
been engaged for nearly three years in
she exigeat and exacting business,
r:.'.:i' e--e = -esCu.ce and every execu-
I've proficiency taxed to the utmost.
We were the pupils. But we learn
I'd quickly and acted with a prompt
ness and readiness of cooperation that
1astify our great pride that We were
able to serve the world with unparal-
1eled energy and quick accomplish
nent.
But it is not the physical scale and
executive efficiency of preparation.
supply, equipment and dispatch that l
Would dwell on, but the mettle and
quality of the officers and men we sent
ever 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 splen-
did courage and achievement when
put to the test. Those of us who
played some part in directing the great
processes by which the war was push
ID frresistibly forward to the final tri-
0mph may now forget all that and de-
hight our thoughts with the story Of
what our men did.
Their officers understood the grim
and exacting task they had under |
oaken and performed with audacity, ef-
nciency and unhesitating courage that
touch the story OF convoy and battle
with imperishable distinction at every |
turn, whethe. the enterprise were |
great or small-from their chiefs, |
Pershing and Sims, down to the |
youngest lieutenant; and their men
Sere worthy of them-such men as
ply need to be commanded, and
their terrible adventure blithely |
the quick intelligence Of
in naEoe Gamma LIME =