Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-12-11
No such movement Of troops ever

No such movement OF troops ever
took place before, across 5000 miles
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 more difficult to
guard against. In all this movement
only 73S men were lost by enemy at
tacks-G30 of whom were upon a
single English transport which was
sunk near the Orkney islands.
l need not tell you what lay back
OF this great movement of men and
material 1t is not invidious to say
ganizatiOn of the industries of the
country and all it's productive activi-
ties more complete, more thorough in
method and effective in results, more
spirited and unanimous in purpose
and effort than any other great bel
ligerent had ever been able to effect.
We profited greatly by the experience
of the nations which had already been
engaged for nearly three years in the
eXgent and exacting business, their
proficiency taxed to the utmost. We
were the pupils.
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 us who played some part in
directing the great processes by which
the war was pushed irresistibly for
ward to the final triumph may now
forget all that and delight our
thoughts with the story of what our
men did.
Why to Be Thankful.
What we all thank God for with
deepest gratitude is that our men went
In force into the line of battle just at
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 thencefOrth 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 empires
knew themselves beaten; and now
their very empires are In liquidation !
And throughout 1t 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, its untir-
ing accomplishment. l have said that
those of us who stayed at home to do
the work of organization and supply
will always wish that we had been with
the men whom we sustained by our
labor; but we can never be ashamed.
1t 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! The patriotism,
the unselfishness, the thoroughgoing
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. And not the men here in Wash
ington only. They have but directed
the vast achievement.
Plan to Steady Business.
For the steadying and facilitation of
our own domestic business readjust-
mentS nothing Is more important than
the immediate determination of the
taxes that are to be levied for 1918,
1919 and 1920. AS much as the burden
of taxation must be lifted from bust
ness as sound methods of financing the
government will permit, and those who
conduct the great essential industries
of the country must be told as exactly
as possible what obligations to the gov
eminent they will be expected to meet
in the years Immediately ahead of
them.
1t win be of serious consequence to
the country to delay removing all I'M
certainties in this matter a single day
longer than the right processes, of de-
bate justly. 1t is idle to talk of sue
cessful and confident business recon-
struction before those uncertainties
are resolved.
Troops Must Stay in Europe.
If the war had continued 1t would
have bee necessary to raise at least
$S,000000.000 by taxation, payable in
the year 1919, but the war has ended
and l agree with the secretary of the
treasury that it will be safe to reduce
the amount to S6,000,O00O0O. An i'm
mediate rapid decline in the expenses
of the government is not to be looked
for. Contracts made for war supplies
will. indeed. be rapidly Cancelled and
liquidated, but their immediate liqui-
dalton will make heavy drains on the
treasury TO rthe months just ahead of
us.
The maintenance of our forces on
the other side o ,fthe sea is still neces-
sary. A considerable proportion of