Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-03

Tents address to congress follows
Gentlemen of the Congress:
The year that has elapsed since
I last stood before you to full
fill my constitutional duty to give
to the congress from time to time
information on the state Of the
union has been so crowded with
great events. and great results
that l cannot hope to give YOU
an adequate picture of its trans
actions or OF the far-reaching
changes which have been
wrought in the life OF our ma
ton and Of the world. You have
yourselves witnessed these things
as L have, 1t is too soon to
assess 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.
But some great outstanding
facts are unmistakable and con-
stitute in a sense part of the
public business with which II is
our duty to deal. TO state them
is to set the stage for the leSis-
lative and executive action which
must grow out o fthem and
which we have yet to shape and
determine.
Troop LSovement
A year ago we had sent 1898
men overseas. Since then we
have sent 1,95O.51S, an average Of
162,542 each month, the number
in fact rising in May last to
245,951, in June to 27S,760. in
July to Boise, and continuing
to reach similar figures in Au-
gust and September-in August
2S9,570 and in September 257,43S.
No such movement of troops ever
took place before, across three
thousand 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 move
ment only seven hundred and
fifty men were lost by enemy at
tack-six hundred and thirty OF
whom were upon a single English
transport which was sunk near
the Orkney Islands.
need not tell you what lay
back Of this great movement of
me. and material. It is not in
vidious to say that back Of it
Law a supporting organization of
the industries Of the country and
Of all it's productive activities
more complete. moro thorough
in method and effective in re-
suit, more spirited and unani-
nous in purpose and effort than
any other great belligerent had
been able to effect. We profited
greatly by the experience of the
nations which already had been
engaged for nearly three years
in the eXigent and exacting bust
ness, their every resource and
every executive proficiency taxed
to the utmost. We were their
pupils. But we learned quickly
and acted with a promptness and
a readiness of cooperation that
justify our great pride that we
were able to serve the world with
unparalleled energy and quick
accomplishment.
But it is not the physical scale
and executive efficiency of prep
aration, supply. equipment and
dispatch that 1 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
foc the test of battle or acquit-
TED themselves with more SPLEEN
did courage and achievement
when Put to the test. Those OF
US who played some part in di-
recting tina great processes by
which the war was pushed ir-
resistibly forward to the final
triumph may now forget all that
and delight cur thoughts with
the story Of what our men did.
Praises Mems Bravery
Their officers understood the
grim and eXacting task they had
undertaken and performed 1t
with an audacity, efficiency. and
unhesitating courage that touch
the story of convoy and battle
with imperisaable distinction at
every turn. whether the enter
prise were great or smalI--from
their great chiefs. Pershing and
Sims. down to the Youngest
lieutenant; and their men were
worthy OF them-such men as
hardly need to be commanded,
and 20 TO their terrible adventure
blythely and with the quick in
telligence of those who know lust
what it is they would accom-.
plish.
am proud TO be the fellow
countryman of men Of such stuff
and valor. Those of us who
stayed at home did our duty; the
war could not have been won or
the gallant men who fought It
given their opportunity to win
it otherwise, but for many a
long day we shall think our