Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-28

a elimination. There was that sort
of gratitude thatthe nations engag-
ed had produced such men as the
soldiers of Great Britain and of the
United States and of France and OF
Italy-men whose prowess and
achievements they had witnessed
with rising admiration as they
moved from elimination to culmi-
nation.
But there/was something more
in 1t, the Consciousness that the busi-
ness is not yet done. the conscious
ness that 1t now rests upon others
to see that those lives were not lost
in vain.
Quotes French Leader
Il have not yet been to the actual
battlefield. but have been with
many of the men who have fought
the Sattles and the other day | had
the pleasure of being present Mt a
session OF the French Academy when
they admitted Marshal Joffre to their
membership. That sturdy, serene
soldier stood and uttered, not the
words of triumph, but the simple
words of affection for his soldiers
up in n sentence, which | will not
try accurately to quote, but repro
duce in its spirit. 1t was that France
must always remember that the
small and the weak could never live
free in the world unless the strong
and the great always pLt their pow
er and their strength in the service
of right.
hnnpbf fha
thought that something must be
done now; not only to make the just
settlements-that of course-but to
see that the settlements remained
and were observed and that honor
and justice prevails in the world.
And as l have eonversed with the
soldiers | have been more and more
aware that they fought for some-
thing that not all of them had de-
fined, but which all of them recog-
nized the moment you stated ii to
them. They fought to do away with
an old order and to establish n new
one and the center and characters
tic of the old order was that unstable
thing which we used to call the
balance of power thing in which
the balance was determined by the
sword which was thrown in on the
one side or the other, Il balance
which was determined by the un-
stable equilibrium of competitive
antagonism of interests which,
though il was generally latent, al
ways was deep seated.
Call For Powerful Peace Arm
THE men who have fought in this
war have been the men from the free
nations who are determined that
that sore of thing should end now
and forever. 1t is very interesting to
me to observe how from every quar-
ter, from every sort of mind, from
every concert of counsel there comes
the suggestion that there must now
be not a balance of power, not one
powerful group of nations set up
against another. but single over
whclming, powerful group of ma
tions who shall bc the trustees of the
peace of the world.
1T ha sheen delightful in my con-
ferences with the leaders OF your
government to find how our minds
moved along exactly in the same line
and how our thought always was
that the key to the peace was the
guarantee of the peace, not the items
of il; that the items should be worth
less unless here stood back of them
a permanent concert of power for
their maintenance. That is the most
reassuring thing that has ever hap
pened in the world.
When this war began the thought
Of a League of Nations was indul-
gently considered as the interesting
thought of closeted students. 1t was
thought of as one of those things
tina it was righ to characterize by
a name which, as a university man,
/ always have resented. ! was said
to be academic, as If that in itself
were ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
that men could think about but never
get. Now we find the practical lead
ing minds of the world determined to
get it.
Secs No Difficulty Ahead
NO such sudden and potent union
of purpose ever has been witnessed
in the world before. DO you wonder,
therefore, gentlemen, that in COM
mon with those who represent YOU
am eager to get ut the business and
write the sentences down? And that
/ am particularly happy that the
ground is cleared and the fOunda-
tons laitl-for we already have ac-
Ccptcd the same body of principles.
Thisc principles arc clearly and def
nitcly enough stated to make their
application matter which should
afford no fundamental difficulty
And back of us is that impcra-
tive ycarning of the world TO have
all disturbing questions quietcd, to
have all threats against peace ST.
fenced. To have just mon everywhere
come together for Il common object.
The peoples of the world want peace
and they want il now. not merely by
conquest of arms but by agreement
of mind
1t was this incomparably great
object that brought me overseas. 1t
never has before been deemed eX-
cusable for a President of the United
States to leave the territory of the
United States, but l know that II
I have he support of the judgment
of mycolleagues in the government
of the United States in saying that
it was my paramount duty to turn
away even from the imperative tasks
at home to lend such counsel and aid
as l could to this great, may / not
say final, enterprise of humanity"
As the President, with Mrs. VIII
SON. lelI the dullnall aIler MS al
dress the crowd outside took up the
cheers tha thad been echoing within
the building. The President smiled
delightedlyy and rose and bowed re.
peatedly.
/ This is Presidents Day in London
+ The two first chapters of President
/ Wilson's English visit have been de.
voted TO meetings and functions with
royal and political personages of the
government circle. The scene shifts
I to-day to the somber old precinct.
: of the Gnildhnll and the Mnneinr