The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-15

awaited you with impatience. They were eager to acclaim in you the illustrious democrat whose words and deeds were inspired by exalted thought, the phiios- opher delighting in the solution of uni versal laws, from particular events; the eminent statesman who had found way to express the highest political and moral truths in formulas which bear the stamp of immortality.
 ''They had also a passionate desire to offer thanks. in your person to the great republic of which you are the chief, for the invaluable assistance which had been given spontaneously. during this war, to the defenders of right and ub- erty.
 Even before America had resolved to intervene in the struggle she had shown to the wounded and the orphans of France a solicitude and a generosity the memory of which will always be en- shrined in our hearts. The liberality of your Red Cross, the countless gifts of your fellow citizens, the inspiring initia- tive of American women, anticipated your military and naval action and showed the world to which side your when you flung yourselves into the bat tie, with that determination your great people and yourself prepared for united success
 Some months ago you cabled to me that the United States would send ever increasing forces until the day should be reached on which the allied armies were able to submerge the enemy undef and overwhelming flow of new divisions and in effect for more than a year steady stream of youth and energy has been poured out upon the shores of France No sooner had they landed than your gallant legions fired by their chief, General Pershing, flung themselves into the combat with such a manly contempt of danger, such smiling disregard of death that our longer experience of these terrible wars, often moved us to counsel prudence. They brought with them in arriving here the enthusiasm of crusaders leaving for the Holy Land.
 RIGHT TO BE PROUD
 "It is their right today to look with pride upon the work accomplished and rest assured that they have powerfully aided by their courage and their faith.
 Eager as they were to meet the en- emy they did not know when they ar rived the enormity of his crimes. That they might know how the German armies make war, 1t has been necessary that they see towns systematically burned down. mines flooded. factories reduced to ashes, orchards devastated, cathe- dralS Shelled ana flreQ-aH that QellDeFdte savagery aimed at destroying natural wealth, nature and beauty, which the imagination could not conceive at dis tance from the men and things that have endured it. and today bear witness to it. M
 "In your turn, MT. President, you will be able to measure with your ow n eyes the extent of these disasters, and the French government will make known to you the authentic documents in which the German general staff de- veloped with astounding cynicism it's programme of pillage and industrial an initiation. Your noble conscience will pronounce a verdict on these facts.
 Should this guilt remain unpunished, could 1t be renewed, the most splendid victories would be in vain.
 MT. President, France has struggled. has endured and has suffered during four long years; she has bled at every vein; she has lost the best of her chill dren, she mourns for her youth. She yearns now even as you do for peace of justice and security.
 Tt was not that she might be ex posed once again to aggression that she submitted to such sacrifices Nor was 1t in order that criminals should go unpunished that they night lift their heads again to make ready for new crimes, that under your strong leadership American armed herself and crossed the ocean.
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