Meade County news., 1918-03-14
The following is reprinted
from the Pratt Daily Trl-
bune, to whom we are in
debted for this report.

With the seating capacity of the
Presbyterian church filled completely
and standing room at premium,
crowds of people were turned away
last night when Lieut.. Paul Perigord
of the French infantry delivered his
message which he had brought to
Americans directly from the trenches
in France. This was the first ses-
sion Of the war council which is being
held in Pratt under the direction of
the Council of Defense and the Food
Administration.
Father Schneider of the Catholic
church of Pratt, introduced Lieuten-
ant Perigord as the battle Scared
hero from France, who would talk to
Americans, renowned as a nation of
hero worshipers. With the Sword
which he won for bravery in action
in his hand, Lieutenant Perigord took
his place on the platform and mod
estly and unassumingly but brilliant
ly, and with the fire of intense ear
nestness gave the message he had
come so far to give.
81 am gathering up the gratitude
reflected in the faces of the Ameri-
cans | see all over the country and
gathering together the graciousness
into beautiful boquet to send to the
boys in France who are fighting to
make us happy" Lieut. Perigord be-
gan. at will be an inducement to
them for greater efforts and for more
glorious endeavor. And one thing l
would impress upon you is to give
more of your affection and gratitude
to them. You can never do too much
for the boys who are dying for you"
Not Here to Entertain
81 am coming here not to entertain,
not to amuse you, but as a soldier and
tired soldier have talked so much
since | have been in America that l
have been thinking of asking the sec
retary of war to send me back to the
trenches for a little rest. The Ger
mans couldn't kill me, and they tried
hard enough, but you Americans sure
ly will even tho it be with kindness.
l come to. speak the truth to you in a
frank and soldierly manner. l would
rather be in the trenches but Field
Marshal Joffre sent me to share my
military experience with the young
army over here. They said to me
here: GO see the fathers and the
mothers of those boys and come back
to train the boys. If they know the
truth as it really is the government
can surely bank on them
You have all read of the greatest
speech of the war. How when General
Pershing arrived in Paris he felt his
first duty was to pay a visit to the
tomb of Lafayette. When he arrived
ne gave no great address, but leaning
over the tomb whispered, Lafayette,
we are here" The French call that
the best speech of the war l knew
America and Americans before the
war, and everywhere 1 go now, find
changed nation. can see that the
entire American people are over there
with Pershing and his boys. Every
where | find changes and find new
souls awakening.
How to Get a Commission
THE Secretary of War was telling
me what trouble he was having with
the army. Everyone wants to be an
officer. Nobody wants to be a pri-
vate. An Englishman sitting near
said, why we have always had the
same trouble with the Irish, they all
want to b the leaders, The Secre-
tary said, tell the boys how you got
your commission and so 1 will tell it
to you but in no spirit of pride or
vain glory for a soldier cannot be