Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-26
WILSON TELLS TROOPS
j. s. PROUD OF THEM
President Voices His Pride in
American Soldiers and Assures
Them of a Just Peace.

Chaumont. Dec 26.-FollowIng the
review Of troops at Humcs yesterday by
President Wilson, General Pershing made
an address, saving:
Mr.. President and Fellow-Soldiers-
We are gathered here today 10 do honor
TO the commander of our armies and navles
For the first time an American President
will review an American Army on foreign
soil the soil of n sister republic beslde
whose gallant troops we have fought TO
restore peace 10 the world
Speaking for YOU and your comrades,
| am proud to declare to the President
that no army hiss ever more Loyalty or
more effectively served its country, and
none has ever fought IN q nobler cause.
You Mir President, by your confidence
and nv Your support, have made the
success Of our army, and to you, as Com
mander in Chief, may ! now present the
nations victorious army.
In replying, President Wilson said:
General Pcrshing and Fellow Comrades
I wish that | could give to each ono OF
you the message that know you are long
ing 10 receive from those at home who
love YOU cannot do that, but can tell
YOU how every one has put his heart into
II So Won have done your duty and
something more You have done your
duty, and have done II with a spirit which
gave il distinction and glory.
And nov We are To hail the fruits oi
everything You conquered, when you
came over. what YOU came over for, and
YOU have done what il was appointed for
Won 10 do I know whst You expected
~ me Some time ago gentleman from
one III the countries with which we are
u With mo the
noraI aspects az this war and ! said that
Il We did not insist upon the high purpose
which we have accomplished the end would
not be justified
Every body AZ home is proud OF YOU
and has followed every movement OF this
great army with confidence and affection
The whole people Of the United States
are now waiting To welcome YOU home
with an acclaim which probably has never
erected anv other army, because our
country Is like this country, We have been
50 proud of the stand taken Of the pur
nose for which this war was entered by the
United States
You knew what We expected Of YOU,
and YOU did it, ! know what you and
the people al home expected OF me, and
am happy TO say, my fellow-countryInen,
that | do not find in the hearts Of the
great leAGltTS NltEl nom IL - ll2N
now 70 cooperate any difference Of prln-
ciple Of fundamental purpose.
1T happened that il was the privilege
az America 20 present the chart for peace,
and now the process Of settlement has been
rendered comparatively simply by the
fact that all the nations concerned have
accepted that chart. and the application
az these principles laid down there will be
their application The world will now
know that the nations that fought this
war. as well as the soldiers " no represented
them. are ready 10 make good-ma axe
good ONLY IN the assertion Of their own
interests. but make good IN the establish
rnent Of peace upon the permanent founda-
tlon of night and Of justice.
Because this Is not a war IN which the
soldiers az the free nations have obeyed
masters You have commanders, but
YOU have no masters lour very COM
manders represent you IN representing the
nation, Of which YOU constitute so dis
tmgllshed q part And everybody con-
cerned IN the settlement knows that 1t
must be a peoples peace and that nothing
must be done in the settlement OF the
issues Of the war which is not as handsome
as the great achievements Of the armies
81 the United States and the Allies.
1T Is difficult very difficult men, IN
anV formal speech like this TO show YOU
nv real heart You men probably do not
realize with what anxious attention and
care We have followed every step you have
advanced and how proud We are that every
step was IN advance and not IN retreat;
that every tame you set your face In any
direction you kept your face in that dj
rection A thrill has gone through my
heart as II has gone through the hearts OF
every American, with almost every gun
that was fired and every stroke that was
struck in the gallant fighting that YOU
have done and there has been only one
regret in America and that was the regret
that every man there fell that he Was
! not there IN France, too.
II Is a hard thing 70 peri oTm the tasks
IN the United States; II has been hard
/ thing ~ take par IN directing what you
did without coming over and helping YOU
70 do IL II has taken a lot Of moral
| courage % stay al home But We arc
| proud 20 back YOU up everywhere that IT
WIS possible to ba Ok YOU up. And now
| ] am happy 10 find what splendid names
| YOU have made for yourselves, among the
civilian population OF France, as well as
! among your comrades in the armies Of
1 the French and It Is fine testimony to
| YOU men that these people like you and
| love YOU and Trust you, and the finest part
Of Il all IS that you deserve their trust.
II feel q comradeship with you today
which is delightful, as look down upon
these undisturOed fields and think OF the
terrible scenes through which you have
! gone and realize how the quiet Of peace
The tranquility Of settled hopes has de
scended upon US And while il is hard
far away from home confdentislly. to
bid YOU merry Christmas can think
cunhdentlslly, promise YOU happy New
Var and I cap from the boftouo ~ NV