The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-13
STATES
WILL DICTATE
TERMS OF PEACE,
irwin COBB SAYS
World Will Listen To Will
son. Is Message Writ
er Brings Back

Philadelphia, July 13.-(Speeial.)-
Irwin S. Cobb, war correspondent,
strolled into Philadelphia and told one
of the best stories Of his career.
It is a story which should inspire
courage in the American people in
general and joy in the hearts Of the
wives, mothers and sweethearts OF
the boys in France.
1.-THE western drive" he said, "is
merely drive. They will never
break the line. Suppose they do
break it by miraculous chance?
What will it matter? What will it
matter? What will it mean other
than battle with America, continued
battle with the allied forces Of
America, France and England?
World Will Listen to Wilson.
Some people think the drive will
end with renewed peace proposals by
the enemy; peace proposals Of more
generous nature than ever we're Of
fered before. That may be SO; no
one can tell.
But one thing is certain, and that
is if peace proposals are made the
civilized world will listed to the
voice of woodrow Wilson. His
word will be accepted by France
and England and Belgium, and back
Of the line, where the enemy is
battling against civilization his
word will be greeted with respect"
I'm England and France" con-
tinued Mr.. Coob, men asked me this
question: Whom have we here to
whom all the people will listen? We
have no such man. Now, we do not
know what you Americans think
about it, but you have man in
Washington to whom we will listen,
and that man is your president, Mr.,
Wilson,"
All Defer to Wilson.
Plainly Mr.. Cobb brought back
evidence-if evidence were needed
that the allies and even the Hun
clearly recognize the part which the
President, as the leader of the allied
nations, is playing and will play in
the war.
Now for the boys over there. Mr..
Cobb figures that America need not
drape crepe on it's front door be-
cause we have sent nearly mil
lion Of our lads across the sea- Ger
tainly, he says, we can have little
heartache when we miss them COM
ing late to breakfast in the morning,
but he wishes to inform every one
that they are just as well as could
be expected.
Happy? Sure they are happy"
he said. "They are full of that in
effable happiness which every man
feels when he is doing his Job with
"a grin. Wait until they get into
the game. Pm not going to say
they have more courage than the
fellows of France and England. The
supreme test Of courage is for a
man to face fire at the cost Of his
life. We all know what the Eng
lish and. French have done along
that line.
But our boys are fresh. They are
full Of life. They have that exuber-
ant Yankee spirit which means so
much in crisis; which you can't de-
scribe in words, but which you ad-
mire in action.
lads. They kid themselves when
fellow. What is gold lace to them ?
A joke. Suppose bacon or tobacco
is short foV twenty-four hours
that's just another joke"
Carry HUn1or TO Battle Line.
1.-THE difference between the spirit
Of our men and the spirits of the
fighting men of France and England
is that the American boys, as I
stated, are fresh. They are young
err and have not gone through
the most terrible trials which could
be visited upon humanity. The men
OF France and England are war
weary. They are not tired Of fight
ing. When fighting is the thing to
be done, they fight like heroes. But
they are weary of the crush and
burden Of war, the seemingly never
ending hustle and jostle Of the grim
game in which they are engaged.
They are as men who seek rest, but
who go back to the fray with re-
newed vigor and unselfish sacrifice
because that is their supreme duty.
1t this is true Of the allies, how
much more true must it be Of the
enemy troops"