Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-12-09
PERSH|NG PRAISES
SOUTH'S NEW AND
WOMEN IN WAR
A. E. F. Commander Star At.
traction at Commercial
Congress "Fying Par
son" Present
BY RALPH SMITH

(The Journals Staff Correspondenty
SAVANNAH, Ca, Dec. 's.-f9The
southern men Of our army quickly
reached the high standard of our
finest troops" declared General Per
shing in his address to the Southern
Commercial congress today. They
carried the banners of the republic
to the battlefields of France and vic
toriously crossed swords with the
best troops the German empire could
furnish.
"The glory of our army goes to
Chateau-Thierry that stopped the
enemy's advance to the counter-at-
tack on the Marine salient that turn
ed the tide of war; to their brilliant
success at ST. Mihiel; to the assault
at the Canal Du Nord, where south
ern men lost their lives, and to the
decisive drive from verdun to Sedan
that ended the war, where as worthy
sons your men maintained the best
traditions of a martial people.
but our young men at home and
abroad won other victories. Their
cheerful acceptance of the rigor of
military discipline, their patience in
training, their fortitude in combat,
were all taht you in your pride and
love of America could desire. No
body of troops taken to battle in
foreign lands far from the guidance
and influence of their homes were
ever inspired by more lofty ideals.
Their abstinence and morality gain
ed for them the unstinted praise of
our allies and returned them home
to you in health.
'Your sons carried into the serv-
ice the chivalrous spirit of the
south which is your poast and that
Of your father before you.
1.-THE women of your states brave
ly bore their share Of the burden at
home. They waited/ watched and
prayed that their sons might bring
back victory. Over there. in the
hospitals, where there was need of
women's tender care, at the 1can-
teens and shelters, at the recreation
and amusement centers, and wher-
ever woman could do her best work
there they labored with an ardor
worthy of their brothers. 1t is
privilege to tell you OF the services
of your sons Ind daughters and to
claim full kinship as an American
with them and with you"
Pershing Star Attraction
Pershing was doomed out of bed
this morning, and the booming, of
which there was enough 60 recall
rolling barrage, set in motion the
most suspicious convention in the
history of the Southern Commercial
congress.
The A. e. F. commander is the
star attraction of the convention, but,
to paraphrase a vernacular saying
Of the past, he mot the only
pebble on the beach," It has, in
deed, been long time since such a
generally distinguished company as
sembled under single roof in Geor-
gia. There are senators, congress-
men and governors galore, not to
mention representative business men
from all sections of the south.
But General Pershing is the con-
quering hero, and his presence this
morning at the city auditorium serv-
ed as an attraction that taxed the
capacity of the building. His remarks
which were dedicated to the south's
part in the world war were heard
with an eagerness that was surpass-
ed only by the enthusiasm provoked
by his tribute to the southern SOL
der.
The general arrived in Savannah
about 3 o'clock this morning. He
remained aboard his private car until
8 o'clock, when the Chatham artillery,
to the accompaniment of twenty
one-gun salute, captured the union
station and escorted General Per
shing and the members of his staff
to the De Soto hotel.
The parade through the streets of
Savannah was not a pageant in the
usual sense, but it was never-the-
less triumph. The school children
of the city occupied the points Of
vantage, and as the procession pass
ed they joined in the singing of pa
,riotic songs. These children were
supported and strengthened by great
crowds of people, who damned the
sidewalks and acclaimed the A. E. F.
commander
. In anticipation of the generals
presence at the Auditorium, the
building was overcrowded with an
assemblage that made a boisterous
tumut when the distinguished Off
Ger appeared.
The formalities incident to the
meeting of the Commercial congress
got under way yesterday, with the
arrival of a naval fleet, flock of
seaplanes, and the appearance out Of
a clear sky of THE Flying Parson."
In addition there came by train lots
Of prominent people, among them
Senator Hoke Smith, Senator Dun
can U. Fletcher, of Florida; Con-
gresham w. D. Upshaw, of the
Fifth; Charles S. Barrett, president
of the Farmers union, and others.
Cunnnnins E.xnects His