Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-01-04
PRESIDENTS REPLY.

"Your Majesty: I have been
much touched by the generous
terms of the address you have
just read. / feel 1t would be dif
ficult for me to make q worthy
reply and yet II I could speak
simply the things that are in my
heart am sure they could CON-
'stitutc an adequate reply.
II had occasion at the parlia-
mcnt this afternoon to speak Of
the strong sympathy that had
sprung up between the United
States and Italy during tho ter
rible years of the war, but perhaps
here can speak more intimately
and say how sincerely the people
of the United States had admired
your course and your own con-
stant association with the armies
of Italy, and the gracious and
generous and servin~ association
of her majesty, the queen.
ut has been n matter of pride
with us that SO many Italians, SO
many men of Italian origin were
in our armies and associated with
their brethren in Italy itself in
the great enterprise of freedom.
These are no small matters and
they complete that process of the
welding together of the sympa.
thics of nations which has been
on SO long between our peoples.
"The Italians in the United
States have excited particular
degree of admiration. They, be-
lieve, arc the only people of a
given nationality who have been
careful to organize themselves to
see that their cOmpatriOts COM
ing to America were from month
to month and year to year guild
cd to places in industries most
suitable to their previous habits.
No other nationality has taken
such pains as that and in serv-
ing their fellow country1nen they
have served the United States be-
cause these people have found
places where they would be most
useful and would most imIne-
diately earn their own living and
add to the prosperity of the
country itself.
''In every way we have been
happy in our association at home
and abroad with the people of
this great state. 1 was saying
playfully to Premier Orlando and
Baron SOnninO this afternoon
that in trying to put the people
of the world under their proper
sOvereignties, we would not be
willing to part with the Italians
in the United States because we
too much value the contribution
that they have made. not only to
the industry of the United States.
but to its thought and to many
elements of its life.
'"This is, therefore, very well
come occasion upon which to ex-
press feeling that goes very
deep. was touched the other
day to have an Italian, q very
plnin man, say to me that we had
helped to feed Italy during the
war, and it went to my heart, be-
cause. we had been able to do so
little. 1t was necessary for ns to
use our tonnage SO exclusively for
the hauling Of troops and Of the
supplies that had to follow them
from the United States, that we
: could not do hall as much as 1t
was 0urF desire to do to supply
grain to this country, or coal,
or any of the supplies which it
SO much needed during the prog
rss of the war.
"And knowing us we did, in this
indirect way. the needs OF the
country, you will not wonder that
we were moved by it's steadfast-
ness. My heart goes out to the
little poor families all over this
great kingdom who stood the
brunt and strain of the war and
gave their men gladly to make
other men free and other women
and other children free. These
are the people and many like
them to whom after all we owe
the glory OF this great achieve
ment, and 1 want TO join with
you, for I am sure of joining with
you, in expressing not only my