The state herald., 1919-07-18


Germans were to be always forced
back, back. were never to thrust sue
cessfully forward again. And yet
there was no confident hope.
Anxious men and women, leading
spirits Of France, attended the cele-
bration Of the Fourth Of July last year
in Paris out Of generous courtesy
with no heart for festivity, little zest
of hop". But they came away with
something new at their hearts; they
have themselves told us so.
Tells Of Feeling Men Created.
The mere sight of our men-of their
vigor. Of the confidence that showed
itself IN every movement of their stall.
wart figures and every turn of their
swinging march, In their steady com.
pretending eyes and easy discipline,
In the indomitable air that added
spirit to everything they did-made
everyone who saw them that memo
rable day realize that something had
happened that was much moye than a
mere Incident In the fighting, some
thing very different from the mere ar.
rival Of fresh troops.
A great moral force had flung itself
Into the struggle. The fine physical
force of those spirited men spoke of
something more than bodily vigor.
They carried the great ideals Of a
free people at their hearts and with
that vision were unconquerable. Their
very presence brought reinsurance
their lighting made victory certain.
They were recognized as crusaders,
and as their thousands swelled to mil.
lions their strength was seen to mean
salvation. And they were At men to
carry such hope and make good the
assurance 1t forecast. Finer men never
went Into battle; and their officers
were worthy Of them.
Comrades In Great causs.
This Is not the occasion upon which
to utter eulogy Of the armies Amer.
lea sent to France, but perhaps, since
am speaking Of their mission, 1 may
speak also Of the pride shared with
every American who saw or dealt with
them there. They were the sort of
men America would wish to be repre-
sented by. the sort Of men every Amer
lean would wish to claim as fellow
counfrymen and comrades In q great
cause.
They were terrible In battle, and
gentle and helpful out of II, remember.
Ing the mothers and the sisters, the
wives and the little children mt home.
They were free men under arms, not
forgetting their Ideals Of duty in the
midst OF tasks Of violence. am proud
to have had the privilege of being as
sociated with them md OF calling nv
self their leader.
Duty to Outlet Fears Of World.
And the compulsion OF what they
stood for was upon us who represent.
ed America at the peace table. 1t was
our duty to see TO It that every de-
cision we took part In contributed. so
Tar ms we were able to influence II, to
quiet the fears and realize the hopes
Of the peoples who had been living In
that shadow, the nations that had
come by our assistance to their free.
dom. II was our duty to do every
thing TINT It was within our power to
do to make the triumph of freedom
and Of right n lasting triumph in the
assurance Of which men might every.
where live without fear.
Old entnnglements OF every kind
stood In the way-promIses which gov
ernments had made to one another in
the days when might md right were
confused and the power Of the victor
was without restraint. Engagements
which contemplated any dispositions
OF territory. any extensions Of SOW.
ereignty that might seem to be to the
interest Of those who had the power
to insist upon them had been entered
into without thought OF what the peo.
pies concerned might wish or profit
by; and these could not always be
honorably brushed aside. II was not
ensy to graft the new order Of ideas
on the old. and some OF the fruits Of
the grafting may. ! fcnr. for q time
be bitter.
Thrust Upon Conference.
These were not tasks which the
conference looked nbout 10 fnd and
went out Of It's way to perform. They
were inseparable from the settlements
of pence. They were thrust upon II
by circumstances which could not be
overlooked. The war had created
them. In all quarters OF the world
old established relationships had been
disturbed or broken and affairs were
at loose ends. needing to be mended
or united again. hut could not be made
what they were before. They had to
be set right by applying some uniform
principle Of Justice or enlightened cx.
pedlcncy. And they could not be nd.
justcd by merely prescribing In n
treaty what should be done.
New states were TO be set up which
could not hope TO live through their
first period OF weakness without ns-
surcd support by the great nations