The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-15
AMERlCANISM
Nv Major General Leonard Wood.


among people,
III To-day the nations are engaged n
the preparation for Just and, We
hone, a lasting peace. Our men, who
iave 50 well represented US. are re-
turning and we are looking forward
fageriy to the future The problem
~-hfch follow the war as MANY, anc
eome OF them are difficult. We are
engaged in rehabilitation from me
industries OF war and mobilization io-
he rcsum ption of the industries OF
peace.
"n,e Of the first problems which
s.ou, fronts us--one which we are now
engaged in solvtne-~is the return 1"
yhe;r homes and occupations on me
men who are coming back from over
y s-ax and from the training camps ~
home Whether they come back - MS
Z f-ors the training camps or from "Ner-
~ea< Is irssnaaterfal. iheN nave pe.
formed their duty wherever sent 20
ne hest Of their ability. In The per
ss,rfnsnce OF military duty TO one s
tSat,ntrv In time ~ war. Il Is rot Tor
he citizen called to the colors 20
{ Alecs the Kind ri service to be done
~ Rim one who has willingly ann
iryatiy respc nd ed 30 the call 10 arms
md who has put his best eTorts'
mental and rhysicaI. into the train
q l.
~eaQ,red Of him to the ees. or MS
stasy, Standing ready always 20 make
ne supreme ss crtnce Of life itself, II
reed be. has done all that gooj
E.. rem and eoidier could do 20 tnsurs
he successful prosecution Of the war
To the man from the training
lamp belongs full share OF credit.
They have done their best They have
,~eersuiiy and Loyalty discharged the
- ri
~ar Their work has been part
!. 81, the great national effort which has
eieted IN securing q victorious peace.
The men from overseas have done
her part solendidly, with no thought
u. SELF with no counting OF the COS
~. with unseifish devotion. Their
.easnet4Ne wac the enemy and they
20. him Again and again the zero
7our came for our men, and again
md again they went over the top 10
e.ctorv. Their only reward was tho
consciousness Of duty well done
lone in the many cases. at the cost OF
sfa--done that the cause Of tho allies
and our own. which was that of
civilization. might live.
"Cur men fought with splendid
courage They lived up 10 the high
~ traditions OF our military serv-
Ne. and in their performances of duty
FAMED the admiration of Europe.
They never failed they always stood
fYalr shfecti~N. Their courage was
.c&isrless.
4toc. 900 Returning To Ciyil Life.
"A bout 4lo0 600 men responded TO
he country's call and came 20 the
. olors In the army, navy. and marine
"a ar t4s-ait these. inss the dead. ar q
snnaiae back To us To be placed in
heir old positions or in new lines Of
sfra,
Kew a word about these men VIII o
are coming home; We sent Them
ever with our blessings. We told
hem they were crusaders In holy
mar that civilization and the liberty
~ rnsni<ind depend upon their efforts.
,ur women and our men did every
hing POSSIBLE to send them over sound
n body and clean In soul. filled with
the spirit Of sacrifice and as well
raIned as WAS possible in The all too
hrief tirre at our command They
have done their work and done u
splendi6ly They accomplished wha'
we sent them TO do. We must show
cur appreciation by our treatment oil
hem upon their return
Most OF the men are going back
either to their farms or their old
iohs There is 4 certain proportion
Who want change. They want som o.
thing new II is hard for them -
.ettte down The excitement of hat
tse is still in their blood. Some of
them have spent their money. They
are a hit uneasy. possibly a bit un
reasonable. We must be patient with
therl and do everything we possibly
can "a re-esta hiish them in some line
OF occupation for which they are
fitted We want them 10 go back to
their homes realizing that the govern
n rent has appreciated their sacrihces
Ard understood the value of thct.
service
NOW is the time tn show an in
teiiigent appreciation of what they
nave done and to show that we meant
what We said There are four millions
81 these men. Their influence In
this country is going 10 be very
powerful enc and we want each and
every one Of them to go back TO ms
place. whatever II may be, feeling
thar his sacrifice has been under
stood and appreciated.
Zach Man Center Of Patriotism
III we do the right thing toward
these men. we shall have in the home
of each one OF them a center Of
patriotism and spirit Of service
which will 60 far to keep hliye a
sound patriotic spirit. A great part
~ the world is very much upset and
dangerous ideas are abroad. We want
to keep our feet on the ground ahcs
hold on to the ideals aRa-paltcies
which have made us great, to the con
stitution and the national policies
whose wisdom has been demonsuat-
ed by our security and progress. w"
must do all we can TO build up
sound national spirit, an intense spirit
of Americanism.
I'VE must do all we can 70 com
piete the work OF fusing into one
homogeneous mass Of Americans the
: various elements which make up our
population. We have had in onr
armies representatives OF all the fGht-
ing groups in Europe and right here
want to say word Of appreciation
OF the loyalty of these new citizens
of these Americans of alien descent.
We were bit uncertain as TO what
some Of them would do. for some of
them came from the blood strains or
our enemies, but we have only to
read the lists Of our dead to realize
that these Americans OF German and
other descent have been loyal. They
have written anew their oath Of allegs
ance. This time II has been written
In their own blood.