The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-11
ARMISTICE DAY

Today we celebrate the greatest day In all his
tory Not alone in the United States Is Armistice
Day celebrated but throughout the world the ma
lions are observing the greatest anniversary OF civil
ization.
When the United States declared hostilities April
1917 the world faced the darkest hour since the
Crucifixon. On the battefields of Europe the
forces of righteousness and the forces of evil strug-
gled supremacy and the heel of the Hun was
trampling the honor of the world.
When the presidents proclamation called the
country TO arms, the of the south and the
north the east and the west answered.: We are
here
With almost no preparation this country was
called upon to throw millions of men into the
breach Millions France, millions at home. to
safeguard the honor of the nation.
And from every home in the land they came, men.
many OF them, stern. outstanding, implacable. men
from the world OF finance, from the FARMS men
from the lumber camps, from the plantations, from
the mountain side and city streets. And boys there
were. beardiess youths who left the college campus
for the trench and the battle SCARED fields Of
Europe.
When the United States entered the war the Hun
was knocking at the door of Paris. Great Britain,
with wonderful fleet and France with her brave
roilus had held the Germans at bay for three long
years. and well nigh spent with the struggle.
Americas task almost impossible. To succor
a devastated country the other side of the world;
feed and clothe millions; to transport hundreds
Of thousands of men mine-infested waters,
Uboats of the BLACKLIST pirates that sailed the
America did hesitate. The story Of the
part the United States played in the never
be written, by mortal It is engraved the
hearts of the mothers of men; mothers who gave
their to freedom. and mothers whose were
saved to them, through the strong that
stretched out across thousands of miles of water.
Nothing that has been accomplished all the
annals of history has approached it. Nothing that
will be accomplished In the future surpass
1t. Millions of men called at moments notice to
the world.
How well they performed their duties is written
the fields Europe ranks of the dead wait
the call to when the Captain of the Hosts
shall summon them.
Today home we seek to pay our tribute
to the valor of the world and do with rejoic-
ing.
But back of the mirth and munmery the pagen-
try and pomp the heart of the world throbs with
sorrow for that silent army which has gone before
There In Pensacola today who were at
the battle of the Marine Chateau Therry
and at the Somme, and Ypres. and vimy Ridge, and
the Forest of Argonne. There are men who have
comrades fall beside them. who have held the
hands of dying men, and who have gone down into
the Valley OF the Shadow of Death. themselves So
to them the pageantry is than pageantry-it is
the anniversary of death, well as anniversary
of the birth of liberty for all the world.
And these men who have fought for liberty who
have sacrificed and have those dear to them
down to death. have come back with a laugh on
the lip-because they men--but vow in the
heart that liberty shall perish from the earth
They have returned with deeper understanding
Of what democracy means with wider knowledge
Of what life and death may Offer and they know
because they have been tried in the crucible of life
and have proved up one hundred per cent