The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-12
'PERSHTNG GIVES
ADVICE TO LEGION



The next explosion OF approval was
provoked by Luke Lea, ex-United States
Senator from Tennessee, who served as
Colonel in the Thirty-eighth Divi-
sion in France. Defining the principles
Of Americanism Col Lea said:
First. foreign policy that &.
will regard rapine and rape at our doors
on the Mexican border as vile and un-
speakable as when committed 1000 miles
distant In Belgium and will treat and
punish as murder the wanton killing of
men, women and babes whether 1t occurs
on the high seas or the banks of the
Rio Grande; a policy that will demand
respect for the Stars and Stripes and
protection for all within its shadows; a
policy that will insure safety to our
borders and protection to the people of
Mexico equally from organized lawless-
ness and German colonization even at
the cost and the sacrifice of policing
and II necessary of Americanizing dew
astated and divided Mexico. and her
neighbors to the Panama Canal"
Part Of Col. LEAFS tribute to Pershing
was this:
The measure OF the courage, spirit
and determination of any armyIIs that
OF It's chief. There never was a mo-
ment In the mind of any soldier from
the humblest X. p to the highest rank
Ing officer when there was the slightest
doubt OF the courage or capacity of the
commander in chief or Nthe smallest
fear that he would not outwit the chief
tains of the enemy and, lead Americas
greatest army to triumph of the be-
loved dead and the loyal living. :.
The position of commander in chief of
the A. Il. F. required the genius OF
Napoleon. the courage of Cesar, the
patriotism of a Roosevelt there the
Colonel had to wait for cheering to
| stop], the patience of a Lincoln, the
diplomacy of a Ben FranDlin and the
| statecraft of a Washington"
"All these great qualities OF head
| and heart were found" he concluded
"in the person of the first, the last and
the only Commander In Chief of the
| American Expeditionary Force, the guest
Of honor tonight
Cheers Greet General.
It was here that there was 30 much
shouting, whistlipg and general hullaba-
I loo, with the banding striking UP THE
Gangs All Here" that Gen. Pershing
| was compelled to stand up. His soldiers
can certainly yell as well as fight.
Col. Lea then added that ION behalf
Of all its members. in the name of the
quick and the dead, the American
Legion bids you, sir, welcome home, and
| In place of obedience it formerly gave
you, through discipline, it offers you a
loyalty springing from the depths of
| the heart"
| Mr.. Lindsey then introduced the Cen
eral. although coneeding the formallty
was unnecessary, Gen. Pershing's speech,
| with the exception OF the part already
| quoted, was as follows:
81 am very glad to have an oppor-
| tunity 90 soon after my return from
abroad of saying a word to those who
participated in the great achievements
that are to-day the credit OF the Am
erican army in Europe While you were
in the army you had an opportunity to
learn something of discipline. to learn
OF the importance of self-controi and Of
| obedience to orders.
| these things seem TO come about
| naturally to the we'll raised American
\ boy. There has been In our army in
Europe the exercise of a discipline which,
| believe, is unknown to other armies
This has made 1t easier for your officers,
those giving direction In military move
ments. to make their calculations as to
| the outcome, but you could not have
undergone this experience without hav-
ing received from II material benefit.
I'm the exercise of self-controI you
have as a consequence been given duties
varying In their responsibilities which
In turn have developed new qualities OF
character, perchance leadership. that bet
ter fit you to-day for the duties of citl-
zenship than you were before you en-
tered into the service OF our country
abroad.
These things, however, place upon
your shoulders new responsibilities
4 NM Ia
than when you left America for service
abroad. Why? Because of your ac-
complishments, your achievements. be-
cause of your experience, and justly So
One cannot pass through-one cannot
have the privilege of these experiences
; without thereafter having a broader
outlook on life and a more serious con.
temptation of its responsibilities.
Chance to Teach Loyalty.
The organization which has been
launched, known as the American Le-
gion, possesses the great advantage for
the display or for the exercise of the
same patriotism with which you have
been imbued during your service abroad
, end It is the hope of all that you will
|, enter upon your duties with the same
integrity Of purpose and with the same
resoiute patriotism with which you con.
Quoted yourselves on the battlefeids OF
. France.
ours is n country of laws and not
of men, and It should be the purpose OF
this organization to stand for laws based
upon the sound principles of the Con.
stitution
1T is a very great privilege TO me IN
deed to meet you in this way and e
, feel that we are comrades, and affection
ate comrades I would Include in THU
, not only the men who served over there.
, but those who were willing to serve an(
eager. In fact, to serve, but who wer,
compelled to remain on this side of tn,
| Atlantic.
II would also include patriotic, loya
women who by their aid sustained tn,
courage of our 3hen on the other side
and would include the mothers and sis
ters who by their prayers and their Low,
from this side gave US equal encourage
I ment.
Nor should we forget those who mad
the supreme sacrifice, and It should b.
our purpose to see that a grateful coun
, try take proper measures to create o
our cemeteries in France shrines wher,
, the American people may go to lear
anew the lessons Of patriotism.
II thank you very much for an Cd
: portunity of saying a word and wisl
the American Legion success"
With that the General smiling, turne,
and left the Garden to the accompani
, rnent of much handclapplng. As h
/, passed beneath the speakers stand