The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-19

soldiers in the Bohemian language telling them what the President had said. Major Jirsa stepped forward faced his men, and called for three cheers for the President. They were given with vigor.
 Those of the troops who had espec- ial1y distin nguished themselves had been invited to the White. House DOT tico. There were two long lines of them and the President, bareheaded, and wearing a blue serge coat and white duck trousers, passed up and down, greeting each individual with a smile as he shook his hand. Each man greeted saluted the President before shaking his hand.
 The contingent will go to Newport News Sunday and sail the same day for Prague. The Presidents speech follows:
 Major Vladimir Jirsa, officers and
 men of the detachment of the Czechoslovak Army:
 Tt gives me great pleasure to have this opportunity to review this de- tachment of your valiant army and to extend to you, its officers, and the brave men associated with you most cordial welcome. Though we have been far away. we have watch ed your actions and have been moved by admiration of the services you have rendered under the most ad- verse circumstances Having been subjected to an alien control you were fired by a love of your former independence and for the institu- tions of your native land. and gal 1antly aligned yourselves with those who fought in opposition to all dcs- potism and military autocracy
 At the moment that diversity came to the armies with which you were fighting and when darkness and Encouragement cast a shadow upon your cause, you declined to be daunted by circumstances and retain ed your gallant hope. Your stead fastness in purpose, your unshaken belief in high ideals, your valor of mind. of body, and of heart have evoked the admiration of the world. In the midst of a disorganized peo- pie and subject to influences which worked for ruin, you consistently maintained order within your ranks. and by your example helped those with whom you came in contact to re-este blish their lines. I cannot say too much in praise of the demeanor of your brave army in these trying circumstances. Future genera tions will happily record the influence for good which you were privileged to exercise upon a large part of the population of the world, and will ac- cord you the place which you have so courageously won. There is, per haps. nowhere recorded a. more bril- liant record than the withdrawal of your forces in opposition to the arm les of Germany and Austria. through a population at first hostile, or the march of your armies for thousands of miles across the great stretches of Siberia, all the while keeping in mind the necessity for order and organiza- ton.
 You are returning now to your na- tive land, which is today, we all re- joice to say, again a free and inde- pendent country. May you contribute to her life that stamina which you so conspicuously manifested through all your trying experiences in Russia and Siberia, and may you keep in mind after your return, as you have kept in mind hith erto, that the laws of God, the laws of man, and the laws of na- ture require systematic order and cool counsel for their proper appN- cation and development, and for the welfare and happiness of the human race'