Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1919-05-22

ness of death and broken hearts,
today execrated by his own
countrymen, is an exile, a man
without country, an unwelcome
guest in a foreign land, with the
hatred of bleeding civilization
centered on his head, he covers
in fear and in remorse, seeking
some avenue of escape from the
righteous wrath Of an outraged
world.
1t was these boys that we hon
or today, and millions more like
them, that rushed to the training
camps of our country and then
across the waters and into the
trenches of Europe, that turned
the tide of battle, won the war,
and saved democracy. This ma.
tion can never pay the debt of
gratitude it owes TO those boys.
And today | wish | could tell
you boys how glad we are to
welcome you home, and to know
that other boys from this town
and vicinity are soon to follow
you.
The only cloud that mars our
joy today is the thought that
some of the boys have not and
will not come back. While we
rejoice with those whose boys
have returned, we mourn with
those.whose boys sleep the last
long sleep over there. Those six
gold stars represent six boys
from this vicinity who have
made the supreme sacrifice in
the service of their country. |
know not the names of all those
boys, yet when they donned Un.
Gle Sans uniform they became
our boys, and we ali felt an int.
crest in their welfare, and a love
for them, and when they died in
the service of our country they
became nation S dead and so
long as patriotism is esteemed a
virtue, so long as this republic
shall stand and that flag shall
float, will their memories be
cherished by a gratSsal nation of
people.
To you boys who have been
called to the colors has come a
distinction of which you have a
right to feel proud. Less than
two years ago you left US -un-
trained, awkward country boys,
knowing nothing of war, know
ing only that your services were
needed to defend your country's
rights and your country's flag.
You have returned to US ma.
tion's heroes, having met and
helped to conquer the best train.
ed soldiers on earth. The record |
of the achievements of you and |
your comrades will make some
of the most glorious pages of
American history. In time to
come, when the history of the
great worlds war that destroyed
autocracy and militarism and
established universal democracy
has been written with a feeling
of pride you may say, Il helped
to accomplish those results"
One of the noblest things in
life is to be of some service in a
good cause, ,and when you fought
against military oppression and
in the defense of the rights of
humanity you were fighting in
the noblest cause for which man
has ever fought.
The greatest sacrifice any man
can make is himself, and when
you crossed the submarine in.
tested seas and braved the dan.
gers of that hell on earth you
were sacrificing your life for the
great cause of humanity, justice,
and right.
The greatest good a man can
do is to do something to make
the world better, and there is no
question but what our boys have
done will make this old world a
happier and a better place in
which to live.
You boys may truthfully say,
Il did all these things" and a
grateful nation will realize and
what you have done.