The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-06-27

III that is true these ladies' nave
reached it through their dinner to you.
/ am frank to say that it has reached
me, and it has reached every one
here. You who served your country
have offered you full devotion. You
bows in the prime Of life, boys that
we're, and men who gave up your
fondeSt hopes. your private affairs,
were called upon to WELD the cruel
implement Of war, who severed their
family relations, and all for an IDEAL
all for principle, all for the princi-
pie upon which country was founded
must surely live. If you will go back
in history you will remember the Am
erican Colonies were founded upon
three reasons: a commercial reason,
a religious reason, and person al
liberty. Nations Of the world, 'ther
than our own, pronounced the princi-
pie upon which lr nation was found
ed, an idle dream. Something that
could never be accomplished
1t was those principles that brought
them here. 1t was those principles Of
l776, it was the same principles of 1872
it was the same principles in 1861,
the same principles in 1893, the same
principles that caused this nation In
1917
The boys went at the time when
the allied forces were trembling. They
went at the time when Belgium was
broken and ruined, when France was
bled white, when England was dis
couraged, when Italy was ready to
quit and Russia was defeated. 1t was
when, the boys wrote their names In
god upon the scroll Of history. 1t was
when the boys took Chateau Thierry,
when the allied forces were driven
backward and backward, when il
looked as if the forces Of tyranny
might win. Manhood and
womahood who are standing here
today, you remember when the news
came over the wire that the Ameri-
cans took over the sector at Chateau
Thierry there were heartaches here,
there were anxious moments, but to
nre there was never n question Of
doubt. You remember when the
An leans took their positions In the
trenches under the French commander
during the battle the French COM
mander ordered the Americans to re-
treat and give up little ground
you remember the message
hen the American com
mander said, "You go to hell we are
going forward" and they are going
forward ever since. Those boys that
Germany called "tin soldiers" have
been going on and on until the lltb
day of November, when they sent the
cracked regiment of Germany back to
Berlin They sent the Kaiser OF
Germany to exile. Is it wonder TO
you that hundreds of your neighbors
have gathered here to greet you. This
is silent tribute they are paying to
you today. Lips of gold could never
tell you what they owe to you.
Boys. you have written your names
upon the pages of history. You deeds
of valor, your heroism will shine In
the armament OF the nation Man
hood and womanhood, we who stayed
on this side of the ocean, little will we
anow what these boys did for us. We
little realize what they did for you
and me. Let us see that we conce-
crate our lives t. the work they have
begun. While we stand here let US
not forget the boys who will never re-
turn; that these boys have paid the
last full measure of devotion; that
these boys have given their manhood
away for the Stars and Stripes. Man
hood and womanhood, let us resolve
here, that those boys shall not have
died in vain. That the Government
shall have new birth of freedom, by
the people, for the people, shall not
perish from the earth.
They are forming an American
Legion here. That is one Of the finest
things YOU can do.
Let us make this country country OF
a single language and that the Ameri-
can language.
(Here the speaker closed his ad-
dress by quoting Joaquin Miller, but
we were unable to get copy Of the
quotation)