New Britain herald., 1919-09-22

Speaking on @The Boys Who Went Over to Stay a true memorial ad- dress, Rev. MT. Cook spoke as follows:
 Sympathy For Loved Ones.
 When we think of those of our boys who will not return our first con- cern is for those who have suffered this loss-for those mothers here and those fathers and wives and sweet hearts as we'll as brothers and sisters And of those children who perhaps never saw and never will remember the one they call father. We have searched our hearts for some comfort ing word for you. There must have been a certain very real sadness in all of yesterdays splendor because those whom you sent over were not among those who could participate in this monstration. And yet while there is a sadness in our hearts I am sure there is a deep feeling of satisfaction and pride which only those can know who have suffered deeply in great and righteous cause. God has a way all His own of giving comfort to those who have unselfishly given of their best for Him and His purpose in the world. It is more blessed to give than to receive, if our giving is for a noble end. And you certainly have right to claim a part in the labor and struggle of God in His purposes among men.
 The men who fell over there saw this new vision and were inspired By this high purpose. We have every evidence of it in their words and action. We see and feel it also in the lives of those who were near enough to the great sacrifice to catch some- thing at least of the unself1sh love and r1, ioI~ death for the cause of righteousness and humanity. We felt it when these boys gathered in numbers to con- sider any serious question. It was not difficult to know the groups who had been at the front and those who had not. The men who faced death willingly for their country and the world were not the same men who went from among us some months ago and they can never be the same men again. Something real was done to them in that struggle which drew out of their natures that which in all proba bility nothing else could have inspired. They have seen hell, and they have seen God; they have seen men stripped of all unselfsh- ness offering themselves in supreme sacrifice for ideals of truth and right, and no man can look upon that sight and turn away the same.
 U. S. Motives UnseIfish.
 And now we come to honor these men-these men who died but as well these men who were just as ready to die. And how can we do it. Not by any word that we can say here, not by parades and songs of praise. The only way that we can really do honor to these men is by the dedication of our lives to the un- finished task for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. That we may do this we must not forget the issues of the war. We must not forget aims and purposes against which we fought; the audacity that called God in as a sub ally; the crass nationalism and bigoted ambition which fiouted the idea of a super race in the face of mankind; the philosophy which claimed that might makes right, and that the unpar- donable sin among nations is weak ness; the ruthless belief and practice that necessity knows no law-these drew us into the war not simply in defense of American interests and American honor, but in defense of the liberties of the world. Neither must we forget the Ideals for which we fought. They were purely un- selfish. We sought not one cent of Indemnity, not a foot of territory. Am erica made her decision to enter the war on high ideal snd essential ly Christian grounds; she was prac- tically unmoved by thoughts of na- tional defense. America was in jeopardy but the average American did not realize this and certainly was not moved by this motive to favor our entrance in the world struggle. After every righteous effort to pre- serve peaceful relations with Ger many had been exhausted; when the real issue was so clear cut that we could not doubt it's meaning; in the face of fixed American traditions; in a unified effort and spirit which startled the world; and across three thousand miles of sea. America threw her wealth, her men, her every re- source for the sake of righteousness, humanity and civilization. No wonder