The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-07-12

s.<..s.4a.a-
Mr. Wilson was obviously under the
strain Of deep emotion when he be-
gan TO speak. and his voice was no
i.ceably hoaTse. He said:
Fellow Countrylnen:
81 am not going to try this after
rcol 10 make you a real speech. l
am BIT alarmed TO find how many
speeches I have IN my system unde-
iivercd, but they are All speeches that
come from the mind and | was TO say
to YOU this afternoon only few words
from the heart.
You have n;ade zee deeply happE
by the generous welcome you have
extended to me, but l do not believe
that the welcome you extend to me
is half as great as that which I extend
to you. Why, Jerseynan though l am,
this is the first time ever thought
that Hobo3ien was beautiful.
q have really, though l have tried
on the other side Of the water TO con-
ceal ii, been the most hcnesick man
in the American o%pedition2ry force
and it is with feelings that Il would
be vain for me TO try to express that
I find myself in this beloved coun-
try again Go not say Inat because
lack in admiration of other coun-
tries.
There have been many things that
softened my homesickness. One CT the
chief things that softened it was the
very generous welcome that they eX-
tended to me as your representative
on the other side Of water. And it
was still more softened by the pride
chat had in discovering that Ameri-
ca had at last convinced the world of
her true character.
Il was welcome because they had
seen with their own eyes what Amer
ica had done for the world. They had
deemed her selfish. They had deemed
:ler devoted to material interests. And
hey had seen her boys come across
the water with a, vision even more
beautiful than that which they con-
lrean1s Of liberty and peace.
''1a.1d tl"n l had the pride Of find
ing out by personal observation
the kind of men We had sent over. !
had crossed the seas with the kind
Of men who had taken them over,
without whom they could not have
got to Europe and then when I got
army Of clean men. that army Of men
devoted to the high interests OF hu-
manty, that army that one was glad
to point out and say, There are my
fellow countrymen.'
IF softens the homesickness a sood
deal to have so much OF home along
aith YOU, and these boys were con-
stantly reminding me Of home They
did not walk the streets like anybody
else. I do rot mean that they walked
the streets self-assertively They did
not. They walked the streets as il
they knew that they belong wher-
ever free men lived, that they We're
welcome in the great republic of
France and were comrades with the
other armies that had helped to win
he great battie and 10 SHOW the great
;acrifice. Because it is a wonderful
hing ior this nation, hitherto isolated
rom the large affairs OF the world, to
win not only the universal confidence
OF the people Of the world, but their
universal affection.
And that, and nothing less than
hat, is what has happened. Wherever
was suggested that troops should be
cent and il was desired that troops Of
occupation should excite no prejudice,
no uneasiness ca the part of those to
whom they We're sent, the men who
represented the other nations came 10
ne and asked ne to send American
oldiers. They not Only implied. but
hey said, that the presence Of Amer
can soldiers would be known not TO
aean anything except friendly pro-
lection and assistance. Do you wonder
hat it made our hearts swell with
bride 10 realize these things?
But while these things in some de-
5ree softened my homesickness they
made me all the more eager to get
aome where the rest Of the folks live;
% get home where the great dynamo
Of national energy was situated to
get home where the great purposes
of national action were formed. and to
De allowed to take part in the coun-
sells and in the actions which were
.ormcd, and to be taken by this great
latlon, which from first to last has
followed the vision of the men who set
1t up and created it. We have i,ad
our eyes very close upon our task at
times, but whenever we lifted them,
as we were accustomed to Eft tile.a.
to a distant horizon. we were aware
that all the peoples Of the cart! had
turned their faces toward u; IS those
who were the friends of freedom and !:
o! right, and whenever we thought
OF national policy and its relation up
on the affairs Of the world we know !
we We're under bonds TO do t!ic large
thing and the right thing
1T is q privilege, therefore. beyond |
al computation Tor . man. whether