Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-09
lBy Morning Journal Special Leased wirel

Special Leased W1re)
thought that Hoboken was beautiful
Il have really, though have tried
on the other side of the water to con-
ceal 1t, been the most homesick man
in the American expeditionary force,
and it is with feelings that 1t would
he vain for me to try to express that
| find myself IN this beloved country
again. | do not say that because L
lack in admiration of other countries.
There have been many things that
softened my homesickness. One OF
the chief things that softened it was
the very generous welcome that they
extended to me as your representa-
tive on the other side of the water.
And it was still more softened by the
pride that l had In discovering that
America had at last convinced the
world of her true character.
II was welcome because they had
seen with their own eyes what Amer
lea had done for the world. They had
deemed her selfish They had deers
ed her devoted to material interests.
And they have seen her boys como
across the water with a vision even
more beautiful than that which they
conceived wheE they had entertained
dreams of liberty and peace,
Great American Army.
And then | had the added pride
of finding out by personal observa-
tion 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 havo
got to Europe, and then when l got
there | saw that army of men. that
army of clean men, that army that
one was glad TO point out and say
these are my fellow countrymen.'
1T softens the homesickness good
deal to have so much of home along
with you, and these boys were con-
stantly reminding me of home They
did not walk the streets like anybody
else. | do not mean that they walked
the streets self-assertively They did
not They walked the streets as if
they knew that they belonged where
ever free men lived, that they were
welcome in the great republic OF
France and were comrades with tho
other armies that had helped to win
the great battle and to show the great
sacrifice. Because 1t is q wonderful
thing for this nation, hitherto isolated
from the large affairs of the world,
to win not only the universal confI-
dence of the people of the world, but
their universal affections.
And that, and nothing less than
that, it what has happened. Wherever
it was suggested that troops should
be sent and it was desired that troops
of occupation should excite no pre-
judice, no uneasiness on the part
of those to whom they were sent, the
men who represented the other ma
tions came to me and asked me to
send American soldiers. They not
only implied, but they said, that the
presence of American soldiers would
be known not to mean anything ex-
cept friendly protection and assist
anee. Do you wonder that 1t made our
hearts swell with pride to realize these
things?
Homesickness Softened.
But while these things in some de-
gree softened my homesickness. they
made me all the more eager to get
home, where the rest of the folks
live; to get home where the great
dynamo of national energy was situ-
ated, to get home where the great
purposes of national action were
formed and to be allowed to take part
part in the counsels and in the actions
which We're formed, and to be taken
by this great nation which from first
to last has followed the vision of tho
who set it up and created IT. We
have had our eyes very close upon our
tasks at times but whenever we lifted
them, as we were accustomed to lift
them to a distant horizon, we were
aware that all the peoples of the
earth had turned their faces toward
us as those who were the friends OF
freedom and of right and whenever
we thought of national policy and Of
it, relation upon the affairs of the
world, we knew we were under bonds
To do the large thing and the right
thing.
at is privilege, therefore, beyond
all computation, for a man, whether
in great capacity or a small capac-
ity, to take part in the counsels and
in the resolutions of a people like this.
| am afraid some people. some per-
sons. do not understand that vision.
They do not see it, They have look
ed too much upon the ground. They
have thought too much of the interests
that were near them, and they have
not listened to the voices of their
America Must Help
II have never had q moments
doubt as to where the heart and pur
pose of this people lay. When any
one on the other side of the water
has raised the question, VIII Amer
lea come in and help?' ! replied: 'Of
course America will come in and help
She can not do anything else. She
will not disappoint any high hope that
has been formed of her Least of all
will she in this day- of newborn lib
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