The Washington times., 1919-07-10
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frontiers OF France and begun the
rout that was to save Europe and the
world. Thereafter the Germans were
to be always forced back. back, were
never to thrust successfully forward
again.
And yet there was no confident
hope. Anxious men and women, lead
ing spirits OF France, attended the
celebration of the Fourth of July last
year in Paris out of generous cour-
tesy-with no heart for festivity, lit
tie zest for hope.
But they came away with something
new at their hearts; they have them
selves told US so. The mere sight OF
our men-of their vigor, OF the con-
fidence that showed itself in every
movement Of their stalwart figures
and every turn OF their swinging
march, in their steady comprehending
eyes and easy discipline, in the in
domitable air that added spirit to
everything they did - made everyone
who saw them that memorable day
realize that something had happened
that was much more than a mere in
cident in the lighting, something very
different from the mere arrival Of
fresh troops.
-- A New Force.
A great moral force had flung itself
into the struggle. The fine physical
force Of those spirited men spoke OF
something more than bodily vigor.
They carried the great ideals Of free
people at their hearts and with that
vision were uncomfortable. Their
very presence brought reinsurance;
their fighting made victory certain.
They were recognized as crusaders,
and as their thousands swelled to mil
lions their strength was seen to mean
salvation. And they were Mt men to
carry such hope and make good the
assurance it forecast. Finer men
never went into battle, and their Of
fcers were worthy of them. This Is
not the occasion upon which to utter
a eulogy of the armies America sent
to France, but perhaps, since 1 am
speaking of their mission, / may
speak also of the pride 1 shared with
every American who saw or dealt
with them there. They were the sort
of men America would wish to be rep
resented by, the sort Of men every
American would wish to claim as fell
low-countrymen and comrades in a
great cause. They were terrible in
battle, and gentle and helpful out OF
il, remembering the mothers and the
sisters, the wives and the little chill
dren at home. They were free men
under arms, not forgetting their
ideals Of duty in the midst of tasks Of
violence. 1 am proud to have had
the privilege of being associated with
them and Of calling myself their
leader.
Embodiment of America.
But I speak now OF what they
meant to the men by whose sidcs
they fought and to the, people With
whom they mingled with such utter
simplicity, as lends who asked only
to be of service. They were for al
the visible embodiment OF America.
What they did made America and all
that she stood for q living reality IL
the thoughts not only of the people
of France but also OF tens of millious
OF men and women throughout all the
toiling nations Of q world standing
everywhere in peril OF its freedom
and OF the loss Of everything it held
dear, in deadly fear that its bonds
were never to be loosed, its hopes
forever to be Knocked and disap-
pointed.
And the compulsion Of what H-y
stood for was upon US who repre-
scented America at the peace table. II
was our duty to see to II that ever '
decision we took part in contributed
so far as we were able to influence
IL, to quiet the fears and realize the
hopes Of the peoples who had been
living in that shadow, the nations
that had come by our assistance to
their freedom II was our duty to }
everything that it was within our
power to do 10 make the triumph Of
freedom and OF right a lasting tri-
umph in the assurance OF which men
might everywhere live without fear.
EntanEIements In Way.
Old entanglements of every kind
stood in the wsy-promises which
governments had made to one anoth-
er in the days when might and right
were confused and the power OF the
victor was without restraint. En-
gagements which contemplated any
dispositions of territory, any extern
sions Of sovereignty that might seem
to be to the interest of those who
had the power To insist upon them,
had been entered into without
thought Of what the peoples con-
cerned might wish or profit by; and
these could not always be honOrably
brushed aside. 1t was not easy 10
graft the new order of ideas on the
old. and some Of the fruits of the
grating may, l fear. for a time be
bitter But. with very few eXcep-
tions, the men who sat with US at
the peace table desired as sincerely
as we did u get away from the bad
influences. the illegitimate purposes.
the demoralizinG ambitions, the inter
national counsels and expedients out
of which the sinister designs of Ger
many had sprung as a natural
growth.
Conscience of World.
II had been our privilege TO foEInu-
late the principles which were aC-
cepted as the basis of the peace. but
they had been accepted, not because
we had come in to hasten and assure
the victory and insisted upon them.
but because they were readily aC-
coded to as the principles TO which
honorable and enlightened minds ev-
erywhere had been bred. They spoke
the conscience of the world as we'll as
the conscience of America, and ! am
happy TO pay my tribute OF respect
and gratitude to the able, forward =
looking men with whom it was my
privilege to cooperate for their I'M
falling spirit of cooperation, their
interests they represented to the
principles we were all agreed upon.
The difficulties. which were many,