New Britain herald., 1919-05-26
AMERICAN SOLDIER
 TOPIC OF LECTURE
Rev. John J. Fitzgerald Speaks to
 Veterans Of Three Wars

"The American Soldier" was the theme of an eloquent address deliv- cred yesterday afternoon in the Lyce- um theater by Rev. John J. Fitzger- aid, pastor of the church of St. John the Evangelist. The address was listened to by veterans of three wars the Civil, Spanish-Amer1can and World War-all of whom were the guests of the church, and at the close of the exercises in the Lyceum, the soldiers headed bv the Philharn onic band marched to the church hall on Newington road where a banquet awaited them
 Father Fltzgerald's address follows:
 Tn 1861 the American soldier saved the world-in 1918 he saved the world. The war for the union was the result of 250 years growth. The South developed into autocracy, the North became democratic. The South said it's interests were not connected with those of the North and for a long time displayed a disposition to withdraw from the union. The North main- tained that in union there was strength and that if the question came to an issue it would force the South to remain, so that in time the doctrine of the chief confederate that the gen eral government had no right to CO., cree states and the doctrine that states had no right to coerce men met and conf1icted, and thence began the war between North and South.
 When Lincoln called for troops, thousands responded and marched on- ward towards the South. Day after day came tho news of Bull Run, An- tietam, Gettysburg. Fredericksburg, Cedar Creek and others. but whether Of the union troops success or defeat always of their daring valor. In those trying times when the thunder of ar tillery and the crash of cavalry roared around them, when companies were moved down, the regiments were dec imated, onward they moved and still onward, their faces turned towards the old rent flag with the determina- ton to follow it even unto death.
 The work of the American soldier brought great blessings on the coun- try. It brought men closer together and dispelled prejudice, for the rich and the poor, the black and the white, the Protestant and the Catholic sat down in Southern corn fields to eat their rations together, and then rose up to fight together and with tnspira- ton of one common country realized that who loveth the flag is a friend and a brother, no matter what birth, race or creed. It brought out more clearly that the world was opposed to slavery, and as it made the North feel that every man had right to wor- ship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, 1t taught the South that 1t was wrong to stand on the necks of other men.
 ''It saved the union from disruption for if the leaders of the confederacy had succeeded in putting their doc trines into practical effect, they would have been the greatest blasters of hu- man hopes that any age produced. ideals and heroes, for the figure of Lincoln standing amid the graves of Gettysburg, the gallant dash of Meagher and his men before Freder- icksburg, the famous ride of Sheridan, the stubborn stand of Thomas and the nagnanimity of Grant to Lee after the surrender at Appomatox wii shine on the pages of history and willy be the great absorbing them for schooreom and platform and will remind oncom- ing generations of great sacrifices. of the SacredneSS or the nag, ana or the glory of our republic.
 But never in ali history was the mett1e of the American soldier tested as in the late cruel war on account o1 the advance of destructive science OF land and sea and air. Germany per sisted until she finally aroused this country, and then our man power crossed the Atlantic, landed in Fran ce jumped into the war trucks, hurried to the front went at it i'll the darkness
 and danger of No Mans Land, ant
 ,guved on with a rush and a bolt, ant
 another rush, in four-wave formation
 ovel' trenches, barbed wire fences, ma