Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-21
WILSON GUEST OF FRENCH
SENAT0RSAT STATE DINNER

/
.o.,1 1contjnued From PAGE one;l
that a new world order and perhaps a
world harmony are possible in which
our French country will at least be
liberated from the nightmare of in
vasion-our country for which near
| ~ l 100000 men Of France have Just
| given their lives.
Gigantic Task.
ut is with such hope that we shall
most willingly participate In the sub
lime crusade which you have come to
undertake on the devastated soil of
old Europe, where hatred and dis
cord still howl after the guns have
become silent and whose anarchy
causes vast part Of mankind to
stagger The task is gigantic one,
but it is worthy of your country, ac-
customed to great undertakings, and
of ours, the ancient artisan of west
ern civilization, Mr.. President we
salute your great heart and your high
intelligence with joyful hope and a
fervent reclamation"
President Wilson delivered an ad-
dress in reply to the greeting extend
ed him in the name of the senate by
Antonin Dubost, its president
President Wilson said:
Mr.. President of the senate, Mr.
President of the republic:
You have made me feel your well
come in words as generous as they
are delightful and | feel that you
have graciously called me your
friend May | not in turn call this
company company of my friends,
for everything that you have so fine
ly said, sir, has been corroborated in
every circumstance of our visit to this
country Everywhere we have been
welcomed not only, but welcomed in
the spirit and with the same thought,
until it has seemed as If the spirits
of the two countries came together
in an unusual and beautiful accord.
I'VE know the long period of peril
through which France has gone
France thought us remote in>compre-
hension and sympathy, and l dare
say there were times when we did
not comprehend as you comprehend
ed. the danger in the presence of
which the world stood.
There was no time when we did
not know how near it was, and fully
u'iNShStuiu. llldl lf1tSe
trying years, when mankind has wait
ed for the catastrophe, the anxiety of
France must have been the deepest
and most constant of all, for she did
stand at the frontier of freedom. She
had carved out her fortunes through
long period of eager struggle. She
had done great things in building UP
a great new France. And just across
the border, separated from her only
by few Qualifications and Il little
country whose neutraliy, it has turned
out, the enemy did not respect, lay
the shadow cast by the cloud which
enyeloped Germany, the cloud of in
trigue, the cloud of dark purpose. the
cloud of sinister design. This shadow
lay at the very borders of France.
France Never Aggressive.
And yet it is fine to remember
here that for France this was not only
a peril but challenge. France did
not tremble. France quietly and in
her own way prepared her sons for
the struggle that was coming. She
never took the initiative or did a sin
gle thing that was aggressive She
had prepared herself for defense, not
in order to impose her will upon 9TH
err people. She had prepared herself
that no other people might impose
its will upon her.
AS stand with you and as I mix
with the delightful people Of this
country. I see this is their thoughts,
America always was our friend. Now
she understands. Now she compre-
hends. and now she has come to bring
us this message; and that, understand
ing, she will always be ready to help.
And while, as you say, sir, this danger
may prove to be a continuing danger. |
while il is true that France win al |
ways be nearest this threat, if we can
not turn it from a threat into a prom !
Use, there are many elements that !
ought to reassure France.
There is new and awakened |
world. 1t is not ahead of us, but |
around us. 1t knows that its dearest |
interests are involved in its standing
together for common purpose 1t |
knows that the peril of France. if it |
continues, will he the peril of the I
world. 1t knows that not only |
France must organize against this |
peril. but that the world must organ
re against it.
$50 ! see in these welcomes, not
only kindness not only. hope, but
a definite clearly defined
purpose. that men, understanding one
another. must now support one anoth-
pr that all the sons of freedom are
Inder common oath to see that free
lom never suffers this danger again.
That, to my, mind. is the impressive
element of this welcome. l know how
much of it, sir, and ! know how little
If it to, appropriate to myself
II know that I have the very dis
inguished honor to represent ma
ion whose heart is in this business
md I am proud to speak for the peo-
Die whom l represent. But know
hat you honor me in a representative
capacity. ! delight in this welcome,
IS if had brought the people of the
United States with me and they could
see in your faces what i see In the
okens of welcome and affection
The sum Of the whole matter is
hat France has earned and has won
he Brotherhood of the world. She
,as stood at the chief post Of danger
md the thoughts Of mankind and of
Ter brothers everywhere, her brothers
n freedom, turn to. her and center
,pon her. II this be true, as I believe
t to be, France Is fortunate to have
uffered. She is fortunate to havel
,royed her mettlc as one OF the cham