The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-07-14
MONDAY, JULY IA, 1919.
oup SOLDIERS IN FRANCE

OOD SOLDIER MS IN FRANCE
President Wilson in his address be-
fore the Senate Thursday paid a
tribute to the service of the Ameri-
can soldiers in France which should
be read by every patriotic dweller
in the land Of the Stars and Stripes.
Particularly is the story of interest at
this time when our country is trying
to rid'itself of fostering sore spots in
human disguise who are trying toI
tear down the American flag and re
place it with the red flag of anarchy
floating over a communistic regime
where all the finer products of the
slow advance Of the ages are taken
away from those who produced them
and given over to the animal enjoy
ment of the dregs Of the human race.
! President Wilson's tribute to the
American soldiers is as follows:
The hopes OF the nations allied
against the central powers were at a.
very low ebb when our soldiers began
to pour across the sea. There was
everywhere amongst them, except in
their stoutest spirits, a sombre fore
boding of disaster.
THE war ended in November,
eight months ago, but you have only
tc recall what was feared in mid-sum-
mer last, four short months before
| the armistice, to realize what it was
that our timely aid accomplished
alike for their morale and their ply
steal safety That first never-to-be-
forgotten action at Chateau Thierry
had already taken place Our re-
doubtable soldiers and marines had
already closed the gap the enemy
had succeeded in opening for their
advance upon Paris-had already
turned the tide of battle back tow
ards the frontiers of France, and be-
gun the rout that was to save Europe
and the world Thereafter the Ger
mans were to be always forced back,
back, were never to thrust success
fully forward again. And yet there
was no confident note Anxious men
and women, leading spirits Of
France, of the Fourth of July last
year in Paris out of generous court
esy-with no heart for festiyity, little
zest for hope. But they came away
with something new at their hearts
They have themselves tod us so
The mere sight of our men--of their
yigor Of the confidence that showed
itself in every movement Of their sal
wart figures and every turn Of their
swinging march in their steady com
pretending eyes and easy discipline,
in the indomltiable air that added
in the indomitable they did-made
every one who saw them that memoir
able day realize that something hap.
pened that was much more than a
mere incident in the fighting, some
thing very different from the mere
arrival of fresh troops. A great moral
force had flung itself into the strug-
gle. The fine physical force of those
spirited men spoke of something
more than bodily vigor. They carried
the great ideals OF q 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 crusad
ers, and as their thousands swelled
to millions, their strength was, seen
to mean salvation. And they were fit
men TO carry such hope and make
good the assurance it forecast Finer
men never went into battle; and
their officers were worthy CT them
This is not the occasion upon which
to utter eulogy of the armies
America sent to France, but perhaps
since am speaking of their mission
! may speak also of the pride
shared with every American who saw
or dealt with them there
They were the sort of men Amer
lea would wish to be represented by
the sort of men every American
would wish to claim as fellow coun-
trymen and comrades in "a great
cause. They were terrible in battle
and gentle and helpful out of it, re-
membering 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. | am proud to have had
!