The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-11

sent out by President Wilson, members
of his cabinet, and General Pershing.
President Wilson, General Pershine
and Secretary Baker today issued state
ments to the American people on the
occasion of the first anniversary Of the
signing of the armistice.
The President said to Americans the
reflections of Armistice Day would be
filled with solemn pride in the heroism
of those who died in the country's SER
vice and with gratitude for the victory
both because of "the thing from which
it has freed u.s. and because of the OPP
portunity it has given America to
show her sympathy with peace and JUS
tice in the councils of the nations"
The exercise by the American people
of practical patriotism during the war
General Pershing said was an avowal
of their firm adherence to the princi-
pies of free government that will con-
tinue to have great influence upon the
progressive thought throughout the
world.
Secretary Baker said that while
grateful for their achievement and for
that of their living brothers and that
in the name of both we may hope for
an early accomplishment of the terms
of peace that shall complete their work
upon the battlefelds of France"
PRESIDENT WILSON'S MESSAGE
ITO My Fellow Countrymen:
"A year ago today our enemies laid
down their arms in accordance with an
armistice which rendered them i'm
potent to renew hostilities, and gave
to the world an assured opportunity to
reconstruct its shattered order and to
work out in peace new and juster
set of International relations. The SOL
diers and people of the European allies
had fought and endured for more than
four years to uphold the barrier of civ
ilizatton against the aggressions of
armed force. We ourselves had been
in the conflict something more than a
year and half. With splendid forget
fulness of mere personal concerns We
remodeled our industries, concentrated
our financial resources, increased our
agricultural output, and assembled
great army, so that at the last our pow
er was a decisive factor in the victory
We were able to bring the vast re-
sources material and moral, of a grea'
and free people to the assistance of
our associates in Europe who had suf-
fered and sacrificed without limit IN
the cause for which we fought
out of this victory there arose new
possibilities of political freedom and
economic concert The war showed US
the strength of great nations acting
together for high purposes and the
victory of arms foretells the enduring
conquests which can be made in peace
when nations act justly and in further
ance of the common interests of men.
To US in America, the reflections of
Armistice Day will be filled with SOL
emn pride in the heroism of those who
died in the country's service. and with
gratitude for the victory, both because
of the thing from which it has freed
us, and because of the opportunity it
has given America to show her SYM
pathy with peace and justice in the
councils of nations
General Pershing made this state
ment
PERSHING'S STATEMENT
"On this first anniversary of the
Armistice that brought fighting to an
end on the western front, we recall
with qualification the services of the
army and the country in the war The
great army of young manhood known
as the American Expeditionary Forces
was hurriedly raisedH equipped and
trained to meet grave world crisis
Composed of youth, selected for their
physical and their mental fitness, it
was developed into as fine a body of
men as the world has ever seen. This
force played a decisive part in the
war and demonstrated that, while we
are not a military nation, the Amer
lean boy has in him those qualities
that go to make up perfect soldier.
n onh5 NV &c. 49,.
battlefields of France have become 4
part of our history, and need not be
again recounted here Their patriot
ism prompted spirit of self sacrifice
unequalled; their services have pre-
served our ideals and our institutions
Our armies have been demobili5ed,
and our citizen soldiers have returned
again to civil pursuits with assurance
of their ability to achieve therein the
success they attained as soldiers, thus
bringing a new asset to the nation.
With broadened visions they return
not only with pride in the high stand
ards of American manhood. but with
new conception of its relations to
the duties of citizenship.
"As we pay tribute to our fighting
men, we remember that soldly behind
them stood the American people with
all our resources and our determine
ton. This common service has welded
together our people. These experiences
safeguard the future of America and
enable us to look forward confidently
to the development of a stronger ma
tionality and a deeper sense>of the OBJ
legations that rest upon us. The exer-
else by the American people of prac-
teal patriotism during the war was an
avowal Of our firm adherence to the
principles of free government that will
continue to have great influence upon
M NTnnO TyND