Republican farmer., 1919-07-25
Honor CzeCh0=SlOyakS Who Fought Through
 Huns And DOlSheviki
PRESIDENT REVIEWS PARADE OF HEROES OF FIVE YEARS WARFARE-MANY
 WEAR DECORATIONS.

soldiers in the Bohemian language, telling them what the President had said. Major Jirsa stepped forward, faced his men. and called for three cheers for the President. They were given with vieor.
 Those of the troops who had espec- tally distinguished themselves had been invited to the White House por- tico. There were two long lines of them and the President, bareheaded, and wearing a blue serge coat and white duck trousers, passed up and down, greeting each individual with smile as he shook his hand. Each man greeted saluted the President before shaking his hand.
 The contingent will go to Newport News Sunday and sail the same day for Prague. The Presidents speech follows:
 Major Vladimir Jirsa, officers and
 men of the detachment of the
 Czechoslovak Army:
 IL gives me great pleasure to have this opportunity to review this de- tachment of your valiant army and a Hzterd to you. it's officers. and the brave men associated with you a most cordial wsicome. Though we have been far away. we have watch ed your actions and have been moved by admiration of the services you have rendered under the most ad- verse circumstances. Having been subjected tp en alien control. you were fired by a love of your former independence and for the institu- lions Of your native land, and gal lantly aligned yourselves with those who fought in opposition to all des- potisrn and military autocracy
 At the moment that diversity came to the armies with which you were fighting and when darkness and discoaraRernent cast a shadow upon your cause. you declined to be daunted by circumstances and retain ed your gallant hope. Your stead fastness in purpose. your unshaken belief in high ideals, your valor of mind, of body, and of heart have evoked the admiration of the world. In the midst of a disorganized peo- pie and subject to influences which worked for ruin, you consistently main tained order within your ranks, and by your example helped those with whom you came in contact to re-estabIsh their lines. I cannot say too much in praise of the demeanor of your brave army in these trying circumstances. Future generations will happily record the influence for good which you were privileged to exercise upon large part of the population of the world. and will ac- cord you the place which you have so coura geously won. There is. per haps, nowhere recorded a. more bril- hant record than the withdrawal of your forces In opposition to the arm les of Germany and Austria, through a population at first hostile, or the march of your armies for thousands of miles across the great stretches of Siberia, all the while keeping in mind the necessity for order and organiza.- ton.
 You are returning now to your ma tive land, which is today, we all re- joice to say, again q free and inde- pendent country. May you contribute to her life that stamina which you so conspicuously manifested through all your trying experiences in Russia and Siberia. and may you keep in mind after your return, as you have kept in mind hith eEto, that the laws of God, the laws of man, and the laws of na- ture require systematic order and cool counsel for their proper appli- cation and development, and for the welfare and happiness of the human race"