Evening star., 1919-02-27
These Men of Ours.


being honored by the people of Wash
ington i'll commemoration of their re
turn to America after their service
overseas, stand for the most remark
able achievement in the history of ma
tions They went forth from civil life
only few months ago, from Offices
and shops, from professional occupa
tions and industries, few of them eve,
trained in any degree in the work OF
the soldier. They were hastily drilled
in camps and then hurried across the
dangerous Atlantic, and in England
and France were given the final train.
ing for the actual service they were to
perform. Some of them went almost
directly from the home camps into the
front lines.
When little less than year age
the enemy began his supreme often
sive, seeking desperately to drive
through the allied defenses before the
American reinforcements could reach
the war zone in numbers, there was but
a sprinkling of our men in line. For
tInately it was possible to do what the
enemy believed to be impossible. Our
forces went overseas in numbers that
astounded even ourselves. They ar
rived just in time to stem the great
Hun tide. They saved the situation.
During the spring these men of ours
fought along almost the entire front
from Belgium to the Alps. Then their
forces were concentrated in the center.
They were the rock upon which the
German assault broke at Chateau
Thierry. They became the spearhead
that was thrust deep into the flank of
the foe in Foch's great counter often
sive. Later, at st. Mihiel and still later
in the Argonne, they proved their
quality as offensive fighters, and it was
due to their heroic work north of Yer
dun in the terrible days of October
that the enemy was definitely beaten
in his effort to reform his lines and
maintain defensive position.
In every style of fighting the Ameri-
can troops proved themselves equal to
the best of the armies of Europe. In
the work behind the lines they were
efficient and faithful. In the air, at
the guns, in the motors, everywhere
they scored record of wonderful spirit
and pluck and skill. In all duties they
manifested the high quality of men
seeking not material gains, not per-
sonal advantage. but the attainment Of
an ideal of achievement. They sus-
tanned their allies and they rejoiced
their fellow countrymen who watched
their work from afar with swelling
hearts.
In this work and in the supple
mentary and equally important work
on the sea, the men of the District,
these splendid men of ours, maintained
the high standard throughout Many
of them have won distinct and indi-
vidual honors. All of them have done
their duty. Some of them have had
better opportunities than others, but
have not failed in any manner in the
performance of the slighter and less
dangerous but equally important tasks
allotted them. Every man has been
hero. Though not all have won
medals, all have earned them.
Some of the Districts men have not
come back. Some of them are still in
France, standing guard on the new
frontier Some lie buried in the war
stained soil of France. For the Dis
.trict's dead there are today tears of
proud grief. For those who have come
back MANNED there are tears of glad
ness that they have been spared in
life, though bearing the permanent
scars of battle For those who today
walk through the Avenue amid the
shouts of their proud and happy
friends and relatives there are tears
of gladness that they have won through
unhnrt. For all of these men of ours,
here or in France, living or dead, there
is a mighty love and pride that can
not be expressed in words. God bless
these men of ours,