Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-29
GLORY FOR ALL.
Soldier In France Takes Exception to
Alleged Comment by General
7. &. du Pont.

Alleged Comment by General
7. &. du Pont.
Editor Every Evonlng-A statement
attributed 10 General r. Coleman du
Pont which appeared in the isalic o'
Every Evening, under date of November
26. 1918, in which he is alleged to have
remarked, during the course of an address
at New Church, that, although the draft
army Is considered the most marvellous,
and better than the regulars and the
National Guard, we cnn bc proud of
them all, has Just come to my attention
and ! ask that YOU kindly publish the
following III your valuable paper IN reply
thereto:
Ii the general is correctly quoted, he
must. in spite Of his trip along the front,
bc classcd ms one ot those So apUy de-
scrihed IN the quotation None SO bind
rs those who will not aee, or else nc
deliberately dIstorts the tacta. The Anteri-
can Army has been marvellous, hut when
n public man attempts Ia single out
part ol that army for praisc, to the us
paragcmcnt uf another part, he invites
rctort which facts and history will justify.
| will sneak of the Regular Army and
the National Guard, aud with considerable
knowledge If the subject as have been
for several wears an enlisted man III the
latter branch of the service These two
branches, with the United States Marine
Corps, constituted tho armed land forces
of the United States, trained and ready
for offensive and defensive warfare at the
beginning of the conflict abroad itM
circumstances been such that an invasion
of our country had heeu possible, ~ would
hnvr been the enlisted mon ni thcHc
a L. fi.s.tt rtf
~ tho battle. They. in peace times, stood
GUARD. while others pursucd the easy
paths of comfort and luxury. II entnilcd
some sacrifices 10 br a soldier IN thoae days
but those mon cheerfullv and willingly
made them The compensation Of tho life
was small and the pleasures few.
Yet tho character oi these orrsniss-
tinna and their soldlerly qualities WE'RE
demonstrated hv tho swlftneaa and
,.iiclrucy with which they were mobilized
for the Mexican disturbance oi 1916.
When America WINS drawn into the world
connagration, IN April, 1917. the country
found the Regulars and the National
Guard cagrr to defend che rights of the
nation and make secure the ideals of de
mocracv. These men were ready, no
urging. no rerrias,on waa needed. They
had trained themaelvea for such An eancr-
sency
In June, 1917, President Wilson set
aside week known as recruiting week
and appealed 10 the manhood ot the ma
ton to Join one OF these branches ot the
established army. IN order that America
could quickly strike the foe. From the
date az the entrance of the United States
ma thc war. Arril :. 1917, until the latter
mart al September. approximately 1!u,Wn
a 4 H., E,-a4 R.nil-aall atltIzf
IN the American Army, and l'egah thor
training for the big task that confronted
them.
These men. with tho older men, made
an army of approximately o0n,N 600 men
who volunteered thcr services. TheTo
men have at various tlmCs hccn slurfed.
INT the fact remains beyond dispute
that thcv alone answered the call of
their country in the true meaning of
these words Tho country, through the
President, had appealed to its manhood 70
defend it's homes. its folks and IFS tradl-
tIons They answered for America.
Now. lct us pass by the period o, tram
ing and look nj the battle front ID France,
the following spring. II was not tho
marvellous draft army who hrSt laced
the deadly fire of tho enemy. but the
United States Marines ~ Canugny- / he
world knows who was crowned victor IN
that engagement. About the same time =
magnificent body Of Americans. some
mere bows of IL wears, others seasoned
veterans, the Fortv-second DIVISION, all
National Guard troops. entered the tray:
4 The record Of the Rainbow DIVISION
will hive forever in the history OF our ma
ton It's achievements are among the
most brilliant in the military history of
nd
heroism of It's men is heritage OF which
America is proud Then there was that
gallant Fifth Division Of the Regular
Army. whose punches were something new
10 the Hun. Its deeds and It's glorles are
countless Then there was the Twenty
eighth Division, National GuardAnen,
from the keystone State who met the
enemy and fought him every inch oi the
way al Chateau Thicrry in July. The
men of the Iron Division are well
named. for they gave the Hun no quarter
and when our lines advanced there, he
had suffered terrific defeat.
Boston has already bestowed high
honors on the commanding general OF the
brilliant troops of the National Guard
Division OF the New England States.
The record OF the men OF that command IS
known throughout the length and breadth
of the land Germany, throughout the
war. met no force that gave her battle
more intense and fierce than that in
flicted upon her by the men OF the Blue
and Gray" Twenty-ninth Division made
up mostly of National Guard troops from
New Jersey, Maryland and the Virginlas
From the early days of the fray, when our
troops were mostly brigadcd with the
British, to the date of the signing OF the
armistice the victories that have been
achieved, victories that have amazed and
won the admiration Of the world, have
been largely those in which the enlisted
troops participated.
When the Allies bad finally achieved
the most glorious military victory in all
history and the A. Z. T. was called on to