The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-24

us 35 Cantonment Zones and IT rest capm9; 30,000 hospital beds, and 300 railroad trains a. day. Her advancement to us of food sup plies represented a volume of weight which correspond to B. 3S1,O0O shipping tons.
 This, in spite of her taxed strength at the Marne, wherein she saved civilization; and her supreme efforts at Verdun and in the East.
 Of the total forces mobi1ized by America. men of French birth numbered 3S,0o0 and more than 1S,000 of these served with the American Expeditionary Force.
 Frances war debt. when Hqui- dated, will reach $40, ,o0O, 900; and in addition she has paid to the Allies 2.000,O0O,0O0 francs for maritime freight charges.
 At all times her efforts. among the Allies. were the greatest. When the Armist:ce was signed she held 59 per cent. of the line, the United States 22 per cent, and England 19 per cent; her artil- 1ery batteries were 54 per cent of the whole, the United States 14 per cent and Great Britain's S2 per cent; her aeroplane strength was 57 per cent of the total of the Allies. On all fronts in 1918 she fired 52 per cent of the total artillery shells used, and had 1SO areopIanes per every 100000 men as compared with 102 for G1eat Britain.
 What a story of achievement my friends, and how worthy an ally for the sturdy soldiers of America What a glow comes to us as we thing of the efforts of the men, besides whom the troops of Connecticut fought.
 From all over the state, and many from your own community, men served under the stars and stripes whose fathers fought with the heroes of France of 1870. Even from Canada F,renchmen went forth eager to be numbered among the hosts of the Allies. Of the 595, Al men mobilized by the Dominion for service, a large proportion was of French stock; and French blood was spilled among her 218,433 dead. And the French provinces of Canada helped in every way in contribut- ing to the loans of $1,436. .00o,- 900 raised by the Dominion.
 Statistics, my friends. are sometimes cold and dry, but how the imagination thrills at these figures in realizing what a nation fighting for liberty, can do if need be.
 You men of the American Leg ion of Bridgeport, mourning to- day your comrades, will go out tomorrow again, into your place in the community. On you rests the future of the Republic. When ever the nation would forget your work, do not be afraid to re- mind them of it. You were part of the great crusade. The coun- try owes you much. It should repay you in whatsoever it can. Nothing it can do will begin to show it's appreciation of your work
 Keep the flag unsu11ied for which you fought so long. If men come among you who would tear it down, and raise in it's ;. place the red flag of anarchy, cast them out from among you, and tell them to return to the land they left. This is country of free men, governing free men, with liberty under the law; where the ballot is supreme, and constituted thority must rem der an account of it's steward ship.
 Your opportunities are innum- erable. Let no man, preaching false doctrines, take them from you.
 You have followed your flag to Cuba, to the Border, to France to Italy, to the p1ateaus of Rus sia- You have seen men die for it under every sky and in every cline, and you know the thrill of saluting it's red, it's white and it's blue, at early dawn, and when the setting sun casts its last gleam upon it.
 You have stood at the grave of Lafayette, and. said |fWe are here'
 salute you as Joffre did the Congress of the United States.
 tsLong live France! Long live America"