Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-11-12

rncnt and Del S. Perkins. comman-
I der and spokesman OF tho local
American Legion post. BY special
request OF ;hc Prcsidcnt-clcct. the
/ Matamoros military band. stationed
! near HIM played Mexico Aliegcrio"
! just before lie began speaking.
| TeAt of senator Hnriins's Speech.
| Tho text o. Senator IIardins's
/ speech follows in part:
( November IL has an abiding sig
niiicancc 90 America and the world.
! For America II scaled our capacity
/ to defend our national rights and
! stamped our effectiveness in aiding
/ 20 preserve the established order Of
world civilizations: for the world it
I marked new order for humanity.
and for ali time /: warns ambition
and madness for power tina; one mans
or one peoples domination OF the
world was never designed by God,
and will never be tolerated by man
kind.
The day IS especially interesting
10 our own country because. witnou,
American participation, il might have
been Il later and different date. If, in
deed, there had been an Armisticc
Day AT all. We do not claim 10 have
won the war. but we helped NIGHTLY,
and recorded undyins glory TO Amer
lean arms and gave the world a new
understanding of the American spirit
and new measure OF American re-
sources.
Selfishness Not American Trait,
Whatever the world may have
thought of US before. however incor-
'ectly we may have been appraised
the world has come to know that sell
lshness is not a trait OF our national
character. that commcrclalism does
not engross us. that neutrality was
conceived in fairness-not in fear
! and that when our national rights arc
threatened and our nationals. arc sac
rlliced. America is resolved to de-
fend and ever will. More. VIC gave
TO humanity an example OF unset
hshness which'ie only half appraised
before misundcrsta nd!nss led to con-
fusion.
We helped to win the war, un-
aided and unmortgaged. We fought
with the allied powers. but we were
only an associated power, and were
never committed. IL fully aware OF
them, to the compac;s of the alliance.
History vii! record il correctly.
no matter how much beautiful sen
i!mcnt has bcclouded our purposes
in tho world war. We did not fiEh,
10 make the world safe for dcmoc-
racy. though we were its best ey
cmplars Nor did we ngh; for HUI
manity's sake, 10 matter how such
/ a cause !mpellcd. Democracy was
threatened, and humanity was dying
| long before American Indignation
called for the republics defense. Ru,
We fought for tho ono supreme cause
which inspires men to offer all for
| country and the flag, and we fought
as becomes free America and drop
ped the sword and stlflcd greed, when
the victory for defense was won.
Does not Ask. hut Freely Gives.
| we proved anew that here is free
and ample America, which does not
ask. but freely gives. We were
American in maine before the world
war made us American in fact. not a
collection OF peoples. but one people.
with one purpose. one confidence. one
pride. one aspiration. and one flag.
I'VE learned II lesson. too. of tran
sccndins importance. Righteousness
and unfa!lng justice are not in them
! selves guaranty of national sccur-
| lily. We must ever be strong in
peace, foremost in Industry. eminent
in agriculture. ample in transports
ton. Better transportation on Land.
ana an adequate merchant marine
would have speedcd our participation
and shortened the conflict. believe
| an America eminent on the high seas,
| respected in every avenue OF trace.
viii be safer az home and greater IN
influence throughout the world
II like TO think OF an America
whose citizens arc ever seeking the
greater development and enlarged re-
sources and widened influence Of the
republic and like to think OF a
government which protects It's c!u-
| zens wherever they go on IL lawful