Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-06-02
American
. Legion
Copy for THIS Department
Supplied BY National Headquarters
Of the American Legion
ASK AID IN DEFENSE
Warriors OF France Fear Those Who
Did Not See May Not
Understand.

Lemuel BOlles. national sdJutant Of
the American Legion. has received the
following message from the French
war veterans. an organization OF ex-
service men In France. The letter was
transmitted through the New York Of
Zee OF the organization. and reads In
part as follows:
ITO Our American Brothers-In-Arms:
COMRADES:
"The POilus OF France make this ap-
peal through US TO their American
brOther-in-arms and say 20 them in the
name OF that justice for which they
fought together. never forget what you
came TO do amongst US. BY the blood
which was shed by US together. In the
name OF our dead who lie side by side.
In the name OF all the brave men who
bear on their bodies the glorious marks
OF desperate battles. In che name OF
all the heroes whom our nations have
produced, let US not forget. let us
continue together their sacred work,
let us unite our countries as our hearts
were III INT AuNE VI hGaAAH ANN 10 hkA
lose the fruits OF such generous efforts,
OF so many willing sacrifices. let Us
look clearly into the future and con-
tinue for the maintenance OF our lib
erty and for the honor OF our race
the battle TO which our duty calls US.
America has gained through her
sons In this war the right TO immor-
tally. Nations looked on with admi-
ration ut the spectacle of millions OF
young American heroes arriving on the
soil OF France. to defend the sacred
principles OF honor and liberty In
scribed in the American Constitution.
Victory has crowned their banners
that and the blood shed for just
cause. that Is a past which future
generations viii be proud to claim as
a heritage. But the sons OF America
have not finished their work. our COM
moo enemy does not acknowledge his
defeat. he hopes when he will have
succeeded In sowing the seeds OF dis
cord amongst US TO renew the tight
which he lost. thanks 10 you. We know
that calumny will have no effect on
you who have seen with your own
eyes what you saw. you who know US
and know what we are. but we fear
that those who have not seen like
you may come TO doubt Us and that
Is why we send out this appeal 10
you. comrades. that you may take
part IN our defense.
"Our cause Is yours also, you cannot
go back on Us. you saw US in action
aud you know that we do not need any
ofher proofs than our past records to
prove to all men OF worth thar IL we
fought this war with so much heroISm
il was because we were defending not
only our soil. but the entire world.
I'VE held back and stemmed the
formidable wave OF German invasion.
almost alone for four years. from the
Somme river TO Alsace. bearing the
brunt OF the hardest shocks. our brave
men leaving their llfelesS bodies by
the hundreds OF thousands on the
fields Of battle. without one word OF
complaint or without asking for quar-
ter. because they knew that IL France
were vanquished. the principles OF the
great Revolution were doomed forever,
the declaration OF the rights OF man
and the citizen would have been de-
stroyed and trampled on. the poor and
humble would have been forced back
under the iron rule OF lords. might
would have prevailed over right. crime
and dishonOr would have been written
as the very heading OF fundamental
laws OF modern nations.
ut must not come TO pass that our
brave men died In va.n. we owe II and
you owe Il 10 their memory. The sur
vivors must not sleep on their laurets
in false security. You must not i'm
agine that IL was we alone whom you
helped. you must understand that your
liberty was threatened just as much
as ours: all nations are more or less
dependent on each other. As for Us,
Poilius. we shall never believe that il
was from pity. nor even out OF graft
tude for help given by US to you in
former times. that you came TO our
aid.
France dead would have meant the
condemnation OF the whole world and
France would have died rather than
20 back on her principles. Do not
therefore let anyone say you have
done enough for her; II was not she
whom you helped. It was the ideals
and principles for which she always
stood and without these ideals OF jus
ice and liberty a free nation cannot
exist.
france is still bleeding and will
suffer for a long time from the wounds
. sich she received. her young sons
at or in their youth. her lands dev-
astated. her commerce destroyed. her
credit diminished. But what makes the
greatness OF a people Is not alone lts
prosperity. Il is keeping its honor m
sullied. AS long as this sentiment ~
mains In a nation. that nation will ilve
in spite OF all oppression.
on~ live America iOnu live Frame