The Republican journal., 1920-06-10

len JOnn H. TelSnlDe, CoiniiohoeA0A
chief of the American Expeditionary
Forces in France, was guest OF our city
for only a few moments last Saturday
afternoon. 1t was with regret that the
plans of entertaining Gen. Pershing, Gov.
Carl E. Milliken, and their party at lunch
in Memorial Hall were given up on &C
count of the change of plans for his Maine
visit as the special guest of Gov. Milliken.
Mayor C. w. Wescott, Ralph A. Bram-
hall, Commander of Frank Durham Haz-
eltine Post A. L. of H., and Albert E.
Andrews, Captain of Co. F., Third Maine
Infantry, went to Bangor Saturday morn
ing to escort the party to Belfast. They
arrived at r. IT, shortly after the rain be
gan and earlier than the advertised time
Flags were floating everywhere in honor
of one of our country's greatest men and
since early morning people from all over
the county had been collecting. Some on
account of the rain had remained at home
until the time announced for his arrival
and did not see the party. The Belfast
Band played patriotic selections during
the hour
The autos stopped in Post Office square
when Mayor Wescott stood bareheaded
in downpour of rain to introduce Gen.
Pershng. His address was necessarily
brief but rang with the true spirit of
patriotism that has characterized his re-
marks and deeds during and since the
great war.
Gen. Pershing's smile as he arose to
address the large audience indicated that
our country's leading fighter also had a
gentle side to his stern character. He
said:
"Mr. Mayor, your Excellency, ladies'
and gentlemen, girls and boys, including
a few babies | told the Governor when
we started out on this trip that we would
have two days of good weather, and |
would guarantee it if he would guarantee
the balance. Furthermore, | assumed no
responsibility of the weather, SO today it
is all on the Governors shoulders. |
don't know whether | am going to talk
through those umbrellas or not (the great
majority of the umbrellas went down at
once) but it will spoil lot of spring hats
fear.
81 am very gla !, indeed, to be here, to
include this historic city as part of the
very brief itinerary which the Governor
! has prepared for me during my visit to
the State. l will say that the visit is all
too brief, and | regret more than you
know that the original program of six
days was not carried out
81 have had delightful time in every
respect. Your mountains and lakes, your
rivers and valleys are very attractive, to
say nothing of your roads. Iaughter) l
am now getting even with the Governor.
sBut most of all am grateful for this
opportunity of seeing the people of this
great State, whose ancestors meant so
much to the early history of the State,
and to the early history of our country,
and who, themselves, meant so much to
the armies abroad We felt your i'm
pulse, we realized that you were behind
US with your patriotism, with all of your
money, loyalty and prayers, and these
things together gave to the armies, espec-
tally to those who re resented you di-
rectly, an impulse that carried them
through with valor and with gallantry to
LuC Civ, anu ChooiCo tACLI " DlluB UdCh
to you the victory. thank you for hav-
ing sent to me such men. | am honored
to have commanded such men. You, in
turn, should be proud of your sons, your
husbands and your brothers.
81 thank you very much, and the rain
doesn't stop. l have lost my power over
il, so am going to bid you goodbye, and
thank you for this reception, which l ac-
cept not in my own name, but in the
name of the splendid manhood who rep
resented our country abroad and brought
back to you the victory"
Before his car stopped he said "hellc
kiddies" and soon as he was seated a
dozen or more small boys and one little
girl reached up over the side of the cal
and he shook hands with them even when
the car was moving and left saying
"Good bye kiddies, good bye"
1t would have been pleasure to the
audience to have heard Gov. Milliken
and Adj. Gen. Presson, but time would
not permit.
Among the newspaper men with the
party were H. M. Bigelow, Portland
Press; Sam E Connor, Lewiston journal
o. l.. Hall, Bangor Commercial; G. w
Richards, Kennebec journal; j. C. Muir.
ply, Associated Press.