Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-02-23
diplomas ARE
PRESENTED
Ceremony Held Yesterday
Afternoon HOnOring
Soldiers of County
Who Gave Lives.
J. R. FILES SPOKE
Principal Address of Pro-
gram Given by Fort
Dodge Man.
!. R. FILES SPOKE


appeal to those living to prevent if
possible any recurrence of another
such terrible holocaust. the Hon. j. r.
Files of Fort Dodge delivered a most
stirring address yesterday afternoon
at the Methodist church on the occa-
sion of the presentation of the French
memorial diplomas to the next of kin
OF the Hamilton county soldiers who
died in France.
| Both the balcony and main auditor
ium of the church were filled with
relatives and friends of those boys
who were posthumously honored, and
4 section OF seats was reserved for the
members of the American Legion who
attended i'll a body. Appropriate
patriotic music was furnished by the
school boys glee club. under the direc-
ton of Miss ROsalind Cook.
| Briefly Mr.. Files reviewed the great
struggles Of this country-the revolu-
| tiOnary war, the civil war. and the
| recent world war-all fought because
freedom was at stake.
There is Il parallel running all the
way through he said, In &c. when
we were crushed beneath the heel of Il
German tyrannt Oh Il British throne.
we gained our freedom: in 1872 we
fought and gained our freedom upon
| the seas: Il little later when the south
sought to secede and to fasten the
bonds of slavery on this country, it
was the same spirit of freedom that
struck Off those shackles: it was the
same spirit of freedom that stormed
Vicksburg, swept Lookout mountain
and went with Sherman to the sea
still later when Spain was doing in
Il small way in Cuba what Germany
later did on a larger scale to Belgium.
it was that same spirit of unfearing
herOism and the same spirit of freedom
that drove Spain from the western
world forever. And so we see that
parallel running all the way through.
FCrced to Enter.
The United States entered the great
world war because OF this same spirit.
land because there was no other alter
native, he declared.
I'VE are peace loving people.
We deplored the necessity OF entering
upon Il career OF armed conflict. We
had seen the power of the European
contiagration: we had heard the
echos of that struggle roaring at our
Very door. Time and again the waves
threatened to destroy our security ana
peace. and yet we hoped against hope
that some way might be found to avoid
the conflict. We would gladly have
welcomed any alternative that was
honorable to avoid armed conflict. but
no alternative could be found. And 50
we entered that conflict With as noble
motives as ever inspired any nation in
history
The often discussed question. who
won the war; came in for part OF
the address. According to Mr.. Files.
one might just as well asked to which
Of four quarts makes gallon
TO Belgium's part he paid high
tribute for. he said. if it had not been
that the little country of Belgium
placed itself upon the sacrificial altar
of humanity. Germany might have car
ried out her plan of brussels in three
days. Paris in three weeks. London i'll
three months and Washington in three
years
Englands Part.
I'VE may think of England what we
may, but the truth remains that Wlen
the first hundred thousand British
went to France, there was one dlvl-
sion that held front line sector for
more than 20 hours. On another Occa-
sion later in the war % English divi-
sions with their backs against the wall
held back 1O5 German divisions until
an American army could take their
places. Had it not been for the eflec-
tive work Of the British navy. it is
difficult to say how much OF factor
America could have become.
Perhaps the spirit with when
France entered that conflict may be
described by her work at the battle OF
yerdun.' the speaker declared. III
was war in itself, where more than
400. GOO lives were wrecked. But the
foe was held at Verdun and Paris ana
the channel ports and civilization IT,
self saved. 1t isn't difficult, then, to
truthfully say that France saved the
war. ~
PERHAPS it would be too much to
say that America won the war, but
had it not been for America. that war
WAS lost and hOpelcSSly lost.
.'Thcre is honor enough for us all
and glory enough for us all. But the
winning of that war was the triumph
of right over might. and that triumph
was effected by the most magnificent
display of cooperation that the world
has even seen.
Must Prevent Wars.
1--WE have fought that war in valn'
we betray our soldier dead. unless we
are willing to bend our energies Tor
the purpose OF rendering impossible
recurrence of that awful holocaust.
1t is inconceivable what the next
war will bring. the speaker declared.
The recent war would pale into insight
ficance mt the horrors OF the next. Gas
n hundred times more deadly than any
used i'm the past war has already been
formed: the use of bacilli would he
employed in destroying the enemy
aircraft has been developed to such Il
remarkable extent that there has never
been and never will be found an ade-
uuate defense against an attack from
the air.
Never again will any nation be
able to measure its greatness by IT'S
army or navy. but by its ability ana
disposition to render service to human
ity and to the world.
"Of those soldiers that have Sacri-
ficed-and remember that 10000 Amer
lean lads sleep beneath the poppy |
fields of France-it must never be SAID
that their sacrifices have been made in