The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-05-29
POiLUS ASK AID IN DEFENSE
Warriors of France Fear Those Who
Did Not See May Not
Understand.

the American Legion, has received the
following message from the French
war veterans an organization of ex-
service men in France. The letter was
through the New York Of
fee of the organization. and reads in
part as follows:
ITO Our American Brothers-In-Arms
COMRADES:
1.-The Poilus of France make this APP |
peal through us to their American |
brother-in-arms and say to 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 the 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
wer4 in the face of death, let us not
of so many willing sacrifices, let as
look clearly into the future and COLI
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-
tality. Nations looked on with admi-
ration at 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 will be proud to claim as
a heritage. But the sons of, America
| have not finished their work, our COM
mon enemy does not acknowledge his
defeat, he hopes when he will have
succeeded In sowing the seeds CT dis
cord amongst rs to renew the fight
which he lost, thanks to 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 rear
that those who have not seen like
YOU may come to doubt us and that
is why we send out this appeal &c
you. comrades. that you may take
part in our defense.
"Our cause is yours also. you cannot
90 hack on us, you saw US in action
and you know that we do not need any
other proofs than our past records Il
nroye to all men of worth that IL W.
fought this war with so much heroisu
II was because we were defending no
only our soil, but the entire world.
1--WE held back and stemmed the
formidable wave of German invasion
almost alone for four years. from tn
Somme river to Alsace, bearing tn
brunt of the hardest shocks, our brav
men leaving their lifeless bodies b.
the hundreds of thousands on tn
fields of battle, without one word
complaint or without asking for qual
tor because they knew that II Franc
we're vanquished, the principles or IN
great Revolution were doomed forever
the declaration of the rights of ma
| and the citizen would have been d.
] stroyed and trampled on. the poor an
I humble would have been forced bac
under the iron rule OF lords, mign
would have prevailed over right, Grim
J and dishonor would have been write
as the very heading Of fundament'
laws of modern nations.
at must not come to pass that OF
brave men died in vain, we owe II an
Won owe 1t to their memory. The su
yiyors must not sleep on their laure
in false security. You must not II
a agine that II was we alone whom "
3 helped, you must understand that yo'
liberty was threatened just as mu'
n' as ours: all nations are more or lie
dependent on each other. AS for U
D Poilius, we shall never believe that
d was from pity, nor even out OF gra
2 tude for help given by us to you
!. former times, that you came to o
e aid.
"France dead would have meant
condemnation Of the whole world al
z. France would have died rather tn
20 back on her principles. DO u
therefore let anyone say you ha
J done enough for her; 1t was not
? whom you helped. it was the ide'
! and principles for which she alwa
4 stood and without these ideals OF j.
tice and liberty free nation cam
exist.
"France is still bleeding and
suffer for a long time from the woun
, which she received. her young SC
: emf Off in their youth, her lands d
!, astated. her commerce destroyed, b
credit diminished. But what makes
, greatness of a people is not alone
> prosperity, 1t is keeping its honor
smiled. AS long as this sentiment
4 mains in a nation, that nation will l
- I'm spite of all oppression.
Nv Long live America. long live Fran
No united by the blood Of their sons.
,ne "CH. BOURNEZ,"
re; General Secretary.