The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-10-23

ton IN san francisco, saying IT C
81 am glad TO be at the center of
the American Legion" he said. 1--WE
in England certainly were glad to
see them few years ago. The first
us a thrill of pleasure, Of relief, Of
confidence, when is difficult for those
who have not gone through the stress
OF war quite to appreciate.
Things Not Going Well
Things were lot going we'll in
Europe at that time. 1t was deadly
struggle against a formidable foe
the greatest army the world has ever
seen, Marshal Foch called it.
when you came in three Of the
allies had been practically knocked
out Serbia had gone with a gallant
little army Roumania had been
broken. Russia, exhausted by her
wounds after losses which were col
losal. was fatigued. shattered, unable
to face that deadly artillery again.
France, Italy, Britain-their dead
numbered thousands. There were
many more millions wounded. The
prospect was not a promising one.
THE cause OF right, justice and
freedom was 4mperiled.
"Just then the great republic OF
the west sprang with drawn sword
for the cause of the right besi6e its
defenders In Europe. You can real
ize the thrill OF that uniform when
we first saw 1t on the streets OF Lon
Con. 1t was a terrible struggle and
remember well the feeling.
"In 1918 you had declared war.
Your position was nearly the same
as ours at the beginning. At the
beginning OF the war we had 100000
TO 10000 men. We had to extend to
millions. It took US two years before
we were quite prepared You were in
the same condition.
When Peril Came
When the great peril came in
March. 1913. when our lines were
broken, when Russia was practically
out OF the war and Germany had re-
inforced hcr army In France. At the
end of March those lines in France
broke.
AT that moment sent a telegram
to your President, begging him to
send some men with or without
equipment. BY that time we had
equipment His response was prompt.
He asked us to furnish shipping. We
did so. The troops came across at
the rate Of 10000 a month. and the
whole line was restored. Their COM
ing restored confidence in our troops
and in the troops Of France.
''I remember in June when the Ger
mans reached Chateau Thierry. I
remember a war council at Versailles.
We could hear the guns within forty
miles OF Paris. Shortly after came
Chateau Thiery when American
troops inflicted a signal victory. That
helped restore confidence in Allied
arms. Division after division of your
troops were put in to help hold the
enemy back.
When I saw the uniform today,
thought of the help your men gave
then"
Lloyd George said he recognized the
help given by General Pershing in es-
tablishing unif1cation Of command He
paid a special tribute to Gen. Tasker
Bliss, member OF the supreme war
council.
Tribute to Indiana
Indiana" Lloyd George said,
played her part. She made the great
est contribution of volunteers of any
State in the Union.
America was great when she
fought on her own soil an attempt to
impose bondage on her" he continued.
There isn't a schoolbook in England
today that doesn't condemn that folly
and injustice Of England. It taught
us to found an empire on freedom and
not oppression, so that George Wash
ington really founded the British EN-
pire.
America was great when she
fought to save democracy from mutt
lation sixty years ago. But I think
she was greatest of all when she sent
millions of her sons 1900 miles to
strangle autocracy in its lair. The
first sacrifice was the sacrifice of an
Indiana soldier.
THE question is often asked: who