The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-08-23
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By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
A EPTEMBER 6, which

leans. II is the anniyer-
sary of the birthday OF
Marquis de Lafayette and
1t commentaries the first battle of the
Marne during the World war. Just
y how important these c0inciding ami
versaries are in our history was well
expressed by q. B. Robbins, assistant
secretary of war, whose speech was
broadcast from Washington on the oc-
casion of the Lafayette-Marne day
celebration last year. His speech, In
part, follows:
The Marine lie a quiet, well behaved
little river flowing peacefully through
the picturesque countryside OF France
and past beautiful wooded hills-yet
this little river is enshrined in the
brave hearts of the French people as
marking the line where many times
the foreign invader has been repulsed
and where twice during the World war
the high tide Of German advance was
swept back toward the frontier Four
teen years have passed since the first
battle of the Marine. To attempt TO
give a technical account Of the mill
tary operations by the French and
British on one side and the Germans
peat what has been the subject of so
many learned books and treatises pub
Hshed since the war.
The battle of the Marine has rightly
been classed as one of the decisive
battles of history. 1t was decisive Of
the early stages of the war. The Ger
man losses were not overwhelming.
Their armies were still in being and
able to make mastery retirement.
but 1t was decisive in another sense
for 1t marked the defeat of the first
German plan of campaign and 1t ut
ter1y transformed the strategica1 stu
alton. The avalanche designed to
crush French resistance in month
had been fought and the morrow was
come. Thereafter Germany was COM
PEELED to accept slow war of en-
trenchments which was repugnant to
all her theories. and every week
brought her nearer to the position Of
beleaguered city, while for Il a allies
II marked the definite turn Of eae tide
- hdefeat.
at ~ ~ tt2e d. the ,siasz'irs
in America was prof lnh The tre-
mendous success of thu German armies
during the FIRST three aeks of the war.
their organization and the magnificent
lighting qualities of their soldiers. had
seemed to render resistance futile.
America had waited with bated breath
for the news of the capture of Paris
and the overrunning of all France by
the German army. When the news Of
the Marine was received and 1t became
known that the hitherto invincible
German army not only could be
stopped but was actually in retreat,
the nation marveled. The ties of
friendship with France turned our
hearts toward the allied cause.
One unacquainted with history
might well ask whence came this al
most universal sympathy for France.
1t is both traditional and historical.
That young Frenchman whose birth
we also honor this day came to Amer
lea in its hour of need Enthused BY
the ideals for which the colonies were
fighting came Lafayette offering his
services, his fortune and his life in
the cause of freedom and equal rights.
It was more than a magnificent ges.
ture. 1t came from. the people OF
France. an expression of their sympa-
thetic understanding of the aspira-
tions OF the colonies to found a free
nation based on the principle of the
right of the people to rule. How well
he fulfilled his mission is history, but
the profound gratitude of that strug-
Cling people has endured through the
generations and with the establish.
ment of the republic of France, through
b1oodshed and agony, the friendship of
the two great peoples has been ce-
nented until 1t has become a tradition
through the generations that have
come and gone since Lafayette served
in the army of the Revolution.
To most Americans Lafayette is a
familiar name. From their schoolbook
histories they know that he was gal.
liant young French soldier who, burn.
ing with zeal in the cause of freedom
came to this country enc of the
darkest hours of the Revolution and
offered his services to the patriots
They know that he became a valued
friend of Washington and served with
distinction through the remainder OF
the Revolution. They may even re.
member that later in his life he re
turned TO this country and that every
one-President, congress and people
united to do nonor to the man who
pad helped establish American indie.
endence. And because the recent
World war is fresh in the memory OF
host of them, they have some sort OF
q hazy notion that our participation
IN that conflict was to "repay the debt
TO Lafayette" which is made all the
more real to them because of the fact
that General Pershing, upon landing 10
France. is said to have stood before