The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-11

LuTe. eOT CQG VeteGHIlS Ol lS1Isl6, now 21 years older, war is dread anxiety, to us war is sad memory for all too soon in 1917 was war stripped of its, heroic, adventur- o,,s mantle leaving in its place only the stark demands for sacri- fees and deaths.
 Supreme Sacrifice
 If this exercise itself, if the presence of these Gold Star Moth CTS, who made the supreme sacri- flee of sacrifices in giving Up their sons forever, if any weak words of mine can implant into the minds of the present young gen. eration the real actualities of war, then we veterans can feel that we are still carrying on in the paths of peace that we attained by our participation in the World War.
 Careless and carefree we were back in 1917 with no thought of . the part we were soon to play in the horrible epic of a worlds up- heaval. Trained in loyalty to our homes and country, how eagerly in 1917 my generation offered it. self when our country called.
 After an all too brief leave taking Approved stamp of soldier
 War is exacting
 When men brave and true
 No time for regrets
 For those whose memory we ven- crate, who ennoble our city's name with their heroic blood.
 And as we returned from France bringing no conquests, bringing only our illustrious dead, what lit- tie thought we gave to the real significance of that carnage. How the ensuing years steeped now in full understanding have driven home, not just the glory of that heroic era for my generation, but the awful tragedy of 1t. For here were 55,000 of my own American generation dead in their youth full prime. Here were the lads who spurning fortune and fame turned out with the rallying cry of their schools just bent on play ing the game; here was the boy who several years before with his diploma under his arm had gaily challenged Life, now grimly end ed in defense of his right to live in a conflict in which God alone held the balance of power, God alone held the destiny of all lives, all nations in the hollow of His hand. Here was the plotting out of thousands of @ nations virility the rock bottom foundation on which a nation might build glori- ously for the future.
 N Peace Must Come From this great sacrifice hope, confidence and peace for the fu- ture surely must come," we thought. And two decades after wards, out of the wilderness, we still cry for peace. Where is the peace that those who died 20 years ago so nobly advanced? And only the scornful derision of a world choked with guns and greed brings back the hollow, mocking answer, There is no peace.
 And my dear young people of 1889, as you come into your estate of manhood, some day study the scarlet threads of history's nar- rative dealing with those World War days, and as you view the horrible spectacle of the present day world, when every news paper tells you of marching men and improved methods of slaugh- ter, then will the truth be brought home to you as 1t has long since been forced upon us that the things my generation of 1917-18 fought and died for have ended in nothing but 8 Broken Dream.
 Think of us then whose privilege 1t was 2 years ago to offer all that we had to try to make the world safe for democracy; think of us who crowded into two short years all the chivalry and romance of a life time; emulate, if need be our loyalty, our patriotism; but above all stand firm with us in our resolve that war for this country must not happen again.
 America is @ peace-loving people and although Europe is engulfed in war there is still time to keep the firebrand from our shores. On our streets there is no rumbling of menacing cannon, no dictatorS' angry orders at our doors,-only the domestic sounds of a happy people, for America is at peace with the world.
 Just 21 years ago today at this hour the red torch of hate was snuffed out-as we hoped, forever; in its place rose the white torch of peace shedding its crystalline light of contentment and happi- ness over all; and my generation returned to civil life dedicated to the peace which Its life blood had | purchased.
 Greater Carriage
 Today the world is closer to a greater carnage than ever before in its history. Already booming cannons and burning devastated