The Wilmington morning star., 1945-11-11
Arnistice Day

Today'S observance OF ArmlStlce Day Is
more significant and more solemn than ever
before We have just fought bitter total war
to total victory. Uncounted additional gallant
Americans have made the supreme sacrifice
to preserve our freedom and liberty.
| Sincerely we thank God that our great trial
of battle is over, that we have been able tc
sustain once again those ideals of justice and
democracy for which Americans have ever
been willing to fight to the death. Our hearts
are filled with gratitude that our loved ones
are coming home from war, that no more
American blood will be spilled in conflict.
In paying homage to those men who died
during the dark days of 1917 and 1918, and to
we cannot help but realize the debt we owe for
their sacrifices 1t is debt we can never pay
in full But at the same time, it is debt
on which regular payments must be made
payments that, in turn, will strengthen us,
bring us closer together and bind us all in
that brotherhood Of love for our country.
And, just as we have debt to the past,
suit of World War II, that debt and that obi
cation have been increased a thousand fold.
They have, in fact, been multiplied by exactly
the number of white crosses that mark the
graves of the heroes of World War II which
now dot the globe in addition to those crosses
on Flanders field
1t is a SOLDERING thought. It should bring to
every American a sense of personal indebted
ness to those dead. It should bring to every
American a new realization of responsibility
Every citizen should know that the prevention
of another catastrophe war is his individual
responsibility.
The veterans of the two world wars realize
this responsibility. They linked together
by common memories of sacrifice and suffer-
ing which can never be erased. Yes, a vast
majority of the veterans of the first World
War endured the agony of battle again through
their sons in World War H.
What are we going to do about it? We are
not talking about nightmares of fiction
writers. We are talking about grim realities,
the potential dynamite of future contingencies.
The American Legion, n other millions
know the only thing that can be done sensibly
about this tragic situation.
That thing is national preparedness.
The only way we can keep faith with the
patriots who died in all our wars to preserve
America as land of the free, is to make
America strong.
An impregnable America must be the foun-
dalton on which alone we can join with assur.
ance of success with other peace-loving nations
to build brave new world rid of war forever.
To make America secure from attack by
any future aggressor, we must adopt now,
without delay, far-sighted, realistic policy of
national defense.
Today, we bow in memorys twilight hour.
Reverently, sincerely we pay homage to all
our war dead-the brave lads who went down
plunged to ocean beds in submarines, the
fighting men who died storming the beaches
OF Salerno and Normandy, the Marines who
were cut down on Tarawa and to the thou
sands of other Americans who gave their lives
on battlefields in every part of the world. But
after bowling in homage to these hero dead,
let us lift our faces and pledge ourselves to
keep faith with them. Let us resolve here and
now that we shall let our actions speak for
those who died that we might stay free.