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Show ROOSEVELT LETTER TO POSTS Facsimile of Former President's Personal Per-sonal Message to Men in Trenches Is Sent Out. A copy of the only personal message ever prepared by former President Theodore Roosevelt for American soldiers sol-diers in France, written on the day he was apprised of the death of his son, Quentin, has been sent to every post of the American Legion, in the form of a specially prepared facsimile of the Brlginal message. This letter was prepared pre-pared for the soldiers of America and was to be conveyed to them by Cass Connaway of Buffalo, N. Y., who was unable to deliver the words of Roosevelt Roose-velt because of war duties. Through the 11,000 posts of the American Legion Mr. Connaway has been able to complete distribution of the message, and it will be framed in Legion homes, presented to libraries and museums, that all Americans mny read of the feelings of a fighter to the fighting men of America. Connaway was an attorney in Indianapolis Indian-apolis before the war. His two sons enlisted, and his wife took up Red Cross work. When he found he was the only one of the family not In service serv-ice he closed his office and volunteered as a "Y" hut secretary, unable to enter the army on account of his age. Before he was ordered to France, Connaway conceived the idea of carrying carry-ing a message to the Hoosier boys at the front, telling them of how they would be welcomed on their return to the United States. Gov. James P. Goodrich of Indiana prepared a splendid splen-did message, as did Booth Tarklngton, Meredith Nicholson, George Ade and other well-known Indianans. Then Connaway enlarged. on his original Idea and wrote to the governors of every state for similar words to the men of their commonwealths In the trenches if France. All responded, and to these were added a tribute, penned in longhand, long-hand, by Cardinal Gibbons. On July 15, 191S, Mr. Connaway submitted sub-mitted his plan to former President Roosevelt. The day following, Quentin, .A vLi.A v' v CASS CONNAWAY his son, was killed as he flew over the German lines, word being received in America July 17 of tbe death of the young aviator. Connaway sailed for France and shortly after landing was assigned to duties with the legal division of the Y. M. C. A. He was unable to send the message direct to the men at the front, but succeeded in having it printed in the Paris edition of the London Dally Times, though few of the fighters were privileged to see It. Continued duties with the "Y" as chief of the claims division, di-vision, judge advocate and chief of the legal division held up delivery of the message. Still feeling his obligation for delivery deliv-ery of the words from Mr. Roosevelt, Connaway sought permission from Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., now assistant secretary of the navy, for authority to issue the letter. The message follows : "To the Soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces Overseas: "I send my heartfelt greetings to you men at the front. You have made all of us who stay behind lift our heads high with pride by what you are doing. It is you men. and only you men, who are doing one vital work for the American people today. All good Americans at this time owe homage to the fighting men at the fighting front. What you are doing Is vital for the honor and the interest, for the future fu-ture welfare, and for the very existence, ex-istence, of our republic ; and you are also battling for the liberty of every well-behaved civilized nation, na-tion, big or little. "I congratulate you on the great good fortune that is yours in that you now have the chance to endure en-dure hardship and peril for a great Ideal and to render to our country the greatest of all service. I would give anything to be over with you. "Faithfully yours, "THEODORE ROOSEVELT." |