REMARKS OF THE PRESIDING OFFICER, COL. CUTCHINS, INTRODUCING THE
FRENCH AMBASSADOR
As long as memory lasts, and whenever men and women shall gather
together in any part of the world for the purpose of memorializing the names
or the deeds of those who participated in the World War, there is one name
that, above all others, will be in every mind—the name of France—France,
glorious and immortal!
On the beloved soil of our own Virginia there are scars, long since healed,
that mark the burial places of soldiers of France who stood shoulder to
shoulder with the soldiers of America when America was fighting for her
liberty and for her existence as a nation; on the sacred soil of France there are
scars, not yet healed, that mark the burying places of countless thousands
of the sons of America who laid down their lives more than a century later to
preserve not only the liberty and the national life of France, but to preserve
civilization as well. These scars indicate ties which neither time nor circumstances
can sever.
It is indeed a happy coincidence that to this memorable ceremony at
the University of Virginia, founded by Jefferson who, afterwards, was sent
as an ambassador of the United States to France, there has come the distinguished
Ambassador of France to the United States, to do honor to the
memory of those sons of Virginia who have fallen in the greatest cause for
which man ever has fought. He has graciously consented to express to us
the sentiments of his countrymen on this occasion.
I have the honor and the pleasure to present His Excellency, M. Jusserand,
the distinguished Ambassador of France to the United States.
[Note by the Editor.—As the eloquent address of Ambassador Jusserand
was entirely extemporaneous, it was, unfortunately, not reported. The
Ambassador very graciously consented to speak at the last minute in the
absence of M. Gabriel Hanotaux who had hoped to be present.]
