Evening star., 1900-08-01
THROUGHOUT THE UNION
A MEMORIAL DAY FOR UNIVERSAL
OBSERVANCE.


1t is regarded as probable that General
Albert ID. Shaw. commander-in-chief Of
the Grand Army Of the Republic, will at the
coming annual eucampment In Chicago,
August &c to 30, recommend the last
Sunday in May as a national memorial
day to be observed throughout the Union.
General Shaw's position on this subject is
that a national memorial day falling on
the last Sunday in May would be a pru-
dent and wise selection. II would. the
general thinks, bring TO the association of
Memorial day sacred memory. combin-
ing the guardianship of the church and
the tender memories of families. societies
and veterans of all wars, prompting all,
each society in its own way. to pay the
tribute of flowers and tears to the memory
of the dead.
General Shaw favors making 1t national
in order that a common day of devotion
might strengthen the sentiment Of affec-
ton among the living, and il should fall
on Sunday to insure that peace and rest
which the holy Sabbath should always
command. If this national day and dat
shall be fixed upon, the diStracting present
accompaniments of Memorial day in the
form Of boat races base ball and many
forms of sports would not come in to mar
the solennity and change the original
sacredness Of the holy function of Datri-
otism and affection. The last Sunday in
May would meet the broad requirements
OF flowers and season as well as would any
possible date, and but little difficulty would
attend the change.
The important object of SO surrounding
Memorial day as to fix its beautiful senti-
ment in the affectionate remembrance and
observance Of coming generations. IL is
suggested. is one of the greatest moment,
and II is believed that to have il iuvaria-
bly, fixed on Sunday would secure the
desired result. The new custom Of scat
teriug flowers on the water in memory Of
those who died on the sea. or IN ships. is
touching memorial worthy of the widest
extension and observation.
Embracing All the Dead.
Let us, General Shaw will say. embrace
all our dead in the living circle of a ma
tionai memorial day. and thus the soldier.
the sailor and the citizen would receive the
tribute of flowers as the tender custom of
decorating the graves of our dead more
and more finds favor among the people.
On the subject of the return OF captured
flags, General Shaw will, it is said, declare
that much that was wise, well as much
that was irreevs Mt, has been said in the
past as well ia, the pres nj about the
return Of captured battle rags. He does
not see what real service agitation over
this question will renGer tie living veter-
ans, either of the south o. the north Iney
are part of a dead past and of an issue for
ever closed. Many OF the heroes who won
or lost the colors of troop, battery or regi-
ment are beyond the reach of any action
whatever TO be taken regarding their pres
ent condition. After all. the veterans OF the
COS are at rest, the sons OF veterans of the
south and OF the north can make any dis
position they please of these emblems OF
departed significance, and without the
slightest shock to the most sensitive or
prejudiced mind.
The commander-in-chief is sure that he
voices the sentiment of the veterans Of the
gray and the blue on this question when
he hat ell ilxzr,p iS n he desired
than agitation in connection Herewith. on
the great record of those years the history
of unsurpassed heroism in capturing or de-
Tending these battle flags has an undyfng
place This monument to valor will never
perish, but the crumbling flags will soon
decay Under these conditions he thinks IL
would be well to leave both as an undis-
turbed legacy of equal heroism to the
future