Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-30
Memorial DAY.

Forty years go the war between the sec
lions of the United States was closed, with
victory for the north The men who fought
for the preservatio Of the Union and who
have survived the stress of battle and the
passage of years are this day engaged with
the patriotic assistance of their wives and
sons and daughters and the children of the
third generation. in decorating the graves
of those who have fallen. in war or peace.
Throughout the country are scattered the
cemeteries where lie the soldier dead. There
today are being enacted inspiring and pa
thetic scenes. uplifting in their significance
of devotion to a high national ideal and of
reverence for the memories of those who
have died that the republic might live.
The true function of Memorial day is the
incubation Of a reverence for the flag and
all II means. Its chief end is beyond the
paying Of tribute TO the individuals whose
sacrifices nearly half a century ago pre-
served the nation intact If this occasion
were set apart solely for this object it
would lose its vital significance. its ever
lasting appeal to the citizens of today, an
appeal which will continue to be exerted
upon the citizens of the morrow of national
life.
1t Is sometimes asked Why seek to pre-
serve the memories of strife that
gendered bitterness. that brought heavy
losses to the people and wrecked homes and
sowed the seeds of sectional antagonsm?
II Memorial day did only that, If 1t merely
kept alive the memories of the fighting and
the suffering and the bitter hatreds of the
days that are gone it would be menace
rather than a blessing. But. In truth, We
as a people. in both sections. remember in
rl,o tIa
lions OF the sacrifices in order that we may
appreciate their benefits.
Memorial day. with it's flowers, it's elo-
quence, It's music, it's silent devotion to the
dead, is a vitalizing. creative influence,
making for the building of personal and
national character The veterans OF the
war. who fought opposing sides, can
meet today over the graves OF their COM
rades and clasp hands. feeling that they are
more truly brethren for the fact that they
fought their best fight for the ideas which
each thought to be right. The one con-
puered. the other lost but they are today
citizens of the same country. recognize the
same government, respect the same flag
md cherish the same national ideals
To forget the war. its sacrifices and its
cost; to cease to strew flowers upon the
graves OF the fallen and to seek to find
peace in oblivion; to attempt to be merci-
full to the defeated by refraning from ever
mentioning the great tragedy. would be to
put a low estimate upon patriotism and to
underrate the nations requirements of its
citizens. The greatest benefit to be de
rived from this cOmmemoration of the lives
that were laid down for the sake of the
Union is the incubation in the mind of the
younger generation of a true appreciation
Of the progress of the world since the days
Of civil war, and the implanting there of
The hope that eventually the day Will come
when war, with all its horrors and hero
isms. its sacrifices and Its bitterness, will be
no longer near TO the end of adjustment
and peace And as the lessons of the war
are studied, on such occasions as this the
clearer becomes the light in which the citi-
zens OF today and tomorrow see their duties
10 the state and to society at large