Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-31
FLOWERS FLOAT
ON THE SEA IN
HONOR OF DEAD
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY HELD
AT THE VENICE PIER
LOS ANGELES cLEReYMEN LAUD
VETERANS OF WAR
Memorial Services Held at Temple
Auditorium and Many Of the
Churches in the
City
RYw. HERBERr BLAKE

~ "amen" the roar of the tireless
"A ocean echoed; the short, sharp
crack of rifles in salute, blur of red
and white and gold floating westward
over the Pacific, and another memorial
to the nations heroic dead found it's
fitting ritual at Venice yesterday
1t was the climax of a morning of
Impressive speeches and more impress
sive ceremonies which began when the
naval militia, members of the United
States veteran navy, veteran soldiers
and various organizations of uniform
rank assembled in the Midway under
Lieutenant Woodbine Headed by the
police, city officials and the Venice of
America band, the column marched to
the auditorium, where the first eXer-
cises in Venice's famous annual pa
g'eant were held.
First came the survivors of the civil
conflict. White has begun to supplant
the gray above those rugged brows
which have bent in stern resolve over
many a hard-fought field. Yet there
was never a quaver in that long line of
advancing blue, and only a glance
above the uniforms reminded the older
generation that half a century has
passed over these men since they set
out, as mere boys, to fight for the
Union.
Then-just that short distance behind
which respect for the elder heroes re-
uuired-came the fair and faultless
ranks of the naval militia, youths ready
to take up the task of defense once so
nobly accomplished and confront new
issues just as menacing. Then came
the representatives of civic societies
and the speakers of the day.
Praise for Patriotism
The pretty little auditorium, from
within which one may hear the moan
ing of the surf as a sort of stupendous
refrain to all that human voice may
utter from the platform, was filled with
the men in blue, old and young. Flags
floated from the boxes and on the stage
rose fiower-twined tributes of love to
the faithful dead.
There were music and then addresses
by Judge Curtis D. Wilbur and the Rev.
George T. Weaver. The grafton, by
Judge Charles ]. Moves, was delivered
in excellent voice But all this was but
a. preparation for the real event-the
solemn ceremony toward which the
thoughts-and prayers-of that blue
clad host had been centering all that
Memorial day: the yielding to wind and
tide of Natures most lavish gift in this
prodigal California-the fresh blossoms
of the field, fit emblems of the brave
souls who poured out life like water
that the republic might endure and
might extend its blessings over far-off,
struggling peoples.
Again the line of veterans-old and
young-formed and then turned west
ward to the pier This time the blue
of the old uniforms was lighted up by
the bright CLEAN of flowers. Gay little
nosegays such as a dashing young beau
plucks for his sweetheart; clusters of
scarlet Tipped geraniums-red as the
blood which has dyed the decks of YES
sells wherein American hearts gave
their best for their country; long, slen-
der green stems that ended in that in
carnation of purity we call the lily
emblem of the immortality heroes have
won; blossom of gold and bloom of deli
cate pink clasped in trembling hands
that once were firm as the marching
lines are even now, all are borne
through the hushed and reVerent crowd
on either side. Out over the long pier,
the brown young naval militiamen fol-
lowing in close array, guns at shoulder,
trying vainly to look nonchalant ana
Unconditional.
They throng the pier. They press on
to it's end, disturbing look of friendly
interest from the, group of Sunday
fishermen sequestered there.
Salute Over the Waters
There is a brief pause, and the silence
is broken by the faltering words of a
prayer, spoken with husky sincerity by
a veteran. AT the "amen' the militia
shoulder arms. There are a few brisk
words of command, a concerted aim
somewhere far out on the blue horizon,
and the salute is fired-a collective re-
spouse to the petition just voiced.
Instantly the veterans have broken
ranks and the bright-hued blossoms fall
in gay shower over the side and into
the waves which leap to meet them.
They stain the waters in brilliant
patches of vermilion and gold against
the unchanging blue. Each is the Wis
ible token of a soldiers prayer for some
departed fellow. 1t is like some gigan-
tic burial at sea, yet with calm and
joyous note which is symbolized by
Natures own impromptu conclusion to
the ceremony.
AS the last flowers fall upon the sea
a. flock of wheeling gulls appear. They
circle silently around the throng of SOL
diers. They dip and sweep in the very
poetry of motion, like the visible pres
ence of that Great Spirit on another
Whitsunday many years ago. And as
they wing their way from the scene we
81 hear the bugles sounding taps, the lit
tie flower-decked ship is cast adrift by
the rowers, and another memorial trib-
ute to the naval heroes of two Amer
lean wars is beautiful memory.
Only on that ocean where one year
ago the ships of the worlds greatest
squadron impatiently waited the begin
ming of their mighty voyage, float, far
away now, these cleaning bits of color
red and white and gold-the tokens of
a city's loyalty to it's martyr dead.