The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1914-05-13
NATION HONORS
VERA CRUZ DEAD
Tribute Paid to VaIOr Of Heroes
in New York
MOURNERS CROWD STREETS
New York Looks on In Sorrow as
Calsoons Carrying Victims of Mex
leo Occupation Rumble in Streets.

New York Looks on in Sorrow as
calsoons Carrying Victims of Mex
leo Occupation Rumble in Streets.
The bodies of the seventeen Ameri-
can bluejackets and marines slain
during. the occupation of Vera Cruz,
each in a flag .enwrapped coffin carried
ON gun caisson, we're borne from the
Battery to the Brooklyn navy yard in
New York Monday.
The cortege passed through streets
lined with sorrowful and bare headed
crowds, gathered to pay silent tribute
TO the valor of the men who had given
their lives for their country's flag.
The bodies were taken ashore in the
morning from the cruiser Montana
which brought them from Vera Cruz.
The collins were at once placed on
caissons and the funeral cortege
moved from the Battery TO the Brook
lyn navy yard.
Detachments of bluejackets and ma
rines from the Montana and the bat
tleships Wyoming and Texas, G. A.
II. veterans, the New York naval
militia, Spanish war veterans and
numerous civilian bodies had places
in the line which escorted the bodies.
At the City Hall plaza the funeral
procession halted while massed school
children chanted hymns in honor of
the Vera Cruz heroes.
When the procession stopped at the
city hall for five minutes the mayor
happened to be opposite to the en-
trance to the city hall.
President Wilson rode in a carriage
Immediately back of the last caisson.
He made the only address at the navy
yard service, paying tribute to the
valor and sacrifice of the bluejackets
and marines. He said in part:
"The feeling that is uppermost is
one of profound grief that these lads
should have had to go to their death.
But yet | feel profound pride and
envy that they should have been per
mitted to do their duty so nobly.
Their duty is not an uncommon
thing. Men are performing it in the
ordinary walks of life, but what gives
these men peculiar distinction is that
they did not give their lives for them
selves, but gave their lives for us be-
cause we as a nation called upon
them.
Are you sorry for the lads? Are
you sorry for the way they will be
remembered? | hope to God none of
you will join the list, but if you will
you will join an immortal company
and while there goes out of our
hearts an affectionate sympathy for
them we know why we do not go away
from this occasion with our hearts
cast down but with confidence that all
will be worked out.
I'VE have gone down to Mexico to
serve mankind if we can find the way
We don't want to fight the MeXicans
we want to serve them. A war of ag
gression is not a thing in which it is
proud to die. but a war of service is a
war in which it is proud thing tc
die.
"War is only sort Of dramatic rep
resentation, symbol of a thousand
forms of duty. l never was in battle
or under fire, but l fancy it is just al
hard to do your duty when men arc
sneering at you, for when they shoot
at you they take your natural life ant
when they sneer at you they wound
your heart.
"As l think of these spirits that
have gone from us l know that the
way is clearer for the future, for they
have shown us the way"
Prayers were said by Chaplain Cas-
sard of the Naval Academy, Rabb
Wise of New York and Father Child
wick, the chaplain of the first earliei
battleship Maine, concluding the
simple service. The national salute
was then fired by the navy yard guns
The secretary of the navy, the sec
retary of agriculture, the committee
from the United States senate an
from the house of representatives
senators and assemblymen from thu
New York state legislature, officials
of the army, navy and affiliated
branches of the service and dis
tinguished guests followed in car
riages Immediately after the caissons
Among those at the navy yard t.
honor the dead was representative
of Japan, Captain TakesChi, naval at
tache at the Japanese embassy.
Memorial ceremonies not funera
services" was the way Secretar!
Daniels spoke of the exercises.
IIIIEnTA CAVC uCuI CTInN