The Washington times., 1915-05-31
WHOLE NATION JOINS
IN TRIBUTE TO DEAD
Thousands Attend Services in
Honor of Men Who Gave
Lives in Battle.
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page)
ance was begun by the gathering OF
veterans at the Grand Army of the Re-
public Hall. They struggled in one by
one, these fighters of fifty years ago.
few wore the faded blue uniforms
that saw service on the battle line;
the old-time buoyancy in their step was
lacking; here and there an arm was
missing. and about it all was the trag-
edy of life's setting sun.
They marched Off together, doing
their best to keep step, but without a
word Of fault III some one Jagged and
tired limbs could not respond to martial
music.
At that the veterans of the sixties
were an inspiring sight and the ma"
jority of them seemed to retain still the
fire that called in battle times.
But the significance of the day ana
the fact that it's chief actors are pass
stopped to count the peaceful little army
as 1t marched by. There were but IT.
of the veterans. exclusive of those who
fought in the Spanish american war.
The veterans did not march all the
way to Arlington. as they might have
done ten years ago. Instead they
took cars after a brief parade thrugh
the ctreets of Washington.
Arriving at Arlington shortly after
noon. they began participation in the
ceremonies, which continued through
out the afternoon and in which Pres
ident Wilsn, Secretary Bryan, Secre-
tsry Daniels, Governor Willis, and
those prominent in army and navy
life and In G. A. r. circles played
President Wilson today sent fifteen
memorial wreaths to be placed on
soldiers graves throughout the coun-
try. Among the floral offerings were
ff,v, In, IL
President McKinley's tomb. at Can
ton, Ohio: PRESIDENT Garfield's rest
ing place, at Cleveland, and the
graves Of Generals Lawton and Lis
comb and Mapor Archibald Butt, the
latter a victim Of the Titanic disas-
ter. The President-also sent wreath
for the 'Tonb of the Unknown" at
Arlington.
Marine Band Plays.
In addition to the stirring Memorial
Day addresses OF President Wilson and
other high officials, the main exercises
at the Amphitheater. Arlington, included
patriotic and sacred selections by the
Marine Band: the presentation of the
flags of our country" by the officer OF
the day, John Middleton. and armed
guard an invocation by Bishop Earl
Cranston; the reading of Lincoln's
Gettysburg address by Past Department
Commander George II. Slaybaugh. a
brief address by Past Department Com
mander A. P. Tasker, the reading OF
Elizabeth Robbins Berrys poem. The
Unknown Dead by Mrs. Isabel Wor-
rell Ball. and an address by Major f. 5.
Hodgson, sons of Veterans, L. 8. w. ",
special aid to acting commander.
Benediction was said by the Rev.
Secretary Bryan was the principal
speaker at the exercises of the United
Spanish War Veterans. held In the
Spanish war section Of the cemetery.
chief address at the Maine exercises.
which dedicated the Maine memorial.
Every Day Muster Day."
An inspiring feature of the address OF
Major Charles Frences Cramer, at the
Maine memorial exercises, was his
declaration that every day is Muster
Day" and his call to the outdoor au-
dience to repeat after him the oath of
allegiance to the United states.
Hundreds Of lips moved in unison at
the unusual invitation of Major Cramer.
Commander-n-chief of the United
Spanish War Veterans. who said in
part:
"The spirit of the day and the sur
roundings of this hallowed place, as
we'll as the presence OF patriotic men.
move me, by way OF Introduction, to
aOQ Ine ceremonies OF tne occasion
that of another important day, dear to
all of us. upon which we raise our
hands: and so l call upon the COM
rades and upon all others so inclined to
ance to our country. In this sense, every
day Is Muster Day" In this cause.
every occasion must serve. Therefore.
as many OF you who so desire will re-
peat after me-
I do solemnly swear that I will
bear true faith and allegiance to the
United States Of America and should
occasion arise I will serve them hon
estly and faithfully against all their
enemies whomsoever.
This, comrades and friends, is the
| real. the material product OF the Amer
icon melting pot-that we shall know
no other land or potentate-that ours Is
the heritage of freedom under our nag,
free from. dictatorship. but subordinate
to the law Of the land.
Volunteers Predominant.
In every war of this country the VOL
untecr ha been predominant. Tho
theory of modern warfare so compre-
hends immense numbers that In the ma
| ture of things the very number of tho
volunteers must overshadow the regular
forces.
| 1T is the citizen soldiery to which,
| In the last analysis. Is confded the Sc
curity of the country. To the citizen
| soldiery We must look for our real de-
fense. None better than the soldier
| realizes the present and immediate
need of establishing a national defense
Let us. then. form the nucleus Of an
army OF citizen soldiers. an army of
loyal men. inclined to peace, but. in
the defense of our country, our insti-
tutions, our flag. prepared for war!
Let us minimize the danger. therefore,
by refusing to iook upon 1t as a press
ing issue. Let use bepatient, recog-
nizing the wisdom of our Commander
| in-Chief and his desire to maintain
peace with honor. But let us be pre-
pared. too, for the call to arms If it
| shall come-not for the purpose OF con-
quering foreign territory. not for the
| vain glories of victory, but wholly and
solely to protect the integrity OF our
shores and to sustain the honor Of