New Britain herald., 1915-11-20
WILLIAM M'kINLEY MEMORIAL STARTED
Ceremonies at Niles, Ohio, Where
 Cornerstone Is Laid
BIRTHPLACE OF MARTYR

l
 Congressman Dyer Speaks on Pre- naredness-Prcsiden Wilson Not Present-Guests included several Leaders.
 Niles, O., Nov. 20.-The corner
 stone of the National Mckinley birth place memorial was laid here at noon today with ceremonies reminiscent or tho former presidents life. Lead Kindly Light" the hymn which clung to the murdered president in his dying moments, and the Strauss waltz, "On the Beautiful Blue Danube" favor ite of Mrs. McKinley's, were played
 by the United States Marine band and
 James H. Hoyt, an intimate friend of the former president, recited personal "reminiscences.
 President Wilson was forced to de-
 cline an invitation to lay the corner stone but he sent a representative of the national administration and promised to be present at the ded1ca- tion of the building later. Other guests of the day included Senators Atlee Pomerene and Warren G. Hard l ing of Ohio; Representative. William A Ashbrook of Johnston, Ohio; J. G. l Schmidlap of Cincinnati, one of the ] trustees of the memorial fund; GOV ernor Frank Willis of Ohio, Myron T. 1 Herrick of Cleveland, former ambas- sador to France and l.. c. Dyer uf 1 St. Louis, a member of congress ana commander of the United Spanish War Veterans; Governor Willis, MT. Herrick and Congressman Dyer being l the principal speakers.
 Program of Day.
 The days program began with a l parade in which state troops, veteran l organizations, Masons and other or
 ganizations in which Mckinley was 1 interested took part. Camps of
 Spanish War Veterans and posts of
 the Grand Army of the Republic from Cleveland, Alliance, Canton
 and Akron, O., and Pittsburg, Sharon and New Castle, Pa. were in atlae line l of marchers. Half dozen bands | made music for the parade. l After the Masonic part of the pro- gram a tablet was affixed to the stone,
 bearing this inscription: l ERECTED 1915
 ITO Perpetuate the Name and 1 Achievements of William Me- l kinley, Twenty-fifth President of the United States of America. Born January 29, 1S43. Died September 14 1901" Plans For Building. The building itself, when complete will be two story structure of se- were colonial design, fianked by one- story wings of almost equal length with the main structure The main portico is to be supported by six Ionic columns and the facade of, each
 wing will carry as many similar SUD-
 ports in sectional form. The cornice
 will be plain and rectangular doors and windows will emphasize the straight lines of the design.
 Speaks On Preparedness.
 In paying tribute to the memory of
 William Mckinley at the laying of the corner stone, Congressman L. c. Dyer or St. Louis, Mo-, commander n-chief Of the United Spanish War Veterans, told of the unpreparedness of the United States for the war with Spain, and declared himself pledged to the support of the movement for in creasing the army and navy
 He declared that the United States at the present time was, of all the
 countries in the world, virtually the
 least able to defend itself and it's possessions.
 Thousands of persons who served in the Spanish American war lost their lives, and many who are living today are physically disabled by dis ease contracted in that service, be- l,~ unprepared for war that President Mckinley had to call for volunteers
 who rushed into the field without any
 training or preparation for the hard
 ships that soldier has to encounter.
 Situation Meet In Part.
 He also said, in part:
 "The coming session of Congress will pass laws to greatly increase the army and the navy and to furnish the needed guns and ammunition for the army to protect our 900 miles of coast line, but that will not meet the situation fully. The government will need additional men. Our army now is not recruited to the maximum strength allowed be law, and there is much dissatisfaction among the men. This is all caused by the failure of Congress and the War and Navy De- 1 partments to show proper considera- i ton for the men who enter the ser | vice. The government will have | great trouble in finding the men worth | while to enlist for service in the army and the navy in order to increase it, unless better treatment is accorded to the men and better opportunities given them for obtaining promotion and commissions as officers. Congress will also have to enact graded re- cn in,