Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1917-05-03
THREE GREAT FLAGS
FL0AT OVER TOMB
OF GEO. washington
GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE AND
UNITED STATES RAISE COL.
oRs AT MT, VERNON.
VISITORS PAY HOMAGE TO
AMERICAS GREAT SOLDIER

HRllIliUH y uilLhI UuLUiLll
Eminent Gathering, Including Mem.
bers Of British and French War
Commission, Presidents Cabinet
and Members Of Congress, Stand
With Barred Heads In semi-circIe
Before Tomb of Nations Founder.
Mount Vernon, Va.-The flags OF
Great Britain, France and the United
States foated proudly together ove1
the tomb of George Washington. Be-
meath them, spokesmen Of the three
great democracies paid homage to
Americas soldier and statesman, and
pledged themselves, each to the other,
, in the name of the dead, to prosecute
the present mighty struggle against
autocracy on the line he himself had
followed in bringing America into be.
ing.
In groups of twos and threes, an
eminent gathering including the mem
bers OF the French and British war
commission, the Presidents cabinet
and members Of Congress, had stroll
ed up through the sloping grounds
from the river bank until perhaps half
q hundred people stood with barred
heads in a semi-circle before the tomb.
The day which had been heavy and
threatening as the party approached on
the Mayflower, suddenly burst into
sunlight which played through the
trees on the unifroms and faces Of
those assembled.
Without formality, Secretary Dan
iels motioned to M. Viviani, minis
ter OF justice and former president
of France, who advanced slowly into
the center. Before the tomb Of Wash
ington whose efforts towards liberty
his own ancestors had gloriously aid
ed, NJ. Viviana delivered an address,
In which the whole forces Of his emo
tional power, deepened by the signifi-
canoe of the occasion, fought for ex'
preston.
The spectators though most OF them
could not understand French, caught
the suppressed feeling and fire OF the
orator and followed his words spell
bound as they quickened under the
thrill of his imagination.
his voice not sound could be heard.
AS M. Viviana finished, the silence
.s"t.s.,a -. :.pEs@s With the gen general -
press the emotions aroused.
Then came forward Arthur James
Balfour, foreign secretary OF Great
Britain, who stood for a moment In
silence, a tall, erect, kindly figure
Overcome with all that the situation
meant in the lives Of the two great
Anglo-Saxon countries, Mr.. Balfour
abandoned his decision not to speak
and gave expression to few poignant
sentences, evidently straight from the
heart. England had honored Wash
ington as she never had before.
IN. Viviani," said Mr. Balfour, "has
expressed in most eloquent words the
feelings which grip us all here today.
He has not only paid fitting tribute
10 a great statesman. but he has
brought our thoughts most Nvidly
down to the present. The thousands
who have given their lives-French,
Russian, Italian, Belgian. Serbian,
Montengerin, Roumanian. Japanese
and British were fighting for what
they believed to be the cause OF lib
erty.
There is no place in the world
where a speech for the cause OF lib.
erty would be better placed than here
at the tomb OF Washington. But as
that work has been so adequately
done by a master of oratory, perhaps
YOU will permit me to read few
words prepared by the British Mission
for the wreath we are to leave here
today:
dedicated by the British Mission
to the immortal memory OF George
Washington, soldier. statesman, pa
triot. who would have rejoiced to see
the country Of which he was by birth
q citizen, and the country which his
genious called into existence, fighting
side by side to save mankind from
subsection to a military despotism. y
Governor Stuart Of Virginia spoke
as the host on Virginian soil.
washington" he said, Originally
belonged to Virginia, but his priceless
memory has now become common
heritage Of the world. We consecrate
here today struggle bearing the su-
preme test of the issues for which he
lived, fought and died"
Marshal Joffre, victor Of the Marne
and idol Of the French people, next
came forward in field marshals 5 uni
form. Simply, but earnestly, he spoke
but two brief sentences:
'In the French army, all venerate
the name and memory OF Washington.
I respectfully salute here tho great
soldier and lay upon his tomb the
D.. ~ We offer ou' soldiers who have
died for their country"
Two French officers came forward
with the bronze wreath from the
French Mission, the humblest and the
highest mark of honor which the
French Nation can accord the dead.