Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-06-05
E. B. THAYER. Editor and Prop.-voL. LII.
MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial day was observed in Wau
sau under conditions more solemn an,
impressive than ever attended a SINH
lar occasion here in the past.
Owing to the inclemency of tn,
weather many of our people did no
venture out to the celebration. TIL,
morning dawned with threatenins
weather, and rain came down durine
the forenoon. Towards the noon hour
or before that time, the sun appeared
to be pushing its way out, and fol
awhile it looked as though the after.
noon might clear up. However. it was
rainy afternoon, and this was not
entirely discouraging, as we needed
the rain badly.
The greater part of the program fo,
the afternoon was had in the circuit
court room at the court house instead
OF in the court house square, and al
the cemeteries, as had previously beeu
arranged. Hundreds of people assem-
bled in the county building for the
exercises and to pay tribute to the
nations heroic dead. Practically all
business, public and private, was sus-
pended during the afternoon.
Memorial dayis a trulyAmerican day.
America celebrates this day not only
as a beautiful tribute to brave men,
but commemorative of the fact that
the country passed through a great
crisis and was saved, disproving the
worlds assertion that republic could
not live. The healing of that breach
made America immortal, eternal. The
sign of this Immortality is a flower,
tenderly dropped upon a grave. The
men whom we, honor on Memorial day
measured up to the full stature of
American manhood; they fulfilled the
highest duty of American citizenship
IL is also day set aside to bring our
annual offering to the graves of our
honored dead. The practice of having
this one day each year for commem-
Grafton of the soldiers work has be-
come fixed and falls on the 3Oth of
May, a legal holiday almost nationally
observed. The day is observed by
marching veterans, military and civic
organizations, playing bands and fly
ing cOlors when weather conditions
permit.
Memorial day this year coming in
the midst of the rush to comply with
the nations call for men, proved one
OF the greatest mediums of bringing
about a greater spirit of patriotism.
The program for the afternoon was
commenced at the monument in the
court house park. st. Stephens band.
Spanish American War veterans, Citi-
zens Training camp, German War vet
Grams, Boy Scouts, and members of
other organizations, marched from
their respective headquarters to the
monument, followed by the general
public, where they met members of
Cutler Post, G. A. r. Brief exercises
were held, including a reading by Miss
Eva Friedrich, which was a tribute from
the German War veterans, and presen-
tation of a wreath in memory of the
q. A. r., veterans of the Civil war
in unknown graves, which was placed
at the foot of the monument. Follow
ing is the tribute:
Soldiers OF the Grand Army of the
Republic
To you, the thinning ranks of the
once Grand Army, which by dauntless
courage, and inspired by the purest
patriotism, preserved the liberty and
unity of this, our country. the people
b0W today in acknowledgment of your
patriotic sacrifices, and as a visible
token OF their gratitude, they decorate
the graves of your departed comrades.
But the bodies of thousands of them
moulder i'll the ground under a south
ern sky, where they were hurriedly
buried as soon as the smoke of battle
had passed away, with nothing to
mark the spot where there lies buried
a soldier who, in the language of the
martyred Lincoln, had given his life
that his country might live.
Their graves may be unknown. but
they are not forgotten; and in grateful
remembrance of their heroic sacrifice
the German Veteran Association" of
Wausau reverently and tenderly laws
this wreath of evergreen at the foot
or this monument, erected by the peo-
pie of Marathon County in honor of
that Grand Army, and as an inspira-
ton to all coming generations 10 nre-