The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-10-31
~soYs IN BLUE"
Tribute to Inmates of Soldiers Home
by George 3. Sears.

George B. Sears, former resident,
now of New York. has written the
lines below TO the inmates Of tho
Vermont Soldiers home. Mr.. Sears
spends several weeks each summer in
Bennington and his many friends here
viii be pleased to read this tribute.
New York, October 26, 1918.
To the Boys in Blue at the Sol
diers Home and in my native Benning-
ton
For the third time during your lives
Won have seen our glorious Stars
and Stripes wave in triumph in be-
half of freedom and worldwide de-
mocracy.
The minds that conceived and the
loving hands that wrought this
miracle of beautiful colors, must have
received their inspiration from God
himself.
Wherever this matehless banner
has been bourne wherever it has
waved in the pure air of heaven, il
has been the herald of peace and oil
the Righteousness that exalteth a ma
ton
Never since It's heayen-born colors
we're first flung to the breeze has its
glory been dimmed or its.honor stain
ed by wrong or oppression.
Wherever 1t leads the way slavery
and all uncleanness have vanished as
frost before the sun.
1t has transformed places OF filth
and human misery and made them
sanitary and heaIthful places of abode
1t has never for one moment .saughi
that which was another mans or ma
tions.
The motto of this the most beauti
full OF all banners OF the earth is
peace and good will to man"
Its last and greatest achievement i:
the liberation Of the world from the
dominion of imperialism inspired by
the most accursed ambition that evel
acturated any nation or people.
God himself must afiX the awfu
penalty for the frightful slaughter fol
which this inhuman beast of Berlin
is wholly responsible.
Hell itself has been rihed thai 1
might hatch out new crimes for thii
inhuman monster 10 commit crimes
too foul to talk about or print
While there remains one iota o
Kaiserism in Germany It can neyel
resume its place amnng the galary o
nations
Every life that has been sacrificed
every dollar that has been expended
BY the United States and her Allies II
turning back to its own destruction
this foul tide Of hellish greed ant
prosituted ambition. must be paid TO
II it takes a thousand years to canoe
The debt.
The precious lives that have heel
sacrificed can never asp-vesfored
The only solace that can in tn
least degree assuage the bleedini
hearts of fathers and mothers is tn
consciousness that they have offere,
the lives of their precious boys tina
the world might become a fit abidin
place for the generations that are t
follow.
! believe there will be no more wal
The allied nations together with on
own United States OF America. vii
settle all international problems b
1 the peaceful and humane method q
arbitration.
believe that the peace that pass
eth understanding and for which on
blessed Lord gave up his life on tn
cross will soon cover the earth as tn
waters cover the sea.
The leaves are again falling fror
he trees they have beautified 70
many months; the nests they hay
sheltered so recently with happy birt
life are now empty Soon our place
will be vacant. But the tree lives a
hough stripped of its beautiful 70
iage. 1t will bud and put forth me-
caves in the springtime.
God lives, and although we ma
sleep for season. in the springtim
of eternity we shall come forth wit
new garments and find prepared fC
US a home and house not made wit
hands eternal in the heavens.
The last names of the Boys
Blue will soon be called. May the
all find an abundant entrance int
that blessed haven never disturbed b
storms where all is perfect unrufiie
eternal.
Sincerely your friend,