Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-01-18
DEDICATE A
CEMETERY FOR
AMERICAN men
Colonel John Sewell Gives
Fine Address at
Ceremony.

Somewhere in France. Dec. 3D..
Correspondents Of the Associated
Press).-One Of the cemeteries sc.
aside by the French authorities as 4
burial place for the American dead
in France was dedicated a few days
ago by Colonel John S. Sewell of ths
Seventeenth Railway Engineers, in an
worthier fate could come to a soldie..
fighting in a just cause than to DO
gathered with her own sons to tho
bosom of France" \
at is our duty and our privilege
said Colonel Sewell. there to dedicate
this plot Of ground as a last resting
place. for some Of us who have coma
to France-and some who will come
to France--to return no more to our
native land.
This is not an ordinary occasion.
vide decent resting places for their
dead. but what we do here today is
more than that: it is a part of thu
pledge Of a great people to a great
cause. Here, by our own act. our
country consecrates herself and us,
and all Of our sons to the protection
of free and liberal government AM
decent International dealings against
the most brutal and arrogant govern.
4 'lleI'L aIu IIIS HlOSI lH!leCGnL ndtlOU
that has ever existed. Here. also. the
act of dedication occurs after the dc
cisive battle Of this war, for it has re-
ally been won by the sons Of France,
at the Marine and at Ferdun.
But much remains to do: while
We had not the privilege of sharing in
what has gone before, We know, as
We stand here today. that u country
and we. her sons. are pledged to oul
full share in what is vet to come.
'1n the complex of motives which
is evidenced. by our presence here to
day. what is the dominant one, tn:
one without which we would not be
here? Undoubtedly it is the firm
conviction of the people Of tie United
States that the real issue in this wa,
is the whole question Of the right O.
peoples to live under conditions tina
make life worth while. that the rul'
ing classes OF Germany have mad
Of themselves and their nation a hor
rible Frankenstein. n soulless MOI
ster, dedicated to the worshi,, o
tice and decency in international re
%lations. committing the basest am
most infamous acts in the name o
national necessity and i%ustifyin9 thes'
acts by blasphemous use of the nani'
OF the Most High.
"Our people fee that here is an in
ternational thug grown powerful
through devious ways. running amucl
among the decent nations of tn
world and attempting nothing les
than to strangle them all.
Under such conditions we carno
stand aside. AS a good citizen Of tn
community of nations We must do OH
part to reduce this malcfactor to or
der. 1t matters not that by dom:
our part now. We possibly save our
selves from greater exertions in tn
future. The dominant motive tina
has caused our country to send II
here is the conviction tina she an
we must not shrink from the dut,
that lies before us. and that duty /
first to the whole community Of dc
Icent peoples and only secondly t
ourselves.
in full knowledge of the high rur
pose that sends us here, as a tokel
that we stand ready to pay the pric
that IL duty may demand. we her
dedicate this plot of ground to thos
who must and will make the suprem
sacrifice. 1t is a solemn and scr;ou
heavy nor the soul bitter. Rattle
do we rejoice that. in such n cause
we are privileged to risk oursclvc
and all that we are.
For those of us who III max
the supreme sacrifice is therefore
provided here a final abode worthy @
the cause in which we are engaged.
ITO a soldier fighting in a jus
cause. no worthier fate a be tina
to be gathered with her W sons t
tho bosom of Francc-France F.,
whom the world owes so much, an
who has repeatedly shown the worl
that a nation and a people willing t