Oxford Democrat., 1919-06-03
Memorial Day Observance.
ADDED SIGNIFICANCE IN PARTICIPATION
OF THE BOYS IN KHAKI.

OF THE BOYS IN KHAKI.
Bright sunshine and comfortable tenn
perafure helped to make this years oh
servance OF Memorial more impressiv,
and beautiful than ever. In one way th,
weather detracted little from the gen
erai observance, a. 1t furnished 90 mucl
OF temptation for excursion trips
especially BY contrast with what haf
been provided us during the past few
weeks. But this did not take away thos,
charged with the special care of the day
ceremonies.
In no sense was the Significance of tn,
day less than usual az q memorial fo,
those men for whom the day was estab
lished, the soldiers of the civil war: bu
1t had an added interest in the presenc,
OF q considerable number of the soldier,
OF the great world war, and the promise
this gives that the observance of the DAY
snail be maintained for coming genera
tions.
The forenoon program at South Pari,
was little delayed through waiting fol
the Spanish War Veterans and the sol
diers OF the world war, who had partici
psted In the exercises at Norway and
came here from Pine Grove Cemetery
On their arrival the line was formed in
front OF Grand Army Hall, and proceed
to Riverside Cemetery.
w. 8. Starbird acted az marshal. with
Jonn NJ. Murch assisting. The line was
headed by drum corps, and following
this as escort came the Sons of Veterans,
Spanish War Veterans, and boys In
khaki, returned from service in the world
war. OF these last there were about
thirty, in uniform, and they were such q
fine looking body Of men that it was the
subject of general comment.
Members OF VIM. K. Kimball Post, G..
A. R., followed, and after them the
Ladies of the G. A. r. in automobiles.
OF the civil war veterans the Democra,
counted eighteen, all but three of them
on foot. The rest of the procession was
made up of children Of the public
chools, several hundred of them, repre-
senting all the grades, In charge of their
teachers.
Exercises at the cemetery were brief.
Prayer was offered by Rev. D. F. Faulk.
ner. A selection was sung by the Cecil.
ian Choir Of Deering Memorial Church,
led by Mrs. Stella w. Burnham, and
Lincoln's Gettysburg address was read
by Mrs. S. c. Ordway. Decoration OF
the graves followed, some more than
seventy wreaths having been made by
the G. A. r. bodies for the occasion.
A dinner was served in Grand Army
Hall as usual at noon, and the afternoon
exercises opened in Savoy Theatre at
l 80. Several patriotic selections were
played by Shaw's Orchestra. W. S.
+Starbird presided, and in opening the ex-
ercises referred briefly to the contrast
with the conditions at the last Memorial
Day, and welcomed the veterans of the
world war.
Prayer was offered by Rev. D. F. Faulk.
ner. A selection was sung by the Cecil
ian choir, with solo by Miss Ruth Graves.
Miss Eva E. Walker read "Nothing but
Flags" and Miss Carolyn Gray read Gen.
Logan's order establishing Memorial
Day in 1858.
The address of the day was given by
Rev. G. Wellington Rogers, pastor of the
Starbird introduced as having two SONS
in the service in the world war; and Mr..
Rogers humorously stated that he might
be said like Artemus Ward to be con-
nected with both the civil war and the
world war through his wife's relations,
as these boys of his we're natives of this
country while he was not. In the course
of his address Mr.. Rogers spoke at some
length upon both the civil and the world
war, devoting special attention to the
great battle Of Gettysburg az the turning
point, not only of the civil war but of the
century. He contrasted and compared
the two wars to degree, but laid special
emphasis upon the one underlying prin-
ciple. When the men of one or another
war were in the fighting, they had but
little thought for ideals. Their object
was to smash the line. Yet underneath
the Revolution, underneath the civil war,
underneath the world war, was the same
great issue, the freedom Of man, opposi-
tion to autocracy. And the lesson to us
be found in the closing words of Lin
coins immortal sddress-"It is rather
for US to be here dedicated to the great
task remaining before us sss that
government of the people, by the people
and for the people shall not perish from
the earth"