Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-05-05
National Tribunel

Every newspaper you pick up These
days adyertises some kind Of sport that
"will start May 30.'
Why May 3O3 What on earth makes
all the bah players, fist fighters, tennis
champions and golf fiends want to start
on Nav 80.
Some fool women in New York have
new fad. They want TO have a parade
of broken-down work horses ON MAY 30,
A lot Of these sporty, gnat-brains come
right out and say son Memorial Day,
We will be glad and don glad rags and
root for our favorite fad in sports.
An this is doplorable, Not the sports
themselves, but the tendency to fasten
in the minds of the American people the
idea that Memorial Day, May 80, which
is a legal holiday in 40 states in the
Cnion is established for a joyous holi-
day. much play and more eating. We
have about 20 Joy days; / guess n,u,,
when you sum them all up, so why sc.2e
upon the most sacred Of al our holidays
to start the sporting season.
May so has come to be recognized in
every state but the eight really southern
states as the national sabbath of pa
triOtiSm. 4 day when men, women and
children should pause and gather in So
cial ccntcrs to tell the tales of hcrOism
Of the men who wore the blue and to
reflect on what that herism means to
us who are living today.
The day was established by the Grand
Army Of the Republic, May 3O 1868,
for the purpose Of eommemorating the
ideals of the dead of the Union army,
a day that has been held in such tender
respect that 40 Of the greatest states of
the Union have gravelv incorporated it
into their laws, not for "sports, " but
that the people of the state might pause
for a day and think of their mighty
dead.
A veteran soldier said Of Kansas:
States are not great, except as men
may make them.
Men are not great, except they do and
dare.
But for the men who fought the bat
ties for the Union, and their sturdy con-
tention for right and justice for many
years after the battle-flags were furled,
the United States would be only q third
rate nation today.
But for the four years of awful fight
ing, when the nation IS life was in the
balance, there would be no nation today.
We would be in the condition of the
waspish little nations controlled by can.
ditti overseas. The right won at a cost
in lives and money that staggered the
nation. The United States government
did mighty little for the returning vet
Grams compared with what is being done
today. There were no triumphSi arches
in enduring marble, no pensions com.
mensurate with the perils endured, no
waiting jobs, so soft berths for return.
ing soldiers. The returning armies pass
ed in review in "ragged rcgimcntals, :
an army Of tramps in appearance, and
vent home in that plight The fires
were dead in the forge, the ferns had
gown to weeds, the carpenters tools
were rusty, and the boys wcrc 100 old
to take up the dog-cared school books
they had left in the knifc-scarred desks
There were no vocational" schools, 10
schools for blinded soldiers The she'll
went on in that condition OF
died in insane asylums.
Yet out Of all this riot OF rum Inc
men who made the Union rose supreme,
and for more than 40 years s--r the
war were the guiding element IN Vn, ~.
tion. They opened the great west and
followed the sun to its setting out over
the Paicfic They penetrated the for.
ests Of the north into the gold fields of