The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-05-31

THE ceremony observed .. this
time has become one OF the mos.
Beautiful of our national life, safo
Lieutenant John S. Sprowls near the
beginning OF his GRAFTON al the heo
Euk services on Memorial day in the
National cemetery. The very season
OF the year finds nature at the heish'
OF its beauty.
Never were the flowers Of the
srringtime gathered with more lo'-
iIg care, nor their variegated forms
woven into such gariands OF beauty,
as at this time.
The season OF the year seems 70
me to represent the period OF LIE az
which our dead made their supreme
sacrifice To them, life was just open
ing up. II Frightened 10 the fancy as
the eve sazed over the field OF anuci-
DaIsd triumphs, or fingered on the
first cleaning of the morning nsat
breaking upon the approaching Gay
To them every sound seemed a voice
of harmony. and the air 10 be flleo
with the breath of thousand roses.
In the midst of this Eden OF love ana
happiness, they gave mp home and
kindred and all that makes living dear
and plsasurable They fulfilled the
highest duty which mankind owes 10
the world. They died for their coun-
Try. They died for that flag. and under
that flag: that flag which We honor,
and under which we serve; that Tag,
the emblem of our unity, our power.
our thought and purpose as nation
one Flag OF One Meaning.
~,
hich we give il from generation 20
generation. The choices are ours. IL
floats in majestic silence above the
hosts that execute those choaces'
whether in peace or in war And yet,
though silent. II speaks TO us-speaAs
TO Us of the past, of the men ana
women who went before Us and OF the
records they wrote upon il"
He then spoke Of the inadequacy OF
words 20 express the sentiments o.
The DAY and the superior eloquence OF
The things they did. He referred TO
the conflicting emotions OF the day
sorrow for the dead. but pride thai
America produced such men, and
rhankfuIness that their sacrifice bore
ricn fruit
He then contrasted this Memorial
day with May 50, 1918, q year ago,
=ss77ea re were fighting with our allies
with back 10 the wall. aualyZing the
military situation along The Marie
year ago, ending II an advance oy
the Huns of forty miles II four days
with q general ATTACH He continued.
When the Balances Were Level
Truly the fate OF rA= world hung
N the balance. The German dream OF
world conquest and world domination
seemed about 10 be attained: the
sacrifices OF France. England, Bel
gium and Italy seemed 10 hare been
made in vain. Il seemed thai America
Tad really come TOO late
But Il vas On this same fourth day
tEar al Chateau ThieTTy the German
troops found q small American tight
ing force facing than i was The IN
machine gun battalion o. the srG
United States DIVISION Il had come
distance O. 10 miles = thirty hours
by motor transport
~Ths German failed 70 cross the
Marine that day He failed 10 cross
i On the following day For seventy
rEo hours this small body o. fighting
men stood between him and MS oo5sc-
tive, and he nsTsr reached IL The
fury OF that barbarian horde spent
itsaIf On this rock. and Il ueTer passed
revond II II remained Ter the Ger
man 10 make one Uo-s attempt !zst
six weeks Later % attain lis ambition
again he vas Tu-sd bark ay 1as
ssue hardy race from b=yc-d the
sea and from that tine EErl- L5e sz6
cnz ~ N1-z-1Ez- II -z never
threatened again
The var already Seems very Tagze
and far away. Il sesEz Ike some
hsceous dream from Zh1cL re hare
Just swzkezed BIT Es UCs- 1o-
forget TOO soon to~ great the Perll
was; Ee INST not TOO soo1 ellCS on
selves 70 De luIIed into security SsTs-
was the issEe EC-s clear CT. nsTsr
vas there uo7s n stake While our
/ civil war ~ss ~z- 20 ssTs c1s cozn-
try, this Tas vzr u EaFs N
world"