The mirror., 1919-05-29
o we as a nation realize
the significance of May
80, Memorial Day? Ev-

HSSNS3h the slgnlhcance OF May
HYHW4NH 80, Memorial Dayg Ev-
E2y cry newspaper you pick
up these days advertises some kind
of sport that will start May 30.
Why May 80? What on earth
makes all the ball players, fighters,
tennis champions and golf fiends
want to start on May 30? In New
York they want to have parade
of broken down work horses on
May 80. A lot of these sporty peo-
pie come right out and say: "On
Memorial Day we will be glad and
don fine raiment and root for our
favorite fad in sports"
To my mind all this is deplor-
able. Not the different sports, but
the tendency to fasten in the minds
of the American people the idea
that Memorial Day, May 80,
which is legal holiday in 40 states
in the Union, is established for a
joyous holiday, much play and
more feasting. We have about 20
joy holidays; l think more when
you sum them all up, so why seize
upon the most sacred of all our
holidays to start the sporting sea-
son.
May 80 has come to be recog-
nized in every state as the National
Sabbath of Patriotism. A day
when men, women and children
should pause and gather in social
centers to tell the tales of heroism
of the men who gave their lives
facing the bursting bombs in bat
tie that others might live, and to
reflect on what hefoism means to
US who are living today.
The day was established by the
Grand Army of the Republic May
80, 1858, for the purpose of COM
memorating the ideals of the dead
of the Union Army. A day that
has been held in such tender re-
spect that 40 of the greatest states
of the Union have gravely incor-
porated it into their laws; not for
sport" but that the people of
the state might pause for a day
and think of their mighty dead.
1t is we'll for US to remember
that 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
battles for the Union and their
sturdy contention for right and
justice for many years after the
battle flags were furled, the United
States would be only a third rate
nation, instead of the greatest pow
er on earth But for the four years
of awful fighting. when the ma
tion's life was hanging in the bal
ance, there would be no fighting
today. We would be in the con-
dition of the waspish little nations
controlled by banditti overseas.
The right won at a cost in lives
and in money that staggered the
nation. The United States gov
ernment did mighty little for the
returning veterans compared with
what is being done today for our
boys returning from the battle
fields of Europe. There were nc
triumphal arches in enduring mar
BILE, no pensions commensurate
with the perils endured, no wait.
ing jobs, no soft berths for return
ing soldiers.
The returning armies passed ir
review in ragged regimentals, an
army of tramps in appearance and
went home in that plight. There
were no glorious camp fires kept
burning for those that returned.
The fires were dead in the forge,
the farms had grown to weeds, the
carpenters tools were rusty and
the boys were too old to take uI
their time-scarred school books
they had left in the knife-scarred
desks. There were no vocational