The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-05-31
$50 u. S. GRAVES
WERE DECORATED


|
I the Civil war days, when mothers and
! fathers gave their sons to die on battle
Yields. We can appreciate the wave of
patriotism that swept the North when
| Lincolns call for 10000 volunteers was
issued and 100000 focked TO the colors,
for the youth of our day, in the spirit
of their fathers, from north and SOUTH
from east and west, by the million, an
swered their eountry's call. deep love
of freedom, an undying purpose to Sc
cure the permanenee of democracy, to
make safe in the world government of
the people, for the people, and by the
people, these were the guiding principles
Of both the boys of the Rebellion and the
boys Of the great war.
"This Memorial day brings out new
meaning for our wars, with q possible
exception of the Mexican war The Reyo-
lutionary war, the war for independence,
was the first step toward world democ-
racy. The war Of 1912 was contest for
the freedom of the seas. We claimed
and fought for the principle that our
ships, on peaceful errands, were entitled
to secure and free passage to all the
ports of the world. The Civil war was a
struggle not only for national unity but
also toward individual freedom and de.
yelopment for every human soul. The
| deliveraDce of the negro slave from his
shackles and degradation has given hope
for the coolie of China and the pariah
of India Indeed on this Memorial day
we are not only commemorating the
binding together of our nation into an
imperishable unity, but we are also an
ticipating a great world unity built
around constitution patterned after
our own. A mighty impetus is being Civ
en- to world democracy
"The veterans may well feel proud Of
their record. They have not fought in
vain. They have a more imperishabe
memorial TO their greatness than granite
could ever rear, for their own sons are
their best monuments of glory.
you, no doubt, have heard that Mar
shall Petain has said he intends to visit
America twice, once in his official ca
pacity and again ineognito, He is com.
ing the second time to try TO learn what
has made our soldier boys the wonder of
the world He would find where they
get their initiative, their energy, their
indomitable spirit.
Eve could undoubtedly duplicate the
| bravery OF Lieutenant Brown, one Of our
American soldiers in France, from the
files of Civil war days score of times
1t is a Characteristic picture OF Yankee
initiative. Lieutenant Brown, with his
platoon, was in the midst of the terrible
drive Of the Hun in the last battle of the
Marine. A company of Germans had
swept by his machine gun nest, and
when he had made ready to fire upon
them from the rear, he discovered anoth.
er great horde of Germans approaching
To save his crew from destruction he or
dered them to scatter and hide. Left
alone, he heard in the distance German
machine gun and Immediately decided TO
seek II out and destroy it. While on
his way he met Yankee captain who
was bound on the same unique errand
Stealthily and yet brayely they proceeded.
there was a sudden dash, the captain lay
dead, but Lieutenant Brown annihilated
what remained of the gun crew.
but this was not all. Another ma.
chine gun was doing its deadly work
against the American forces, so Lieuten-
ant Brown determined to destroy it also
if he could Again he met a Yankee
soldier, a corporal, whom he found bent
on the same errand. Slowly, carefully,
they moved forward, and just as they
rushed to the assault of the machine
nest they found themselves supported by
the other II members Of Lieutenant
Browns platoon. Quickly was this nest
destroyed and the American boys took
up their march to their own lines But
they had not gone far before they came
upon company Of Germans ina trench
captured from the Americans Lieuten-
ant Brown mapped out a plan Of attack,
arranged his men so that they fired from
IL different directions upon the German
trench, while he operated his automatic
rifle from the central position He fired
his gun until the barrel became so hot
he could not hold it longer AS his gun
ceased firing, the major of the German
company leaped from the trench and,
raising his arms high in air, he yelled,
Kamerad Kameradl'
"The lieutenant and his men soon had
their prisoners disarmed and marching
toward the American line The lieuten
ant and corporal took up the lead the
German prisoners followed, guarded from
the rear by the II Yankee privstes. But
this is not all As they proceeded, other
German soldiers also surrendered, so that
when Lieutenant Brown reached the
American headquarters, 1855 Germans
were the prisoners Of 10 Yankees.
"This is the American soldier. Oh the
| American boy even though alone, even
though but a private--he could plan his
campaign and carry out his program at
moments notice. Our life leads to
self.reliance and initiative. This was
the Yankee soldier of the SOS as we'll as
the Yankee of to-day.
"And what do these veterans of 1861
and these veterans of 1918 expect of us ?
They expect us to put into the life Of
peace the same patriotic devotion and
the same self sacrifice that characterized
them on the dreadful fields OF battle We
must determine that what ought to be
done to rid the world of evil shall be
done. We must dare the impossible for
the sake Of truth and the freedom of
the world"
Dinner Served at Congregational Church.
After the exercises at the opera house,
dinner prepared by the Ladies of the
G. A. R. and the auxiliary of the Sons
of Veterans was served at the Congrega-
tional church vestry. Through an appar
emit Misunderstanding, the Civil war vet
Grams were somewhat disappointed, as it
was understood that veterans Of all wars
of the United States should partake of
the annual dinner, Only a few of the
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