The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-06-05

salute you; as we salute and rever
ence the memory of the great heart
who led you in the ranks and gave his
life as fearlessly and CALAMITY as our
comrades on the field of battle, Theo-
dore Roosevelt.
Comrades of the Grand Army of the
Republic. words cannot express our
thanks for the honor which you have
done us this day. We are proud to
be your brothers in-arms. To the
splendid ideals and to the love of
country which you instilled in the
youth of our country for two gener-
ations is due the spirit of the soldiers
of today. You not only saved the
Republic and our form of government
in 81. but you have been the great
sustaining force behind our constitu-
ton, and have kept American people
true and steadfast to the great institu-
tons of true freedom ever since 1t
is a grave responsibility that you are
passing on to us in these most grave
times in history. The wounds of the
war have developed into a frightful
cancer called Bolshevism. and under
one name or another the disease has
spread to our neighboring nations in
every direction. AS one parasite is
imported and fostered to exterminate
another. and in turn it becomes more
deadly fan the first. so this soul kill
ing thing has been nurtured and en-
couraged by simple minded dreamers
and God-forgetting. selfish monsters
to cure fancied and real wrongs in So
ciety. The burden of stamping out
this snake and all others of its breed
is upon these more than four million
soldiers. sailors and marines who
have been privileged to gaze into the
gates of He'll. and who know now. if
never before, that true liberty to the
individual. true happiness and pros
perity to the family and true great
ness to the nation lie only in the
paths of the American Constitution
and the noble institutions which have
grown out Of IT, Comradeships Of
the war have made common sym
patty and understanding that will re
fuse To be hoodwinked by the selfish
deceits of scheming adyenturers and
half baked dreamers, Rich men and
poor men, manufacturers and com
mon laborers. college professors, law
yers, farmers and mechanics have
been "bunkies' aud shared each 9th
ers mess kits toe often and too long
not to understand each other The
Melting Pot has come into its own.
When we falter in INDIGESTION at the
crossroads, we Will close our eyes
and ask ourselves which road leads
the way to the end that Jhey fought
for, those comrades OF ours who did
not come back, who sleep today in the
fields and on the hill> OF France,
where they fell facing the enemy
with their guns elasped in their
hands. The lives and memories of
these boys of ours will not be for
gotten. and the testimony they gave,
even in death, of their devotion and
belief in the America of cur fathers
shall always remain an inspiration
and a warning finger, pointing To the
right road. No nobler or Drawer men
tread this earth than those boys OF
Skowhegan and of Somerset who
made the supreme sacrifice. Ii is
our most solemn duty to see to il
ilidi tilcii SdIilHNt Sudli uol nay 4
been in vain, that the country they
fought and died for shall always be
worthy Of the price they paid.
Friends in behalf of all who wore
the khaki and the blue from our coun-
ty. the soldiers, sailors and marines
the brave hearted nurses, the Red
Cross, Y. NJ. c A. and all who con-
tributed so much to victory, thank
you. and congratulate you on being
alive on such a day,