New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-12-10
THE SOLDIER

hpropos OF the impressive cerc-
monies in Paris and London upon
ARMS ice Day, when France and
England paid supreme honors to the
remains Of their unknown soldiers
II is interesting TO note that the same
idea was voiced here in New Mex
leo nearly q dozen years ago, hy one
Of our " citizens, in some hitherto
unpublished remarks, at a private
gathering Of officers and civilian
guests in the headquarters tent of
The New Mexico National Guard
Regiment, At the close OF its annual
cncampment on the Las eVgas field,
when Mir. Frank Springer, being call
ed upon by Governor Mills, spoke
as follows:
The most Impressive place IN this
country is the National Cemetery al
Arlington, There on one OF the
roblest heights Of the Virginia shore,
overlooking lie seat OF the govern
ncnt which the, died to preserve,
rest ali that IS mortal of a mighty
host OF brave and knightly men.
They have been gathered from many
bat ."-iielGs, where IN all the fear
iul splcndOr OF war the best blood
OF the nation wa poured out, and
a. devoted sons went down to death
ID numbers thar tppal the memory
aud with courage and iorutuGe that
uuust forever be an example and an
ItspIra ION to every patriotic heart
Majestic -ttmbs and stately mont
ur'nts, Of granite and OF marble.
Gown the scene, while legends Of
enduring bronze commemorate the
names and deeds of great command
c's whose lives and deaths adom
h, finest page of our history
Bat * rs not the monuments and
.Cmbs, or The names they bear thar
most impress the thoughtful visitor.
iIis mind and ms memory dwell
deepest and longest upon hunbler
memorials. Il may happen that, up
on returning TO ms home and the
routine of his daily life, he may after
a while fail to remember what par
ticular monuments or commemora i've
tablets he saw. But so long as life
shall last, nc viii not forget the
long lines of plain and simple head
stones. with only an inscription 10
tell who lies beneath. Far as the
w NdH iAAAlA ivy 5AitiAHp III ~tilNN
and serried ranks. like men upon
parade. BY companies, by battalions,
by regiments and divisions they
stand, these small and unpretentious
stones, sacred 10 the memory Of the
lnconspicuous dead.
And more than all will he remem-
Der the single massive pile, placed
TO mark the final rest OF nameless
men who fell upon a dozen great
battleiields; and whose shattered
bodies in the dreadful exigency of
the war, were rudely buried in in
discriminate heaps, upon the fields
m which they died, while their sur
wing comrades moved on to other
battles. Afterwards, when peace,
which their devotion had helped 10
win, came to the land a grateful
nation tenderly and reverently re-
moved its heroes from those ghastly
shades 10 the beautiful place which
/ have described. And there they
lie, a host IN ordered ranks; and
above them, IN white and shining
text, CLEANS their requiem, in the
poets noble lines
CT tame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And Glory guards, with solemn round.
The blyOraC Of the dead.
Thus in TIN, mighty field Of tombs
all ranks became equal, and officer
and enlisted man sleep their last
,i,cp together.
The point 3 wish 10 make IS, not
'Hat they were brave and gallant
ncn, which needs no saying, but
that these ecrricd graves typIy the
courage and devotion OF this nation,
without distinction of rank; that Of
iicers and men lie there together.
And my thought u.s.. which the me-
mory OF thar scene suggests, that
our sentiment az tis lime should
lie TO the soldier of the nation in
t'' 'roade and MOST coupreheu-
upon the land and upon The sea-; in
ding both the private who car
res the gun, and the officer who
.t.as INN, uhs Tor iiA and dies
him.
One OF ,he wond -s at the ancient
world ras O. great lighthouse at the
.r aue TO Hs ha- BIOS OF Alexandra,
'ri't during the rcien OF ore OF
.a' create, kings. who COM
rHar' .Ec architect co|retractug It
? e--ase .u "a conspicuous place
The kings name. SO tina; all who
entered might read 'pt0itmv. the
Savior Of Sailors" This be diH. On
II is said that re carved fhc kings
uaHc o. q coating % p~erisfab'e ma
ter - Will underneath o. in the
more cndHrrp stone hr carved his
own. And thus, in after years. when
he waves and weathers Of time"
had effaoed the name of the king
who commanded, the name Of IN
builder appeared. and those who by
rs light were guided safely into port
could read in bold relief. 'Sostrates,
the Savior Of Sailors"
And so, IN future years, II NAV
10 pass in this land Of ours,
brought BY the vaior OF its sons safe
" through the perils that beset II.
hat time shall %efface from monu-
and tomb the names Of lead
IS and chiei'ains for whom they
erected But in such a day we
nay be sure that m their stead there
al appear a greater legend which
u men can read. and which will
sndure while the nation lass. firm
ineffaceahlc - the rocks upon
ler mountain peaks THE AMERI-
AN SOLDIER AND SAILOR.
'AVlORS OF THE NATION.