The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1920-06-05
MEMORIAL DAY
OBSERVED HERE
AMERICAN LEGION TAKES LEAD
IN COMMUNICATION OF WORK
OF FALLEN HEROES
Decoration of Graves at Cemeteries,
and Services at Colyille Theater
in Afternoon

Memorial day was tittingly OBJ
served in Colville, under the direction
of the G. A. r., w. R. c., and Amer
lean legion.
In the forenoon these organizations
visited both cemeteries, and held
beautiful services in connection with
the decoration of graves. Mrs. j.
C. Harrigan sang "Cover Them Over
with Flowers" and the bugler sound
ed taps.
At noon the ladies served dinner
at Odd Fellows building for the
Grand Army and American Legion
men.
At 2 p. m. a procession formed at
the courtyard, led by the Colville
band. The ranks of the g. A. r..
constantly thinned by death, showed
that Colville has only few remain
ing defenders of the flag of 81.
At 2:3O, at the Colville theater,
large audience gave appreciative at
tention to an excellent program, i
charge of l.. B. Donley, commander
of the local post of the American
Legion. Vocal solos We're rendered
by Mrs. J. C. Harrigan and Miss
Henrietta Goldman A flag drill
was given by 12 girls under the di-
rection of Mrs. +. S. Thomas, teach
er in tho schools. Comrade Eastman
of Marcus represented the G. A. X. in
the program. The addieSs OF the day
was delivered by Atty. John I. Raj
tis, former sergeant major at Camp
Lewis. His eloquent address was
fitting feature of the 1920 obSc
vance. In the course of his remarks
he said:
we are gathered here today to pay
respect and reverence to the memory
of the flower of American manhood
which has offered itself on the affairs OF
our liberty.
We're il not for the supreme saeri-
flee made by those hundred OF thous-
ands of brave noble men since the foun-
dation of our republic, We would not
be here today. n free people, living IN
peace. happiness and plenty, under the
most glorious banner that has ever been
unfurled in tn" skies.
IAN over our nation today CRATE
full people bow in reverence at the hal
lowed graves of that innumerable host
of heroes, now sleeping peacefully in
the bosom Of the homeland they have
loved so well.
The lark 5 glad song of freedom is In
the air the waving fields are green
again, the limpid waters sing a new
hymn of gladncss, and the blossoms ana
flowers of spring time breathe mes
sage of sweetness over all the land.
Far away in Flanders fields are
thousands upon thousands of new made
graves, where sleep the boys who but
yesterday left us with smile, and a
song on their lips, to strike, for the
honor of our country. and to Keep
proudly waving the banner that has
never known defeat.
They are our glorious dead. cut down
like flowers in the springtime of their
lives, that we might live on and enjoy
freedom which could survive only by
their death"
The speaker urged upon ex-service
men to pay greater tribute to those who
have died and all Of us to cherish the
ideals of our country.
The peroration was as follows:
Back once more to the old fashioned
Americanism; back to the high ideals
Of our forefathers who laid the corner
stone of American freedom and sealed
it with their blood; back to the ideals
of Washington and that brave band of
men who hoped and starved in the long,
cod winter at Valley Forge; back to
the ideals Of the immortal Lincoln. bow
ed down in sorrow and humility as he
saved the life of our nation; back to the
ideals Of those noble pioneers who
struggled and died to open wide the
gates leading farther to the golden
west; back to the Author of all our Ii
berties and blessings. who has made
and preserved us n nation, who has CIV
EN- us our boundless prairies and Won
drous mountains and valleys; whose
finger has marked the ways in which
flow our beautiful rivers and streams
as they sing on to the sea"