New-York tribune., 1920-05-16

WASHINGTON, May 15.-Erected in
memory of all patriots who died for
the nations preservation and defense,
the Arlington Memorial Amphitheater,
rising impressively above the hills OF
Arlington National Cemetery, where
repose thousands of the nations hero
dead, received its formal dedication to-
day IN the presence Of a great throng,
including veterans of three wars.
Old men of the Grand Army of the
Republic, under whose auspices the ex-
ercises were conducted, stood side by
side with younger veterans of the Span
ish War and those who fought in the
conflict recently ended. as the formal
dedication was pronounced by the
Grand Army's commander in chief,
Dan M. Hall Sprinkled among the
blue and khaki Of the war veterans
were members of the Cabinet, Con-
gressmen. a number of the diplomatic
corps and other representatives of Of
fficial Washington.
Assembling south of the White
House, earlier in the day, the veterans,
headed by a troop of cavalry and a
battalion Of marines and bluejackets,
passed in review before the President.
standing on the south portico of the
Executive Mansion. Lieutenant Gem
era Nelson A. Miles, U. S. A. retired,
was grand MARSHAL of the parade.
Presidents Message Read
Advised by his physician not to risk
exposure incident to attending the ex-
ercises, the President instead sent a
message which was read by Charles
Newton, of the United Spanish War
Veterans, following the Introductory
address by Secretary Baker and the
formal dedication.
THE dedication Of the national me-
TO history a great episode in the maxi
ing of the nation" President Wilson
said in his message.
Gathered into this national ceme-
terry and elsewhere" the President
said, "are most Of the men who fought
out the constitutional questions in
soluble by other processes, and now
the government has set this great and
beautiful building to stand like SEN
tinel on the banks of the Potomac
and to view for all time the capital Of
the reunited nation.
"Time has thrown it's softening in
has eliminated from our memories the
bitterness which that controversy
aroused, but time has only served to
magnify the heroic valor of the cap
tains and men who fought the great
fight. AS the nation arose, reunited,
it found itself blessed with a great
tradition. In these later days that
tradition has nerved the arms of mill
lions of Americans called upon to
vindicate upon foreign fields of battle
the principles of political liberty.
"Who shall say whence the strength
came Of these matchless men? From
every corner of our great country they
came with one thought-that of de-
votion to the pure purpose for which
their country called them. They lived
soldiers from the New World should
conscious of their strength, confident
Of their cause, alike unselfish and un-
conquerable.
Potent Influence To-day
"And l like to think that in our hour
of triumph, unseen but potent, there
stood beside them the spirits of the
great dead, the spirits of those who
originally rescued America from the
political tyrannies of the Old World
and dedicated and kept her free and
just.
81 cannot attend the ceremony Of
this dedication, but my heart is there,
and with my fellow countrymen every
where / join in grateful recognition of
the virtues which this memorial COM
memorates and in reverent thanks to
the God of nations that He has made
it possible for us in this day to show
the world that America is still bap-
tized with spirit Of her founders and
builders"
Secretary Baker, in an address, re-
called that only little more than fifty
years ago the amphitheater stood on
the dividing line between the contend
ing armies.