Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-06-01
immortal Deeds
to Be Eulogized
in Ages to Come

''The immortal deeds of that once
valiant army. the Grand Army of the
Republic, and the blessings to the coun-
try which were so, dearly bought, will
be the theme of song and eulogy on
Memorial day throughout the ages yet
unborn declared the Rev. Father NJ. T.
O'Brien, principal speaker on the Mem
orial day program held Monday after
noon in the Grand theater.
The program followed Immediately
after the parade of ex-service men.
occupied the place of honor on the
stage of the theater, while seats in the
front of the theater were reserved for
Spanish war and world war veterans.
X. L. Cleveland, commander of the
local post, g. A. r., was chairman of
the program, and gave. an address of
welcome, following a short concert by
the Black Eagle band and chorus COM
posed of senior high school students
under the leadership of Miss Lena Spoor,
and the invocation by the Rev. Christoph
Keller, rector of the Episcopal church
and chaplain of the Great Falls post,
American legion.
Deeds of '6I.
In his address, Chairman Cleveland
told some of the history of the regiment
of which he was a member during the
Civil war, and declared that the spirit
in which the deeds of that day were
done by the soldiers have been repeated
since by the heroes of the Spanish war
and those of the world war.
The Rev. Father O'Brien followed
with an eulogy to the memory of those
who have died on the field of battle,
and to those who were ready to give
up their lives that their country might
be .!6pisinsIiy, s5qE,fisd veterans Of the Grand
army of the Republic, this was your
day." he declared. ITO you we are in
debted that our glorious flag, the stars
and stripes, floats in undisputed sway
and supremacy over this entire nation.
Your presence here, though few in num-
bers, unfolds to our mind what it once
cost our country to be the land of the
free and the home Of the brave
Sorrow 0vershadows Victory.
'.Never in the history of the world did
two such armies like that of the north
and the south face each other for a like
cause, without greed of dominion or lust
of spoilation for their object. Never was
greater bravery displayed between two
opposing forces and consequently never
was the right of war more gloriously
crowned with victory, and never was the
joy of victory so overshadowed with sor-
row for the vanIuished rs was that of
the north for the south.
mo nation in the past ever refused to
celebrate the memory of her triumphs.
England celebrates Waterloo, Germany
her Sedan, and Russia her Plevna But,
except in silent thanksgiving, America
will never celebrate her Gettysburg.
'erhe immortal deeds of that once
valiant army, and the blessings to
country which is so dearly bought. will
be the theme of song and eulogy of
memorial day throughout the ages yet
unborn"
Response Big in '98.
The speaker then dwelt on the fact
that the veterans of the Spanish war
were brought face to face with the war
scenes of '9S on memorial day. when
the Maine, with her freight of human
lives. was ruthlessly destroyed in the
harbor of Havana, the country called for
100000 volunteers, and 100000 of Am
erica's most noble manhood responded
What a thrill of patriotism did the
slogan Remember the Maine inspire.
Through your superior worth and valor
YOU brought the enemy to her knees and
the honor of your country was vindi-
Gated.
"You have your fallen comrades who
have laid down their young lives upon
the altar of their country. but the spirit
of their noble sacrifice and the memory
of their heroism our grateful nation
honors today.
"And. veterans of the world war, what
world of meaning does this day and
it's ceremonies bring to you and u.s." The
speaker then declared that when the
watchmen from the tower of the citadel
of the nation called for brave men, the
response was spontaneous from every
corner of the nation. and from every
walk of life.
Americans Unconquerable.
"Four million and more of Americas
sons answered the call. What nation
could be proudcr of her gallant forces
than America? What nation ever
achieved what the American nation
achieved on the battlefields of France
through her unconquerabe and uncon-
quered heroes? When the day for the
allies was all but lost. you, noble vet
Grams, stepped into the breach, and you
never turned your backs until the white
flag of truce was hoisted above the