The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-11-15
TRIBUTE PAID
WARS VICTIMS
SUNDAY NIGHT.
Memorial Sunday Observed at
Special Service in First Pres
byterian Church
BEAUTIFUL PROGR A M
Music and Address by Rev.
P0stlethwaite and Major
Russ on Program

tribute to the American soldiers
who lie in Flanders fields was paid
at the First Presbyterian church last
night ~ Bismarck people who joined
in the observance of Memorial Sun
day and the ending Of the war two
years ago, on Nov II, by the signing
OF the Armistice
Major G. II. Russ jr., past command
er American Legion, and Rev. H. G.
Postlethwa:c addressed the assem-
blase, A strong appeal for the pre-
servation of the ideals for which the
American nation went to war was
made by Rev. Postlethwaite.
Members of the American Legion,
War Mothers and other patriotic or
ganizations, were among the audi
Ilance.
The musical program harmonizcd
admirably with the sentiment of the
occasion. Wilson's arrangement of
"Just for Today'' was rendered by nine
voices: Mesdames Scheffer French,
Morris and Miss Jones: Messrs. Hal
verson, Ferner Boynton,, Grady
and Humphreys. Henry Hal
VERSIONS beautiful rendition of
"The Ninety and Nine" made a
very special appeal in Edward Cam
pions musical arrangement of Eliza
beth Clephanes grand old hymn. Mrs.
+. P Scheffer rendered effectively
~kipling's most inspiring of modern
hymns, the Recessional, set to music
by dekoven. DR.. MacRae's "ln Flan-
ders Field" arranged by Hickman,
was beautiful as sung by Mesdames
Scheffer and Morris and Messrs. Hal
verson and Humphreys.
Major Russ said: ....
! 1.-TWO years ago the Armistice was
signed, yet, technically we are still at
war. True, our magnificent army
has been demobilized hut no Treaty Of
Peace has been signed by the United
| States. Two years! 1t seems but
yesterday that the news came down
the line to us that temporarily at
least the war had ended, that Ger
many acknowledged herself whipped
and was going to save what she could
from the wreck We had just come
out of the trenches having been in
the first and second lines since Oct.
18th and it was with more, of feel
ing of regret than of elation that we
REALIZED that we were not to put the
final smash on the other side Of the
Rhine. For nearly a month we had
lbeen awaiting the word which was
jfo send us against the hills we had
been watching along it's banks yet
rs | looked at the tired, worn faces
of the relieving French artillery af-
ter their four years of that sort Of
thing, / knew that we didn't, couldn't
realize what it meant to them. And
! now that we know how really crushed
Germany was; now that the complete
ness of their defeat is known through
out their land perhaps it is just as
we'll, yes, far better to have ceased
that day rather than to have carried
on. But that morning as we lay in
wait eighteen French and six Amer
ican divisions, all veteran troops, with
not over four German divisions to
oppose them, it did seem a mistake
not to- commence that march to Ber-.
lin, that had been so we'll advertised
by the popular songs of the war
And what do we find after two years
of what amounts to peace? To the
Service man it sometimes looks dis
couraging, having given all, freely
without question, is it unnatural to
expect something in return? Just be-
fore we received orders to prepare
to return to the United States, while
the air was full Of rumors as to When
we would go, our battalion was hold
ing parade at retreat and as the boys
marched by platoons every mans
head filled with the thoughts of home
coming, the welcomes expected,
couldn't help a lump coming in M ;.
throat. for | knew how they were
going to be disappointed. Instead of
a grateful country, they were going
back to a country burdened by class
hatred, to country which now that
they had done their duty was going
to forget them and push them aside
a country which by their efforts had /
made safe twenty thousand new mil
lionaires yet couldn't see its way
clear to even partly make up their
financial loss, a country which said,
Here's your discharge and sixty dol |
lars, go set yourself up in business,
we're through with you now We i
here in Bismarck don't realize tn"
condition. In the larger cities, es
pecially the coast cities, where the |
slackers rushed to the ship yards anu
other manufacturing plants to avoid !
the draft, receiving unheard of wages
for small days work, do you wonder
that Bill Jones, who had enlisted in !
IT at thirty dollars month came !
back in '19. was handed his sixty
dollars without even the proverbial
and found his former chum
Jim Smith, who could have gone just
as we'll, perhaps easier than he, mar
ried, owning his home, driving a Jlt-
ney and drawing eight or ten dollars
day, now asks that the government
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