Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-15
DEDICATE MEMORIAL.
Notables Present mt Ceremony Com
Inemorating War Veterans.

Notables Present mt Ceremony Com
lmemorating War Veterans.
BY Associated Press.
Washington. May 15.- To the
memory of the soldiers and sailors
who fought the battles of the I'm
TIED States in all vars. great me-
mortal amphitheater was dedicated
today in Arlington national cerfe-
terry.
The ceremonies were attended by
veterans Of three wars. members Of
diplomatic corps cabinet, senate,
house and other government. officials
and large gathering of people, A
procession Of army. navy and marine
corps detachments. veterans of the
Grand Army Of the Republic and al
lied Organizations. spanish war vet
Grams and world war veterans led by
Maj. Gen. Nelson A Miles (retired)
preceded the ceremonies.
The dedicatory exercises were I'M
Of the Republic, to whose efforts
credit is given for the inception of
the memorial and for eighteen years
Of work for it. Secretary Baker,
Secretary Daniels. both members Of
the commission which had charge of
the construction of the memorial;
and Colonel ID. NJ. Hall Of Columbus,
O.. commander-iri-chief of the Grand
Army of the Republic, were the prin-
cipal speakers.
The great structure of white mar
BILE. built by the government at a
cost of $S25,000 stands in the south
ern part of Arlington national GEM
etery amid the graves Of thousands
Of the nations dead. Near it are
the Maine memorial. where the bat
tleship Names fighting top stands
sentinel over the graves of the men
who lost their lives when the yes
sci was sunk in Havana harbor, and
the confederate memorial, surround
ed by the graves of southerners. Be
sides commanding a view of the
cemetery. the memorial overlooks the
Potomac river and the city of WASH
ington. 1t contains a chapel and
seats 5000 people.
Fifty-six years ago yesterday Ar
lington national cemetery was first
used when President Lincoln person.
ally witnessed the burial there of
twelve soldiers who died in the hos
pital on the Arlington estate aban-
doned by General Robert E. Lees
family at the beginning Of the civil
war and bought by the United States
at a tax sale Tor hospital purposes.
Later the government paid the Lee
heirs $4,000. Soldiers home ceme-
terry was filled and Quartermaster
General Meigs, with President Lin
coins consent. ordered the soldiers
buried in Arlington. That was the
beginning OF Arlington national GEM
etery which has become one Of the
shrines Of the nations soldier and
sailor dead.
For years a little vine-ciad amphi-
theater served for ceremonies on
Memorial Days, when the president
Of the United States usually was the
orator. but the gatherings outgrew
this and the Grand army OF the
Republic eighteen years ago began
movement for the memorial am
phitheater. Authorization for con-
struction was given by congress sew
eral years ago, and a y commission
appointed to carry out the plans. Be-
sides the secretary Of war, who is
chairman Of the commission, and the
secretary Of the navy. the commits
sion was composed of Elliott Woods,
superintendent of the United States
capitol building and grounds; Col.
John McElrcy representing the
Grand Army Of the Republic: Fred
Beall, represe nting the United Con-
federate Veterans. and Charles w.
Newton, representing the Spanish
war veterans.
The Arlington memorial amphi-
theater is said to be the only me-
mortal Of it's kind in the world,
monuments and memorials of all
kinds having been erected to gener-
ais and other leaders, but none here
tofore has been erected to the sold
iers and sailors who fought all the
battles of the country.