The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-05-21
ARLINGTON CEMETERY IS
SITE CHOSEN
TRIBUTE FOR SOLDIERS
Great Amphitheatre Built In
Honor of Men In
All Wars
From Saturdays Daily.

Washington, May 15.-[By The
Associated Pressl-To the memory
of the soldiers and sailors who fought
the battles Of the United States IN
all wars great memorial amphi-
theatre was dedicaed today in Arl-
ington national cemetery.
The ceremonies were attended by
veterans of three wars, members of
the diplomatic corps, cabinet, senate,
house and other government officials
and a large gathering of people. A
procession of army, navy and ma
rine corps detachments, veterans of
the Grand Army Of the Republic and
allied organizations, Spanish War
veterans and World War veterans
led by Major General Nelson A. Miles
(retired) preceded the ceremonies.
Charge OF Exercise.
The dedicatory exercises were un-
der the auspices of the Grand Army
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, Sec
rotary Daniels, both members of the
commission which had charge of the
construction of the memorial; and
Colonel D. M. Hall of Columbus, O.,
commander in 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 GENE
terry amid the graves of thousands of
the nations dead Near it are the
Maine Memorial where the battle
ship Names fighting top stands SEN
final over the graves of the men who
lost their lives when the vessel was
sunk in Havana harbor, and the con
federate Memorial, surrounded by
the graves of southerners. Besides
commanding view of the cemetery
the memorial O CROOKS the Potomac
River and the city of Washington.
1t contains a chapel and seats 5000
people.
- Faarded, Dy Lincoln.
Fifty six years ago yesterday Arl-
ington 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 bought by the United States al
tax sale for hospital purposes. La
ter the government paid the Lee
heirs S150,00O. Soldiers Home GENE
terry was filled and QuartermasteI
General Meigs, with President Lin
coins consent. ordered the soldiers
,, buried in Arlington That was the
beginning of Arlington national
cemetery which has become one OF
the shrines of the nations soldier
and sailor dead.
For years little vine clad amphi
Oftheater served for ceremonies or
| Memorial Days, when the President
of. the United States usually was the
| orator, hut the gatherings outgrew
| this and the Grand Army of the lie.
public eighteen years ago began &
| movement for the memorial amphi
| theater. Authorization for construc.
ton was given by congress several
years ago, and a commission ap-
| pointed to carry out the plans. Be
sides the secretary of war. who il
| 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
onel John McElroy, representing the
Grand Army of the Republic; FREQ
Beall, representing 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 its kind in the world, mon
uments and memorials of all kind!
having been erected to generals ant
other leaders, but none heretofor,
has been erected to the soldiers ant
sailors who fought all the battles o
the country.