The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-02-23
|BARRE'SDEADIN
WAR H0NORED
Exercises Held i opera
House When FySS n Ger
tificates We're IS ,tributed
~
NEXT oF,yN WERE
THE RECIPIENTS
John w. Gordon Was the
Speaker-Interesting
Program Given

Under the auspices Of the Barre post
of the American Legion, Washingtons
| birthday anniversary was most fitting
| ly observed in the Barre opera house
yesterday afternoon when memorial
services commemorated the supreme
sacrifice which American men, and
many of them too, paid for the saliva
tion of France and democracy Amer
ican Legion posts all over the country
observed the day in like manner. This
was the day on which the certificates
Of gratitude and homage from the
French republic, signed by Raymond
Poincare as president, were distributed
by Legion officers to the next of kin of
those soldiers who died in the war.
Not all the certificates due Barre
people were presented yesterday after
noon, for many of them have not ar
rived from France. though eventually
one will be sent for every American
whose death was met in allied service.
! These 81 in number, were presented
| informally to the legitimate persons
yesterday afternoon by Legion officers
after the memorial program. Thirty
/ four, however, does not represent the
entire number due to Barre people. The
Others are to be distributed as soon as
they arrive, through the Legion.
That Barre people are firmly behind
their Legion post was evinced by the
| large crowd which at o'clock filled the
lower part of the opera house and much
| of the balcony. They were all keenly
! interested in this event.
A program devised on but b few
DAYS notice held the crowds attention
II began with the orchestra of Spauld.
ing high school playing "On to Vic.
tory" Captain Max c. Fisher, COM
mander of the Barre post, as chairman
for the occasion, introduced Rev. ID. Z.
Huntington. who read the scripture.
Rev. b. g. Lipsky then offered up, to-
| gether with the assemblage, prayer.
The high school glee club and orchestra
volleyed forth America, the Beauti-
full" Max Fisher then read a dramatic
poem that was strikingly significant
for its human sentiment in regard to
warfare. Its substance questioned
whether God gave us life to live and
adore so many beautiful worldly things
and then caused us to destroy each
Others lives with slight regard. 1t was
poem full Of meaning, recited IN
masterful and effective manner.
The only solo of the afternoon was
sung bv Mrs. Charles Smith, direetress
of the senior choir of st. Monica's
church. assisted by Miss Beatrice Pa
pin, pianist. The musical story, THE
Americans Come" was sung in the
clear soprano voice, plainly heard in all
parts of the house and pleasing to hear,
/ - bltr
vibrant with emotion.
Mr.. Gordon's Address.
| Mr.. Fisher. in introducing the speak
er for the occasion, Attorney John W.
] Gordon of this city, compared this gem
! tleman to the late Theodore Roosevelt
in that Attorney Gordon had, like the
| great American. given four sons to the
! service of the allied cause, one of whom
died in the war. Paul Gordon, his son,
! lost his life while prisoner in Ger
man camp. having been captured in an
attack with many French tanks, with
which he was one OF the corps. This,
1 however, was not mentioned by Mr..
Fisher or Mr. Gordon.
! Mr.. Gordons hastily prepared adj
dress, for he was informed only last
!
/ sired of him for the occasion, was short
and unusually interesting. "A country
that forgets its heroes will soon have
no heroes to forget" were the opening
words of the speaker, He continued
with the lines;
For heroes are the salt that saves,
/ The chosen few that life renew,
! For man a higher level Graves.
From knowing what his kind can do.
Mr.. Gordon believed that actior
should be taken by the government
whereby records of Americans in mili-
| tarv service should be gathered and re-
corded. as was done by organizations
after the Civil war, thousands of dot
I lars being spent to accomplish the task.
| This. not only in respect to the dead
but for the welfare of the generations
to come, should not remain undone.
/ Mr.. Gordon favored universal mill
tary training, for he declared that from
| 5000 TO $4,000 lives were lost in the
Argonne forest through lack Of mill.
| tary training. These lads. many OF
them. had had but few months train
ing, but with only that they stopped
/ the Prissians. noted the world over IS
the best trained soldiers. IN the world.
| These lads were inspired by spirit
1 that was unconquerable.
A princely example of American spir-
It was the letter of an American to his
parents. which Attorney Gordon read
as follows: II am taking my company
/ over the top for a mile in the biggest
push that has ever been launched IA
| the world and | trust that II is going
| to be the greatest factor towards peace.
You cannot imagine the wonderful feel
| ING. 4 man thinks something like
this: Well. il I am going to die. this -
wort il a thousand times. J have been
over two OF three times before. but
never with a company OF my own.
| Think Of il, One hundred and fifty
officers and men will follow me to he'll,
II need be- I don't want any of YOU
dear people to be sorry for me. al
though vou will. Of course, in ? way.
You will miss me. but You viii be
proud Of me.
II j. no wonder that Ludendorfi. in =
/ telegram to Hoffman,. who was nego-
tiating with the Lenine and Trotzky
/ faction in Russia 10 sign a treaty or
dered in January. 1915. sign any
treaty with any Russian who can sign
his name. for the Americans are com-
/ ing
Mr.. Gordon aud family. ike many