The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-05-15
MEMORIAL TO
ALL us. HEROES
1t Was Dedicated in Great
Memorial Amphitheater
at Arlington Cemetery
VETERANS OF 3 WARS
IN ATTENDANCE
The Great Structure of
White Marble Cost
$825,000

Washington, ID. c., May l5,-To the
memory of the soldiers and sailors who
fought the battles of the United States
in all wars, a great memorial amphi-
theater was dedicated to-day in Ar
lington national cemetery.
The ceremonies were attended by vet
Grams 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 marine
corps detaehments, veterans OF the
Grand Army of the Republic and
allied organizations, Spanish war vet
Grams and World war veterans led by
Major General Nelson A. Miles ire
tired preceded the ceremonies.
The dedicstory exercises were un-
del the auspices of the Grand Army OF
the Republic, to whose efforts credit is
given for the inception of the memorial
and for Is years of work for it. Sec
rotary Baker, Secretary Daniels, both
members OF the commission which had
charge Of the construction of the me-
mortal; and Colonel ID. M. Hall of CO.
umbus, o., commander in-chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic, were the
principal speakers.
The great structure of white marble,
built by the government at a cost OF
SS25 900 stands in the southern part
OF Arlington national cemetery amid
the graves of thousands Of the nations
dead. Near ii are the Maine memorial,
where the bsttleship Names fighting
top stands sentinel over the graves OF
the men who lost their lives when the
vessel was sunk in Havana harbor, and
the confederate memorial, surrounded
by the graves of southerners Besides
commanding view Of the cemtery, the
memorial oyerlooks the Potomac river
and the city Of Washington. 1t con-
tains chapel and seats 5000 people,
Fifty-six years ago yesterday Airing
ton national cemetery was first used
when President Lincoln personally wit
messed the burial there of IL soldiers
who died in the hospital on the Ar
lington estate abandoned by General
Robert Z. Lees family at the beginning
OF the Civil war and bought by the
United States at tax sale for hos
pital purposes. Later the government
paid the Lee heirs $4,000. Soldiers
home cemetery was filled and Quarter.
master General Meigs, with President
Lineoln's consent, ordered the soldiers
buried in Arlington. That was the be.
ginning of the Arlington national Gene
terry which has become one of the
shfines of the nations soldier and sail
or dead.
For years a little vine-clad amphi-
theater served for ceremonies on Me-
mortal days, when the president of the
United States usually was the orator,
but the gatherings outgrew this and
the Grand Army of the Republic is
years ago began a movement Tor the
memorial amphitheater. Authorization
for construction was given by Congress
several wears ago, and a commission
appointed to carry out the plans. Be-
sides the secretary OF war, who is chair
man of the commission, and the secre-
tary of the navy, the commission was
composed of Elliott Woods, superinten-
dent OF the United States capitol build
ING and grounds; Colonel John McEl-
row. representing the Grand Army Of
the Republic; Fred Bedall, representing
the United Confederate Veterans, and
Charles W Newton, representing the
Spanish war veterans
The Arlington memorial amphi-
theater i said to be the only memorial
Of its kind in the world. monuments
and memorials Of all kinds having been
erected Is generals and other leaders,
but none heretofore has been erected 20
the soldiers and sailors who fought all
the battles OF the country