The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-02-21
MEMORIAL
PROGRAM SUNDAY
keokuk People Invited and Urged to
BE Present on This Occasion and
to Hear Judge Hamii-
toms Address.
KELD IN OPERA HOUSE

4 Throughout the United States as
Celebration Of Washing
toms Birthday.
Tomorrow afternoon at three |
o'clock in the Grand opera house, the |
program in connection with the |,
presentation of memorial certificates |
from the French government to the |
families of keokuk soldiers who |
made the supreme sacrifice, will be !
given. Judge w. S. Hamilton of Fort |
Madison, will be the speaker The
exercises are under the auspices Of
the Keokuk post, American Legion,
and the public is not only invited but !
urged to be present. This is the first |
of the public programs to be under |
taken by the legion, and large at |
tendance tomorrow would be of great
Besides this fact, |
the program, and the occasion will
be well worth anyone's attention.
The certificates already have been
mailed to- the families in
Keokuk, to whom these diplomas
of merit go. The list Of
names will be read by Mayor Lotion,
who will preside at the meeting to-
morrow, after the brief opening cere:
mony conducted by the chairman Of
the afternoon. The keokuk Concert
band will play and Mrs. Florence
Wright Schouten will be the soloist
for the afternoon. Mrs. w. Frank
Brown will appear on the program
to read very appropriate poem.
Young Fellow My Lad" by Robert
Service.
The following information concern
Ing the certificates and their mean
ing is given in the bulletin from the
national headquarters of the Ameri-
can Legion:
On Sunday, under the auspices of
the American Legion, approximately
,118,409 French certificates will be
American soldiers, sailors and ma
rines who died in the war. The
nations honor roll is comprised OF
!1O7952 soldiers, $500 sailors and
1857 marines.
! In the bestowal of these French
memoriam certificates Of honor and
esteem. France pays homage to
Americas dead in the late war on
also be observed in thousands of
churches in the country as American
Legion Sunday, when the work of the
American Legion will be explained
from the pulpits.
6ypicaI French AT
Typical of the artistic nature Of
the French people, the certificates
contain beautifully engraved group
figure placed on a cenotaph on which
is the signature of the president of
the French republic, Raymond Poin-
care, ITO the memory of ,- Of
the United States of America, who
died for liberty during the great war,
the homage of France" Above the
group figure is a quotation from Vic
tor Hugo, "The people should come
to pray at the graves of those who
died for their country"
The group figure has been inter.
lpreted as follows: "A
| The principle figure Of the group
'symbolizes the soul and spirit of the
American army which helped France
, to maintain alive the flame of the
torch of liberty and justice.
| The sword is not in the scabbard,
and defend the weak and oppressed,
the left, by a mother holding her
baby. to her. breast, and to insure
freedom and justice to the coming
generation, represented by the fig.
ures of the kneeling boy, praying
and thanking God for deliverance.
Growing Spirit Of America. .
|; At the right, the figure of man,
chained and shaclded, symbolizes the
spirit Of evil and the victory over
the enemies. Also at the right,
browning the. spirit Of America stands
''Glory" who rejoices with the old
war veteran, standing TO the left of
the principal figure, symbolizing the
armies, who are always ready to fight
for the good of humanity.
Universal fame is symbolizeG by
the winged figure. flying over the
group, trumpeting to the world, the
great triumph in which the United
States participated. The American
eagle poised on the staff of peace
watches zealously and stands ready
to swoop in case enemies again en-
deavor to disturb the peace Of the
world, so dearly acquired.
4! The entire group is framed by a
border of oak leaves which are al
ways discerned to the victors.
At the foot Of the centaph the flags
of France and America are draped
and Joined together by a wreath,
which is the mark Of gratitude and
homage which France pays to our
sons who gave their lives for liberty
and justice.
The marine corps received it's al
lotment of testimonials at too late a
date to address and send them to
district recruiting Offices for delivery
to local posts of the American Legion
for presentation tomorrow, as the
army and navy have DONE All ma
rine corps testimonials will be sent
to the next of kin by mail.
To cover any possible omissions
that may have occurred. national