Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-05-27
Memorial Day
Order Legion Post
Headquarters James Fitzgerald Post
T. No. 2, American Legion
Augusta, Me-, May 26, 1920. -

General Orders No. !.
In accordance with the time hon.
ored custom established by the
Grand Army of the Republic we
will take up the march to the last
resting place of our departed COM
rades and will with devoted hearts
and loving hands observe with APP
propriate exercises and ceremonies,
Monday. May 31st as Memorial Day.
One of the first duties learned by
soldier or sailor is to obey orders.
Yet it is not merely in obedience to
orders that we will assemble this
day. Without orders it would be the
most generous instinct Of our hearts
that would prompt us in these cere-
monies.
Each year, this day is set aside for
patriotic services of which it is elo
quent. The titanic struggle between
liberty and autocracy cost this ma
ton sixty thousand lives, sacrificed
on foreign soil, and that sacrifice is
now added to the nations dead. in
behalf of human freedom. In view
Of this the Grand Army has invited
the American Legion to join with
CIlCll III PdylhS II iputO VII AASAiSi Ae~A
Day to the nations dead.
Today peace reigns within our
borders, but only two years ago
scenes of carnage, rapine and saw
agery that appalled, humanity and
| carried us back not to the days Of
| chivalry, but of barbarism, were en-
acted on bloodstained fields Of Eu-
rope, and this nation devoted to
peace. was suddenly plunged into
the vortex of deadly strife.
This day is sacred to us with the
almost visible presence of those
| who, out of prisons and hospitals.
from camps, battlefields. shell-holes,
| dug trenches, and the oceans
| depths, have joined the innumerable
company of those who answered roll
call upon the parade ground of
| heaven.
! To all as we'll as to us, it is a day
| of commemoration of supreme sac
| rifices, Of stalwart bravery, of pat
riotic heroism, Of faith in our State
and National governments. This
| day is dear to every soldier and sail
or, as we believe it is to you. 1t is
glorious and fitting that all join with
| us reverently in these exercises so
| that what we call Memorial Day,
may be to all dead soldiers and sail
| ors of the United States their day
Of coronation.
The ex-service men have no mon
opoly of Memorial Day. 1t is for all
who desire to observe it, and for
| that reason, if no other, sports
should be abandoned on that day. as
slight respect for those who died
that the nation might live.
The post will attend church IN. a
| body and in full uniform on Sunday,
| May 80, and will assist the Grand
| Army in decorating the graves the
| following Monday as we'll as deco
| rating the last resting places of our
| comrades. In the afternoon the Post
will march in the parade and take
part in the exercises at Monument
Park where the New Legion Ritual
will be used for the first time. At s
| o'clock A. NJ, Memorial Day, a de-
| to the Post commander of Seth Will
liams Post, No. Ii, G. A. R.. to assist
in the decoration of graves.
The graves of our departed COM
rades will be decorated by this Post.
Comrades are urgently requested
| to assemble at the Legion hall at
A. M, sharp so that there may be no
delay.
On Sunday, May 80, comrades will
assemble at Legion hall at o'clock
P. NJ, in full uniform and march to
| church.
Comrades will assemble at Legion
hall at P. M, May 81, in full uni
form prepared to assist in ceremon-
les to be held at the Soldiers Monu-
ment.
The line will be formed at 2.15 p.
M. on Water street and will move at
2.3O P. M. up Water street to Bridge
street, up Bridge street to State
! street, down State street to Monu-
| ment Park. where the exercises will
| be held. The column will be re-
formed and march to the Penney
| Memorial church.
It is hoped that the citizens gen.
| orally in the city will unite in max
ing it day of sacred and tender
memories.
BY order Of
DONALD c. METCALF,
1