Evening journal., 1921-11-11

ana cnlluIehI American py herllatef !
Americans BY election. flowed all I
day yesterday and far into the night /
past the bier Of the unknown dead /
soldier. under the great dome OF
the Capitol. II flowed as the life
blood OF the nation itsclf-a slow
but overwhelming torrent Of hu-
man documents gathered to attest
the valor OF Americas dead IN
France
From early day untn long after
darkness had shrouded the city, the
great stream surged by the eastern
front OF the rotunda. four abreast,
up the granite stairway. in through
the huge doorway 20 pass solemniy.
reverently by the casket and It's fivo
guards, motionless as the statue Of
Lincoln and Grant at the doorway
which looked down on the moving
spectacle.
on through the doorway the
stream passed. through stately corri-
dor and its marble stairway and
down over the wide terraces Of the
western front TO the homes IN the
city below. Each hour saw thous-
ands make the slow journey Of hon
or 10 the dead. Each hour saw new
thousands pouring up the wide drive
ways that circle the great building
TO replenish the living. stream.
That was the overshadowing eie-
ment In the cycle OF honors heaped
upon this nameless soldier. this son
D OF the people come home TO claim
the great reward his valiant heart
had earned. And Il was his own
people OF every nook OF the nation.
that silently gave this reward. more
precious than any jeweled or carved
token that governments OF the world
will place tomorrow above the still
breast OF the sleeper.
%, 900 Pass Through.
After getting word from the out
side that fully 10000 peop'- wore
rotunda. the military authorities de-
cided AZ o'clock to keep the doors
b open until all In line at ~ o'clock
! the hour set for closing. had passed
General Pershing stood again be
fore the conin OF the unknown sol
der and there we're tears In hi
! eyes as he turned away.
y AT 1890 o'clock the crowd. whicl
extended ten deep for many blocks
z was roped OF by the police at a poiu
q where It was thought those With
e the lines would have opportunity I
IN pass into the rotunda by midnigh
4 II lacked just hfteen minutes
> midnight when the last OF the lir
r which had been moving steadily pa
the catafaique for almost Is hour
- had paid their silent respect 70 IN
d dead and the doors were closed.
O The Capitol police estimated tina
d from 90 900 TO $4,000 people ha
10 filed through the rotunda since
!. a. m
= To one side OF the throng tina
r rolled ceaselessly by the hag-drape,
oasket. a second unending ceremonial
OF honors for the dead went on
5 There great men. gathered in Wash
5 lngton 20 deal with great affairs
came humbly to place their wreath
= and roses At the bier. There cam
% comrades. limping from wounds tina
o. brought them down In France
o. There came gray-haired veterans o
} old wars moved TO do honor 10 tn
o. young. stricken comrade OF the las
Z great struggle; there in ordere
course came the ambassadors an
! the ministers and the special envoy
y Of governments around the world
IA There we're formal services hers
n always with the shufiiing footstep
n OF the human river beyond mergin
a with the prayers and the chants an
! the spoken tributes to the dea'
There were some. like those wound
4 ed boys from France. who stoo
awed and abaahed at the solem
majesty that had come 10 this con
:, rade. They placed their wreaths
wordless praise. their wounds an
:. the eyes OF that great, endless. li'
ing river beyond making them awl
ward; their crutches and canes tai
:, ping on the cold stones as they shu
fed back into the obscurity th'
n craved.
Came, too, black-gowned wome
Is many bowed and gray with age ar
r sorrow and all wearing in pride n
golden star that tells OF a son WI
10 died over there. They brought alwa.
'e with their flowers the great sta
MS that bring to this unknown son
IN liberty a message from those con
e. rades whose names stand above a
IS others in the roll OF the nations Sc
ne wants; the great scroll OF those WI
ce like him died for the flag.
n. As the hours moved by the va
reaches OF the chamber seemed a
N. too small 70 house the growing maj
nv OF flowers As each cluster was 81
ne in place, roses that blossomed
W France or England, that bloomed
al Canada and South Africa; poppis
40 that thrust up their slender stem
=, through blood d-drenched Flandei
fields: and flowers OF every color an
. hue that blossom under America
skies-the air grew heavy with tn
=. fragrance. Soldier guards steppe
~ out TO move each tribute after It ha
been set and the long, rounded swee
OF granite wall was banked wit
wreathe and greens over its Who'll
length and every vantage point owe
II the stone floor held its weight q
' beauty. its share Of honor for IN
brave dead.
Midnight came before the sol
% diers and their comrade marines
who Jointly shared the honor q
y guarding the resting place OF the un
D. known dead moved to check tn
n stream OF humanity that continue
n its measure in the how. Another me-
n ment in his great hour OF all eternit
v had ended for the unknown. who