Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1921-06-01
Observance of Memorial Day Sfz< 'e.
cOrah Was Carried Out With, H.,
Fine Program by Ameri- :
can Legion.
C0MRADE CARL NELSON
IN STRONG ADDRESS
Large Audience Attended the Exer-
cises in the Opera House.
Legion Commander Oscar
Norgaard Con-
Quoted Cere-
monies.

Memorial Day was fittingly observes
in Decorah last Monday. The pro
gram of the day was under the aus
pices of Anton Bernatz Post, Amer
lean Legion. A big parade was hell
IN the forenoon, participated in b.
tb boys who wore the blue in tn,
war and the boys who wor,
che kaki in the late world war. Th,
ranks of the old soldiers are fas
depicting and there were not many
in the line this year. Four have
passed away since last Memoria
day, Comrades August Hanson
Thos. Weldon, M. B. Fitch and F. A
Henderson.
After the fine parade was ovel
exercises at the opera house was
held. The United Lutheran church
Sunday School orchestra furnished
the music, which was exceptionally
fine.
The invocation was delivered by
Rev. NJ. Willett of the Congrega-
tional church, and quartette fur
nished appropriate songs.
The address of the day was given
by Comrade Carl Nelson, world
war soldier and member of Anton
Bernatz Post, and it was one of the
best Memorial addresses we have
AL aslivared here in vears M.
Nelson is one of the youngest mt
7 who ever delivered memorial a,
dress here. He has a fine STAG
presence, delivered his words in
clear, resonant voice, and paid
high tribute to the soldiers of II
civil and late world war. His az
dress in full is given below:
Comrades and Friends:
Memorial day is with us aoai,
Today we gather again to paw tri
butte to the men who have serve
their country in its hours of creates
peril. Although the day is observes
voluntarily by our people it has vir
Iuaily become national holiday.
custom that is not only beautiful bu
inspiring as well. We are prompte,
by patriotic motives to gather an,
pay tribute to the soldier dead. Sure
iy IL is appreciation that has calle,
US mere, and reverence, not only fo,
the men who rendered service. but
also Tor the great institutions thai
nave been vouchsafed to us bv tbei,
service. History has given us the
facts and it would serve no pnod
purpose to review the Civil War here
yet our reflection would be lackino
III we failed to understand the trvino
conditions that confronted our conn.
try In '61. 1t was matter of life
or death to the Republic; the sue
cess of the South would have meant
the failure of Republican form of
government and would have baan q
serious blow to human liberty. It
was as II the nation had been sud-
denly taken ill with a fatal maladv.
put IL was to live again and be,
come mighty in power and strength
not oy mere chance but by fer
Iinc struggle that left death and
oesolation in its wake and the glory
ana valor of the participants of the
many battles and the Importance of
the struggle to the nation are mat
ters TO reflect upon at this hour.
IL was craftsmanship as exempli-
ned by Lincoln that ouickened the
impulses OF the men to perform their
duty In saving that which men had
struggled and longed for for cen
turles. He beheld an insenarahIo
ulioh ana saw no peace until this
was reanzed. His leadership was the
snlnlng hight of those dark and
gloomy days; for the nation virtuallv
ilved IN him as it lived through him
~ Is really an inspiration TO us TO
study ms courage and his LOYALTY TO
the cause from beginning to end |
AZ gettysburg, when darkness still |
cceclouded the land, he said "That |
from these honored dead we take in
creased devotion to that cause for
wnlch they gave the last full maa-
sure OF devotion; that we here HIGH
" resolve that these dead shall not
nave died in vain; that this nation
Under God shall have a new birth of
.reedom and that government of the /,
people, by the people and for the
people shall not perish from the
without the brave men who rallied
Q ms cause and to the rescue of
helr country, Lincoln would have |
'eeh heipiess. From our experience :
! war which closed but yesterdav I.
ve can well imagine the darkness
Vhicn enveloped the land as the con-
go CO.. u courage ragged on land and ,
ca taxing Its toll of brave men in v
(Continued on page seven) .