The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-11
AS CONE WHO LOVES JUSTICE AND
HATES WAR; HARDING PLEADS FOR
PEACE BESIDE DEAD HERO'S GRAVE

Arlington National Cemetery,
Nov. 1I.-President Harding's adj
dress at the ceremonies in honor
OF the unknown soldier here today
follows in full:
''Mr. Secretary Of War and ladies
and gentlemen:
All EeTved Alike.
I'VE are met today to pay the
impersonaI tribute. The name OF
him whose body lies before us took
flight with his imperishable soul
We know not whence he came, but
only that his death marks him with
the everlasting glory OF an Amer
lean dying for his country.
HE might have come from any
one of millions of American homes.
Some mother gave him in her love
and tenderness, and with him her
most cherished hopes. Hundreds
OF mothers are wondering today,
finding a touch of solace in the
possibility that the nation bows in
grief over the body of one she bore
TO live and die, if need be. for the
republic. II we give rein to fancy,
d VI a.
touched, for in this body there
once glowed the soul of an Amer
lean, with the aspirations and am
billions of a citizen who cherished
life and its opportunities. He may
have been a native or an adopted
son; that matters little. because
they glorified the sane loyalty,
they sacrificed alike.
I'VE do not know his station in
life. because from every station
came the patriotic response of mil
lions, 1 recall the days of creating
armies, and the departing of cara
wells which braved the murderous
seas to reach the battle lines for
maintained nationality and pre-
served civilization. The service
flag marked mansion and cottage
alike and riches were common to
service 10 country.
1--WE do not know the eminence
of his birth. but we do know the
glory of his death. He died for his
country, and greater devotion hath
no man than this. He died unques-
tioning, accomplishing, with faith
in his heart aid hope on his lips,
that his country should triumph
and its civilization survive. As Z
typical soldier of this representa-
tive democracy, he fought and
died, believing in the ind.sputable
justice of his country's cause.
Conscious of the worlds unheayal.
appraising the magnitude of d war
the like of which had never horri-
fed humanity before, perhaps he
believed his TO be a service des
tined to change the tide OF human
affairs.
Paints Battle Picture.
"In the death gloom of gas, the
bursting of shells and rain of bull
lets, men face more intimately the
great God over all, their souls are
afiame and consciousness expands
and hearts are searched. With the
din of battle. the glow of conflict,
and the supreme trial of courage,
come invuluntarily the hurried ap-
praisal of life and the contenpla
ton Of deaths great mystery. On
the threshold of eternity. many a
soldier, 1 can we'll believe, Won
dered how his ebbing blood would
color the stream of human life,
flowing on after his sacrifice. His
patriotism was none less if he
crayed more than triumph of cou1-
try; rather, it was greater If he
hoped for a victory for all human
kind Indeed, 1 revere that cit
iZen whose confidence in the right
eousness of his country inspired
belief that its triumph is the vic
tory OF humanity.
This American soldier went
forth to battle with no hatred for
any people in the world. but hating
war and hating the hour of every
war for conquest He cherished
our national rights, and abhorred
the threat of armed domination;
and in the maelstrom OF destruc-
tion and suffering and death he
liked his shot for liberation Of the
captive conscience OF the world. In
advancing toward his objective
was somewhere a thought of a
world awakened; and we are here
10 testify undying gratitude and
reverence for that thought of n
wider freedom
Atone to Living.
a. 4.