Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-31
AT WASHINGTON


capitals memorial ceremonies for
American war dead were color~T
La new touch of international signifi-
canoe today at services held in Ar
lington National Cemetery under the
leadership of Pres. Harding.
Speaking in the Arlington aMphi-
theatre to veterans of the three wars
and distinguished company of officials
and diplomatists, the president re-
dedicated the nation to the cause Of
freedom and civilization and prom
ised that it never would fail to mea-
sure up to every demand presented to
it in behalf of civilization. BY strik-
ing across the sea in the world war,
he declared, America had sanctified
again her faith in free institutions
for peoples everywhere.
wherever men are Free he said,
they are wont to give thousht TO
our country's services in freeiom's
, cause. Today the sons and daughters
of other lands are placing with low
| ing hands their laure1s on American
graves. Our Memorial Day is become
an international occasion"
At the conclusion of the address,
Sir Auckland Geddcs, the British am
! bassador, seconded the sentiment pv
placing on the American flag beside
the president a wreath of roses pre-
sented by the people of the United
Kingdom ana her dominions 'in I'M
Gimmed men1pry of the sacrifices that
America has made for individual Iib-
erty."
The Presidents Address
The address follows:
eve are met on sacred soil today
for solemn hour of sacrament and
conservation. But the soil whence we
come Is itself sanctified through the
sacrifices Of those who lie here. Wher-
ever our flag flies within the bounda-
ries of the republic it is over lands
whose freedom and security have been
wrought through these sacrifices
1T is the privilege of this company
to utter our tribute of love and graft
tude in this sacristy of beauty within
sight of the national capital. But 9th
ers, no less devout, will assemble all
over our land and other lands, under
foreign skies and among alien PEG.
pies. to pay like tribute of love and
memory. There are no restricted
boundaries to the reverence Of this
day. There is no discordant note in
the hymn of gratitude. With old
wounds healed, new generation's Of
fering ON the affairs of our patriotism,
there is no sectionalism in our memo
rial Above the murmurings Of grief
is the swelling concord of union, and
the dominant note is our faith in the
republic.
|, ut will be a tribute today spoken
in many tongues, hand by diverse
races. Wherever men are free they
are wont to give thought to our coun-
try's services in freedoms cause.
Where men may but aspire to a free
dom not. yet achieved, their instinct
turns the eye and the thought of hope
this way, and they pray that their
cause may gain our appreciation.
They know that we have never drRwn
the sword of oppression, that we have
not sought what was not our own,
nor taken all that we might have
claimed. They have seen our protect
ing arm stretched over the outposts
of liberty on every. continent. For
more than century our plighted
word warned tyranny from half the
world: then, when tn gauge was taxi
en- up by mad ambition, men felt the
blow that arm, could strike when
freedom service they made possible
the exalted place SO recently won for
our country. Our own, generation will
not perform part worthy of it's
heritage if we do less than our very
UTMOST to preserve that which they
made possible for us to posses. Nay,
more, we shall not be our most and
best at home if we do not resolve for
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