New-York tribune., 1921-11-12
Such Sacrifice Never Must
Be BeAskedAgain, Nations
Chief Pleads i'm Solemn
Ceremony at Arlington
All Nation Silent
AS Grave Is Sealed
Name!ess One Entombed,
Amid Highest Honors in
ALI History, as Symbol
of the Country's Fallen
By Boyden r. Sparkes

WASHINGTON, Nov. II. -. The
unidentified body of an American
who died on battlefield in France
was entombed to-day in Arlington
Cemetery, to live forever in the
hearts Of patriotic countrymen as
the Unknown Soldier. Perhaps he
was homesick boy on that day
when his life faded out, but if his
spirit eyes saw the spectacle on that
Virginia hilltop, if he heard the cry
against war uttered there to-day, he
knows he did not die in vain.
If his mother, unknowing, was
among the sorrowing women who
wept as nations honored her son. she,
too, must know that his life was not
a wasted sacrifice, for the President
of the United States. standing be-
side the Silent One, voiced pledge
that American energy be dedicated
to the cause of everlasting peace.
Llght-hearted, his spirit may have
hoVered over that funeral procession
as 1t tramped to the slow cadence Of
a dlrge the seven miles from the cap
ltal across the Potomac to the
heights where Americas dead heroes
nave their bivouac. Rushing on
ahead, an impatient, glorious spirit,
he could have looked down from
above on all the ceremonies in that
white, unroofed amphitheater.
The marble columns of the colon
made were hung with smilax and lau-
rel, Beneath them were concentric
arcs of marble benches convergine at
mass of flowers banked against q
black catafalque. The first rows of
those curving lines of seats were oocu
pied by men and women in son.bre
clothing, most of whom saw in the
funeral pageant that presently entered
tribute to some dead loved one who
was their own particular soldier.
Manned Comrades There
Behind them where the rows WERE
longest, were men and women who
were the comrades of the Unknown
Soldier overseas, manned figures IN
olive drab, proudly tolerant, in the
presence of greater sacrifice, Of
their empty sleeves or pinned-up trou-
sers legs. Beside them sat their
nurses.
In a circle of Enclosures marked bv
the ring Of marble columns were great
men Of the United States and sister ma
tlons, but none as great as the Un-
Snown. Beyond the catafalque were
two snort rows of vacant chairs. shell
tered beneath the dome of the apse
On top of the colonnade was another
circle formed by the mass OF figures in
brilliant uniforms, in the gold lace OF
diplomacy. in silk hats, in plumes. Then
dirge, Chopin's Funeral March, filled
the air. The Marine Band appeared be-
yond the western entrance of the
amphitheater.
That was outside the range of vision
of those who sat inside, but the spirit
of the Unknown could see and take
slowly marching platoons, picked
doughboys, the best Of the marines, Q
block of white-hatted bluej the
bayonets of all slanting at precisely
the same angle. He could see the
glossy black coats of the horses har-
messed beneath red saddle cloths to
the drab gun caisson, upon which rode
this flag -shrouded clay OF the I'm
known. Behind it he could see the
President of the United States walking
with the same slow tread of the SOL
diers on ahead, and beside him BLACK
Jack Pershing himself.
That must have delighted the I'm
Snown, and amused him, too, to see the
oid Man, his square chin jutting for
ward just as it did at reviews Over
Ihere, when every man Jack in the
iines shivered at the thought of having
that stern man take away his rife and
squlnt down its shining barrel
Heroes Bear His Body
Trumpets sounded in the west en-
trance. White cassoched choristers
mounted the marble steps and moved
around to the high-arched apse. and
penind them came the Unknown borne
by other heroes, such as Sergeant
oodhll, of the infantry, who killed the
enemies of the Unknown with a pick
handle when his ammunition gave out,
or Chief Torpedoman James Delaney.
who won the Navy Cross for conspicu-
Gus gallantry in an engagement with
an enemy submarine and who another
time was captured by one Of those sea
wolves after his ship had sunk beneath
ms feet There were eight of these
pallbearers, ard every one man after
the own heart of the Unknown. Be-
sides them as honorary pallbearers
were a dozen generals and admirals,
among them Harbord and Edwards and !
Organ and Plunkett.
There was a stirring in the crowd
on the marble benches; a swirling
among the hundred thousand on the
brown slopes outside. The President
Of the United States and Mrs. Harding
had taken their places In the apse, an
odd word that must have pleased the
fancy of the Unknown If he remains
the happy-go-lucky he was up front.
He could have seen these two bow to
other figures in that exclusive group
on the platform with what is spoken
Of as the Unknown. He must have
known Marshal Foch. for who that was
in France did not? And Vice Presi-
dent Coolidge and Lieutenant General
Baron jacques and Admiral of the
Fleet Earl Beatty and General Armando
Diaz. Perhaps he has seen them on
some brief leave in Paris, or maybe
1t was his first glimpse of them. But
anyway he saw them to-day, though
Ahaf~ ~