The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-11-11
president HARDING PAYS ELOQUENT TRlBUTEBEF0R
GRA We OF UNKNOWN SOLDIER AT ARLINGTON CEMETERY
SOUNDS KEYNOTE FOR GREAT ARMAMENT COME RENCE|
Enters Eloquent Plea For Era
of Peace and Good Will
Among Men As He Voices
Nations Gratitude to Soldiers
Who Gave Lives and Hope
For Success of Armament
Conference

81 t.af >"f-@f' M. h. w s"AsA AAVP~
For Success of Armament
Conference
Washington, D. G.. Nov. 1.-THE
text Of President Harding's address
at the burial of an unknown soldier al
Arlington Cemetery follows: ..
Mr. Secretary of War and Ladies'
and Gentlemen:
We are met today to pay the imper
s.onal tribute. The name of hin,
whose body lies before US took fight
with his. ilnperishable soul. We know
not whence he came. but only that his
death marks him with the everlasting
glory Of an American dying for his
country.
Some Mother Gave Him
He might have come from anyone Of
millions Of American homes. Some
mother gave him in her love and ten,
derness Of 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 a
score Of sympathetic chords are touch.
ed, for in this body there once gloweG
the soul Of an American with the as
pirations and ambitions of citizen
who cherished life and its opportun.
tiles. He may: have been native or
an adopted ston; that matters little,
because they glorified the same 10y
atty, they sacrificed alike ".
We do not know his station in life,
because from every station came the
patriotic response Of the five mil
lions. recall the days of creating
armies and the departing of caravans
which braved the murdenous seas to
reach the battle lines for maintained
and preserved civilization.
The service flag marked mansion
and cottage alike and riches were
to- all homes in. the conscious
ness of service TO country.
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 unQuestioning, un'
complaining with faith in his heart
and hope, .on his lips, that his country
should triumph and it's civilization
survive. As typical soldier of this
representative democracy, he fought
and died, believing in the indisputable
justice of his country's cause. Con.
scious of the worlds upheaval, ap-
praising the magnitude of war the
like Of which had never Mortified hu-
lnanity before perhaps he believed his
to be a service destined to change the
tide Of human affairs. |
Death Gloom
In the death gloom of gas, the burst
ing OF shells and the rain Of bullets
men face more intimately the grea!
God over all, their, souls are af1ame
and consciousness expands and hearts
are searched. With the din of battle
the glow of conflict and the supreme
trial of courage, come involuntarily
the hurried appraisal of life and the
contemplation of deaths great mys
terry. On the threshold Of eternity
many a soldier. can we'll believe
how his ebbing blood would
color the stream of human life, flow
ing on after his sacrifice. His patrl
otism was none less If he craved more
than triumph of country; rather j
was greater If he hoped for victory
for all human kind. Indeed, | revere
that citizen whose confidence in the
righteousness of his country inspired
belief that its triumph is the victor!
of humanity. j.
: Hating War
This American soldier went forth u
battle with no hatred for any people
in the world, but hating war and hat
ing the purpose of every war for con
quest. He cherished our nationa
rights and abhorred the threat of arm
ed domination; and in the maelstron
OF destruction and suffering and deaf,
he, fired his shot for liberation Of th'
captive conscience of the world in ad
vancing toward his objective wa
somewhere thought of worl'
awakened; and we are here to testif
undying gratitude and reverence 10
that thought Of a wider freedom.
On such an occasion as this. ami'
such a scene, our thoughts alternate
between defenders living and defend
ers dead. A grateful republic will b.
worthy OF them both. Our part is t.
atone for the losses of heroic dead b.
making better republic for the Ii,
ing.
In Ha|Iowed Grounds
Sleeping in these hallOwed gnound
are thousands of Americans who hav
given their blood for the baptism
freedom and it's maintenance, arme
sexponents of the nations conscience
It is better and nobler for the
deeds. Burial here is rather MOI
than a sign of the governments ia
vor, it is a suggestion Of tomb
the heart of the nation sorrowing II
its noble dead.
Today's ceremonies proclaim tn;
the hero unknown is not unhonore
We gather him to the nations breas
within the shadow of the capitol,
the towering shaft that honors Wasf
ingt0n, the great father, and of Il
exquisite monument to Lincoln, tt
martyred SAVIOR Here the inspir'
tions Of yesterday and the conscien'
Of today forever unite to make the r.
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