East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-11-11
PRESIDENT HARDING
IN TRIBUTE TO DEAD
PRAYS FOR PEACE ERA

ARLINGTON NATIONAL GENE
Terry, Nov, l1.-tU PD-President
liarding's address at the ceremonies
in honor of the unknown soldier here
today follows in full
MIR. Secretary of War and Ladies
and Gentlemen:
We are met today 10 pay the inn
personal tribute. The name of him
whose body lies before us took flight
with his imperishable soul. We know
not whence he come, but only that
his death marks him with the ever
lasting glory of an American 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 moth
ers are wondering today, finding il
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, Il score of SYM
pathetic chords are touched, for in this
body there once glowed the soul of an
American, with the aspirations and
ambitions of citizen who cherished
life and its opportunities. He may
nave been native or an adopted son:
that matters little, because they glorl-
fled the same loyalty, they sacrificed
alike,
We do not know his station in life.
because from every station came the
patriotic response Of the five milli-
ons. ! recall the days of creating
armies and the departing of caravels
which braved the murderous seas to
reach the battle lines for maintained
nationality and preserved civilization.
The service flag marked mansion and
cottage alike, the riches were COM
mon to all homes in the consciousness
OF service to our country.
We do not know the eminence Of
his birth. but we do know the glory
of his death. lie died for his country
and his 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
kshonldi triumph and it's civilization
survive. As a typical soldier Of this
representative democracy, he fought
and died believing In the indisputabc
justice of his countryg cause. Consci-
Gus OF the worlds upheaval, apprais-
ing the magnitude of war the like
OF which had never Mortified human
ity before, perhaps he believed his TO
be service destined to change the
tide of human affairs.
In the death gloom of gas. tho
bursting of shells and rain of bullets
men face more intimately the great
God over all, their souls are aflame.
and consciousness expands and hearts
are searched. With the din OF battle
the glow of conflict and the supreme
trlal OF courage come involuntarllv
the hurried appraisal of life and tbe
contemplation of deaths great mys-
terry. On the threshold Of eternity
many soldier / can well believe
wondered how his ebbing blood would
color the stream of human life, flow
ing on after his sacrifice. His patrio-
tlsm was none less If he craved more
than triumph Of country; rather, Il
was greater If he hoped for a victory
,of all human kind. Indeed, revere
that citizen whose confidence in the
righteousness of his country inspired
belief that its triumph Is the victory
of humanity,
This American soldier went forth to
battle with no hatred for any people
IN the world, but hating war and
mating the purpose of every war for
conquest. He cherished our national
rights and abhorred the threat of
armed domination; and In tho mael.
strom OF destruction and suffering and
death he fired his shot for liberation
OF the captive conscience Of the world
rCnDffnUad IN naua q.