Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-11-12

nue., walked President Harding with
his aide Colonel Sheriff., then came
We President Coolidge. then Chief
Justice Taft. next the members OF
the Supreme Court. walking in line,
next the cabinet, also in Inns then
eight abreast, the senators and
members Of the house.
A RON OF mufiied drums marked
TIE next division in which were first
the Medal OF Honor men. Then
came comrades Of the American Le-
gion, rank on rank. then bowed vet
Grams of other wars and a host of
others marching to pay their honors
to the dead.
Out into the wide avenue the col
umn moved and on over the road
where the tramping hosts of Grants
victorious legions marked out q
course long ago; where Presidents
have ridden their way into history
or back into private life; where
Pershing's crusaders Of the First Di-
vision, led by their chief, wound up
their great adventure a few short
months before. Memories OF great
days of the past were awakened as
the pageant swung. along. Who
knows but that the unknown dead
in France were there too?
Past the Treasury and on the line
swung ahead, to halt only when the
| casket had passed the White House.
There President Harding and the
cabinet and the members of the su-
preme court and senate and house
turned aside to go later by automo-
bile to the Amphitheater at Airing
ton. The stop was brief as they
left the lines. then the cortege
moved on up the avenue. on through
old Georgetown where Washington
once had his Office as a surveyor and
mapped out great undertakings, on
TO the old bridge that spans the Po-
tomac and opens the way to the
Military Road leading up to the post
of Fort Meyer and Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery on the high ridge
above.
At the bridge the band turned
aside and some of the older officers
of the escort fell out. leaving it to
the hardy men of today's army to
escort their dead comrade up the
long hill to the roll only Of muffied
drums.
At the top. the line swung on
across the old parade toward the
Arlington gate. There the artillery
and cavalry turned aside to stand
at attention while the services in the
In n,,<
battery OF guns alone moved into
the enclosure of the dead. lining up
on the ridge crest of the last sa-
lutte.
At the gate the Marine band was
waiting for the foot troops and the
casket and marched in ahead. The
march was slackened; the half step
and the wall of funeral dirge
sounded as it moved in narrowed
formation through the trees and
clustering tombs and monuments
and out over the open spaces about
the amphitheater where thousands
were gathered.
Swinging around to the west en-
trance to the amphitheater. the es-
cort moved into line and with rifles
at present. stood as the casket was
carried by the body bearers in
through the high pillard coronado
to the right and around to the apse
at the front, where President Hard
ing and members of the cabinet
Bishop Brent and many disnitaries
awaited it,
The platform had been raised
high and the front was mass of
flowers as the casket bearers, fol-
lowed by the officers as honorary
pail bearers. moved slowly around
the colonnade. On a special stand,
well to the front. the narrow box
was placed and General Harbord
stepped out from the officer group
to assume his duties as master Of
ceremonies
AS Bishop Brent concluded the
invocation which opened the cere-
across the river were ringing the
noon hour The whole company In
the amphitheater rose and stood in
silence for two minutes as the whole
nation stood. by Presidential proc
lamation, in reverence for the dead.
Then came the singing of Amer
ica' rising in a mighty chorus. Aft
er that President Harding moved
forward to stand beside the casket
and speak for the nation. Far be-
low him. out of sight under the
stone work, men toiled with nerves
strained to the breaking point that
no word he said might be lost by
the thousands gathered in New
York. Chicago and San Francisco
about the electric sound transmit
ting devices. From the top of the
amphitheater also the ampifiers
caught up his words and threw them
out to the multitude.
After his address President Hard
ing pinned on the top Of the casket
the two most valued decorations in
America-the Medal of Honor. be-
slowed by act of Congress and the
Distinguished Service Cross, given by
order of the Commander in Chief,
who pinned it in place. From their
places in the marble boxes about
the amphitheater. the great foreign
leaders rose to pay similar honors,
Marshal Foch. General Diez. Gener-
al Jacquez, Admiral Beatty so that
the roll of highest honors to the
brave might be complete.
There was more music then. mu-
sic filled with the solemn uplift
from which religious men and wom-
en- have drawn comfort in all the
years, and singers whose voices