Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-06-02
ELOQUENT TALKS, GIANT
PROCESSION MARK
MEMORIAL DAY

dredS OF WauSau citizens and over 1900
ex-service men, Spanish War veterans,
members of the G. A. R., American
Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Boy Scouts, Girl Reserves and men,
bers of other organizations within the
city participated in giant Memorial
day parade. Exercises at the Court
House square preceded the march to
the cemeteries, and program at the
Falls bridge, Wisconsin river, memor-
ialized those who so valiantly served
their country on the sea-
Poppy the Flower
Everyone wore a poppy. Several
weeks ago the American Legion took
the matter Of an official flower for
Decoration day in hand and Post Com
mander Edward p. Oertel sought to
interest the members of many organi-
cations within the city in it. The
Legion was successful in disposing of
every poppy it had ordered and every
buttonhole attested to the memory of
the citizens of Wausau Of the sacri-
fees made by World War soldiers on
the battlefields of France. The graves
of Spanish War veterans, veterans of
the Civil War and World war vet
Grams were marked and remembered
on this day of all days.
The streets were thronged with pat
riotic citizens eager to pay their tri-
butte to departed fighters. Third street
was so crowded that any travel was
an impossibility and Scott street, as
well as Jefferson, was filed.
Practically every business house in
the city, including the banks, closed
all day, although some remained open
until 10 O'Clock in the morning.
Buildings were beautifully decorated
with American flags and the colors
throughout the business district and
the merchants responded nobly to the
appeal made by the committee of the
G. A. R., American Legion and Vet
Grams of Foreign Wars.
Monument Draped
The program at the Court House
square followed the draping of the SOL
dier's monument at the corner of
Third and Jefferson street by the G,
A. r. The 12Sth Infantry band played
first after which Lincoln's famous
Gettysburg address was read by S. B.
Tobey The G. A. r. ritual service
followed Comrade Biller's prayer.
Messrs. Vehlow, Hooker, Parker and
Murray sang "The Boys of the Old
Brigade" and three flower girls scat
tered flowers as they said little reci-
tations. All of this took place at the
monument.
The stand ON the north side of the
Court House was then used and G.. S.
Snyder of the high school faculty de-
livered very fine address.
I'VE honor today the boys of '61, the
boys Of '9S and the boys of IT." Mr..
Snyder said. Eve gather together
here in military atmosphere and
Old Glory is in evidence on every side.
Our hearts are stirred with patriotic
fervor and we catch the spirit of Mem
orial day. But it's significance lies not
alone in the opportunity that it gives
us to honor them but in call to
nobler action and better citizenship.
Only Handful
'The Grand Army of the Republic to
which this day is consecrated is now
all but an invisible army. Only
handful remain with us privileged to
wear the little brown button They
are the remnant of that mighty host
that stemmed the tide of secession and
civil war and saved the Union in the
darkest hour of our nations history.
Through their zeal and self-sacrifice
old Glory floats today from the At
lantic TO the Pacific and from Canada
to the Gulf-'one nation, indivisable,
with liberty and justice for ALL
Flag of our Fathers, emblematic of
a glorious history, we shall continue
to foster their devotion to it. Thir-
teen alternate stripes of red and white
proclaim the union of the thirteen
original states in defense of liberty; a
constellation of forty-eight stars on a
field of blue, an emblem Of our present
unity"
Never Cease
Mr.. Snyder then gave his audience
a brief glimpse of history-of the re-
of Lincoln. "Sixty years
have passed since those stirring times.
and today we enjoy the blessings of
united nation and free people," he
LET US never cease honor
ing the memory of those great and
noble heroes who helped to make II |
so.
IF we remain true to our trust: IL |
we transmit undefiled to the coming
generation the faith of our fathers and
heir glorious hope in democracy; If
we keep alive in the hearts of our
'oung people the magnificent services
10 nobly rendered in the ~.st, and
mbue them with the glorious heritage
which is theirs to carry on we need
rave no fear that when storm clouds
lppear, there will lack Of moral cour-
Ige to meet the pressing problems of
| future day"
Major Gottschalk, Marshal
The procession to the cemetery was
ed by Major Frank l.. Gottschalk,
marshal, slightly in the rear of whom
ode Capt. T.. Lucas. Thomas Malone,
hief of police, and a platoon of DO
ice officers followed. Then came the
2Sth Infantry band, attired in full
inform and each individual member
'earing himself only as an experienced
and player can. Co. G was next in
inc, armed as an escort to the men,
'ers of the G.. A. r., eight in number,