The New York herald., 1921-12-16
Bear the Torch Aloft!
This Is the Message of the Dead
Returned From France.

IAt the last memorial service held at Pier
4 IN HoboIcen oper the bodies OF the soldier
dead returned from France Colonel W. A.
Taylor, substitute chairman OF the reception
committee during the summer and formerly
in commend Of the i0sth In5omtry, A. 81,
delivered this address.J
MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES OF THL Gol0
STAR, AMERICAN WAR MOTHERS AND COM
RApEs: The occasion of our assemblage
to-day is to hold memorial services over
the last group of soldier dead that is
to be delivered at this port of embarka-
ton. For a year we have been receiv-
ing with appropriate ceremonies the
pathetic cargoes of our funeral trans
ports. We have heretofore invited to
these memorial services men prominent
in political, social and military life of
the nation, and upon a recent occasion
the President of the United States was
here to pay his tribute.
l have had occasion before to remark
that 1t mattered little who spoke at
these memorial services. The silent
message of our illustrious dead speaks
with louder voice than any who might
presume to represent them.
1t seems to me II Is fitting on the
occasion of this last ceremony at Hobo
ken that we should find assembled
here just those who have been ever
faithful TO their pathetic task. The
season has changed, elections are over.
the pier to-day is cold and gloomy and
has no attraction for holiday sightseers.
Those whom ! see before me now are
these whom / have seen at all memo
rial services.
Here with their colors are the COM
ra6es Of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
and the American Legion. Here are
the American War Mothers, that won-
derful organization of devoted American
women which has never failed to place
its wreath on the casket of the SOL
der dead in the service of sympathy
to those mothers who could not be here
to receive their own, and here also are
those women who gave the most and
before whom we must al! stand in hum
BILE reverence--the Mothers of the Gold
Star.
The return OF the soldier dead for
final burial In America has been "A mat
ter OF public discussion, but we who
have served here as mourners at their
sad return appreciate that they bring
back with them n message to America.
| Those OF our soldier dead who will for
ever lie in France are performing per-
petual duty for the good of the world,
Those who have come back have an
swered another call for service to Amer
lea. They have returned to US at a
time when IL Is apparently necessary TO
protect from attack the ideals for which
they died. and they lie here in mute
protest against an insidious effort TO be-
little their sacrifice.
| We believe they have come here TO
die again, IL need be. for America. 1t
| is for us who have been faithful 10
their memory during these months when
the solemn procession OF the departed
heroes was passing through this port TO
interpret the voice which they would
raise IL they could speak.
Their return to US was prophesied
Wo were warned that IL we did not
catch up the torch which they let fall
from dying hands they should not lie
| IN Flanders Fields.
Their return indicates that the torch
was in grave danger of being extin-
guished We who have been with them
since the beginning of their sad journey.
must continue to bear the torch aloft
that their spirits may lie in peace in
tho land to which they have returned.
seasonabie Suggestion.