The Washington herald., 1921-11-12
Nation Establishes Shrine
In.Burial Of Unknown Hero
Honors to Dead, Continuing from EARLY Morn
To Afternoon Hours, Stir Deepest Emotions
Of Vast Thsongs Paying Homage.

In New York. which was to sing
later took seats in box that had
been reserved.
Jam Delays PresIdent.
Then came q wait that had bseA
unforeseen. Some one blundered IN
the arrangements to get PresIdent
and Mrs. Harding TO, the cemstery,
and although they were due at 1850
II was six minutes later when theI,
automobiles. preceded by motcrc ycb
men, reached the scene. Thoy had
been delayed In the traffic jam, and
~nly good fortune prevented a bad
makeup As the silence period" had
been directed to take place between
IL and 1902. However. alrs wei
that ends we'll, and they reached
the amphitheater in time to allow
the ceremony to be carried out a.
planned.
At Hast the Marine Band struck
into the National Anthem while
everyone In the great audience. both
inside Of the building and outside
Of the walls, stood uncovered at
attention.
| Chaplain Gives Invocation.
Chaplain John T. Axton delivered
the invocation as follows:
Almighty God. our Gracious
Father, in simple faith and trust We
seek Thy blessing. Help US httingly
TO honor our unknown soldiers VINO
gave their all in laying sure foun-
dations of international common
veal. Help US to keep clear the
obligations we have toward All
| worthy soldiers, living and dead'
that their sacrifices and their Valor
fade not from our memory. Temper
our sorrow. we pray Thee, through
the assurance which came from the
sweetest lips that ever uttered
words. Blessed are they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted.' BE
Thou our comforter.
Facing the events Of tomorrow
when from the workbench OF the
world will be taken an unusual task
We ask that Thou wilt accord eX-
ceptional judgment, foresight ana
tactfulness OF approach to those
who seek to bring about better
understanding among men ana ma
lions, to the end that discord. whlcn
proyokes war, may disappear anu
that there may be world tranquility.
Hear us. oh Lord. - now IN
obedience. to the call OF our PreH-
dent. there sounds throughout tne
land the national angelus.. GAZING
to prayer, and we stand with ooweo
heads and reyerent hearts in silent
thanks for valuable and Valorous
lives and in duplication for divine
mercy and blessing upon our De-
loved country and upon the ma
lions OF the earth and to Thee'
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty COD,
Everlasting Father. Prince OF
Peace, shall be ascribed all glory
and honor forever. Amen"
All stand In silent Prayer.
As Chaplain Axton ended his In
vocation everyone rose to their feet
and stood with uncovered heads In
silent prayer for the space Of two
minutes. It was wonderfully i'm
pressiva The silence seemed Al
most oppressive. From the very
center Of the gold star mothers
there was heard the stiffled sob OF
a weeping woman. It could not
have been noticed under ordinary
circumstances. But SO deep was
the silence that almost the drop
ping of q pin would have been
heard. Nearly every lip in the
gathering was moving in prayer
1t was a time OF conservation and
many. both inside and outside OF
the building. were weeping and
making no attempt TO hide their
emotion.
As the second hand on his watch
indicated the ending Of the allotted
period Lieut.. william II. Santei-
mann, leader of the Marine Band
raised his baton. It fell and the
familiar strains Of America" rane
out. The words were taken up BY
all Of the audience and through the
autumn air the melody echoed and
reechoed as the people dottIng the
hillsides Joined in the words.
weeks Presents President.
So soon as the singing ended
Secretary OF War John T. Weeks
stepepd forward and, as master OF
ceremonies, introduced Presiden,
Harding. saying:
We are gathered not to mourn
the passing Of a great general, blu,
an unknown soldier Of the Republic
VINO Fought to sustain a great
cause. for which he gave hi, life
whether he came from the North
the South. the East or the W..t
we do not know. Neither 10 -
know his name, his lineage. or anv
other fact related to his m. or
oeeth, but we do know that he wa,
typical American. who responded
to his country's call, ana thst he
now sleeps with the heroes
we who are gathered here In
numbers are simply representativ.
OF all the people of the ITni,.6
states who are here in nnirit az
whose sentiments have been more
deeply stirred by this event thar
any In the life of our country, rh6.s
sentiments can only be adsouatsIv
expressed by one citizen-the PrssJ.
cent OF the United States"
shows Deepest FEELING
President Harding stepped for.
ward to deliver his grafton. Des6ite
the fact that the air was very chill
ne removed his overcoat and handed
It over to q military aide. II was
very plain that the President f.It
the spirit Of the occasion TbSrs
was an air Of frankness, of svident
loVe and fellowship that caused the
auaience to hang on his every word.
na 10 listen more attentively than
usually Is the case. The PresI-
dents voice was clear and dI.tinct,
but as he paid tribute to the nm.
known and the principles he stood