The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-11
HEROIC DEAD
HONOREO BY
PRESIDENT
Harding, Weeks, DENLY
Lay Wreath on I'm
knowns' Tomb.

plain granite block in Arlington
cemetery that year ago became
new shrine to American ideals,
there E.ossomed today aswealth of
flowers laid Ieverently there to
commemorate the first anniversary
of the homecoming of Americas un-
known soldier from France. Again
the nation sealed the covenant OF
American faith it then pledged be-
side the grave now covered by the
massive boulder.
The simplicity of the scenes to-
day, cCntrasted against memories
of pomp and splendor of year ago
in the same beauty of setting, served
to add new glory to that which is
idealized in the blood of this
humble soldier shed in France, the
high purpose that is Americanism.
Again President Harding made
the pilgrimage from Washington
in behalf of all his countrymen. But
this time the message he bore was
no spoken word but a simple
wreath to rest on the great stone.
The guns that roared the national
salute in honor to the dead alone
broke the stiffness to voice ma
tion's pride.
Cavalry Escorts Party.
For the army Secretary Weeks
accompanied the president and for
the navy Secretary DENLY. That
completed the group which carried
to the tomb the token of remem-
brance that was placed for all the
nation The only touch of cere-
mony was that lent by a Gathering
troop of cavalry which escorted the
presidential party.
There were many others who took
occasion to pay homage to the un-
known dead, among them General
Pershing, for himself and the other
eomraGes of the dead iY France.
The general could net go in person
for ne had been called to New York,
but his aide bore the wreath to the
great stone around which the flow
ers clustered as the day moved on.
Americas share in Arpistice day
events was not confined to those at
home. The dead in France were
not forgotten, nor was there lack
of American fellowship at the great
ceremonial in Brussels where the
Belgian Unknown, perhaps among
the first to fall in the Great War,
was entombed amid scenes such as
those that witnessed the honor
Great Britain and France and Italy
and America did their hero dead.
: For the American army, Regular,
Reservist or National Guardsman,
Secretary Weeks sent message to
the Belgian minister of war, while
General Pershing sent a personal
message to the Belgian chief Of
staff.
AS formally expressed, the COM
radeship of the American govern
ment in tribute to the Belgian Un-
known, President Harding approved
a citation which will be bestowed
with the Congressional Medal of
Honor, the highest American recog-
milton of valor, by Major General
Henry T. Allen, commanding Amer
lean forces in Germany and spe-
cially ordered to Brussels for the
purpose.
Hold Many Services.
At the eight American cemeteries
in France, Belgium and England,
there remain the bodies of 30,363
soldiers, sailors and marines who
gave their lives during the war. At
each of these, from the Meuse-Ar-
gonne, Aisne-Marine, Suresness, st.
Mihiel, the Somme, Oise-Aisne in
France, in Flanders Field in Bel
gium, and at Brook Wood, in Eng
land. appropriate services were
held throughout the day, with
American diplomatic or military
and naval officials paying tribute.
At home in the national cemc-
teries in New York and San Fran
cisco and at Jefferson Barracks
Mo-, where many war dead from
France are buried, there also. were
public expressions during the day
but to the 1852 brought home for
burial in private cemeteries. the
nations gratitude was expressed by
President Harding at Arlington.