Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-30
B|VCO[N MEMORIAL
STATUE DEDICATED.
Harding and TAFT Participate
4 in Ceremonies Attended
by Throngs
BLUE AND GRAY HONOR HIM

Washington. MAY so - 4 nation 6
efibute to its glorious dead reached it's
climax today at the dedication Of the
memorial erected beside the Potomac to
Abraham Lincoln by his grateful coun.
trymen.
A former President headed the com.
mission which has lavished endless
thought on making this stone emblem Of
American gratitude worthy of the man
Americans always. The President. In
person, accepted the work in the Ma
tion's name.
spread across the wide terraces. the
lawns and the circling drivewnys that
nave been wrought to give the memorial
building setting were thousands of
Americans and the most distinguished
men In this country from foreign lands
also came to pay their homage at this
new shrine of democratic liberty.
Close in about the rising tiers of
marble steps were gathered the men who
today hold in their hands the destinies
OF that Government of the people. for
the people, and by the people. which
Lincoln gave his life to maintain. but
oehtnd these over a mile wide sweep OF
the Mall and clear away 10 the base Of
washington Monument mile distant
from the memorial were the common
folks from HON Lincoln came and
TOT whom he toilSd endlesSly until be
wes cut down by an assassin's bullet.
Aged Veterans Honor Leader
Foremost among the men who gath
cred ut this eliminating ceremony Of
Memorial Day were the aged veterans
OF the Grand Army of the Republic
nen who at 1.incoln's call put aside
their citizenship for a little while for
the blue of the army uniforms and
Fought out the question of the American
nationality as ono people under one
government. To these old soldiers who
knew him and obeyed him in life was
given the place Of honor in paying this
last and greatest tribute to tile leader
under whom they had served
But with them, as though to give 81
lent evidence of the greatness of his Wis
ION, stood other old and feeble men in
the gray Of the Southern Confederacv
Who had come also to pay homage at
Lincoln's feet.
Men of the British flagship Raleigh
now at Washington Navy Yard, were
mingled with the thousands of Ameri +.
cans who stood TO hear what former
President Taft and President Harding
had to say.
In Pose Americans Love
The statue shows Lincoln in the noss
and with the expression that have ions
been endeared to American hearts. /,
Is cut from. n solid block of Georgia
marble. and from the base Of the statue
itself to the head of the seated figure
10 nearly twenty feet. Above the statue
on the back wall OF the memorial run,
the simple legend that tells of tbe
greatness of this man and Of the love
his countrymen. North and South alike
have come to bear his memory.
The sculptor has seen Lincoln a.
Llncoln,s son, come here today despite
/ age and infirmities to attend the i'm
presSive ceremonies, often must have
seen him in life when he sank back IN
his heavy chair at his desk in the Whit,
I House and brooded over the havoc tha,
4 Civil War would make.
\ There were others who participa &C
= the ceremonies besides Chief Justic,
Taft and President Harding Ther,
was little handful of veterans who
solemnly and with full ritual dedicated
{ the colors In honor OF this dead lead
er. There also was Or. Robert r Mo.
ton, to speak for the negroes of Amer.
lea, to whom Lincoln gave freedom
and there was Edwin Markham. who
read poem Of his own written 70 com
Z memorate this day.
But aside from these, the tribute +,
I Lincoln was rendered by the great mas,
Z OF simple Americans who had toilet
Z early in the day to places Of vantag,
4 about the memorial TO take their silen'
I part in the solemn transfer of the mar.
Z BILE temple from the keeping Of those
who built it for America TO those who
will guard 1t and preserve it for Amer
! ica and pass it on TO Americans 10 come