Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-31

that America has a great part which
God has destined for her to play in the
progress of civilization, and the affairs
of nations.
Never has there been a time in the
history of the world when America was
in a finer position to be of practical
service to the world. We may differ
as to the way in which this service
shall be rendered. But we cannot diff
fer in the determination within u
hearts that America shall continue to
carry on the fight for liberty and prog
ress. This motive has been the guild
ing star for all her armies.
Unfinished Task
There are a great host Of prob
lens in the world today that still asso-
ciate themselves with those ideals for
which we have always fought. Ar
menia is struggling for liberty from
the cruel power of the Turk. The
small nations of Europe are many of
them lettering. And the whole CONT
nent of Europe is a boiling cauldron of
confusion and disorder. We have
proved our ability to do something to
better these conditions by the Wash
ington conference. Our views of the
basis upon which Europe must be re-
constructed have been largely vindi-
Gated by the Genoa conference. We
must be ready for the next opportun-
ity to achieve by far-seeing diplomacy
what has taken the blood of thousands
to win in the past. Most of us who
enlisted in the army of our country did
so in order that by war we might es-
tablish peace. We had the dream that
if we fought we could make it unnec
essary for our children to fight. Let
us not forget this unfinished task.
Within our own borders there are still
many problems to be solved by the
soldiers of peace. Thousands are still
coming to us looking for the liberty
which the old world has failed to yield
them. II is YOU task and mine to see
that they find that which others have
fought to win for them.
1T may be that the larger interna-
tional and American problems seem re
mote from the lives of individuals. We
ask what have we as ordinary people
to do, with all these problems? If this
is the meaning of carrying on the work
Of the heroic dead, then it is beyond
me, some will say. Yet, although the
| problems of the world war were so
complex that an ordinary man could
not even understand them. our young
men did not idly sit at home and say
this is beyond me.
Americas Democratic Spirit
THE armies were made up of mil
lions and one man was but a tiny speck
in that great multitude. Yet that one
man said: Here am /, send me- Let
us in peace have the same spirit which
we have in war. Let us not forget
that however large or small a part we
are called to play in the army of peace,
it behooves us to fill that place to the
fullest extent of our ability. A ma
ton like a house is built from the base.
The strength of the armies of America
has never been in its high officers, but
in the character, the initiative, the
courage, and abundant resources of the
common soldier trained in q great
democracy to take his part in the af-
fairs of his country. The thoughts
and conviction which come to you and
me are just as sure to find expression
IN the affairs of our nation as the river
IS to find its way to the ocean. In
honor for the past, then, let US give
our strength to the problems of the
future.
And let us face the tasks of peace
with the unity and good will which
characterized those whom this day is
set aside to honor. Roman officials
uuTiIS tutit CEREMONIES III nUDOE OF the
dead were required by law to remove
all their badges of office. 1t would
be well if we would do the same thing.
We are tore by religious, econmic,
social, industrial, intellectual. and a
multitude of other divisions. This is
the day to forget all of this. 1t is an
invitation to ignore those forces which
seem to divide us in order that we may
consider that these which unite us.
The day demands that we forget
our sects, our parties, our business and
industrial organizations, in order We
may all remove our shoes in rever-
ence, for the spot wherein we stand
is holy ground. 1t has been made by
the heroism of the dead. They did
not fight for any section of their
country. they died for America. When
they cast aside the garments of civil
life. they put behind them every desire
except only to fight for Ged and
country. We car not come into their
presence with a desire to honor them,