The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-05-19
GENERAL OBSERVANCE

Indianapolis, Ind May IL Memoir
al Day, the S0th. will be generally
observed throughout the world this
year, due In large part to the efforts Of
the American Legion. according to
an announcement made at Legion
headquarters here The statement says
Originally designated by the Union
veterans of the Civil war as a part ~
lar Decoration Day for their fallen
comrades, May 30 gradually has be
come a day set apart in memory Of
an Americans who died for their coun.
try Although il ha long been the
custom Of many southern states to
observe a memorial holiday Of their
own on Apr. %. the tendency to a
uniform observance has ben appar
ent since the World war. The Legion
composed Of both the North and
South, officially adopted May 30 as its
Memoir al Day and posts OF the World
war men on both sides of the Mason
Dixon line have. for the last three
years simultaneously honored the
dead Of the Ciyil. Spanish-American
and World wars.
when the InterAled Veterans
fed ration, made up of World war vet
Grams of France. England. Canada,
italy and the others OF the allied ma
items and Of which the Legion is
member, adopted the Legions date
for the observance Of rites for TIE
dead, May 30 became an international
holiday comparable only IN universal
observance to Christmas This year
il will be observed by Legion posts
and allied veterans organizations in
the following countries other than the
United States Canada, Belgium, Tur
key, France, Poland, Mexico, Argen.
tina. Brazil British Isles, Chile, Oh ma,
Cuba, Guatemala, Japan, Peru, Porto
Rico. Portuguese West Africa, San
Domingo, Spanish Honduras, India.
Venezuela and in the Canal zone, Ha-
wall, Philippine Islands and the terri
tory of Alaska.
AS It did last year and the year
before. the Legion WI decorate and
hold appropriate exercises over the
grave OF every American who sleeps
on foreign soil, "a well as thus hon
oring the graves Of American and a..
lied veterans who are buried in the
cemeteries of this country. Legion
posts in France, Belgium Poland and
/ Turkey will visit old battlefelds and
adjacent cemeteries
The Legion will not conhne its
exercises and decorations to the mem
DRY of World war heroes alone The
graves of all veterans of all American
wars will be visited and decorated and
nttngly honored. Last year the or
gan!zation requested It's posts and
units of the Legion auxiliary to seek
out. In each community, graves of all
American soldier and sailor dead and
to prepare charts showing whore such
graves were located and how they
could be reached. The efforts of the
world war men have resulted n many
graves of Civil war veterans being
rescued from ohscurity and the graves
of several veterans of 1912 long since
forgotten, have been found and re-
stored.
"Ths year still fewer of the proud,
white-hared old heroes Of 61G5 will
bear their colors and their flowers
to tho sacred ground where their
comrades are in eternal biyouac
Last year the thinning ranks were
/ filled with sturdy, tanned youngsters
In their army drabs and navy blue
who were honored to march at the
| SIDE of the veteran patriarchs on
( their holy mission The present Me.
mortal Day will find the hosts Of
Grant and Lee all but dlssipated and
as the youths OF the World war strive
for the honored files Of the vanished
procession the day will take on new
significance"