The New York herald., 1922-05-22


the United States In 1921 was THE I'm
known Soldier" which was printed as
the leader OF the editorial page of THE
NEW York HERALD on November IL.
So estimating Its worth. Columbia Uni
yersity, through the Pulitzer School OF
Journalism, awarded to the author,
Frank NJ. O'Brien. of the editorial staff
OF THE New YORK HERALD, the Pulitzer
prize of $500, with this comment:
"For the best editorial article written
during the year, the test OF excellence
being clearness OF style. moral purpose,
sound reasoning and the power to infiu-
ence public opinion in the right direc-
ton. $500 to Frank M. O'Brien for an
article entitled The Unknown Soldier
published In THE NEW YORK HERALD
on November IL, 1921. Jury: Prof.
Roscoe c. Il: Brown. Prof. John w:
Cunliffe, Associate Harold de w. Fuller"
Mr. o Brien's article read as follows:
"The Unknown Soldier.
THAT which takes place to-day at the
National Cemetery in Arlington Is a
symbol, a mystery and a tribute. 1t is
an entombment only in the physical
sense. 1t Is rather the enforcement
of Duty and Honor. This man who died
for his country is the symbol OF these
qualities; a far more perfect symbol
than any man could be whose name and
deeds we knew. He represents more,
really. than the unidentified dead, for
we cannot separate them spiritually
from the war heroes whose names are
written on their gravestones. He-this
spirit whom we honor-stands for the
unselnshness of all.
This. OF all monuments to the dead.
is lasting and immutable. So long as
men revere the finer things of life the
tomb OF the nameless hero will remain
a shrine. Nor, with the shifts of time
and mind. can there be a changing OF
values. No historian shall rise to mod
ify the virtues or the faults OF the Sol
dier. He has an immunity for which
kings might pray. The years may bring
erosion to the granite but not to the
memory Of the Unknown.
1T Is a common weakness of humanity
to ask the questions that can never be
answered in this life. Probably none to
whom the drama of the Unknown Soldier
has appealed has not wondered who, In
the sunshine of earth, was the pro-
tagonist of to-day's ceremony. A logger
from the Penobscot? An orchardist
from the Pacific coast? A we'll driller
from Texas? A machinist from Con-
necticut? A lad who left his hoe to
rust among the Missouri corn? A long
shoreman from Helrs Kitchen? Per-
haps some youth from the tobacco fields
resting again in his own Virginia. All
that the army tells US OF him is that he
died In battle. All that the heart tells
Is that some woman loved him. More
than that no man shall learn. In this
mystery, as In the riddle of the universe
the wise wonder; but they would not
know.
What were his dreams, his ambitions?
Likely he shared those common to the
millions: q life of peace and honest
struggle, with such small success as
comes to most who try; and at the end
the place on the hillside among his
fathers. To-day to do honor at his last
resting place come the greatest soldier
of the age, famous statesmen from other
continents the President, the high
judges and the legislators of his own
country. and many men who. like him
self, fought for the flag. At his bier
will gather the most remarkable group
that America has seen. And the tomb
which Fate reserved for him Is, instead
of the narrow cell on the village hill
side. one as lasting as that of Rameses
and as inspiring as Napoleons.
1T Is a great religious ceremony, this
burial to-day. The exaltation of the
nameless bones would not be possible
except for Belief. Where were Duty
and Honor. the wellsprings of Victory.
il mankind feared that death drew a
black curtain behind which lay nothing
but the dark? So all in whom the
spark of hope has not died can we'll
believe that we, to whom the Soldier
is a mystery. are not mystery to him.
They can believe that the watchers at
Arlington to-day are not merely few
thousands OF the living but the count
less battalions Of the departed. Though
he were dead. yet shall he live'-there
is the promise to which men hold when
everything of this earth has slipped
away.
"All the impressive ritual of to-day
would be a mockery IL we did not be-
lieve that, out in an inf1nity which
astronomers cannot chart or mathema-
ticians bound. the Unknown Soldier and
all the glorious dead whom we honor
in his dust are looking down upon this
little spinning ball, conscious of our
reverence. And when noon strikes, sig
nal for the moment OF silent prayer.
few of those who stand with barred head
will lack conviction that the rites at
Arlington are viewed by other than
mortal eyes. Only in that spirit may
we honor the Unknown Soldier and
those VINO. like him, died for this
Republic.
Unknown, but not unknowing!~
The Pulitzer prize awards for the best