The St. Mary banner., 1922-05-27
ALL BELOVED BY
GRATEFUL NATION
Tributes of Memorial Day Shared
by Each Defender of
the Country.
Reverence Alike for Those Who Be-
gan and Those Who Completed
the Work Of Freedom-Graves
In France Cared For.

The year 1918 brought the signifl-
canoe Of Memorial day directly home
to the present generation. The hero
ism of the sacrifices of 1868 had not
been forgotten, but to the great ma
jority Of Americans it was merely
tale, not an experience. After 1913
there were few Americans who had
not suffered personal loss or bereave-
ment. The real meaning of dying for
ones country" was impressed on the
consciousness Of the people. The sue
ceeding Memorial days have found the
nation honoring the memory Of the
young men who gave their lives In
France and Flanders, and revering,
with new sincerity, the men who, more
than half a century ago, died that
America might live.
Americas Part In the War.
Two outstanding facts Of the World
war are universally conceded. Amer
ica's participation and Americas sac
rifice were small in comparison with
the labor and sacrifice Of the nations
which fought through all the bloody
years of the struggle. Yet, during the
brief period OF American participa-
ton, America fought as hard as any
other belligerent nation, bore her full
share Of responsibility and burdens.
and thus, coming to the front when the
other nations were weary, actually
won the war. It is generally believed
that but for the American army the
German offensives Of March-June,
1918, would have carried Prussianism
to victory. America, therefore. With
out boasting, and with full realization
that her sacrifice was small In COM
parison with the sacrifices Of France
and England and Belgium and Serbia
and Roumania, and even OF Russia,
can cherish the qualification of having
actually won the war by Intervention
at the most critical moment. Belgi-
um's immortal heroism saved civillza-
ton in 1914; American altruism and
devotion saved democracy in 1918.
But the story was not begun at
Chateau-Thierry. 1t was not even be-
gun more than q year before, when the
United States, driven beyond the ex-
treme limit of patience, formally de-
clared the existence Of state OF war.
It was begun more than fifty years
before. when the young manhood OF
the North marched forth at Lincoln's
call. What was done in 1861-65 made
possible the elimination Of 1918. 1t
is. really, all a part Of the same glo-
r,ous story. without Chickamauga
there would have been no Cantigny
the campaign in the Wilderness was
having the way for the Argonne.
In Honored Graves.
All over the United States the
graves Of true American men. graves
new and still unclaimed by nature,
and graves of long ago, leveled, per-
hans. by times mercy and strewn with
flowers by natures own hand, are hon
ored today by those whose lives have
been made livable by the nobility OF
those who have died. They gave their
all. and today we give our very little.
life was as precious to them as it is
TO us; nothing that we can give can
he even a weak beginning Of their stu
pendous gift. Nor do they demand
great recompense: gratitude and hom'
age. and a moments pause in the mad
whirl Of life to bestow thought and