Evening star., 1923-05-27


marks the spot where some brave
boy fell while lighting in lands across
the sea, or honoring some young man
that passed away at one of the camps.
In the hearts OF these old-timers
there is no hatred. They realize that
other wars have come and gone.
These men Of 81, no matter on which
side they fought, have but one regret
and that Is. that they were not per-
mitted, on account Of their age. to
defend their country in the recent
struggle.
AS one sees these men honoring the
dead, he realizes that what Europe
needs is the American spirit--the
ability to remove ranoor from the
soul. the ability to reunite. ana to
bring forth In full measure the bless
ings which God las bestowed upon US.
In Memorial day we have found q
time to pay tribute to those who have
fallen. The spirit Of the north and
OF the south IL In marked contrast
to the feeling that exists across the
sea. when Europe arrives at such
q mental condition that II can have
a Memorial day for all those who
lost their lives, then 1t will have ar.
rived at a stage that will mean the
settlement of its troubles.
y Ks
THERE has been considerable dis
i cussion during the last few years
az to how and when the day we
observe was created. According to
the Encyclopedia Britannica, Memo
rial day Cor Decoration day. is a
holiday observed in the northern
states Of the United States on the
aoth Of May, in honor of soldiers
killed in the American civil war, and
especially for the decoration OF their
graves with flags and flowers. Be.
fore the close of the civil war. the
soth Of May was thus celebrated in
several Of the southern states; in the
north, there was no fixed day com.
monty celebrated until 1868, when
Con the 9Th OF May Commander in
Chief John A. Logan Of the Grand
Army OF the Republic issued q gen.
eral order designating the s0th Of
May, 1858. for the purpose OF strew-
ing with flowers or otherwise deco
rating the graves Of comrades who
died in defense OF their country dur
Ing the late rebellion Logan did
this with the hope that It will be
kept UP from year to year.
'Tn 1882, the Grand Army urged
that the. proper designation of May
80 10 Memorial day not Decoration
day. Rhode Island made II q legal
holiday in 1874, Vermont in 1876, and
"a tN. To-. asA A.,f
It was q legal holiday In all the
states save Alabama, Alaska, Arkan-
sas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mis-
sissippi, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima and Texas. In Virginia, the 3oth
Of May is observed as q Confederate
Memorial day. The 80 OF June (the
birthday Of Jefferson Davis) is OBJ
served as Confederate Memorial day
in Louisiana and Tennessee, the 2sth Of
April in Alabama, Georgia and Missis-
sippi. and the 10th Of May in North ana
South Carolina.
In the dictionary we And: "Decora.
tion day; . day set apart for deoorat-
ing the graves of soldiers and sailors
(1Se1-18e5). There has been tend
SuCy LnTOnBHOuI tle CouHITy 10 duOpt
the term Memorial day instead Of
Decoration day"
It will be noted that the first date
was observed In the south and a close
study dtscloses the fact that II was q
Newspaper man who frst conceived
the idea OF decorating the graves Of
soldiers. His idea was to make the
graveyards less desolAts. This news
paper man. John Redpath, had been
assigned by the editor Of the paper
for which he worked to cover the
activities Of Gen. Sherman. and the
cid files Of the metropolitan papers
disclose the fact that this young re-
porter wa the nrst to give the citi-
gems OF the north the news OF the fall
Of Charleston, 8. C.
When this city Of beautiful women
and brave men had been occupied by
troops from the Federal Army, Red.
path was asked to take chcaree Of the
schools. He was not treated as .
foe from the north. but rather as one
who came rs q friend,
One of the schools under his juris.
diction was reached by goinE through
IN oid race track. This ulace had