Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-06-06
MEMORIAL DAY
ADDRESS GIVEN
BY EX-SOLDIER
Pleads for Ideals IN
Daily Affairs.

Declaring himself to be as ready to
serve when called upon in an emer-
gency to make Memorial day adj
dress as he was when he answered his
country's call in the World war;
Frank Whitcher, PIatteville banker
and past commander Of Leo Kane
Post, made an address here Wednes-
day that was frst-class in all re-
spects.
F. G. Meyer, local post commander
and chairman of the assemblage, ex-
planned that Mr.. Whitcher was called
upon at the last moment when it was
found the selected speaker would be
unable to appear. This explanation
was due Mr. Whitcher but as his ad-
dress showed, unnecessary. It is
doubtful if any address could have
received more attention than the sim
cere words spoken by a fellow citizen
of this county who saw service in
France even beyond the triumph of
the allied arms.
Mr.. Whitcher paid fine tribute to
assembled veterans of the Civil war
and again and again referred to them
in terms Of warmest praise. He
pleaded for proper observance OF
Memorial day and asked each citizen
to fight the battles of peace in stand
ing for Christian principles and civic
righteousness.
One old but ever worth repeating
story of American heroism was told.
During the Civil war body of Union
men were captured and confined in
Confederate prison, where the condi-
tons were indescribably filthy, insan-
itary and dangerous to life. These
men were virtually starved to death,
not because of inhumanity on the part
of their jailers, but because the Con-.
federacy had no food for it's own men,
let alone prisoners. One day the
prisoners were drawn up before a
Confederate general. This general
assured them that his side would win
and while paying tribute to their fl
deity offered them immediate free
dom and promise of abundant re-
ward if they would desert the Union
cause and come over.
When the leader of the Union men
asked all who accepted the Confeder-.
ate generals terms to step forward,
not a man moved! And when he
asked all those who were true to the
Union cause to march with him they
about faced and went back to their
prison. All persisted.
Mr.. Whitcher made plea for old
fashioned Americanism and denounc-
ed Bolshevism as an insidiouS and
destructive propaganda against Amer
lean institutions. He said that poll
ticians had framed an insecure peace
in the Versailles treaty whereas if
one of them had stood in the trenches
with the soldiers an enduring peace
would have surely been made.
Mr. Whitcher's style lacks the
spread-eagle quality of some patrio-
tic orators, but he made up for this in
sincerity and simplicity. His au-
dience evidenced feeling that they
listened to man who knew what he
was talking about.
Memorial day services in Lancaster
went Off smoothly and in satisfac-
tory manner to all those concerned il
observing the day as a serious patrlo-
tic event. The services at Hillside
were simple and dignifed. The veter-
ans were assisted by the W. R. G. the
American Legion and auxiliary, the
Lancaster band and citizens. Garlic
ton Heberlein recited recited Lin
coins Gettysburg address. Following
the services the assemhlage scattered
to decorate the graves.
In the afternoon $50 school children
formed a beautiful picture as they
followed the patriotic organizations
in parade to the soldiers and sailors
monument. Here a prayer and song
service was held followed by the dec
Grafton of the monument with flowers
carried by the children
The major part of Memorial day OBJ
servance must properly fall to the
future and the local post deserves
praise for It's effort this year. 1t is
a general hope that as time goes on
the Legion will undertake this obliga-
ton with increased interest and sin
cerity.