Palisadian., 1923-05-25
Days of Memorial
for All Who Have
Served the Nation

Of the two great patriotic holidays
IN the national calendar. one COM
memorates the establishment of our
of memoria, to those who at some
particular time or under some partic-
ular circumstances have given their
lives for the common good. 1t is a
day of memorial to all those who, at
any time and under all circumstances
have earned our gratitude By sacrifice.
AS time goes on, undoubtedly addi-
tions will be made to the list of dates
which have an important relation to
the history of the nation. UndoubtedI
ly also their significance will be en-
phasiZed in various ways, that the
people may remember. After all, how
ever, ia there in the whole gamut of
patriotic sentiment anything that cam
not find full and adequate and appro-
pirate expression on the two tradi
tional days set aside by common con-
sent as well as by law as days of pc
culiarly national import-the one
dedicated to the beginnings of things
in heroic epoch, the other dedicated
to the means by which our existence
as Il people has been perpetuated, and
especially to our patriotic dead? In
some foreign countries. when religious
holidays were greatly multiplied the
meaning of any one was dimmed and
virtually all well into neglect. If the
number of our patriotic holidays is
much extended there will be similar
danger in this busy country, which
lives much in the present and little in
the past and whose emotional side is
In strong restraint to the practical.
Their Proper Tribute
OF our May and July anniversaries,
the tenderest thought goes out to the
one on which we honor those whose
exit from life was made glorious by
fortitude and high devotion When a
people cease to pay tribute to those
qualities. whenever or wherever ex-
among their own, they have become
unresponsive to promptings that ex-
plain all the great achievements of the
future. AS the perfervid days of the
war period recede, 1t is to be expected
that the anniversary of this date will
lose something of its potency to sug
gest and inspire, but II fills place no
other anniversary can fill. 1t comes
at season of the year when its OBJ
servance can take on a graciousness
denied al other seasons and repre-
sents so fine an idea that we must
never suffer ii to be minimized
Anguish of Bereavement.
Mighty as is the host that would be
formed If all those who in the long
flight of time have lost their lives for
country stood together it would still
he exceeded by another mighty host
those who in the deaths of the other
spectral host endured the anguish of
bereavement. OF such as they was
this holiday first appointed, long be-
fore it received the sanction of
statute-makers. and it rules from its
sunny place in the calendar in an au-
thority that is above the law, in the
way of the popular mind that wills
and that executes. additions have
been made lately to the host of the
bereaved Their sorrow is still recent.
Shall we forget the afflicted living as
our obligation to the Sanctified dead
is paid in the souls of flowers and ap-
preciative, perhaps even beautiful
thoughts? Shall we not before eve
ming falls have for them some brief
word of sympathy that may make
their outlook on life little less bleak
and tighten the sadness for all that
this day recalls?