Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-31

Exercises following the custom
OF many years were held In the city
Memorial Day. the attendance at all
the functions OF the day was large,
especially at the exercises at the
Shrine Club building in the after,
noon the large auditorium being
crowded. The forenoon was given
over to the decorating Of the graves
Of veterans In the outlying districts
and In South Gardiner and Randolph.
Delegations from the various mill
tary organizationS headed by the
band marched across the Gardiner
Randolph bridge,-and the graves at
Maple Grove Cemetery were decorat-
ed with appropriate ceremonies. On
the return to Gardiner q halt was
called on the bridge, and the casting
Of flowers on the Kennebec, with the
salute Of guns. and the playing OF
taps made a fitting tribute to the de-
parted sailors.
The program Of the afternoon be-
gan with the parade, which was I'M
from the Benjamin e. Smith Post,
No. 4, American Legion who with
his aides. Walter Roberts, and COM
mander William Maloney Of the Am
erican Legion handled 1t in a very
satisfactory manner. Following in
line was the platoon Of police under
command Of Chief Roscoe c. Dunn,
Farmingdale Band, Benjamin E.
Smith Post No. 4, John R. Foster
Post. Veterans of Foreign Wars. Boy
Scouts, Pell Clason Camp, Sons Of
Veterans, autos carrying members Of
Heath Post, Grand Army of the Re-
public, auto carrying members Of the
Gardiner City Council.
rFha <N1lnxuirr tive - v,1orn6 uoo
taken, Brunswick, Water, Vine.
School, Lincoln, Danforth to Oak
Grove Cemetery. where the graves
were decorated, a volley sounded. and
taps sounded. The line was then re-
formed, an the march taken to the
Common where the soldiers monu-
ment was decorated. The exercises
were held in the Shrine Club build
ing, on account of the high wind
blowing. Here Mayor d. S. Nc
Naughton' presided. Rev. FIR. P. H.
Reardon of st. Joseph's Catholic
Church offered prayer, and George w.
Cross of Heath Post, G. A. r. read
Logan's orders for the first Memorial
Day. w. o. Cobb Of Pell Clason
Camp, Sons of Veterans, spoke. on
the respect to soldiers of all wars.
Mayor McNaughton then introduced,
Rev. Edw. c. McAllister, Chaplain of
the American Legion as the orator
Of the day. Rev. Mr.. 'McAllister spoke
as follows:
The Great Seal Of these United
States bears an eagle; holding in one
talon an olive branch; and in the
other a sheaf Of arrows. War or
Peace, which win you have? This
is the question asked by America.
Would have peace? Beware how
you stir up strife. Easy enough to
kindle a fire: but where will it stop?
Just at present we see very clearly
two powerful movements at work.
| One making for peace-I have no
faith whatever in these Resolutions
passed by various distinguished
bodies; proclaiming that never again
| will they help on the work Of war;
that there must be no more wars.
You might as we'll resolve in
solemn convention that there shall
| be no more fires. But I have great
| faith in every effort that really
makes for peace by putting away
lying about each other by bringing
in good will. The Disarmament Con-
| ference accomplished something; and
even as Japan writhes under insult
she must recall that American war
ships were at her door but yester-
day on errands Of mercy: that relief
funds and generous loans poured in
with scarcely limit.
But, even as gentlemen cry Peace;
Peace; before the guns that an
nounce the Armistice are cool: the
old rivalries are at work the jealous
Nations;. comrades but yesterday;
/ jostling for zones of influence; trade
centers and oil territory.
| We see. in that sorely needed i'm
migration law a miserable provision
inserted, discriminating unfairly
shutting out even few, hundreds of
i Japanese from our doors: and we
| can feel the thrill of resentment
binding in common cause the. untold
millions Of Asiatics. Does it mean
War? God borbid! But does 1t
mean Peace?