Milford chronicle., 1927-11-11
.ARMISTICE DAY.
nine YEARS AFTER

It is hard to set up a new day OF
observance in mature nations WIN
much history behind them. The War
of 1872 brought us none, nor the
Mexican war, the Civil war nor the
war with Spain-unless we count
Decoration day, which does not cele-
brate d wartime event.
But the terrible World war, IN
which probably more powder was
burned than in all the proceeding
wars combined, could not fail to
impress our calendars. 1t gave us
Armistice day to remember-not TO
us alone but in common with the
leading nations of Europe. This is
the proper day to celebrate, for 1t
represents the end, the closing, OF
that terrible slaughter. 1t puts the
emphasis on peace, not war.
The word "armistice" comes from
two Latin wOrds-"arma," arms, and
stare" to stand still. 1t is usually
applied to a temporary cessation OF
fighting. But The Armistice meant
to the civilized world in 1918 81
lencing of the guns that had LOT
more than four years belched de.
struction to the finest flowers OF
humanity. To us it will continue TO
mean the final triumph OF peace ana
reason after the greatest and worst
of all wars. Possibly it will be
made to mean more as the many
nations celebrate it jointly. Armis-
tice day may come to mean-May
it come to mean!-that final day
when arms are to stand still and no
longer be used by brothers killing
brothers.
We do not observe this day alone.
We are one of a brotherhood of ma
tions. And we are not celebrating
a victory over any other nation, or
the winning of the battle over an
other army-We are celebrating
the great day when peace came. In
honoring this day of peace we can
offend no nations susceptibilities.
Germany and Austria might well
celebrate it with us. Those that do
celebrate it with us are bound with
closer ties to us. Thus nations be-
come less isolated, more sympathet-
ic; less suspicious, more friendly.
AS a gage of this friendship and
mutual possession of a sad and glor-
ious past are the $1,000 American
graves on European soil. So many
young men from out our homes and
from our firesides are in the never
ending embrace of France, Belgium
and England part of their soil to
which our hearts must cling. The
graves in symmetrical rows are now
marked by headstOnes of beautiful
Carara marble. When the name is
not known these stones say: Here
rests in honored glory an American
soldier known but to God"
known but to God" are those I'm
known but not unhonored soldiers
whose final resting places are
shrines in the capitals of the various
nations. These Unknowns typify in
general those soldiers who laid
down their lives for their country.
BY honoring them on this signifi-
cant day we are honoring vicarious-
ly all our soldiers-those men whose
courage, devotion and fighting quail
ties insure us freedom and the sal
utary respect of other powers.
This year thousands of our boys
returned to the scenes of their
former struggles and hardships,
and they visited their silent COM
rades in the six cemeteries of
France, as well as the one in Bel
GUM and the one in England. Those
graves breathe a message to all Wis
itors. They do not speak for war.
In their deep peace they plead for a
cessation of strife and for the fell