The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-06-03

The news of the blowing up of our battleship flashed upon our nc. tional consciousness like Q flame, and condensed into three memorable words that will 60 down into his. tory for all time, "Remember the Mainel" M
 For years before the tragedy of the disinemberod warship end It's murdered crew, this country had been watching the riurderous out- rageous butchering of men, women and children In Cuba by Butcher Weyler, Gpain's high commissioner in the island. The oppressed Cubans, had been fighting the armies of Castle and Arragon, much as in l776 we fought the hired HesSians of the British Grown to preserve our nations life and lib- erty.
 From Maine to California our mortified nation demanded that wO save Cuba from extinction by the Spaniards, with fire, Tapine and starvation. The only shame in thnt situation was that 6 nation such as ours, with Q similar background, had 90 long tolerated the harbarous rule of the Dons, right under our nose, and not intertered long before, as any other nation, such as Great Britain, France or Germany would have done.
 Three weeks after the Maine hol- ocauSt, on March 8, Congress ap. propriated 30 million dollars for iaa. tional defense. Before the .. s. de- clared war, c commission appointed by President Mckinley to investi. gate the blowing up of the Maine. reported its findings. on April 2i America declared war on Spain, on refusal of that nation to end It's ct. trocities in Cuba and evacuate the island. On the eve Of the declaration Qf war, the Queen of Spain inform. cd our ambassador she was willing to consider the American requests, but it was too late- American patti ence was ct an end.
 It is childish, Q sign Of cultural ignorance, and un-American for any individual, irrespective of his calling to belittle the great significance of the War with Spain. It created in fact Q united nation, no north, no south, no east, no west; but one great people united under one great and glorious flag. It caused the abe olition of yellow fever in Cuba and our southern states, which had tak- en Q great toll of lives of our people. It was responsible for the building of the Panama Canal. It marked the rebirth of . nation and caused the United States to take the head of the table in the concert of nations. It marked the industrial reconstruc. ton of the South. It brought liberty to an enslaved and unfortunate people, being the last great conflict between the people of c free, self- governing republic, and that of the last absolute monarchy. It made our flag respected wherever 1t is flown. The suggestion of MT. Gregg to abolish our Memorial Day and re- place 1t with Q day dedicated to the Heroes of Peace" is un-American and an insult to the heroic dead of all our wars. Memorial Day Is not only symbolic of the Civil War dead, but of all the soldier dead of ell wars who died that "the heroes of peace" might exlst-that our nation might livel It is day dedicated to our dead soldiers in Flanders, in Russia, if the far jungles of the Philippines, China, and elsewhere Cuba included. 1t needs no dedi- eating, 1t will remain Q tribute to our war dead, as long as Amerca ia Q nation.
 It is . reproach to the discordant section in our national lives that would change our form of govern ment, that they died Co preserve who seek to disrupt that govern ment.
 It is part and parcel of the pacl- fist propaganda to bellttle the glOri- ous annals of our republic, whose existence was made possible by the sacrifice of our patriots. The fac- ton in our national life that would place peace above national honoz and sell their heritage for peace al any price. Tn the last nnalyEis. how. ever. the American people can bs trusted to preserve their tEaditions and Co keep up their pride in tlie past deeds that have the nation great Co Agr. oresg. might be re- called the ndmonIklon. ITO render unto CeaaaR the things which era GnUnnWsm and ka fHaN fine tIatnMt which are Gods.
 A ePANFeH WAR VETERAN.