Show medals presented to our war service men A big day tor for washington county was tuesday dec dee 30 tor for on it her soldiers sailors marines and red cross nurses who served in the world war nar gathered at st george to receive the medals awarded by their grateful tellow fellow citizens of the county the day mas vas a perfect one being clear and bright with the sunshine even warmer than is usual at the end of december the days proceedings was divided into four parts W 0 bentley jr being chairman from 6 25 a m to 10 30 a in E M hall chairman from 10 30 a m to 2 ap p m Willi william ant brooks chairman from 2 p m to 9 p m and it U bl acfarlane chairman after 9 ap p ra the day started with a national salute fired at a m by wilford bleak and company the salute was sure a rouser and could be heard from beyond the confines of the city bugles immediately sounded reveille under direction of earl 3 bleak and the stars and stripes and nags flags of the allied nations were hoisted under direction of sergeant ambrose cannon and the flag cus todman brigham jarvis the martial band blayd from 8 30 a m until the time set for or the program in tab Pr program in tabernacle the tabernacle bad had been very tastefully and appropriately decorated for the occasion by a committee committed of which 0 D campbell was chairman national flags and colors predominated while at the back of the stand were some splendid paip paintings tings 0 of f zion canyon the services commenced at 1030 a m the bugla bugle sounded church call and the service men fell in fit in front of the build ing the band struck up a lively march and the soldiers marched in to the seats assigned to them the congregation standing until the last service man had arrived in place when all sat down the large building was crowded many being unable to obtain admittance the service men had seats in front the service commenced with singing america everybody joining in and it was sung with a zest that was very pleasing the band leading prayer was offered by the chaplain pros pres david H cannon the memorial song to the tune of chapins Cho pins funeral march was s splendidly sung by the chorus under diree direction tion of prot jos uni m mcallis ter this fine peace of music and the excellent rendition was highly commended by many people pros pres edw H snow gave a beautiful and touching talk on I 1 our boys who made the supreme sacrifice he gave a list of those washington county boys who laid down their lives in their count rys cause during the great war ten as follows wallace gray of santa clara moroni kleinman Klel of toquerville sterling russell of st george isaac heber langston jr of Sp ringdale daniel lester keate of st george cleon J lle reber er of santa clara alton hiatt of enterprise dad L mcneil mcnell of st george george G felter of washington and hay nay C coleman of enter prise pres pros snow said in parti part lite life Is to the greatest of all gifts of god to mortals life eternal gods greatest gift to man the right to life is held sacred by all civilized nations sane sober men yield up that life only tor for a noble cause many have given it for conscience sake and many tor for home and country every nation has its heroes but the greatest hero of all Is he who gives up life that right might prevail jesus the christ did that these men who gave up life in a just cause for the freedom and liberty of the world will live on tor for ever liberty at all times has exacted a fearful toll of life gave a brief review of history up to and including the american revolution in support of this was it worth the price besl all of our boys who jave gave their lives tor for their country were unmarried except one who left a wife and child mrs sterling russell of this city these men still live we have gathered their names and hold them prescious pres clous they are sons of the nation and their memory shall never die let gladness mingle with your tears for these men are honored of the nation and shall live in the nation as long as it endures all stood while taps were sounded a beautiful effect was produced by having a bugler stationed at some distance from the building who repeated the call the dying soldier was sang by jos wm mcallaster McAll lster his rich baritone voice giving much expression to the song major brigham H roberts chaplain of tha the field ar tillary while on active service made the memorial address chaplain It roberts started by saying 1 I hope you can recall the beautiful strains of taps and explained how this effected him he read beautiful strains of music also alco the psalm said 1 I have no doubt you will be surprised at me reading this psalm instead of coming to you with notes of sadness on account of those who have made sacrifices our spirit in heart should be one of deep gratitude to almighty god that so few were called instead of many we should bo be full of tha the spirit of thanksgiving why should it not be so out of only 10 were lost if tears are shed they should be mingled with gladness gladne gs our state with a population less than gave a total of men to the government tor for the war and out of that number only died in the service how bl blessed essect is to utah that so few were required to lay down their lived not only utah but the whole nation had cause to rejoice that its casualties were so few compared with the losses of the other nations engaged read figures of combined losses of all the nations engaged showing total killed nearly seven million over nineteen million wounded and nearly fifteen million missing and prisoners of praise should be raised to almighty god that our sacrifice was so light how grateful counte should be that out of W 3 was as the number sent ed who bad had gone to battle all returned except 10 france with a population of less than much less than one halt half the population of our country mobilized tor for the war out of this number deaths numbered 1350 wounded and the missing and prisoners made a total casualty list of what a contrast between the losses ot of our country and france in going through the villages of franco france the sight of the maimed malmed was appalling bled white Is right france had indeed been bled white see what sac orifices france made in the world war I 1 sometimes think we do not fully realize it altogether there was mobilized lor for the great war la in eluding the central empires nearly sixty million men of these nearly eight million were killed and nearly nineteen million wounded my soul had been trucked touched by the suffering of tho the wounded in the french hospitals it was an easy death tor for those who had been killed on the battlefield but with the bounded wounded it was different those who died in the hospitals were quite as heroic as those who tell fell in battle the soldier has no choice of death his duty calls and he must obey the sacrifice of one was as complete as the sacrifice of another whether immediately at the front or not I 1 say to you when I 1 think of tha the few casualties suffered by utah gratitude to almighty god ought to ba be the keynote themen the men who made the supreme sacrifice did so willingly for the cause of right and justice freedom and liberty tor for the good of his tel fel christ said greater love hath no man than this that he lay down hla his own life for another it is the same with a man who lays down his life to save others from bondage and oppression the cause was worthy ot of when the call tor for men cant can t to this state no mans son was too loo I 1 for the noble cause utah did her part and did it worthily the cause wa waft worthy of the sacrifices made the part the united states took in the war made it for us a holy war our sword was drawn tor for the cause of humanity we wanted no material gain from it we were the champions of right tor for ourselves and all nat ions great and small tor for the ultimate peace ot of the whole world and the freedom otlis people we want no more masters such as wilhelm ot of germany we want the brotherhood ot of man under christ we were fighting for this and in this spirit right is more precious than peace the dead are the sacrifice worthy of this they are an honor to us to utah and to the nation was such a 0 sacrifice causa cause tor for mourning pres snow was right when he referred to christ s sacrifice we were granted the privilege of entering this war tor for humanity our dead heroes are martyrs for humanity ehte Is a source ot of comfort to the bereaved when I 1 think of what might have been had victory gone to the other side I 1 shudder mr roberts quoted emperor wilhelms instructions to bis his soldiers engaged during the doxer boxer rebellion in china to spare none and take no prisoners taking attila the scourge of god as an example other examples of the german emperors savagery were quoted in letters written to francis joseph emperor ot of austria hungary contrast was made to this by quoting letters written by abram lincoln during the cival war think of what our men have rescued the world from said the speaker with all my soul I 1 thank these boys dead and alive that god has left alive the spirit ot of democracy the issue was shall autocracy or democracy rule the world and I 1 thank god that damoc racy prevailed not only was tha the cause worthy but what they saved us from is worthy ot of any sacrifice they made let us dry our tears and open our countenances with praise to god for the tha victory that came to us after a few further remarks along the same line major roberts asked the congregation to join him LIM in prayer which he fervently offered asking the lord for upon earth that shall endure and all nations become as brethren prof eari earl J bleak and clare gates gave a cornet duet the lord Is my shepherd chaplain roberts again took tho the stand and advised the soldiers not to think lightly ot of their service to their country not to belittle either it or the uniform the opportunity to serve their country was the highest honor that could come to them eald said major roberts and they should hold Is sacredly respect the uniform mr roberts spoke of hla his humble position as chaplain in the forces and said no fortune in utah Is big enough to buy the honor from me of having served my country hoped the boya boys would feel this also singing I 1 the star spangled ban ner led by the band everybody joining in fr r prayer by the chaplain prea pres D 11 II cannon Ii Bruin on public buero 31 in the afternoon the bugles sounded assembly and the service men on fujii page medals presented to our war service men continued front page fell in oti the public square the band played a ejection after which prayer waa offered by the chaplain the soldiers were told off into two companies under dauts leon moss and dean clark they ed past the reviewing stand to the strains of a lively march played by the band after which they did some company drill they were loudly applauded A brass quartette was rendered by members of the band was very fine commander hamilton gardner ot the state american said he was pleased to have this opportunity of addressing the washington county soldier boys he told of the alma and object ot the american legion all that ft means to the sal adlers of this country of the great war and very earnestly asked the service men present not to under estl mate or undervalue their services to their country america first and a percent american citizenship are the main things sought he appealed to the men to preserve their comradeship said service during the war did not end their service to their country the close of the war found the country in a state of unrest due mainly to anarchistic teachings this condition must be righted and american citizenship be protected and it was here the american legion could do good work the legion was nonpolitical non political the men who had served tor utah had dono their duty well and the state was proud of them congratulated washington county on having no sl ackers the speaker paid a glowing tribute to brigadier general richard W young who died at salt lake on dec 21 the founder of the american legion in this stata and a percent american sir gardner was loudly applauded at the conclusion of hi s remarks A cornet and baritone duet was ren deredi hon jos B snow made the medal presentation address he said in part boys of washington county thank god wa are percent american with ten percent added we are proud we have no sl ackers he who offers his life to his country in defense of a principle greater than life itself has performed a service next to the supreme sacrifice our cause was to save the very ek istance of our government and the principles of democracy our county had responded to every call made of it there had been no sl ackers the men who went away to serve had returned with honor those who ailed to return paid the full price of their belief they had their medal ot honor pinned on by a higher hand they gave their lives that the flag should not be desecrated that the bulwarks bulwa of liberty should stand we cannot add to their glory we are proud and appreciative of the services rendered by you boys you did your duty well and the medal about to be bestowed upon you Is a token of the love and appreciation of ear vice which we have for you we in washington county are all one family brothers all the county the state and the nation Is proud of you you will wear this medal and be proud of the service you rendered your country you will proudly say as you salute old glory 1 I was there the proudest moment of your lives will be the remember ance that this medal was given with the love and gratitude of your friends the speaker was loudly applauded county commissioner A A nelson read the roll of honor the medals could not be presented as intended alie makers having been delayed on account of labor troubles they arrived later and were presented at night prayer by chaplain retreat was sounded and the soldiers and their friends which included the whole crowd dispersed A grand ball was given in the gymnasium at night the building wag crowded to the limit but the merry dancers did nt mind that they danced and enjoyed it about 10 p tha dance was baited mayor miller announced that the medals would now bo awarded the service men formed large circle in the center of which the county commissioners ners mayors of cities and presidents of town boards gathered also a committee of war mothers to pin the honorable distinction on the breasts of the lucky recipients As the names were called the service men stepped forward and the medal was pinned on A handsome medal it is too with a beautiful ribbon and very fine bar isaac langston a vet ei an of Sp ringdale stepped forward to have hi 8 sons medal pinned on him the boy having given his life to the greatt cause it contained gold star as nine others did A number of the boys could not bo present and their medals will be sent to them one red cross nurse miss ethel blaar of this city was present and received the medal the other red cross nurse miss of boquer ville was not present after the presentation of the medals the soldiers with their prized distinction on their manly chests resumed dancing keeping it up till a lato hour and fittingly closing a days celebration that will be long remembered |