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Show AN ARMISTICE DAY ORATION GIVEN i DELTA The following piece was written and delivered before an audience in the Deilta Ward Hall on Armistice Day, and received the honor of being be-ing printed in The Spy-Glass, the official organ of the Delta school We take pleasure in reproducing it. ' THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BURIAL OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER 4 f I? It The selection of the one unknown dead American hero of the world war to be buried at Arlington on Armistice Armis-tice Day caused touching scenes at Chalons, France. Four bodies, all unknowns, were placed in a little chapel and Sergeant Edward Yonker of Chicago was sent in alone with a bouquet of white and pink roses to be placed on the casket selected. Chalons decreed a holiday and fifteen thousand people flocked to do honor to the bier. The casket cas-ket was piled high with flowers and many knelt in prayer, while French mothers who had lost sons in the war were seen to weep. The French Government placed the cross of the Legion of Honor on the casket at Havre, where the body was placed on board the cruiser Olympia. The historic cruiser Olympia bearing the body of the unknown hero arrived in American waters November 8th. On Armistice Day, Nov. 11th, we shall celebrate the third anniversary of the cessation of fighting in France, and pay tribute to our heroes both dead and living. President Presi-dent Harding called on all- citiens to pause from 10 o'clock a.m. until two minutes thereafter on that date "for a period per-iod of silent prayer of thanks to the Giver of all good. For these valuable and valorous lives and of supplication for his divine mercy and for his blessings upon our beloved . country." The body of this unknown hero will be buried in the national cemetery at Arlington with great military and naval ceremony. Besides the soldiers and sailors and marines who will take part in the procession five thousand other soldiers will be placed at intervals of five yards along the route to the cemetery. President Harding and his cabinet members will act as honorary pall-bearers. This act is being performed to show honor and tribute trib-ute to the brave men who have given their ALL that we might enoy this wonderful free country of ours. Let us not only remember and praise the dead but heap our flowers flow-ers upon the living as well. Ellen Stephensen. |