Memorial Day ws very fittingly observed in this city, although the number of World War Veterans who attended was small. The small attendance is attributed to the fact that the ex-soldiers from rural districts were unable to attend owing to the fact that the plowing and late planting make it imperative that they improve each shining hour on the farm.
    The program for the day was under the auspices of the War Mothers. A feature of the program was the dedication of the program was the dedication of the birch tree, which the War Mothers had planted on the lawn of the Jennings County Library as a memorial to the heroes of the World War.
    At 1:30 o'clock, the crowd assembled at the library for the services, the veterans of the Civil War being given chairs in a shady spot on the lawn and the Spanish American War Veterans and World War Veterans being grouped near, each group having its color bearer carrying the Stars and Stripes.
    Rev. C. P. Gibbs, pastor of the First M. E. Church, made the invocation and then gave a splendid address in which he paid the higest tribute to the War Mothers, calling attention to the battle of keenest anguish fought by these brave women in offering their sons in the cause of liberty.
    Rev. A. J. Sprigler, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, made the dedication speech. Father Sprigler paid a high tribute to patriotism. He said, "Nations pay homage to patriotsm because of its supreme value. The value of patriotism to a people is far above riches and precious stones, above commerce and industry, above citadels and warships, it is the vital spark of a nation's honor, the shield of a nation's safety. Take patriotism away, the nation's soul has fled, the bloom and beauty of her countenance has vanished. Monarchies rely for safety upon their standing armies, their battle ships and aero planes, but a republic relies upon the patriotism of its citizens and their respect for the law." He spoke in ringing words of America as a liberty-loving country, saying, "Our country was raised by God for a very special purpose. Here our founders met and learned to live in peace and fought their battles for liberty and here finally, the fathers of this country met and proclaimed that "All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." In our own time we behold our nation raised by God on high as never before and the eyes of all the world is today turned towards America. Liberty loving America is sending her fragrant breathings of liberty across oceans and seas to inspire other struggling nations to imitate her." He exhorted his hearers to guard this precious liberty from dangers from within as well as from without and closed with an expression of tender regard for the heroes who have given their lives in the cause of liberty.
    Soldiers and citizens formed in procession and marched to the City Cemetery (Hillcrest), where a rigualistic service was held by the three groups of veterans: J.C. Cope was the spokesman for the Civil War Veterans; B. L. Smith spoke for the Spanish War Veterans and Fred Turner, of Paris Crossing gave a response for the World War Veterans. These services were most impressive as the old veterans of the Civil War who for fifty years have on this day decorated the graves of their comrades, turned over the duty of faithful observance of the day to the younger veterans of the Spanish War and the World War.
    During the morning, committees from the local post of the American Legion had visited both the City Cemetery and St. Mary's Cemetery and had strewn the graves of the soldier dead with flowers. Other cemeteries in the county were also visited by committees. It was the purpose of the American Legion that no soldier's grave go without its tribute of flowers on this day.

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