Ohio History Journal

Dedication of Ohio's World War Memorial 501

Dedication of Ohio's World War Memorial 501

It is particularly appropriate that the address of welcome

with which the program proper is to begin should be delivered

by His Excellency, the Governor of Ohio, that staunch friend of

the Society, neighbor and fellow-citizen, Vic Donahey. May I

present the Governor of Ohio?

The audience rose and extended a very cordial greet-

ing to Governor Donahey. When the applause con-

cluded, he spoke as follows:

Mr. Chairman, Fellow-Citizens, Ladies and Gentlemen: It

is with a deep feeling of gratification that I welcome so many

sons and daughters of Ohio to the dedication of this Memorial

to the veterans of the World War, the first to be erected by our

state for such a purpose. This structure is not in any sense to

be considered as pertaining to a locality, it belongs to all of the

people of our great state; that this is realized is evidenced by the

many distinguished guests from within as well as without its

borders.

I have sometimes heard it said that our country rises to the

most fervent heights of patriotism during the war, and relapses

into indifference to its defenders once the emergency has passed;

this I have never believed. It is my opinion that reverence and

affection for the defenders of our country are deeply rooted in

the souls of our people, and I point to this beautiful structure and

reverent assembly as a visible evidence of my belief.

We have a group of citizens whose duty and whose pleasure

it is to perpetuate the glorious records of our state and country.

The Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society is to all intents

and purposes a functioning agency of the state; it is governed

by a Board of Trustees, composed of men and women actuated

by sincere and ardent resolve, whose enthusiastic efforts and pa-

triotic ideals are at all times engaged in perfecting the historical

records, and preserving the historic objects which are interwoven

with our daily life. This Society is dedicated to the service of our

people and has no other purpose.

At this time, I wish to refer to a noble patriot, a public leader

and a sage of his generation, long a hard-working and valued

member of this Society, former Governor James E. Campbell, to

whose vision and enthusiasm more than to those of any other one

man this completed edifice owes its birth, -- a veteran of that

most momentous of all our struggles, the Civil War, in which

as a mere lad he served his country as a sailor. It was his in-

terest which imbued others with the idea of this memorial, which

Dedication of Ohio's World War Memorial 503

Dedication of Ohio's World War Memorial 503

it is only by the study of the past, we are able to gauge the future.

It is only by a realization of errors, that we are able to prevent

their future occurrence. To an individual or nation the careful

study of past events is of vital importance in guiding along the

paths yet to be trodden, and happy is the man who or the country

which can profit in this manner.

As every stream has its long quiet stretches, broken ever

and anon by the turbulent water of rapids, so in the course of a

nation's destiny will it have its periods of peace and prosperity,

broken at times by the dread shadows of war, pestilence or

famine, and these become the peaks of the mountains of history.

Six great wars have fallen upon our people in the one hundred

and fifty years of our national existence, or a war for every

quarter century; each of these wars was unsought, and was fought

in defense of, or in furtherance of, a great moral principle. God

being with us, we have prevailed in each of those great conflicts,

although assailed many times by doubts and fears as to the out-

come. It is my fond hope that humanity shall never again engage

in war, but perhaps the realization of this is far in the distance.

There remains then to us the obligation, in the future as in the

past, to refuse to unsheath the sword except in a just cause, but

in such a cause to defend the right to the death.

Of the veterans of the first three of our great national strug-

gles none remain, but their graves are sanctuaries of our love,

and a grateful nation has accorded them reverence, respect and

devotion. But few of that gallant band, who preserved the in-

tegrity of the Union in '61-'65, remain to receive our homage;

most of their comrades have completed their tasks and have gone

to their reward, but their deeds are forever enshrined in our mem-

ories. The veterans of '98, now in middle age, and at the peak

of their service, are entitled to and receive the appreciation due

them, not only for their valor as soldiers, but for their public

spirit as citizens.

And now we have a new generation of veterans, the gradu-

ates of the last and greatest school of war since the dawn of his-

tory; these are now for the most part young men and women, but

many years ago the soldiers of these previous wars were just as

young. The passage of time has sent the veterans of other wars

to their last resting place, or has sprinkled the snow of advancing

age upon their heads, and just as surely will it mete out the same

fate to the heroes of our last war. It is therefore but fitting that

proper recognition be paid to these soldiers while they still rec-

ognize and appreciate it. It is proper to strew them with flowers

while living, rather than to withhold such floral offering for their

graves. The deeds they have done, the lives they have lived and

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the sacrifices they have made, are here recorded, that our people

of the future may receive anew, the inspiration necessary to carry

them through a similar dark period, if God in his wisdom shall

inflict it upon them.

This afternoon, in dedicating this Memorial we are creating

history; let every soul rejoice that the past has provided the

type of men and women who are here being memorialized, and let

every mind resolve that the days to come will still behold our

country rich in that most valuable of all assets, a courageous,

loyal and true citizenry. (Applause.)

ADDRESS OF RALPH D. COLE

Mr. Johnson introduced the next speaker, Honorable

Ralph D. Cole, as follows:

In the next speaker on the program, we have the happy com-

bination of war veteran and historian, Honorable Ralph D. Cole,

Lieutenant Colonel of the 1₄5th Infantry, A. E. F., and Historian

of the ₃7th Division of Ohio Troops, who has been assigned the

subject "Ohio's War Memorial." Mr. Cole, who is a distin-

guished son of Ohio, needs no further introduction and will now

be presented. (Applause.)

Colonel Cole stepped forward and delivered the fol-

lowing eloquent address:

Mr. Chairman, Governor Donahey, Distinguished Guests, and

my Fellow Citizens: A generation of men and women that

makes a record worthy of the emulation of mankind is charged

with the responsibility of its preservation. Nations will build

memorials to their immortals after the lapse of centuries, but the

record of the rank and file must be written into history, perpetu-

ated in bronze and marble, memorialized in painting and sculp-

ture, by the generation that wrought the achievement. If we fail

in the discharge of this duty, it will never be properly fulfilled.

This generation has wrought so nobly in a cause so just, that

it deserves and will receive a prominent place in the annals of

time. The history of man is much like the geological eras of the

earth. The record of the rocks declares that centuries roll by and

the form and structure of the earth remain stationary; then comes

a mighty convulsion of physical forces; new continents are thrown

aloft, crowned by majestic mountains that separate the waters

of the deep into new oceans. So it is in the history of man.

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that America did not discharge her full duty during the world

war. We deny that charge, and we assert that America dis-

charged every obligation which she sustained to the civilization of

the world, during that titanic conflict. They said we should have

entered the World War earlier. I listened a few moments ago to

the gentleman, [Mr. Briggs], who spoke at the unveiling of the

memorials, and he said that the American mind was not pre-

pared for war until 1917, and it is true that the character of that

conflict had to be stamped indelibly upon the mind and upon the

heart and conscience of the American people, before we were

justified in entering the war. Is it the duty of America to assist,

in a military way, every people -- alien people struggling for

their freedom against autocratic government? No, that is no

part of the duty of an American citizen. An American citizen

pledges allegiance to the flag of the United States, and the flag

of his country alone. The President of the United States is

charged with the duty of upholding and defending the Consti-

tution of the United States alone. This government under its

constitution, has no power to draft an American citizen into the

military service of the country, to die for another people, unless

American interests are involved, and American interests did be-

come involved, and we had a just cause for war.

The freedom of the seas was an issue in the World War.

The lives and liberty of American citizens had been taken. No

nation can murder American citizens and not suffer the conse-

quences. We were justified in entering the war when we en-

tered, and after we did enter, we discharged our duty in a full

measure. In one year's time this country became organized for

war. We equipped and organized an army of four million men;

two million of those men were taken across the seas, and Ameri-

can troops participated in the batltes of Vimy Ridge and Chateau

Thierry, the first struggles in which the tide of battle was turned

and in which the future destiny of the earth was determined.

We have boys in Ohio who were in that awful conflict when

civilization was at stake and the mighty forces of the air were in

mortal battle. Ohio men were there, and I thank God for the

privilege of standing upon a platform with one of those noble

men, one of the greatest citizens of Ohio, one of the most gallant

soldiers that ever drew the flames of battle, an eminent jurist of

Ohio, Colonel Benson W. Hough. (Applause.)

Ohio as well as the nation discharged her duty. She organ-

ized the 37th Division, 30,000 of us, and the 83rd Division. Both

of these divisions were on the other side and rendered service

on the firing line. They hit the Hindenburg Line in the St.

Mihiel Sector -- listen to the historical names -- St. Mihiel,

Dedication of Ohio's World War Memorial 507

Dedication of Ohio's World War Memorial 507

Chateau Thierry, Belleau Woods, the Argonne, Alsace-Lorraine,

Flanders Fields. As long as the English language shall live,

those names shall be remembered. It is fitting now that their

glory and historical achievement should be written upon these

tablets of bronze, and oh, how beautiful they are--how beau-

tiful! I was in Europe last year and looked at much of the

sculpture over there and I saw nothing to surpass the beauty of

the bronzes that were unveiled to our vision this afternoon, and

especially of that magnificent soldier-boy standing out there to-

day, tomorrow, and through the years to come, reflecting a noon-

day sun, and standing guard at night under the stars; there he

shall stand forever, the embodiment of the spirit of the noble

boys that served Ohio during the World War.

So, Mr. Chairman, as the representative of the soldiers of

Ohio, for whom, with my comrade General Hough, I am author-

ized to speak this afternoon; for them I want to thank you and

your co-workers in preparing this beautiful memorial building, in

the sculpturing that has been wrought in these memorials. They

rightly deserve the recognition that you have accorded them and

you shall have their undying gratitude for the service that you

have rendered to the veterans of the World War. It is an obli-

gation we owe to the dead to perpetuate their memory. They

were only boys. Do you remember them? They were only

boys. We live, mantled in the majesty of manhood, in the full

possession of our ennobling faculties, greeting the glorious oppor-

tunity of American life, reaping the splendors of a civilization

they helped to save.

They are gone. In the bloom of boyhood, in the unveiling

miracle of the morning of life, they died. Many of them were

just free from school when the war clouds lowered, but they

dropped their books and pens and plows and picks and seized the

rifle and manned the mighty guns, and with the courage and spirit

of America saved the civilization of the earth. A strange dispen-

sation of Providence that places upon the boys the greatest re-

sponsibility of citizenship. Men of maturity would break under

the burden of battle that boys will bear in triumph.

So, my friends, we owe it to their memory today to erect

these memorials and preserve their record, and as long as we

manifest such a spirit, that for which they have died shall endure.

Our poor words shall perish but their work shall endure, and

wherever among men hearts shall be found that beat and throb

to the transports of freedom, their highest aspiration shall be to

claim kindred with these boys. Thank God for these boys. They

have saved for us a noble government. They have made secure

for us the future of this Republic, for this Republic must live,

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It will not be disturbed by wars and revolutions, but it will tower

sublime, while monarchies totter and fall; it will stand majestic,

immutable, the American Republic. (Applause.)

ADDRESS OF THEODORE E. BURTON

Following the address of Colonel Cole, President

Johnson said:

I wish I might possess some of this inspiring oratory of the

last speaker in making these introductions. However, my limi-

tations leave me only the power to say in simple way that one of

the world's greatest statesmen, a man full of years and honors,

who is today rendering the greatest service of his career to his

state and his country, has left his busy life in Washington that

he may come here to witness these unveilings and make an ad-

dress. I shall introduce to you a man, who, trite as the saying

may seem, needs no introduction, nevertheless we will present

Honorable Theodore E. Burton, who will address you on the

subject, "The World War and Its Lessons." (Applause.)

When the last echoes of the generous applause that

greeted Congressman Burton had died away, he ad-

vanced to the speakers' stand and spoke as follows:

It is most unfortunate that the faithful labor of those who

organized for this occasion should be marred by the inclement

weather. We cannot say that Winter is lingering in the lap of

Spring, for Spring has not yet appeared upon the scene. And

yet, let us not forget how much darker were the skies, how much

more gloomy were the days when our soldiers were battling

abroad. The dough-boys went down into the trenches, slimy,

damp, and dark, not to protect themselves against the elements,

but that they might not be slain by the murderous shells of the

foe.

It is for us, by such memorials as this and by the more sub-

stantial tributes of our gratitude and affection, to remember those

who fought in the late war. Let not the voice of the living or

the dead be able to say to us, "Are we then so soon forgot?"

My friends, the late World War, from 19I₄ to 1918, was the

most frightful conflict in the world's history. Absorbed in the

busy whirl of the present, with its excitements, we do not realize