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The Iowa Magazine, 1918

Published Every Two Months by

The Greater Iowa Association

Davenport, Iowa

Vol. 2            December ---1918            No. 6

Page 20

 
 

Iowa Boys Who Have Sacrificed Their Lives That Democracy Might Live

 

A Permanent Memorial

         In several of our Iowa, counties, committees have already been appointed to consider suitable memorials for the soldier-heroes from the Hawkeye state. Dr. Frank Crane, eminent eastern publicist, has suggested a "Liberty Building," to be erected in each county seat town in the United States, such building to serve as a home for all community activities, and where battle-torn flags and other trophies of the great war for democracy may be preserved.

        Another, -- and we think, -- a better suggestion is a Memorial Drive -- a permanent roadway that, with proper maintenance, will last as long as water runs and wood grows. Along this drive or highway should be erected ornamental light-posts, and on each post a shield of Stars and Stripes, and super-imposed thereon, the name of one of the county's soldier heroes.

        In most of our county seat towns there are adequate facilities for community meetings, and gradually we are coming to the opinion that we should make more constant and general use of our school houses. Laws already have been passed looking to this forward step. There seems to be no reason why we should not utilize our school houses for community meetings -- and that a duplication of this expenditure, even as a memorial, will be ill-advised.

        The great buildings erected in Caesar's time have crumbled into decay -- but the roads that Caesar built helped carry to victory these boys of our present American army, whose glory we would keep undimmed.

        A memorial Drive would be of material as well as sentimental value. It would not duplicate any present facilities. It would be available to a greater number of people.

        A Liberty building might soon be overshadowed by the erection nearby of some great business block. A memorial Drive would have individuality, and could never be dwarfed by the building of a longer drive somewhere else.

        A Liberty building might be destroyed by fire, and while insurance protection would enable the erection of another, its successor would not have built into it the sentiment of the present hour. A memorial Drive, if adequately and honestly built would deft the elements. If properly maintained it would carry the traffic of generations yet unborn.

       By all means, let us build memorials to our lads who were the khaki in the great war for democracy -- but let us coordinate sentiment, utility and progress.

 
   

Index... Left to Right

 
Row Name Town Other Information
1 Chas. McCord Burlington Died in France, Mar. 11, 1918
  Raymond Bernard Wiemann Burlington Died of Disease
  Corp. W. T. Bohn Lamoni Died of disease in France, Oct. 9.
  Henry V. Friertag Burlington Died of disease, April 3, '18
2 R. Burch Burlington Died Oct. 13, 1918
  Elmer H. Anderson Burlington Died March 23, 1918
3 P. Lagomarcino Burlington Died of disease, Oct. 4, 1918
  L. Wieneke Burlington Died Oct. 5, 1918

Click on thumbnail photo to open photo to full size.

Page 20

   
 

~ scanned and contributed by Steve Hanken

~Note: Pages numbers added by submitter

 

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