The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-26

4
people: What glorious future awaits
US If united. wisely. and bravely. we face
the new problems now pressing upon US.
determined 10 solve them for right and
humanity"
II the country is to remain an organ
lied union or body polite. its sectional
wounds should he carefully inquired into.
and should not be allowed to continue.
especially those existing in an unhealthy
atmosphere and among conditions OF IN
certainty and neglect.
War wounds Deep.
The wounds of our fraternal war were
deep. and now. after more than forty
years. are perhaps healing. but not with
= out setbacks and acerbatlons. Every
thing done toward the removal OF irri-
tating matters and clearing the sur
roundings tend to hasten the advent OF
health-a normal cohdition--which is not
80 be brought about by the application of
4 Superficial plasters, or assured by opti-
' mistic bulletins from sentimental or in
terested sources.
While the many economic and political
relations between the peoples OF our
Northern and Southern States seem TO
& be slowse patching matters up. the pro-
cess is OF that character which would
appeal to a student OF American history,
or be likely to result in perfectly normal
conditions.
perhaps these may never come; per
,haps they are not really desired by the
majority Of the people. But. In view of
those who have in mind the old ideals
and the deeper springs OF feeling whence
they emanated. nothing has taken place
since the war OF greater import in a
remedial way than this movement OF
Congress.
Heart Attachment.
= dead soldier does not amount 10
much-his example, perhaps, as OF one
'who had done his utmost-a dead prisoner
OF war IS of even less concern as such.
But as an object 20 which tho heart
strings OF his people are attached. the
soldier in war is pre-eminent-dead the
chords OF memory are ever vibrating.
A father was not less a father because
he was a soldier. and. dead, his memory
is precious. So the death OF a prisoner
'of war without evidence OF careful atten-
? ton and regard, and his burial in an IN
known and unmarked grave IN a distant
and hostile State. were events of no small
OF uncertain effect upon the hearts and
minds Of those who loved him.
Flower of the south.
over 10000 Southern soldiers died In
these Northern prisons and hospitals. and
their remains were cared for as well, no
doubt as was practicable IN those III
starred times. But no better than was
the case right here in the locality Of the
p Capital City where the prisoners Of war
were-many Of them--hid in hasty graves
emong strangers of various kinds. and
|. without proper marking or correct record.
In fact, they were not marked at all as
soldiers
A.. And here II was that a remedy was
q first found. so that now these Southern
soldiers repose in a fair cemetery in
ArlIngton-on each grave an enduring
memorial stone. such as may be regarded
By his relatives and friends, without
shame. either for themselves or for the
government under which they live.
Men Not Forgotten.
"a These thousands or dead prisoners OF
y war are not forgotten by their people
not one OF them whose piiful and. per-
haps. yet uncertain fate does not reach
many wounded hearts and spirits sore
10 the touch Of memory. Among a peo-
pie OF such widespread mourning as was
the South after the war. there was gen.
eral sympathy for each other, and the
memory OF the sacrificed warrior has lis
Eolace IN tender attentions and memoir
5 offerings over his known resting
Zee. But what OF the distant and un-
avn grave OF tho prisoner Of war
I'd the yearning OF the living there
over-Without such solaee?
II Is nct an easy thing to recitfy Iht
neglect OF forty odd years in any case
and it is especially difficult In matters
connected with hasty graves in a sort OF
official potters field connected with a
temporary war prison or prisoners hos
pitaL
Records are difficult OF attalnment-be-
cause after so many years their location
is not readily ascertained such records
Cor the most part having been removed
and placed among a mass OF quarter.
masters papers In fre-proof storage. H.
legibility is a constant difficulty. even
where records are at hand. And the IN
correct and incomplete character OF such
records is well known 10 those OF US
who have had occasion 20 investigate
conditions concerning the graves OF Con-
,federate soldiers in and around the Dis
trict OF Columbia.
often where the record was explicit
the grave was not to be found. And
many instances occurred where the rec
] ord was OF doubtful reference 10 the
graves. name was often wrongly
placed and more often incorrectly writ
. ten. Many names were recorded without
'indicatlon OF service or or the state re-
sponsible for such service,
Records often Copies.
Even when found in the neighborhood
where these war prisons and hospitals
once existed the burial records ara cop
les hastily made of even more hastily
made transcripts fled away in a distant
city. So. often the slight remains of
the graves themselves after these many
years are hardly 10 be traced, or dis
eliminated when found. These difficult
ties are easily appreciated by anyone who
has tried to find an old grave or rec
ord thereof in an old cemetery accus-
} toned 10 little or no attention.
y The Secretary OF War will appoint a
man 10 do this laborious, extensive. and
important work Where is the man to
be found who has the east OF mind, the