New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-28
Nation Marking Confederate Graves Stays Last Sectional
Memorial Day This Week VIII See Practically the Final
Fr,ition Of Uncle Sans Elaborate Scheme for Pay
inc Due Honor 10 the Grave Men Who Died in
the Civil War 6oth Sides.

whose remains were gathered from IN.
of Virginia.
But the unknown population of the ma
tionaI cemeteries is 10 be prevented from
largely Increasing. The federal govern
mcnt has been appalled, at these ranks
Of graves that have cried out in protest
against the oblivion into which the meI
who rest in them have sunk. The inhu-
n.anity Of leaving the grave Of the hero
who dies for his country unmarked
aroused the government. and every de-
vice is being resorted to in order that
the repetition Of it may be prevented.
To-day when man is inspected for
active duty a metal tag OF Identification
is part Of his equipment When men
go into the field Of active service each
wears about his neck a piece OF tape,
and hung upon that tape there is metal
tag which contains his name. the branch
of the service 20 which he belongs and
his particular regiment and company.
This tag is made Of aluminium and the
lettering is stamped into it. IL is practi-
cally indestructible. II a man Is killed
in battle he may always be Identified.
If his body is temporarily buried in the
battlefield the tag remains. and when
ever il is dsinterred he may still be
identified.
Further than this. there are rigid army
regulations that prescribe just what
shall be done with the bodies OF men
who are killed in battle or die during
campaign. Such bodies are 70 be buried
with their tags of identification. Aside
from this. a sealed bottle is 10 be buried
with the body Of each. In this bottle Is
TO be placed a slip Of paper telling all
that is known Of the dead man. This
bottle is not subject to decay, and when
the grave is opened the mans identity
is thoroughly established.
Further than this, the regulations stip-
ulate that an immediate report TO the
department must be made Of all bodies
buried. The place Of burial is TO be def
| in which the graves are must be
made and the exact points located, to-
eether with statements Of the manner
Of marking the graves for Identification.
All this material is carefully kept by
! the department until such time as condi-
tons Will admit of the removal Of the
! bodies.
There are the men who have died in
the Philippines, for instance. None Of
/ these are left to rest in this foreign.
tropic land. All are eventually sent back
To the states. Relatives are informed Of
their coming They may order the dis
position Of the remains as they see ft.
In case there is no call for the remains
Of the Philippine veteran, his body is in
I TERED in the national cemetery at San
: Francisco and duly marked
Last summer First Class Seaman Rich
ard r. Hobson was drowned al Hankow.
! China. Every effort was made 10 re-
cover his body. but at first this seemed
impossible The commander Of the bat
tleship upon which he served wrote an
account OF his drowning 10 his mother in
/ Virginia and told Of the inability 70 re-
cover his body. Two months later. how
ever. the body was recovered. The
mother was notified. The body was re-
turned 10 the states and. I'm accordance
with her request. was buried AT Arling
ton A photograph was taken Of the last
rites over the remains and the picture
was sent 70 the mother. who was unable
TO attend tho ceremony. Doubtless IL is
cf inestimable consolation 70 her. Doubt
less the picture ~ the casket, draped
with the flag of the country which her
boy served. will brighten her declining
DAYS Such is the care with which Tire
government surrounds the disposition o.
the remains Of the humblest Of her de-
enders
WILLIAM ATHERTON DU PUY.