Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-30
FRANCE, TOO, HONORS HEROES
OF WAR ON MEMORIAL DAY"
Moving Ceremony Marks Homage Paid to Living
and Dead Soldiers for Gallantry in Battle
That Republic Might Live
By HENRI BAZIN
Special Correspondent Of the Evening Ledger
IN France.

/, the mutilated the brave unharmed OF
France, were each designated by name as
either the Cross of the Legion or the
Medaille Mlitaire and in some cases both
were pinned TO their breasts. There was
sweet and holy solemnity about it. 1t
stirred the blood.
Honors for a Little Girl
As the last man received his decoration
and had stepped aside, the general turned
to row Of women in deep mourning, OF
little children, Of aged men. These were
the nearest kin to brave men who had
died before the Joy of reading their cita-
tion. Upon each breast the general
pinned the cross or the medal. He spoke
a quiet word to each, kissed them on the
cheeks, shook their hands, while the tears
fell from his eyes, from the eyes of those
whose dead thus were honored by France,
and from the eyes OF those who saw.
Upon one tiny seven.year-old brown
haired darling he pinned the Cross of the
Legion the Medaile Militaire, the Croix
de Guerre. And I envied him the kiss OF
reverence he placed upon her little cheeks.
Far to one side In unobstructed view
stood perhaps fifty cots and stretchers,
each with a wounded soldier from the
Military Hospital of the Invalides vino
was well enough advanced to some poor
health to witness the ceremony. How
erinG over each as an angel Of mercy
stood white.robed nurse.
And the two galleries surrounding the
court were black with uncovered heads,
while far TO the rear stood the wreck OF
a Boche Taube and Boche fighting plane,
with before them rows and rows of Bochc
artillery and trench mortars
With the end Of the ceremony the two
regiments, to the music Of the Mar
seillase," filed out of the court and across
the esplanade to their barracks. As the
colors passed through the archway, again
each head was barred. For in France we
salute the flag when it is carried past u.s.
salute it as we do the dead To the latter
we thus pay mark of last respect, a re-
spect shown by young, old, those in high
or low estate, in carriage or on foot. And
we equally salute the flag as the emblem
of all the glory of glorious days gone by
and, too, the greater glories OF the last
tnHty-tWO months. lneSe are little
things? So have 1t If you will But they
represent and exemplify great ideals, and
ideals are the very marrow Of our lives.
The tale of heroism of each man whom
I saw decorated today would fill many
pages and has no place here. 1t is, in
deed, but the tale Of France. One from
a dozen will suffice.
It is why Monsieur lAumonier - re.
ceived the Cross Of the Legion. He was
attached to an infantry regiment on the
Somme. During an attack the captain
and both lieuteaants OF certain company
were killed in barrage fire. The priest
jumped into the breach. and led the com.
pany to victory, to the capture of a
strategically valuable trench. He es.
capped unscathed. And then he turned to
succoring tho wounded the wounded men
of France, and the wounded barbarians
| of Germany.