Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-11-21
MARKING GRAVES IS
TASK FOR HEROES
MEN IN REGISTRATION SERVICE
WORK CALMLY UNDER FIRE
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
COL. PIERCE is THEIR CHIEF.
Aviators Driven by Storm Land in
Florida Everglades and Are Rescued
by Seminole Indians-Governmen
Gets Many New Hospitals.


Washington. announcement from
France that all American dead are to
be returned to this country for per-
manent burial adds interest to the
story of how the graves of these heroes
are marked and recorded. This work
is done by the grave registration serv-
ice, which is cooperating with the Red
Cross in photographing graves and,
when practicable, in distributing these
photographs to the families and rela-
dves of the dead.
The graves registration service is
unit of the quartermaster corps Each
unit of this service is composed of one
captain, one Lieutenant and 80 enlisted
men. There are now IA of these units
with the American expeditionary
forces in France, under command of
Lieut.. Col. Charles c. Pierce. Colonel
Pierce is a retired chaplain, a major
of the regular army, and was pastor
of an Episcopal church in Philadelphia
when the present war began. AS he
had been in charge of similar work in
the Philippines, he volunteered for
this important task upon the organiza-
ton of the graves registration service.
He has been awarded a promotion for
falling to him.
In a letter which Lieutenant Colonel
Pierce has written to Maj H. R. Lem
3y, chief of the cemeterial branch,
-quartermaster corps, and which is
quoted in part here, is to be had
glimpse Of a work that blends mercy
and heroism.
''All that the censors will pass in
the way of news concerning this furi-
Gus drive in the vast triangular arena
between scissors, Chateau-Thierry and
Reims has already been given you in
the papers," writes Colonel Pierce.
But the work that has befallen my
department is one of the unpublished
chapters of history. Suffice it to say
that my men have displayed a splendid
sort of heroism-worthy of the red
s1eSt blood stock in the woodland
that have had occasion to recommend
n number of them for promotion, and
some of them for the bestowal of the
Distinguished Service cross.
Can, you fancy lot of men going
calmly about their duty under burst
ing shells and bombs that eXcavate a
cellar every time they strike the
ground-going about to minister to the
dead. laying out cemeteries and put
ting up crosses over the graves of their
valorous and fallen comrades as fast
as the grenades of hate tear them
down? Then you will know the place
of these brave lads of mine, who worry
when they see me, lest 1 may have it
in mind to move them to a safer place.
And the men who are going over the
top! All, you will need rapid transit
to keep up with them! For they have
the crusaders spirit and they fill the
gaps of the fallen and move on with
n rush that the Hun cannot under
stand. They will win and
they have no other thought. Often 1
have the privilege of preaching to them
as layman; and 1 give you my word
that / never looked into such faces be
fore. Perhaps 1 have seen as comely
features, but there is a fire in all these
eyes and the light of sublime conse-
Grafton such as the world has never
seen save in the faces of martyrs who
deemed it an honor to die for cause"
The department of agriculture has
inaugurated campaign to increase
the use of dehydrated fruits and vege-
ordinary consumption with the fresh
article. AS indicating the need and
value of this campaign, the food adj
miniStration calls attention to the fact
that about 100000 pounds of Irish po-
tatoeS were thrown to the Dump in
New York city alone last January, af-
ter having been frosted and then per-
mitted to rot in transit.
The war department has already rec
ogniZed the Importance of dehydrated
produce. The army has purchased and
used 100000 pounds of dehydrated
foodstuffs, costing about So, 900 600, and
In the last few weeks has placed or
ders with Canadian and American de-
MIGRATING plants for more than 10000
600 pounds to be manufactured and de-
uvered between now and July 1, 1919.
These orders represent about $4,000
600. and include principally potatoes,
carrots, onions and a small supply Of
soup mixtures. There are eight differ
ent vegetables in the soup mixtures.
On a single day recently the board
of review in the office of the quarter
master general approved orders and
contracts aggregating $2O.621, JIG.
Among thesitems purchased were crow
bars, axes, trench mirrors, cloth, mo-
.ortrucks, motorcycles, ginger, bacon,
ham, cheese, nails, salmon, -four, SHOW
els. butter, horseshoes, typewriters,
paint, hay, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg.
sugar. beans. catchup, evaporated
milk, flannel shirts, tomatoes, screw