Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-11-14
al||l|l||l|lG| |g|||R||Al|E|||||l|||
TASK FOR HEROES
MEN m REolsTRATloN SERVICE
WORK CALMLY UNDER FIRE
ON THE eATTLEFlELp.
COL PIERCE IS THEIR CHEF
sAv:aters Driven W Storm Land "
Fiorida Everglades and Az Rsscued
BY, Seminole Indians Governments
Gets Many New Hospitals. /.

Vrom Committee - Public Informatioa.)
Washington. Announcement from
France that all American dead are to
be returned 70 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-i
Ice. which IL cooperating with the Red
Cross In photographing graves and,
when practicable, 10 distributing these
photographs to the families and rela.'
tiyes of the dead. -
The graves registration service IL q
unit Of the quartermaster corps. Each
unit Of this service Is composed Of one
captain, one lieutenant and 90 enlisted
men. There are now IA of these units.
With the American expeditionaly
forces Id France, under command of
Lieut.. Col. Charles @. Pierce. Colonel
Pierce is a retired chaplain, 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 iorganiza-
ton Of the graves registration service.
He has been awarded q promotion for
hts jealous performance Of the duties
falling to him. 4:
In letter which Lieutenant Colonel
Pierce has written to Maj. 81. r. Lem
ly; chief Of the cemeterial branch,
quartermaster corps. and which 10
quoted In part here. Is to be had q
glimpse Of q work that blends mercy
and heroism.
"All that the censors will pass in
the way Of news concerning this furi-
Gus drive N the vast triangular arena
between scissors, Chateau hierry 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department Is one Of the unpublished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 Il to say
that my meh have displayed . splendid
sort Of heroism worthy Of the red
dest blood stock In the world land
that have had occasion to recommend
number Of them for promotion, and
some Of them Tor the bestowal Of the
Distinguished Service cross. !.
:Can you fancy q lot Of. men going
calmly about their duty under burst
Ing, shells and bombs that excavate Q
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, las fast
a. the Srenades Of hate tear them
DOWN. Then you will know the place
ofithese brave lads Of mine, who worry
when they see me, lest Ismay have 1t
in mind to move them to assafer place.
.And the men who are going over the
topl 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
rush that the Hun cannot under
stand. =. They will win and
they have no other thought Often /
have the privilege OF preaching to them
as a layman; and give you my word
that i never looked into such faces be
fore. Perhaps / have seen as comely
features, but there is q fire in all these
eyes and the light Of q sublime conse-
Grafton such as the world has never
seen save In the faces Of martyrs who
deemed 1t an honor to die for a cause
The department Of agriculture has
fnaugurated campaign to increase
the use Of dehydrated fruits and vege-
tables, which compare favorably for
ordinary consumption with the fresh
article. AS indicating the need and
value Of this campaign, the food adj
ministfation calls attention to the fact
that about 8 OO0, 600 pounds Of Irish po-
tatoes were Thrown to the Dump in
New York city alone last January, az.
ter having been frosted and then per
mitted to rot In transit.
The war department has already rec
0gnized the Importance Of dehydrated
produce. The army has purchased and
used II. 600, 900 pounds Of dehydrated
foodsthfts, costing about $1,000, 600, and
N the last few weeks has placed Or
ders with Canadiaf, and American de.
hydrating plants for more than 40, COO.
GOO pounds to be manufactured and de
tiyered between now and July I, 1919
These orders represent about $40, COO.
600, and include principally potatoes,
carrots, onions and small supply Of