East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-11-16
HONOR ZOO YANKEE
DEAD II FRANCE
VETERANS, MOTHERS
VISIT u. S. CEMETERY
Spot Abloom With Flowers,
Promises to be American
Mecca.

/ PARIS, Nov. 15.-The army edition
OF The Chicago Tribune prints the fol-
lowing account Of the decoration OF
i .Nniettcan graves at the cemetery IN
s 4resnes;
/ veterans OF 1870 and mothers Of
the poilus fallen since 1914 marched
Isip the hillside from Suresnes In the
afternoon and IN the American cem-
ctery under tho brow Of Mont Valer-
ian paid their All saints tribute to
900 American dead
The ceremony was a sort of me-
mento while the news Of the enemy's
collapse was stlll fresh. They also
realized that victory had its price OF
t7O0 American lives.
Yet It was not sad service. sures,
nes Rad decorated the houses along
the line Of march with sheafs Of al
lied flags and French hugles soundeo
hopeful note even beside the graves.
The cortege formed in the square o.
the Hotel De Sihe. At its head
marched a corps of disabled poilus
who in their army days had been
drummers and buglers of their regi.
lFtrlments to play by the American
sraces.
Next IN line were company or
American engineers and troops Of the
230th French infantry. The after
the tow firemen, whose red cockades
and helmets always are the grayest
Fart of eny procession, followed vet
Grams OF the last war who have lived
to see Sedan avenged. Some of these
veterans carried huge wreaths that
had come from towns all over the
Seine department, while others trudg-
led along with tri-colors and Ameri-
can flags which were much too heavy
FOR their years
on the steep hillside with Ameri-
can engineers setting a smart pace
for the rest one of the old atriots
noticeably weary under the stars and
Stripes at last stumbled and fell. An
onicoker tried to relieve him of his
murden. but the veteran proudly
brushed him aside.
Not Too Old to Honor Allies.
Young man" he said ''I carried
eur own flag at Metz before you were
born. I shall never be too old to
honor the allies of France
He marched on up the Chemin du
CaIvarie. now Boulevard Washington.
renamed in honor OF our dead--and
later had breath enough to shout:
''Vive TAmerique."
The cemetery was found to be all
abloom with flowers, for women and,
notably mothers of Suresnes, have ta-
ken possession. Each looks after a
grave as though her own kin lay be-
meath. Great wreaths of ehrysanthe-
NUNS from the Aero club of America
and the city Of Paris were placed
ed around the central shrine. There
were also many other garlands from
the Y. NJ. c. A, the veterans OF 1870,
the Souvenir Francais, the Associa-
ito Des Danes. Franchises de Puteaux
the Consel General de La Seine. ana
handsome bronze wreath from su
resnes.
7'ictor Diedrich, mayor of Suresnes
and himself a veteran, addressed the
crowd
Permanent Mecca.
The cemetery at Suresnes will verS
likely retain it's dead even after the
war, and will thus become a perma-
nuent shrine for Americans Many |
letters have been received from rela- |
tives in the UniUed States requestine |
that the soldiers may rest forever in
the soil they fought to save. where !
their graves are tenderly cared for by |
the women of France. Relatives who /
wish 10 remove their dead to America |
ilc@ever, can do so, of course, after /
The war. and their places may be ta
kcri by soldiers buried in other parts
Of France.