Baxter Springs news., 1919-04-11
sIAlE 7llHBNDR
-NlAR FEERAIVs
state, :. Cemetery for Kansas
! Where Remains Of World
|, War Veterans, WIN,
Rest

-
Kansas proposes TO have a stats
eametasyl wherein its dead2h@Oes may |
5iSgp their long Sleep hcucred' by
thsir state and remembered By, those |
wNom tiiey have left behind. When
thSrbOdies Of these men arc sent hone
BY the. government the state hopes to
hsye arsreAt cemetery designated ex'
elusively for the burial Of soldiers and
maintained by the state, a. the federal
government has for generations main
tainsd Mount Arlington csmstsry.
Bring Bodies from Franee
The. plan. was suggested by Sen.
Francis M. Price. 10 was immediate
ly approved by Gov, Henry J. Allen,
Sem Arthur Capper and Lieut. Gov.
Charles s. Huffman. Senator Capper
ut once sent the following telegram
to the secretary Of war:
"A movement Is on foot in. this state
to establish and maintain at state ex-
pense q cemetery rs q burying place
for, and memorial to- the KanBas SOL
diers who made the supreme sacrifice
during the war, as well as those who
die in the future. In order that the
plans may be cOnsummated, we.shOuld
lilDeI to know what decision the war de-
Paftment has reached with reference
to brining back the bodies Of Kansas
soldiers who fell in France, what steps
are necessary to have the bodies re-
turned to this state under that decis-
ion, and when we may reasonably ex-
pect that the movement Of the remains
to this country will begin. will
greatly appreciate any information
you can give me in this connection.
"ARTHUR CAPPER."
As soon as information can be OBJ
tanned from the war department a. to
when the bodies Of the men will be re-
turned home, Governor Allen win apA
point commission TO make q canvass
of the entire state, looking for the
best location for state cemetery for
soldiers. Cities in Kansas will be ask
ed to donate the tract of land that win
be needed. After the tract is accept
ed the state will take entire charge Of
it, and maintain it in the way that .
soldiers cemetery should be kept.
Not only viii the bodies Of over
seas soldiers be buried in this ceme-
terry, but any other veteran Of either
the Civil or Spanish-American wars,
II their relatives 80 desire.
Relatives to Decide
Some Of the men who have lost
their lives overseas had expressed q
desire to be buried over there. Il Is
known that some Of them had eX-
pressed such a wish, because they
came from communities where come
teries were not kept up, and where
graves soon became obliterated with
weeds and grass, making the ceme-
terry a most desOlate place. In France,
the cemeteries that the United States
government has obtained for it's SOL
diers are well kept. The wishes Of
the relatives and the deceased soldiers
probably will prevail as to whether or
not the bodies will be returned to the
United States. If the government re-
turns the bodies before the next legis-
lature meets, Senator Capper, Gov.
Allen and Lieutenant Governor HUH
man and State Senator Price will ad-
vance whatever expense is incurred,
depending on the next legislature for
reimbursement.
At Government Expense
The secretary Of war has stated that
the bodies Of soldiers would be
brought back at government expense
when 50 desired by the relatives Of the
soldiers. If these relatives SO desire,
the bodies will be sent to the state
cemetery. There, with such marking
as the relatives desire, the graves Of
these men who gave up their lives for
their country will always be carefully
attended. On memorial days the state
cemetery will be the gathering place
Of thousands who desire to pay q tn
butte to the memory Of some hero they
knew.
The commission that win be ap-
pointed by Governor Allen to select
the cemetery site probably will be
headed by Senator Price, since it was
he who inst suggested the plan. It is
expected that the site selected VIII be
near some Of the larger cities Of the
state, and probably the city that is