Arizona republican., 1919-09-08
HEROES BODIES
 MAY BE LET IN
 SCENE IF GLORY

The question of removing the bodies of American heroes who fell on the field of honor in France, is one of considerable prominence in Washing ton. In regard to it, the war depart ment is sending out questionaires to the nearest relatives of the lads who paid the supreme sacrifice asking their wishes in the matter, whether the body shall stay in France in national ceme- teries. or be sent home.
 In line with this policy of ascertain ing the wishes of parents and relatives, the following statement has been is sued from Washington.
 Not long after the United States entered the late war the war depart ment announced that it would be it's policy to bring back to the United States the bodies of American soldiers which were buried abroad, provided the nearest relatives requested their re- turn.
 Since the armistice many communi- cations have been received by the war department from the families of de- ceased soldiers requesting that the bodies of the latter be left permanently inferred in France; many other fam flies have requested that the bodies ot their dead be returned to the United States.
 Many families may not be fully aware of the present situation or Of the condition which will attend the return of the bodies, conditions which, were they better known, would have deciding influence on the question in the minds of relatives as to whether or not it would be best for the bodies to remain permanently inferred in France.
 The Graves registration service of the United States army is now and has been for sometime engaged in dis interring, identifying, and collecting into cemeteries, preparatory to return to the United States, the bodies which, though the necessities of war, were temporarily inferred where they fell. This work which has been of consider able magnitude, involving the removal of bodies from many isolated and scat tered places on the battlefields, has now reached an advanced stage.
 Before the next step, the actual re- turn of the bodies to the United States can be undertaken. the consent of the French government must be obtained. There are approximately 4,500.000 bodies inferred in France as a result l government is against the removal of any of these. A proposed law is under consideration by the French parlia- ment, which is passed, would prohibit such removal for a period of three years from January 1, 1919. Pending the enactment of the proposed law the matter is being regulated by minister ial action of the French government along the same lines as the proposed law itself. The French government feels that it can not consistently ex- tend to the American government greater privileges in this respect than 1t accords to- its own people. The fol- lowing are perhaps, some of the reas- ons which may have entered into the consideration of this matter. (a) France was nation in mourning for the four years of the war. To permit the removal of the French dead by relatives, with consequent funerals and renewed mourning would only add to the long period of national depression and sorrow at a time when the oppo- site should prevail in order to under take the tremendous work of recon struction. (b) The removal and trans fer of large numbers of bodies might be productive of epidemics and pesti- lence.
 Negotiations with the French gov ernment are now in progress with the view to securing a modification or waiver of present ministerial prohibit tion, and of the proposed law itself, if passed, so that the American dead may be returned to the United States before the expiration of the three year period Future action in regard to the removal of such dead will depend upon the fn 5aI1 ulent will consent to modify it's min isterial decision and the provisions ot the proposed law.
 It should be remembered that during the continuance of hostilities, it was rearly always impossible to embaln our dead. or even to provide caskets for their burial. In every case of re- interment, however, a coffin was pro- yided. Every effort has been made 1T the removal operations to secure def mite and positive Identification and to a large extent, this effort has beer successful. There still remain, ot course, some who suffered from thu destructiveness of modern engines o. war too much to make this possible The lapse of time, too, has affected tht situation by rendering it undesirabl. that caskets on their arrival in thi, country should be opened.
 For the bodies that are to remain permanently in France the United States government will undoubtedly provide cemeteries of American FielC of Honor" They will be maintained and cared for always by the American government. The French government has considerably offered to cede sev. eral tracts of land for this purpose One of them, at Rornagne- -sous- Mont. faucen, is in the heart of the Mouse, Argonne battlefield. Another is neal the city of Paris, upon the slopes O. Mont Valerien, overlooking the pretty town of Suresnes. the valley of tn, Seine and the Bols de Boulogne. Ns more beautiful site could be imagined The municipality of Paris has alread, constructed a splendid highway calleS Boulevard Washington connecting tn, latter cemetery with the French cap ital
 If we follow the example of our al lies, no private monuments will be per mitted to be erected over the grave