The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-05-30
Hopes for
Return of
SOn'SBOdy
First Gold Star Mother
Would Have Grave OF
Boy in u. S.
las PLACE PICKED OUT

lAu Writer OF Newspaper Enter.
prise Association
EVANSVILLE. Ind. May ss.--
Ies. l would like to havs them
J <lnG hack my boy. cannot go over
~ where they have laid him. And
4ven II l could. just coming once to
Nla grave and then going away for
ox<f. would break my heart. want
~ % near his las, resting place Of
~. every few DAYS during the few
! Years I have To live.
III has been hard for me 10 see the
boys come marching home so happy
ana smiling TO their mothers arms.
and to think that cannot even so
70 my boys grave,
Only q mother knows how hard II
H not to be able to see the spot
where = son " sleeping the last long
o1oep. never to be able to kneel in
ugayer 1t his grave: never TO be able
- ny one flower with ones own
hnnd upon the earth which covers
him
That's why I want my boys body
Wrought back. want him near me.
- can go TO his grave. So can
take flowers 20 him And so | Will
know that his grave Is well cared
1cr. ~ = mother would care for u.
And -. when I die. | may be laid
dawn beside him.
n mother Is talking. \ Gold star
~ur mother--the first Gold star war
6no1hor Alice Gresham Doid.
1o1her Of Jimmy Gresham. first
Anorfcan soldier killed in action on
E - fkei<1s Of France.
J talked with her In her cottage
xruno. = ruemoriai gift OF the people
~ Xs1nsvilie. where Jimmy worked.
nm which he left TO 20 to the
helUhts Of siory-and his death.
Has Place Picked For Him
n have place picked out for
- his mother said. here In the
oo(ery. where can go and pray
~ side OF the mound every day.
6Ue they bring him back while
II oef1l alive That's all think OF
I no0v--9hen my boys body is brought
n11c4 % me.
You know. I'm getting pretty old.
nlnce Jimmy went away 1 have been
0oextnx old faster than was when
- wna with me hope they bring
M hack before I die"
The first Cold Star war mother
41u3dnf say more Her tear-dimmcd
>1ren had halted her tongue
80 ~ remember that !, was this
0n61 star war mother who refused
= wear black when her son was
r1ntu IN hattie because she didn't
unmf 20 depress the hearts of other
war mothers whoa sons rrd gone TO
1--we their country. and Of still 9th
- whose sons awaited The call to
< ofDe.
Nornc months ago Mrs. Dodd was
kpkod BY the United States war de
Z ~ r4rmeut II she wanted her sons
av brought hack. she wrote and
- them that nothing would now
010nse her more than TO have her
Gon's body brought back TO his old
$3.50 and buried there.
uther Gold Star war mothers have
<ncefved the same formal inquiry
rnrn the government. do you want
XDUF son HBNy btVaNta bath tttfh
U1nnceg II 50. do you want II re-
harmed 10 your home or do you want
~ Inferred In the national cemetery
None Returned Yet
thus FAR no hero's body has been
1efurned The government has not
6nnounced when the first will be
Brought back. Investigation In Wash
fnx1on resulted in finding a DISPOSE.
Hon upon the part Of the war de
uartment to discourage the return Of
these boys II IL said that none will
~ brought back until all the living
sOldfeYs are returned. and not unless
the next Of kin insists. That may
mean year or several years
In the meantime the government
II wondering what II will do with
the merchant marine. There are
many ships not now being used. They
we're tied up Immediately after the
war ended. according 10 business
statistics. They might be used to
bring back the bodies OF those whose
Parents ask that they be returned.
( II has been suggested that the gov.
eminent should make an effort 10
hiring back those whose parents are
, I'D. 70 that. az In Mrs. Dodds case,
\ the mother might see her sons grave
before she, too. Is called.