South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-21
will Bring Back Bodies
From France if The
Parents Insist, Baker
Says international Obstacles
Are Being Overcome to Do
Wishes of Relatives

WASHINGTON p. c. sept 20
II viii interest the relatives Of all
Indiana soldiers who made the SUI
preme sacrifice in the late war 20
learn that in every case where the
relatives insist on having the body
returned the war department will
bring back the BODY and deliver II
FOR final interment as directed by
the family Of the deceased
The definite promise that this
win be done cas- soon as interna-
tionaI obstacles can be overcome
is contained in a letter which sec'y
; 81 War Newton + Baker has just
written TO Sen. Pomerene Of Ohio.
The answer which the war depart
ment chief gives to the Ohio sena-
tor is applicable to all cases of this
( kind that may hereafter arise.
Some time ago Mrs Rosa NJ. KEEL
logg Of Marion. o, whose son was
killed in action. wrote a pathetic
letter 70 Sen. Pomerene in which
she pleaded for the privilege of
sending an undertaken 10 France
10 disinter the body and bring II
home for burial She offered t.
bear all the expenses. Sen. Pome-
rene sent the request 10 Sec'y Baker.
with a letter OF his own asking it he
given the most careful considera-
ton.
Scc'y Bakers Reply.
The following reply from Sec'y
Baker, just received by Sen. Pome-
rene. is interesting:
I have Mrs KeIlogg's letter Of
SEPT .. The situation with regard
10 our dead in France has been one
OF continuing perplexity and con-
Germ
las I remember the figures. the
british have substantially a million
men buried in France and the
French themselves very many more
than "a million. All Of these inter-
ments have been made relatively
: near the battle front Our own dead
number approximately $4,000, and
there Is some division of sentiment
among the relatives and friends OF
our dead as to whether they prefer
the bodies returned 20 this country
or left I'm France. Mr.. Roosevelt as
4 YOU may recall. announced in pub
lished interview that he desired his
sons body to remain buried IN the
country where he fought. and a
large number Of other parents have
expressed the same feeling
tsKTrf+h this in,
have secured from the French two
oar three very large and beautifully
situated pieces Of ground and have
brought together the dead who were
buried in scattered places, so that
they now rest in beautifed and
Cared-for cemeteries.
other Allies Oppose.
I'm the meantime. there are n
substantial number OF people in this
country who urgently desire in every
way 90 crafty their wishes, only 10
find. however. that the French. and
40 some extent the British very
much oppose our beginning the re-
turn of our dead. because it is felt
that rs soon as we start they viii
have 20 start-the British 10 return
their dead 10 England and the
French 10 return their dead 10 their
homes in France. The depression
which would result to the French
people from the spectacle OF these
millions OF disinterred bodies NOV
Ing through France is dreaded as a
practical thing by the French. SO
great is their feeling on the subject
that at one time a bill was intro
int hn n
prohibit the disinterment and re-
moval OF any dead soldier OF any ma
ton for a period of three years.
brought this 70 the attention Of the
state department and at my request
a diplomatic protest against the pas
sage OF this bill was made and II has
not been passed.
Gen. Pershing's View.
Gen. Pershing. with whom have
communicated frequently on the
subject. sent me only a day or two
ago a very urgent and beautifully
phrased cablegram expressing 10 us
his settled conviction that we ought
not 10 disturb the repose Of these
dead soldiers. and that could they
express their own desires they would
prefer 10 lie in the fields over which
they fought and along the frontiers
which they held
The above is not definite. but is
as definite as I can be under the cir
cumstances. The war department
is bound by public promises ulti-
mateIy 20 return 10 this country the
bodies whose friends desire Il. and
II the sentiment for the return con-
unues that promise Will he redeem
ed as soon as international obliga-
items can DE overcome