Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-06
STATE INTERESTED IN MOVE,
MENT TO EsrAsLIsA CEN.
ETERY IN FRANCE.
FRANCE TENDERS PLOT
OF BEAUTIFUL GROUND
Congress Asked to Vote support Fund
and Association 10 Formed to Raise
Funds to Erect Suitable Memorial
Building Thereon-iowa Regiment
Has 725 Members Buried in France.
by r., G.. tDougherty.l

Washington, Feb. 6,--lowa heroes In
the European war will be laid at rest
In a beautiful national field of honor
In France. II n move made by the war
department and by patriotic civilians
are approved by congress. In add
ton to Secretary of War Bakers re-
quest to the military affairs commit
tee of the house to draft bill author
izing the acceptance of a plot Of
ground in France. rendered by the
French government, and an appro-
pr.ation for the maintenance of the
burial ground, bill has been intro
duced in the house Incorporating the
American Field of Honor Association,
to cooperate with the government in
the selection and development of an
American national cemetery in France.
Membership in the association is
open to people in every state in the
union who desire to express thru their
membership in it their appreciation OF
the sacrifices made by the nations
Immortal dead and their desire to
unite in making that field of honor
the country's great and living monu-
ment no America" The association
proposes to collect funds by Il nation
wide campaign to erect a suits, bic me-
mortal building on the grounds and
develop the tract along artistic lines
after the war department has ac-
quired the necessary land.
Many lowans Buried in France.
That Iowans will want to be repre-
scented in the subscribers to the fund
is expected here, because of the fact
that so many of the l6Sth infantry Of
the Rainbow division lie dead on the
field of honor The war department
recently announced that more than
125 members of this regiment. which
was formerly the old Third Iowa Ma
tional Guard organization. were killed
in action or died of wounds in battles
fought by the Rainbow division.
Included in the incorpora ton Of the
American Field of Honor Association
is former President William Howard
Taft. William F.. Bailey of Pennsyl-
vania, Jacob Fl. Schiff. of New York.
and numerous other New Workers. and
prominent men from practically every
state in the union.
1T is felt by the incorporators." said
Mr. Bailey. who visited Washington in
behalf OF the organization. that care
should be taken to avoid crowdins the
proposed field OF honor with monu-
ments OF all kinds and descriptions,
without harmony as to design and
without regard for the general es-
thetic effect. We have offered to CO.
operate with the government and We
understand this cooperation would be
accepta BILE"
Mr. Bailey said that it was the idea
Of the incorpora tors that the tract
chosen should he for its natural
beauty. away from the battle front
and near enough to Paris to be ac
cessible. He suggested the possibility
of securing one of the beautiful es-
tates in the vicinity OF the French
capital. large enough to permit the
bodies OF all Of the fallen heroes t"
be buried there by divisions and
without the crowding effect OF the us
ual military cemetery. 1t is proposed
that there should be one central me-
moria. Of imposing and impressive de-
sign. in which all the records of the
dead could be kept and where every
18th OF November-the anniversary OF
the signing of the rmistice-memoriai
services could be held.
To Encourage Athletics.
Iowa schools having students TAX
ing military courses are expected soon
to pay more attention to athletics than
heretofore. The war departments
committee on education and special
training is now conducting a referen-
dunn of the schools where units of the
reserve officers training corps are es-
tablished with a view to ascertainins
the practicability Of making physical
culture a part of the training. 1t 10
pointed out by committee members
that 30 per cent of the men who took
the medical examination for the army
during the past two years failed to
pass the physical tests and We're re-
iected for full military service. This
fact has prompted the war depart
ment's committee to take steps to pro-
vide for the physical well being of the