Arizona republican., 1920-06-21
MONDAY MORNING, JUNE q, 1920
Happiness grows at our own fire sides and is not to be picked in stran- gers gardens.
 Douglas Jerrold.
A Triumph of the Coffin Trust

A Triumph of the Coffin Trust
 We find the of the following:
 "The father of Herman H. Phillips, of
 5erdan, Ill.,, formerly of Company E, 166th In
 fantry Rainbow Division, and present
 the payroll of the c. G A. Railroad at 5erdan,
 is in receipt of telegram from the war de-
 partment giving notice of the shipment of his
 sons body in Government casket direct from
 the cemetery at Chateau Therry. Mir. Phillips
 and his both wondering what they
 will with the corpse when it arrives"
 is a incident triumph of the Coffin Trust whose influence in the department was than that of the good of the country It the association of undertakers which induced the department attempt bring back the bodies of the American dead from their resting places in the battle fields of France.
 No doubt many father and mother or wife there would be something consoling in the of the remains of loved if it could be known that the remains his. But in most cases known. It estimated that in seventy per of the there is of Identification and when large numbers of bodies were buried after long delay, occasoned by weeks Of continuous shell fire the field where they lay. the packed long trenches and cred In such it would be impossible after the lapse of so long a time distinguish by of Identification the bones of soldier from those another.
 When such a mistake been made scribed in the foregoing tem-that of nistal<ing 2,
 
 and is alive and we'll what to suspect concerning the accuracy any of the guessing by those who undertake exhume the bodies of the dead?
 When be positive Identification o' bodies said there be in about twenty five per cent O the cases when relatives desire the bodies restored to them, it would be ungratefuf government which would perform this consoling office The government should have undertaken to do that much could easily do
 We do not suppose however, that 8 majority Of American surviving relatives would have the remains or disturbed. removed from beneath the little white annual covering of flaming poppies with which nature gorifies their resting places. We think the sentiment of those of the American people who called upon to make these sacrifices well represented by Colonel Roosevelt who preferred that body of his should remain in which he died
 We do not a suppose foolish war department when it decided to enter this wholesale and transfer of the dead real ized that it was yielding opportunities of the shoulsh Coffin Trust The trust did not have to mask heavily. deceive artless an admins trator as MT Baker Through agents easily made him believe that this act would bring to him the fearful gratitude father mother, wife sister and sweetheart who had lost a loved one in the war
 We may now expect all sorts of unfortunate incl dents to occur as of the policy of the depart nent. There will be remains dumped into com naunites there will be to receive there will be collections bones gathered indscrminateiy from graves and trenches brought back to open afresh the wounds which have partly healed and will be repettons of the ridiculous error of sending to a the easket of bones which he may reconstruct. imagination to be a part of his skeleton.
 But all this has not been in vain. whatever may be the annoyance occasioned at Berdan Illinois. The Coffin Trust will get pay the casket.