New-York tribune., 1921-10-24
France Salutes
Unknown Dead
Of u. S. Forces
Four Bodies Lie i'm State
i'm City Hall Of Chalons.
From Which One Will Be
Selected for High Honor
War Widows in Tribute
Coffins Piled High With
Flowers; Troops of Two
Nations Stand on Guard

CHALONS-SU R-MARNE. France
Oct. 23 (By The Associated Press) -
Four bodies of unidentified American
soldiers who fell in the World War, from
among which will be chosen America q
unknown soldier for burial in Arlington
Cemetery, were brought to-day to the
City Hall in preparation for the simple
ceremony. One body came from each
OF the four permanent American cerne-
teries in France-Romagne, Triau-
court, Bony and Belleau Wood.
Sergeant Edward s. Younger. head
quarters company, I'd Battalion of the
oocn infantry, was selected tonight by
MAJOR N n. r.. Harbold, in charge of the
Held operations of the American graves
registration service, to choose the bodv
for lnterment. Sergeant Younger will
be one of the six pallbearers accompany
ing the body to Havre, and was selected
1or this honor on account of his sumo
rior service record.
tie is to choose from among the four
Americans the one who forever will
symbolic the sacrifice of Americas sons
IN the war. These four bodies were
picked from the lists of soldiers buried
IN the cemeteries who were beyond all
possibility of identification.
Spectators Stand Uncovered
An American army truck brought the
BODIES to Chalons, where a French guard
OF honor, composed of poilus who saw
action, took the coffins and carried them
from the public square to a little room
IN the City Hall while thousands of the
residents looked on silently and uncov-
cred. French soldiers rendered military
honors. The collins are of plain wood
draped with the American flag, and the
room in which they lie is a mass of red,
white and blue flags and bunting.
on-commissioned officers from
Coblenz are standing guard tonight
IN dlmly lighted room, while in an
OUTSIDE room the French guard of
honor took up positions, where vigil
will be kept overnight.
The people of Chalons brought
flowers and heaped them at the foot
OF the collins. There were sad scenes
when the French war widows came to
pay final tribute to the American dead
Select Body Tomorrow
The ceremony of selecting the body
will take place tomorrow, it will be
brief and simple. The room will be
cleared at 10 o'clock in the morning
and Sergeant Younger will be HANDED d
flowers by Major General Henry T.
Allen, commander of the forces on
the Rhine, and told TO go into the
room and place the flowers on one of
the four collins. The body thus
chosen will! be Immediately removed
to another room, and preparations will
be made for the long journey to
Arlington, the other three bodies will
be re-interred in Romagne Cemetery
tomorrow afternoon.
The Unknown Soldier" will lie in
state in the rotunda of the City Hall
from l o'clock tomorrow afternoon
until 5, when the body will be taken
to special train, with an escort of
twenty-four non-commissioned officers
of the American forces. The train
will remain overnight in the Paris
yards; under guard, and will proceed
Tuesday morning to Havre, where the
French ceremony comforting the
Legion of Honor will take place.