The New York herald., 1921-07-11
LODGE and PERSHING
HONOR SOLDIER DEAD
Statesman and Warrior Tell
of Nations Pride in Re-
claimed Heroes.
1854 BODIES AT PIER
Catholic, Protestant and
Jewish Religious Cere-
monies Held.
REPRESENT ALL STATES
Americans Who Were First to
Fall in France Among Those
Brought Home.
REPRESENT ALL STATES

AS a single bugler. standing on the
upper deck of the huge army trans
port pier in Hoboken yesterday,
sounded the last notes of Taps over
the bodies OF more than 1000 Ameri-
can dead, approximately one-tenth of
Americas dead in the world war, the
sound of muffled sobbing rose above
the clear voice of the bugle. When
the music ceased, and the colors were
lowered, there was just the dull thud
of the flag butts as they struck the
floor, and then silence The crying
was no longer audible. 1t was mo-
ment not so much Of personal sorrow
as of dedication and pride.
This was the greatest of America S
services for her returned dead. There
were more of the flag draped collins
than ever before, and three of them
We're those of the first Of our men who
fell in France. but the thousands who
attended the services, nearly all know
ing a great personal loss, submerged
that grief in the greater sense of how
and why these men had died.
There was no hysteria Mothers of
foreign born boys. who gave their all,
and Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton, who knew that their sons. too, had
suffering In common pride they kindled
when Gen. Pershing and Senator Henry
Cabot Lodge tried to give meaning to
that sacrifice.
Answered Call to Highest Duty.
They heard these men say that their
boys went to France. not simply out of
fear of what would come to America if
the German menace were not beaten
down. but because they felt also q call
to the defence of freedom and civiliza-
ton. for the preservation of right and
justice. They heard these men say that
what their boys did and what they lost
imposed upon those who lived after an
obligation to keep to the high level which
they set.
The war mothers listened and believed
as their faces showed. They were quiet
and contained and it was the pride they
felt and the duty they felt that made
them so.
There was a special significance to the
speech OF Senator Lodge. He came as
the spokesman for Congress that sent
these men to war Twice, he said, in
the course of his public service it had
been his duty to join with those charged
with the responsibility of declaring war.
It was an experience he declared which
a public man who has had IL never can
forget or recover from. and for the COM
mttee of Senators and Representatives
who came with him he expressed the
feeling of their obligation to make the
country worthy of the men they sent to
die.
In the comparatively little space which
was left at the street end Of the pier,
the rest being occupied by the long linee;
of collins there was room for a bare
1000 persons-relatives of the dead and
the representatives of the American
Legion posts. They sat facing Il raised
platform, before which rested the bodies
of Lance Corporal Herbert j. ID. Gres-
ham of Evansville. Ind, and Privates
Thomas +. Enright of Pittsburgh and
Merle d. Hay of Glidden. Iowa, the first
American soldiers who died on French
soil.
Decorated by Pershing.
They were killed in a raid at Lune-
Vile on the night OF November 8. 1917.
The French Department of Meurthe at
Meuseie has erected a monument to
them at Bathlemonte. Just before Gen.
Pershing concluded his address he placed
a wreath on each Of these collins.
Among the bodies was also that of
Capt. "Hobey" Baker. famous, Princeton
football and hockey star. who was killed
in an airplane accident in France
month after the armistice.
The dead were more widely represen-
tative of the nation than any group for
which services previously have been
held They included men from every
comba: division. from every State in
the Union. There were 1894 bodies. the
majority of which were brought over on
the United States Army Transport
Wheaton. the rest on the Somme. They
bring the total Of dead whiuh have been
removed from the cemeteries in France
10 30.257 The War Department ex-
poets to bring home about 1900 more
The remainder, numbering about 10000.
will remain France.
The services were opened hortly after
o'clock with the singing of Onward
Christian Soldiers There followed
prayers for the dead by Rabbi I.evinger.
former chaplain OF the 9th Division
Chaplain Swan OF Fort Totten, who
read the Protestant service and Chap
lain Dineen Of Governors Island. who
read the Catholic service. When Lead,
Kindly Linght." and Nearer Ny God to
Thee" had been sung Senator Lodge
stepped forward and read his address.
Senator Lodges Address.
This" he said. ia one OF those
solemn moments which come to us as an
inevitable legacy of the great war So
solemn, so impressive is the scene that
any words other than those conse-
Grated by religion seem poor indeed. Tho
light Of a great glory shines upon these
dumb witnesses OF high courage and
unstinted sacrifice hut the shadow
which light brings with II is that Of
deep sorrow for youth untmely ended
To few OF us there Is "A peculiar poic-
nancy in this silent array of the dead
because we were among those upon
whom fell the grievous responsibility OF
declaring the war in which these pre-
cious lives were lost.
Twice In the course of my public
service 7 have been compelled by n
deep conviction of my highest duty 10
my country 10 join with those charged
with the same respo visibility in declar.
ing war. No one who has not suffered
that experience can realize the pain and
distress u brings The thought that YOU
are sending. as often happens. your own
nearest and dearest, whose lives are far
Al.