The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-05-13
LET THE DEAD REST

There is a rather gruesome and un-
pleasant subject i%ntruding upon Men,
orial Day reflections. 1t is the re-
moval of the American dead from rest
ing place on French battle fields, and
transporting them to America.
The National body of the American
legion has expressed itself as opposed
to removal, as a general measure, and
many individual citizens look in vain
for any sufficient or patriotic reason
for this wholesale dissertation of SOL
der graves by the war department.
General sentiment in the country
seems to coincide with that of Roose-
welt, the fond father, who decided to
allow the remains of Quintin to re-
main buried in the soil defended by
him, and on which he passed to a
glorious soldiers death. Besides the
matter of personal preference, diplo-
macy seems to favor allowing the
dead to rest in peace. The friendly
relations of the two great republics
are strengthened by this tie of blood;
the personal touch, the mutual human
interest, that has lived since the days
of Lafayette, now has something ply
steal and real on which to center.
That the dead should remain with
the French, seems to be accepted as a
permanent policy, in some quarters.
Miss Dickinson, in an eloquent SER
mon on Ascension Sunday, referred
to the yearly offering of flowers, that
will go from America to the ceme-
teries in France, as another evidence
of the real brotherhood of man. Her
thoughts were on a plane with those
of Lincoln on the field f Gettysburg,
when he referred to "the chords of
memory that would reach back to
every battle field"
The wishes of parents, expressed
after an understanding of the situa-
ton, should control in individual cases,
where Identification car be made, and
the bodies of their dead should be re-
turned to them. This rule, however
does not justify the activities of the
we'll paid bureau, that is now conduct
ing goulish operations on a gigantic
and wholesale, and no doubt profitable
scale.
The French seem to have better
solved the problem as to their own
dead. They are identifying and pro
tecting permanently the graves upor
the fronts, and erecting great monu
ments to the unknown and unidentified
dead elsewhere. This is fair to the
dead, to those who live now, and t.
those who will come hereafter.
Misinformed mothers, red tape an,
politics, have each contributed to max,
the American people responsible 70
a program, that is heartless and re
voting, and which should be haltet
at once.
Owen Whistler, author of "The Viz
ginian' writes to the New Ior'
Times:
"'The other day on my way to
visit Quentin Roosevelt's grave, |
stopped at the American cemetery
near Necies. In smooth turf and
among white crosses gaped ugly
holes. Out of these holes were be-
ing dragged-what? Boys whom
their mothers would resognize? No.
Things without shape, at which
mothers would collapse.
"'Our dead had to be buried
quickly. There We're no coffins-
there could be none. Bodies were
sometimes put in baskets. Mud has
filled these baskets and in the Win
ter has frozen to a hard cake. Those
who take this mass up often place
the basket on top of a stove to melt
the mud off and find something left
to send to America. This something
can not be embalmed. 1t is sprinkleC
with disinfectant and shipped tc
Hoboken. Those who sprinkle neve
embalmed in their lives. They came
from slums and anywhere, and they
look it.
"'Piles of these poor fragments
of human beings lie at Hoboken un
claimed. They have been dragged
from the soil their sacrifice mad,
sacred and where, as an honored ant
cared for company. they lay il
peace, their graves tended, their
memory historic and precious t.
France. Now, many go to Potter!
field. Such as are claimed and tax
en- to some family graveyard will
soon be forgotten. Those who mour
them will be dead, too. Had the!
been left in France they would hav'
been cherished as long as France en-
dures.
"'No mother could come to Franc,