The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-05-01
'DEFlLE YANK DEAD
IN French GRAVES
Reported Dissertation Of Heroes
Rename Threatened With
Probe by Congress.

~ TtVUU ~ OvtsOp w.
(continusd from First Pass)
with friends to the former front. and
among the strong Impressions made
on us all In that never-to-bs-forg
region whore the destinies Of the
world were fought out was the proof
OF the part that America performed
In the titanic struggle. given In
csmetsries where American boys lie
In servied ranks along the battle lines.
"'No more impressive tribute 70
American valor and American love OF
freedom can hs imagined than these
cemeteries. Nearly every one speaks
of II. Some are large. some are
smaller. but wherever they are one
thrills at the sight, OF those lytnS
there. with . thrill that nothing else
gives.
"sSrhs nrst one We saw was at
Belleau Wood. beside Chateau
Thierry. whore the man lying there
and their comrades nrst stopped what
appeared to be an Irresistible ad-
vance and began tho counter advance
which never slackensd till It had
ended In victory.
FAvORs YRENCH CEMETERIES.
"'rhe largest We saw was the great
cemetery at RomAgne, whore over
$4,000 Of our boys lie with tho Ameri-
can nag boating shove them, visible
for miles across the country they de-
Tended. We were led within three
minutes to the. especial graves We
had gone to SEQ. 90 perfect 10 the
registry: but In fact. ~ we stood
among them all were especial. One
felt personal pride In every gallant
spirit whose mortal dust reposes
there.
"'We were told that the bodies ere
to be exhumed. Standing there II
seemed Incredible. It seemed desecra-
ton to dig them up. II would be i'm
possible could those who loved them
best see their present resting plare.
When General Lee was asked to lend
his name to 4 plan to remove the
Confederate dead from Gettysburg ne
replied that he had always felt that
the fittest resting place for q soldier
was the field Of honor on which he
had nobly laid down his life. We
knew as we stood there that he was
right.
Lying on the old battle front they
represent. each one, America In
France, and France will never forget
them. Lying there they will repeat
through the years to France the great
truth that Pershing spoke when he
said, "LAfayette. we are here" II
our people could only know how
glorious they seem here they would
leave them to represent them on the
neld OF their glory.
THOMAS NELSON PAGE"
Tho speech OF Senator Walsh, of
Massachusetts,, earlier in the week, In
which he pictured lne neglect of the
MANNED In the hospitals Of this coun-
try. together with the action OF the
majority In placing In the Record the
opinions of the poet and the Ameri-
can Ambassador has attracted par
ticular attention In the House Of Rep
resentatives, and it In expected that
this week there will be one or more
resolutions to Investigate the whole
grave situation abroad.
Congress has already appropri-
ated 81 600. 900 for the beautincation
Of the permanent American cemeteries
abroad, and 1t 10 expected that three
times more that sum will be required
before the work IL completed. But In
the meantime the American Legion
and Congress ofhcially and the parents
and other relatives of the men per-
sonally desire to know whether the
hVHoAeS VI kho oCOCSH&tiou VI 'Hc
graves of the men who gave their
lives are true. While more than TO-
600 bodies have already been removed,
II IL expected the work will be con-
tinued on to October. by which time
1t 10 hoped the bodies of all those
whose return has been asked by near
est relatives will be complete.
While there has been organized q
Bring Home the Soldier Dead
League" q strenuous protest against
further removals ID being given pub
licity through q nationally circulated
advertisement addressed 10 "War
Fathers and Mothers asking that
letters be sent to the War Depart
ment to "tell them not to break the
ranks Of this quiet array that .an
know no defeat"
Stories Of the mockery Of the decd
that are being heard in Washington
range all the way from the early
work of lifting up FIRST one end Of the
coffin and then sliding up the edge Of
the grave and allowing the whole
body and uniform to settle in ons end
Of, the box, making 1t impossible for
the inexperienced undertakcrs to put
the remains back in proper condition
before placing them in the coffin that
Is to carry them to their last resting
place.
Then came posed pictures of work.
ers OF the registrating service pos
ing as pitcher and batter, with one
Folding the leg of q man and The
ether at distance holding head as
though TO toss II as baseball. Bodies
have been allowed to remain out on
q winters night only to freeze, COM
polling the embalmers to thaw tnem
out by barn fires the next day before
further operations can be continued.
FENCE IN CEMETER Es.
As these stories OF dissertation COM
nenced to, reach Paris precautions
we're taken BY placing around the DIFF
ferent plots canvas fencese 20 nc one
en- the outside could see the men at
work. But tourists have their in
formation from disgruntled former
employees, and It II these stories that
promise to arouse Congress to drastic
action to place blame for conditions.
Speaking broadly the civilian per-