Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-03
A VISITOR IN BLACK

| NTOW and then, as briskly as they tell Of
| ~ new trade agreements in Russia or
| the rise and fall of exchange or the hard
ships Of unemployment among jobless
| princes, the cables reel off bit OF living
poetry more moving than anything to be
found ordinarily In books. Thus they have
been reporting the departure from England
Of tired and wistful-eyed woman in black
who has sailed TO put a wreath on the
grave Of the Unknown American Soldier
In Arlington Cemetery.
"Red roses from England" say the wires,
and maple leaves and white chrysanthe-
NUNS and arum lilies from overseas domin-
Ions, and shamrocbs from Ireland and
heather from Scotland and violets and for
get -nots from Wales" and at Is ex-
pected that Mrs. McCudden, who smiled as
the representative Of the bereavcd mothers
OF the British Empire, will be generously
received in the United States"
Generously received? The country will
find 1t extremely difficult to express In any
formal way its pity, its reverence and it's
honor for that world OF women whose
miraculous strength and tenderness endured
to the end, through every imaginable tide
OF grief and terror and sacrifice. Mrs Nc
Cudden Is TO Britain what Mrs. BIxby was
TO the United States when Lincoln wrote
the unforgetable letter intended to reflect
the feeling Of country for which six OF her
sons had died. Only girls we're left IN the
McCuddcn family when the armistice was
signed. There had been father and three
sons, and one by one they went "out" and
none of them returned.
The visitor IN black who will appear IN
Washington against the background OF bril-
liant uniforms and retnucs assembled for the
lt..r
o representative Of British war mothers.
She will be all the women Of the world.
She will be, without knowing It, chal-
lenge and an Interrogation. Her "rcd roses
from England and shamrocks from Ireland
and forget me -nots from Wales and heather
from Scotland are very much like her
They arc from brave soil that from the be-
ginning, despite all the odds Of habit and
tradition and organized sclfshness and folly,
have provided sure and certain foothoId for
free men and nourishment for the aspiring
spirit of the race. Out Of these old coun-
tries has come time and again the cry that
wns like trump In the gates Of evil
kings
There will be many great folk IN Wash
ington on Armistce Day and there. will be
rufiiing Of drums and blazing Of flags
when the wreath brought from England IS
ialO at the tomb OF the unknown American.
The delegates to the Conference on the
Limitation OF Armamcnts will be there.
OF course. They might do wei! to look at
the bearer Of this unique tribute and keen
the memory of her and of her mission we'll
forward in their minds. For as the de-
bates progress there will be n great talk
of sacrifices, stubborn efforts 10 maintain
truly enormous pride a persistent unwill-
ingness to forgo this or that advantage
or this or that strategic banking point in
the interest Of the worlds peace.
II there is imagination in the confer
cncc the memory of the woman in black will
never be absent from it. She will be- there
as silent witness, as one opening her
arms and crying out: "Look upon me,
What do you know Of remuneration?
gay" more than my life. What sacrifice
Of yours could be comparable to mine?"