The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-15
War Mother Is Redeening Pledge
To Decorate GrnUes of Soldiers
Mrs. Andrew J. Campbell, Who
Gave Three Sons to the Serv-
ice, Dedicates Her Days to
Americas Heroes.

That the graves OF enlisted men who
gave their. lives with the American
armies In France may be suitably dec
GRATED. the mother of three District
service men is undertaking to furnish
flowers for the grave OF every Yank
soldier killed in the world war who Ia
buried in the National Cemetery at
Arlington.
Since last November, rain or shine,
In the snow and slush or in the most
tOrrid summer afternoon, she has
visited the grave of every enlisted man
laid away in the national burial ground
and has left bunch OF flowers, often
the only token of love and remem-
brance. on the fresh.turned earth.
Flowers Are Scarce.
Now. with most of her available
flower supply destroyed by the dry.
hot weather. she is finding great diff
ficulty i'm securing enough flowers to
so around.
So today the appeal Is being made to
District people for more flowers to dec.
crate the graves of heroes.
II can't bear to see any one of those
boys buried without some sign-some
token that he In not wholly forgotten"
she said with a lump in her throat and
her eyes misty. I've got to have
help. Flowers are so hard to get"
One day last week 1T enlisted men,
whose bodies had just been returned
from France. were buried at Arlington.
On each one of the graves, under the
smoke of the last crashing volley and
M hx Ia ~ 80, ~,
taps" died away, she laid her little
bunch of gayly colored blooms in the
shadow of a new white maidstone.
This self-sacrificing work is being
carried on, unaided. by Mrs. Andrew
]. Campbell, rs # street northwest.
Some of these boys gave their lives
knowing that they were leaving their
aged parents OF their wives and babies
In want" she said. These poor peo-
pie can't visit the graves. feel that
must carry on this work for them rs
well as for the boys themselves"
Never Fails Her Duty.
Since last November. Mrs. Campbell
has been on hand in the cemetery
every Monday and Thursday afternoon
without fail when the bodies of the
American enlisted men are inferred.
The total number of burials to date OF
enlisted men killed in the world war il
1859.
This afternoon she will lay on the
graves flowers which she obtained
from friends on Wisconsin avenue
northwest. During the winter she Wis
tied all of the Washington florists and
succeeded I'm obtaining from them the
flowers she needed. This summer she
IL visiting homes where flowers are
grown I'm the yards, collecting a few
here, a few more there until she has
enough to go around.
But this supply is now about ex-
hausted and she Is forced TO appeal to
the Washington public for aid. All
who can collect flowers for this pur-
pose are asked to send them not later
than 1890 O'Clock each Monday and
Thursday afternoon to the Home Serv-
ice Section, Red Cross. Is Jackson
place northwest. Here Mrs. Campbell
will take charge Of them and place
them on the graves.
The matter of transportation has
also been difficult for Mrs. Campbell.
Autos Are Needed.
Many times she 10 able to find Q
privately owned machine which 10
going to the cemetery. and In which
she can carry her flowers. At
other times, however, she must ride
on the front seat OF Red Cross
or army. truck which happens to. be
on the way to the cemetery. strug-
Cling to keep her great masses of
flowers from blowing away or being
broken by the wind.
In spite of the difficulties, how
ever, she is always on, hand when
the burials take place. and no grave
is ever overlooked.