The New York herald., 1921-05-31
FRANCE DECORATES
10000 U. S. GRAVES
Envoy Wallace and Marshal
Petain Pay Glowing Trib-
utes to Dead Heroes.
BIZ N, Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
PARIS, May 30.-Little American flags
and poppy dotted wreatils marked tho
grave Of every one Of the forty odd
thousand American soldier dead remain
Ing IN France and the few hundreds
scattered throughout the European con-
tinent. Even to the single mound on
Gibraltar America remembered her dead
The Americans, comparatively few In
numbers. shared with the French their
sad task Of honoring those who had died
In the great cause. The French took
part in every ceremony. and In places
where perhaps there was only a single
grave and the American committee was
able TO send only one representative,
French patriotic societies organized SER
vices.
There we're seventy-seven groups of
graves where formal memorial pro-
grammes were carried out in France. but
there We're others. more picturesque.
where a French priest led the school
children to an Isolated American grave,
which they had guarded and cared for
as II their own, or where a village mayor
presided over the services.
Imposing ceremonies were held al
such places as Suresnes. with regiments
of French soldiers, and little affecting
ceremonies We're frequent where chill
dren from nearby farms gathered to
carry tightly gripped bouquets of wild
flowers 10 the grave of one they knew
only as the American"
The principal ceremony occurred in
the American military cemetery at
Suresnes. In the hills overlooking Paris
from the west. Hugh c. Wallace, the
American Ambassador. and Major-G Gen.
Henry I. Allen. commander of the Amer
lean forces on the Rhine, paid Americas
homage, while Marshal Petain and two
French Deputies spoke for the army and
Government OF France. Ambassador
Wallace struck responsive chord when
he said: Gould have my way these
graves would never be disturbed"
Marshal Petain. standing among his
soldiers before the rostrum on which
Nine. Milierand, wife of the French
President stood with Ambassador and
Mrs. Wallace. echoed the American Am
bassador's expression of infinite regret
that France could not always care for
all those Americans who fell on her soil
Marshal Petain. after having alluded
to the tender respect and love shown
throughout the United States to-day for
the soldiers who fell in battle, said
May those families whose tears are
the more bitter for not having near
them the glorious remains of their chill
which we French guard these sacred
guests. and of the homage which we pay
TO their glorious memory"
The Marshal eulogiZed the greatness
of ideas and feelings that had sustained
and guided the combatants. adding:
American soldiers fallen for the cause
of the right, I come again to salute
you in the name of your French
brothers in arms and in the name OF all
Evor nd To py,ta inc md
proud families an expression of admira-
ton for the heroes you were. and Of
out eternal gratitude toward your
valiant country"
AS the other speaker finished the
Headquarters band of the American
forces in Germany struck up a funeral
march as a procession of fatherless
children of France. carrying American
flags. slowly wound its way through the
silent graves and placed on them mod
est bouquets OF daisies. poppies and
cornflowers.
AS the last strains of Taps" sounded
by lone American bugler, floated over
the throng. Father Hemmicls of St Jo-
seph's Church I'm Paris pronounced the
benediction and the ceremony was ended
Then the march past of the French troops.
three battalions OF infantry. three
squadrons of cavalry and two batteries
OF artillery. began. They were reviewed
by Ambassador Wallace Gen. Allen.
Marshal Petain and other dignitaries,
the honor guard filing past the Ameri-
can composite battalion from the Rhine
at the attention"
At Roma gne-so -Montfaucon little
flags fluttered to-day on every grave in
Americas largest war cemetery in
France. Wreaths also were placed at
every cross marking the graves. There
was no public ceremony owing to the
fact that the bodies OF soldiers in the
cemtery here are being dislnterred TO be
taken back TO the United States.
At Chaumont. which was general
headquarters of the A. +. T.. two regi-
ments Of French infantry and artillery
marched in the procession Of American
and French delegations and French Off
cials to st. Afghan Cemetery. where
memorial services were held
Similar services were held at Nancy.
Havre, Limoges. Brest and st. Nazaire.