Evening star., 1923-12-09

The recent complaints Of return
ing sightseers concerning the sad
condition of American soldiers ceme-
teries abroad are without justifica-
ton, according to Uncle Sam. The
graves OF our American military
dead have not been neglected, and
the plans for their permanent deco
ration are being carried forward just
as rapidly as possible. 1t may be
several months, it is true. before the
buildings are completed, and It may
be several years before the trees are
fully grown. with song birds nesting
In them, but this is the fault not Of
the government but of natural laws.
Complaints about the bedraggled
appearance of the cemeteries at this
time are just about as intelligent as
complaints concerning the appear
ance of a house and grounds which
are under construction. Nevertheless.
from the letters that have been pour
ing In upon congressman, 1t Is evil
dent that a good deal of dismay has
been felt among Americans here at
home. especially In families whose
soldier dead lie buried in Europe
For this reason 1t seems desirable to
know exactly what the graves regis
tration bureau Of the War Depart
ment and the Fine Arts Commission
are doing In the way OF improving
these cemeteries.
There are today over 10000 Ameri-
can soldiers buried in eight perma-
nent cemeteries in Europe-six In
France, one in Belgium and one in
England. The French cemeteries In
clude one at Suresnes near Paris, Bel
leau Wood, Bony. the Meuse-Argonne
cemetery near Romagne. one at Thi-
aucourt and the Oisne-Aisne ceme-
terry at Seringes ct Nesles. The ceme-
terry in England is at Brookwood. In
Surrey, about twenty-etght miles
southwest of London, while the one In
Belgium is at Waereghem and known
as Flanders Field.
According to Charles Moore OF the
Fine Arts Commission. who has just
returned to Washington after q tour
Of inspection of the cemeteries, their
type is the same as the military cem-
eteries in this country, especially the
example, he says, Is the civil war SOL
dfers' portions of Arlington as distin-
kuished from the officers portions.
The soldiers. portions have I'VE S5oad %b;,s
headstones and the trees overhead.
Wherever, throughout the south there
is q civil war cemetery. these are Its
distinguishing features. The trees
have now attained SuNClent STO"tn
to make these cemeteries all that Is
peaceful and restful as BELTS holy
places.
Belleau Wood Cemetery.
OF our cemeteries In France, the
one which has received the most crit
icism is Belleau Wood. It is esti-
mated that $4,000 Americans visited
|Belleau Wood this year, and naturally
some Of them felt aggrieved because
the cemetery was not completed, and
the trees grown, but 1t was simply
inevitable that during the construc-
ton period the cemetery would seem
in confusion.
The Fine Arts Commission recon-
mended the purchase of the entire
plateau at Belleau Wood from which
the German machine gun nests were
dislodged. The authorities saw fit to
curtail the amount of land to be pur-
chased, but a private association WAS
organized by Mrs. James Carroll
Frazer to take care of the matter.
This association purchased the remain
der of the plateau and Is turning 1t
into a park at cost Of $4,000 con-
tributed by sixteen persons, Secretary
of War Weeks and Mrs. Frazer each
contributing. The commissions plans
also called for the purchase of the
entire space between two roads lead
Ting into the town of Belleau. Here