The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-02-21
DEAD OVERSEAS
Get KIND CARE
American Cemeteries Models for
Other Nations That Were in
World War.
PLOTS GROWING IN BEAUTY
30,511 of the Nations Fallen Lie In
Eight Burial PIaces-150 Men
Are Employed in Work Of
Caring for Cemeteries.


In Europe, in which are 10000 Ameri-
can soldier dead, are maintained SO
splendidly that they are models for the
other nations that participated in the
World war. The French secretary Of
war recently told Colonel Rethers, In
charge Of the graves registration serv-
ice In Europe, that the American GENE
terry at Romagne was the most impress
sive one he had ever seen. The Ameri-
can government has done all in its
power to make the burial places beau
tiful.
Six are in France one is in Belgium
and the other is in England. Most OF
the French plots were selected to com
memorate the battles fought in the
vicinities. The cemetery at Romagne
represents the Argonne fighting, the
one at Thiacourt the battle Of ST. Mi
hiel There is one at Belleau Wood,
significant of the action there; one at
Nesles, about 25 miles north Of Cha
teau-Thierry; one at Suresnes, near
Paris, In which are buried those who
died in the hospitals around Paris, and
one at Bony, in which are the dead Of
the Twenty-seventh and Thirtieth d.
visions, which fought with the English.
In Flanders Field.
The Flanders Field cemetery, in
southern Belgium, contains the bodies
of 800 Americans who fought with the
English in Belgium. The eighth of the
cemeteries is in Brookwood, England
containing the bodies of 435 Americans
who died In the British isles.
The cemetery at Romagne contains
the largest number of. bodies. 1877. 1t
covers 100 acres. The next largest is
at Nesles which covers 48 acres and
contains the bodies of 6,033. In all
there are 30,511 American soldiers,
sailors and marines buried in Europe.
OF this number only 900, or about
2 per cent, are unknown dead The
number of unknown dead was reduced
by 200 during the year. It Is possible \
others of the dead will be identified as
proceed. Every effort
is being made to gain new identifica-5
lions. Descriptions taken at the time
OF burial are being checked up with
obtained from army pa |
GERS and from relatives of those who |
fell The work Is slow and tedious, but,
s bringing some results.
Except where unknown dead are be-
ng identified no more bodies are being
to the United States This |
ceased a year ago, after a period in |
which relatives might request the re
turn of bodies. The War department
+ho+ 20 +ho
II bodies were to continue the GENE
,eries would be in a constant upheaval
md their beauty would be married. But
t is only fair to the relatives of sol
Tiers newly identified that they be
,iven the opportunity of having the
,odies returned. In instances of this
lind % bodies were returned last year ]
Few Unknown Dead.
In comparison with that Of the other
rmies in the World war the number
t American unknown dead is small II
about per cent of American dead are
unknowns." The French and British
proportion is about 80 per cent.
In the American army the soldiers
we're required to wear two Identified
ion tags, one. on a string around the
eek and the other on the wrist Most | /.
f the men wore the tags, but here and .
here were men who did not The
len in the British and French sfmies
yere much more lax in this regard
nan were the Americans.
The army appropriation bill for the
seal year beginning July 1 carries /
10000 for the maintenance Of the II
merican cemeteries in Europe. APP iii
fortunately $50 men are employed in Il
lie work. Nine are American army Of II
GERS and the others, except for an II
my sergeant in charge of motor II
are civilians. A central Il
lice is maintained in Paris. Il
Difficulty has been experienced in Il
citing grass to grow in some of the II
'meteries. 1t is evident that sprink- Il
lg systems will have to be installed. X
Romagne it was necessary to, plant TX
ass six times. To make the cemetery is
esentable for the large number of Is
nerican visitors last summer the ex- le
dient of planting rye was resorted le
temporarily. lie
In the French cemeteries the bodies e
e buried in individual graves, with (
st mounds over them without grass. Is
IT the French intend to adopt the lie
nerican idea of beautiful lawn eff liz
IT. liz