Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-12-06

LETTER

By Frederic j. HaskIn

SeeFS concerning the sad condition
of American soldiers cemeteries
abroad are without justification, ac-
cording to Uncle Sam. The graves
of our American military dead have
not been neglected, and the plans
for their permanent decoration are
being carried forward just as rapid
ly as possible. 1t may be several
months, it is true, before the build
ings 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 b~edraggled
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. Neverthe-
less. from the letters that have been
pouring in upon congressman, it is
evident that a good deal of dismay
has beer felt among Americans here
at home especially in families
whose soldier dead lie buried in Eu-
rope. For this reason it seems de-
sirable to know exactly what the
Graves Registration Bureau or the
War Department and the Fine Arts
Commission are doing in the way OF
improving these cemeteries.
|
There are today over 10000 Amer
lean soldiers buried in eight perma-
nent cemeteries in Europe-six in
France, one in Belgium, and one in
England. The French cemeteries
include the one at Suresnes near
Paris; Belleau Wood; Bony; the
Meuse-Argonne cemetery near Ro-
magne; one at Thiaucourt, and the
Ofsne-Aisne cemetery at Seringes ct
Nesles. The cemetery in England
is at Brookwood, in Surrey, about
twenty-eight miles southwest of Lon
don; while the one in Belgium is at
Waereghem and known as Flanders
Field.
According to Charles Moore, of
the Fine Arts Commission, who las
Just returned to Washington after
a tour of inspection of the ceme-
teries, their type is the same as the
military cemeteries in this country,
especially the Civil War cemeteries.
A familiar example, he says, is the
Civil War soldiers portions of Ar
as distinguished from the
officers portions. The soldiers por-
tfons have broad spaces Of green
grass small white headstonses ana
trees overhead. Wherever
throughout the south, there is a
Civil War cemetery, these are It's
distinguishing features. The trees
now attained sufficient CROWN
TO make these cemeteries all that
IS peaceful and restful as behts holy
places.
OF our cemeteries in France, the
which has received the most
criticism is Belleau Wood. 1t is es-
limated that 5000 Americans WISH
ted Belleau Wood this year, and nat
some OF them felt aggr1eved
because the cemetery was not COM
and the trees grown, but 1t
was simply inevitable that during
the construction period the ceme-
terry would seem in confusion.
TIE Fine Arts Commission recon-
mended the purchase of the entire
plateau at Belleau Wood from which
the German machine gun nests were
d%islodged The authorities saw fit
to curtail the amount of land to be
purchased, but a private associa-
ton was organized by Mrs. James
Carroll Frazer to take care OF the
matter. This association purchased
the remainder of the plateau and is
turning it into a park, at n cost OF
SIG, 600, contributed by sixteen per-
sons Secretary Of War Weeks and
Mrs. Frazer each contributing. the
commissions plans also called for
the purchase of the entire space be-
tween two roads leading into the
town of Belleau. Here again the
curtailed the amount to
he purchased, and again Mrs. Fraz-
er's association has come to the front
and bought two fields necessary 10
bring the property IL to the TWO
roads.
Most of the land occupied by
American cemeteries was donated
by the French government, but In
some instances it has been necessary
to purchase small areas in order to
protect the cemeteries from the en-
croachments of persons interested
in establishing shabby commercial
enterprises on the outskirts
.
The gem of the American ceme-
teries, according to Mr.. Moore, is the
one at Suresnes near Paris, which
lies along the Boulevard George
Washington and stretches back to
the wooded slopes of Dilerien, one
of the most conspicuous landmarks
of the Paris area. The plans for
this cemetery include a small plot
of land on the side of the boulevard
Opposite the cemetery, or which two
buildings are being erected, Joined by
a terrace overlooking the Seine and
Paris.
The largest cemetery is at Ro-
p,agne. The main road from Ro-
magne to Verdun passes directly
through the cemetery, which slopes
IN the hills on either side OF the
road. with the graves on one SIDE
and the necessary buildings on the
other slope.
The British have 1900 cemeteries
in france to our six. Thus, If the
American participation in the World
War is going to count visibly in
France it is necessary to make h
six American cemeteries impressive.
This can be done only by using suffi-
cient land and making the buildings
dignifed, while the landscape effects
/ must be we'll planned. 1t has been
the constant aim of the Commission
of Fine Arts to make the architec-
| lure in these cemeteries "feel at
home" in France. Simplicity and
| dignity, good proportions and good
design have been sought.
y
Each grave will be marked by a
white marble headstone of simple,
dignifed design, upon which will
be inscribed the full name of the
soldier, his rank, regiment, division,
and the state from which he came.
In a circle IA inches in diameter
near the top will be cut a Latin
cross, emblematic of the Christian
faith. of the Star of David, emble-