The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-08
CARE
SIGHTED, IS
CHARGE
Legion Men Complain Airing
ton Conditions Unworthy
of Hero Dead.
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CONTINUED from First Page.l
keep of the nations thirty-one ma
tional cemeteries and to bring back
bodies from overseas. A small un-
jexpended balance was also reappro-
Ipriated The figures for 1923 were
SCOOPS, in addition to a. reappro-
priation of $543,320, while for 1924
there will be $697,640 available.
OF these sums the Quartern1aster
Generals office apportioned to Ar
Ilington, in 1922, $53,456.76; in 1928,
l$34,299.31; for 1924 the unofficial
figure is set at $49,57O. The last
named is substantial increase over
the present fiscal year, but at pres
lent those in charge are sternly
pressed for funds as Memorial Day
nears.
As demonstrating this, it may be
instanced that last summer, on an
appeal from Colonel Bonnycastle,
Secretary Weeks directed the de-
partment's finance officer to allow
those in charge of Arlington $1,000
for work imperative to be per-
formed at once.
That other national cemeteries
are suffering more than Arlington
in the matter of reduced appropria-
tions is to be judged from the state
ment that the quartermaster gen.
erals office has always been more
generous in allotments to this
reservation than the remaining
thirty. The condition of some is
described as truly rural.
Colonel Bonnycastle explained to-
day that he sought the extra $500
because he was determined Airing
tin should not look like a country
graveyard.
Grass-cutting is a serious problem
in this tract, sacred to all Amer.
leans. There should be eighteen
men engaged In this work alone
from April Is to September Is. ac-
cording to the superintendent.
While declining to state the force
at present employed, Colonel Bonny-
castle declared much of the mems
time is taken up in opening graves
and like tasks. Up to last year he
had considerable money to expend
and facilitated the grass trimming
by employing motor mowers, but
appropriations were so cut that this
was temporarily abandoned.
Work Going On.
Work around the World War sec
ton has been particularly heavy
during the past twelve months,
: said Colonel Bonnycastle because
there have been placed or are in
process of placement thousan ds of
headstones for men who fell in
the World War. In the past three
years, 1000 of the heroic dead
have been inferred in Arlington,
according to William F. Franklin,
past commander of Costello Post
American Legion. Colonel Bonny-
castle says $500 stones are being
set at this time, and that he hopes
, 1000 will be in the ground by Me-
mortal Day.
That Congress must give serious
consideration year by year to Arl.
, ington's needs and not attempt
, slashing tactics upon national GENE
. terry appropriations is to be under
stood from Colonel Bonnycastle S
remarks about the future as re,
CARDS Arlington.
: While the reservation contains
: 400 acres now, it must be immense
ly expanded in the years TO come
Z he declares. because there are
) 5000, geo men in the United States
2 who will have the right of being
buried in this military ground, as
. World War veterans.
Last years cemeterial estimates
t suffered some slight reduction at
3 the hands Of the Budget Commits.
! sion, says Past Commander Frank.
lin, and were "scandalousIy cut by
the Committee on Appropriations
!, Senators restored $4,000. and this
: accession was agreed to by the
House conferees. Otherwise Airing
4 ton and the other thirty grounds
would have suffered more than is
the case
Complaint is also voiced by legion
| spokesman over the assertion that
= funds for bringing back bodies from
! overseas are running low. A mum
Der have been held abroad because
it is necessary to send them all on
one ship, thus saving costs of trans
portation. The body OF one Wash
ington soldier, request for the ship
ment of which was made last Janu
: airy say legion men, will not be
brought over until next month.
Fears Souvenir Hunters.
On his score, Colonel Bonnycastle
: has some remarks to make about
| the depredations of souvenir hunt.
ers at Arlington.
If strict guard were not main.
/ tanned, he says, shrines and monu.
ments in the cemetery would be lit.
orally carried away. He instanced
the fact that a rest room recently
had suffered the removal Of a mum.
Der of fixtures but few hours
after it was opened to the public.
He also offered an explana tion
for putting a black and gold plate
d on the tomb of the unknown dead
) which stands before the memorial
amphitheater At the time the
plate was affixed several weeks
ago, he was subjected to criticism
he said, by parsons who declared
he was 'profa ming the tomb His
reason for having this marker
! made was because there had previ
= ousiy been nothing to designate the
nature of the sarcophagus. One
day a guard saw a woman jauntiIy
perched atop the marble box while
her husband took a photograp phi of
, her. The custodian demonstrated
to the surprise Of the couple. who
, said they had no idea this was the
resting place of the unknown The
plate was first put on the cover of
the tomb. but after the profa ma ton
talk. Colonel Bonnycastle ordered
, it set against one side, where it
now may be seen.
GEORGE c. SHINN NAMED
| -nAnE n~AnN 1an-@-@n