The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1924-11-29
TRINkETS OF SLAIN
SOLDIERS UNCLAIMED
5000 in Collection at the
War Department.

5000 poignant human interest stories
buried here In ashington-unwritten
because no outsider" can find words
potent enough. untold because the per-
sons most Interested cannot be found
to tell them. Each story Is materially
represented by trinket. paper
wrapped. lying In special room of the
War department.
War stories they are--tales of SOL
diers who have fought in battles here
and In other lands, who have died In
service and whose relatives have never
been found. Their trmkets, their jew
els and keepsakes, taken from their
still forms on fields Of battle, all are
there awaiting for the call Of someone
who has the right to claim them.
Good luck charms there are by hun
dreds-charms which failed to keep
their owners safe from harm. And
there are decorations and medals Of all
kinds which testify to the valor of
their winners, though there be none to
know they were won.
Strange Stories Never to Be Told.
Strange are the stories that the
trinkets would tell--if they could;
stories Of reckless desire to win dis
tinction for someone back at home ;
tragedies of human hearts made rash
ly brave because someone did not
care; debonnair eagerness for expert
ence-and heartbreak for countless
families left at home to wait and hope.
There are hundreds of photographs
of beautiful girls, smiling or sad-eyed.
taken from breast pockets of soldiers
on battlefields. There are diamond
rings. fashioned for feminine hands,
which went to the war with their pur-
chasers because someone" withheld
her consent. There are remnants of
bullets and toy cannons whitfield of
wood. There are costly gems, Liberty
bonds and sums Of money.
Families have doubtless been left
destitute but could not be given the
wealth these soldiers possessed. Other
apparently worthless trinkets would
be priceless to mothers, fathers, wives
and sweethearts Of those who died.
But all have been unclaimed. John
w. Robins has their charge. His is
the task of locating relatives to whom
those belongings of service men left
on battlefields and in camps should be
returned. ...
Although countless of the living have
been connected with their dead, there
are more than 5000 packages whose
shouid-be-owners among "the nearest
of kin" cannot be found.
All wars are represented.
Tragic Romance Reached.
A battered dollar watch which
had done service for many years and
was indenteG with marks of shrapnel
was recently sent to the fiancee of the
boy who carried it when he died. 1t
was all she had, save memories of the
lover to whom she had not said good
by, because she was In Cuba when he
sailed. A mother. comparatively young
six years ago, now aged and grayed
with grief, came to Robins for help In
locating the grave of her boy. He had
worn ring bearing the family coat Of
arms, she said. After four years the
boy was traced to a nameless grave in
France.
A youthful lieutenant wore a So
rority pin over his heart when he died.
With only the name of the sorority
search was started and inquiry at col
lege after college finally located the
girl to whom he had been engaged and
made possible the marking Of his
grave. $50,
Only a few weeks ago a family ring
worn by a soldier Of the Civil war was
returned to the widow, who, for all
these years, had thought 1t lost.
OF the thousands Of soldiers who
have died In the service of this coun-
try, the effects Of more than three
fourths have been returned to those
who have the right to them.