Evening star., 1927-05-27
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

endear the Ambassador 10 the French
still more.
r II X
The new era Of Franco American
fraternity that Lindbergh has ushered
in comedies with the publication in
the United States of Letters to a
Doubter," by M. Paul Claudel, the re-
Gently appointed French Ambassador
to this country. Poet and playwright
by literary profession, this book by
M. Claudel reveals him in the guise
Of deeply religious believer. The
volume consists of translations of let.
ters exchanged between the cultured
diplomat and M. Jacques Riviere. The
latter desired to embrace Roman
Catholicism, but was deferred by his
intellectual agnosticism." The book
discloses that Ambassador Claudel
himself was an almost invincible
doubter, with regard to religion, when
he concluded his university career. M.
Riviere ultimately became Catholic,
and readers Of the Claude1 letters OBJ
tain the impression that it was their
matchless fervor which worked what
the convert on his deathbed called "a
miracle"
Republics are notoriously migrate
full. but it will surprise many Amer
leans to learn that the hat has to be
passed every year in Washington to
get money for flowers to decorate
graves in the national cemetery at
Arlington on Memorial day. The
Grand Army of the Republic Is now
engaged in it's annual appeal for funds
for that purpose. The National Bo-
tanic Gardens supply as many blooms
as possible. From the White House
greenhouses, near the Washington
Monument, Wreaths are sent on re-
curing Memorial days by order of
the President to the tombs of dis
tinguished Americans like Washing
ton, Lincoln, Grant and Mckinley.
The great pansy beds in front Of the
Department Of Agriculture buildings
are annually uprooted and replanted
on Arlington graves in time for Me-
mortal day. But the decorative needs
are always far from being met by all
of these floral contributions combined.
Unlike many Of the States, neither the
Federal Government nor the District
of Columbia makes any appropriation
to honor the Nations $4,000 soldiers.
sailors and marines who fill heroes
graves at Arlington and other ceme-
teries near Washington. It wouldn't
cost many thousands Of dollars for
Uncle Sam to do the right thing sys-
tematically on every Memorial day.
X X X X
Here's a new story making the
rounds about Mrs. Coolidge. The girl
who dresses the First Lady's hair was
scared to death" the first time she
went to the White House profession
ally. II kept trying to think" she
said. that I mustn't get any water
down Mrs. Coolidge's neck, and won
dered what in the world would happen
if did. Once I did that very thing,
but she only laughed and asked, DO
l get bath, too?'"
X X \ X
The Army School of Nursing is
graduating it's annual class on June
3. One Of it's proudest traditions is
that the first American seriously
wounded in the World War was Nurse
Beatrice M. Mcdonald of United
States Army Base Hospital, No. 2,
who was hit by fragment Of shell on
August II, 1917, while on duty at a
casualty clearing station in the Brit
ish lines. The wound resulted in the
loss of one Of Miss McDonald's eyes.
Altogether 101 members Of the Army
Nurse Corps died in line Of duty in the
A. e. F.
Copyright. 1927