Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-26
MONUMENT PLANS
IN FRANCE MAPPED
Pershing Predicts Memorial
System viii Be CON-
pIeted in 1929.

pleIeQ IN ISZS.
Types and locations of monuments
In France which will perpetuate the
memory Of the achievements OF Amer
lean troops in the World War and
stand as memorials to the soldier dead
buried overseas were described in de-
tail yesterday by Gen. John J. Perish
ing. who returned a few days ago
from a three month visit in France in
his official capacity as chairman of
the American Battle Monuments
Commission.
Gen. Pershing announced that work.
ing plans have been prepared and ap-
proved officially for the construction
Of the memorials and that actual work
on their erection will begin the early
part of September. 1t is anticipated
that the entire memorial system will
be completed within two years. he
stated. and the principal memorials
are expected to be finished within a
year.
White Marble Crosses.
The plans call for the creation of
specific general memorials, commem.
Grating major and minor operations
of the American troops, he explained,
as well as tor the erection Of non
UNCONVENTIONAL chapels in each of the
eight American military cemeteries in
France. Belgium and England.
White crosses, composed of the
| finest Italian marble, are taking the
places Of the temporary wooden
markers placed over the soldiers
graves, Gen. Pershing said, and al
| ready have been placed over more
than half Of the $4,000 graves Of A.
E. F. dead in France.
Gen. Pershing stated that three
large memorials will mark the major
operations in which American forces
engaged.
All of the memorials will be of
classic design drawn up by American
architects and maintaining an air Of
simple dignity.
Memorial at Montfaucon.
The largest of the three major me-
MORALS will be erected on a high hill
at Montfaucon to commemorate the
Meuse-Argonne operation, which the
A. E. F. commander characterized as
the greatest of the operations in
which the American troops partici-
pated. An offensive was launched on
September 26, 1918, he said, which
1t will take the form of fiuted
| white shaft. surmounted by a figure,
and approached by graduallyasce nding
levels of marble steps. The hill it.
self, upon which the monument will
be erected. will be cared for py the
French as a permanent memorial.
The heroism of the First American
Army which resulted in the reduction
| of the st. Mihiel salient will be COM
| memorated by a memorial on Mont
| Sec, familiar landmark of the St.
Mihiel region. In its general appear
ance it will resemble the Lincoln Me-
| mortal.
At Chateau.Thierry.
| The third major memorial will be
constructed at Chateau-Thierry upon
| a hill overlooking the River Marine.
1t will stand as a lasting reminder
of the activities of the American
troops in the valley of the Marine.
Another class of memorials, which
will retain the classic simplicity of
the larger designs, Gen. Pershing
stated, will serve to commemorate
minor operations and specific places
where American divisions went into
action.
American divisions which served in
|
be recognized by a monument on
Blanc Mont Ridge, he stated, which
will be of such a design as to permit
the engraving of a record Of the serv.
ices Of the I'd, seth, 42d and 93d d.
visions.
Operations of American divisions
that served with the British army in
France will be concentrated by a
monument near Bony, constructed on
a site exactly over the canal tunnel
between Bony and Bellicourt. near
the main road which runs north and
south In that region.
A monument will be placed at Au.
denarde. Belgium, to serve as a last
ing reminder of the operations of the
9th and 91st Divisions and the Amer
lean artillery which fought in that
region.
other monuments in the memorial
plans referred to by the general will
be located at Ypres. in honor Of the
activities there of the 9th and 30th
Divisions, and at Cantigny, standing
town by the LIST Division, considered
the first important operation of an
American division during the war.
Monument to Navy.
Gen. Pershing displayed a tentative
drawing of naval monument which
will be erected at Brest dedicated to
1.-The service of the United States
Navy In European waters during the
World War" It will tower high In
air so that 1t may be seen far out al
sea.
The chapels in the eight cemeteries
will be of classic design, several OF
them closely resembling colonial
They will be constructed In the fol
, lowing cemeteries: Romagne, Tniau
!, court, ere-en-Tardenois, Belleau
Suresnes, Bony and Brookwood, Eng
land, and Waereghem, Belgium. Each
cemetery, Gen. Pershing explained
will be surrounded by a solid wall
, built at such height that the passer
, by can see easily into the last resting
, place Of the soldier dead.
The general stated that it had beer
proposed to mark the graves with
marble slabs, but that those in charge
, of the American memorials had ad
, hered to the belief that simple
cross. standing erect at the head OF
. each grave, constitutes the most suit
able memorial to the fallen brave
representing the spirit OF thu
crusaders.
a Complete I'm 1929.
!. Mothers Of fallen soldiers wht
D viewed the marble crosses during
: exercises on Decoration day, which
r the general attended, spoke OF then
in terms of the highest satisfaction
and enthusiasm, he said.
Gen. Pershing predicted that TIT
entire memorial system will have beef
v constructed by the Fall Of 1929 ant
!. said that after the erection OF tn
q actual memorials the commission vii
!. turn its attention to landscape garden
}. ing in the vicinity Of the memorial
a | and other Identification of q perma