Evening star., 1927-11-20
,Erstwhile 'Buddies" Aid in
Quest Along Dim Trails
Since Armistice.
MOTHERS ASK NEWS
Hunt for Lost Loved One
Often Ends at Grave
Overseas.

The searchNght of investigation Is
sweeping over the country, with
Washington as it's pivot. to pick up
traces of veterans of the World W al
who have Fgone out into the FORT OF
Missing Men. Some have been ihlSs
ing since the ArnStlce was SiSheu-
but most have departed into oOiiNlo''
sjnca their return to the United states
and nine years after the Waf emu
finds their relatives and frlehdS seek
ing hint of their WHEREABOUTS
Naturally the most concerned OF thF
inquirers are mothers who want 20 Ie
knit the ties of love with thel poS
Some of the appeals come from those
who inst want to get in touch with
their erstwhile "buddieS" and talk over
old times. while some are from cred
itors who claim debts against the OBJ
ject of their search.
In this quest are a group OF allies
that have continued their mlnlstta-
tions into the balmy days OF peace
the War and Navy Departments. the
Red Cross. the Veterans Bureau, as
we'll as the organizations of the men
who went forth TO fight-the Disabled
American Veterans, the American n
Legion and the Veterans OF Foreign
Wars. Then, too, there is pathetic
for the missing veteran ends i'll a
newly-discovered grave overseas.
through the persistent plugging OF the
Graves Registration Service, following
a dim trail through the years.
Case of Frank Vincent.
In the forefront of interesting cases
of missing veterans is that OF FRANK
Vincent. disabled war veteran, last
heard of from Kansas City, Mo, Octo-
Der l5, 1920, and who has Slo,0o0 IN
compensation and automatic lnsur-
ance due him at the Veterans bureau.
Mr.. Vincent was injured April Il,
1917, while member OF the
Wyoming National Guard by the ac-
cidental discharge of his rifle at Crys-
tai Lake, Wyo. AS a result Oh TINS
his right forearm and left leg were
omnutated. AS the law stood at first
his application for aid was disallowed,
but later a statute was enacteu tHAC
made his claim valid.
Mr.. Vincent was 5 feet inches tall
with dark brown hair, blue eyes and
fair complexion, and II stu anVe
would be 3S years old. All the Ell
forts of the Veterans Bureau to lind
this man have proved futile.
On October Is, 1927, Vincent had
been missing for seven years, the
period the law permits to be declared
dead. His relatives last May initiated
proceedings with this end in view IN
the Franklin County Court in Ne
braska. and when the seven years
had eIapsed his mother, who is more
than so years old and crippled from
paralysis, was paid a sum OF insur-
ance by the Veterans Bureau. AL
though he has officially been declared
dead. there is a possibility that he
may return to claim the money ac-
cumulated at the bureau.
Women Aid i'm Search.
Tt is an interesting paradox that
while women veterans or the Worlu
War are seldom if ever missing, Wom-
en- are doing much of the work In
u;cIxiny up the lost trails that lead 10
The whereabouts of the missing men,
TWO Washington women, IN parlcuc
lar. are aiding in the lions snare OF
the work-Mrs. Inez NJ. Pugh OF the
Veterans Bureau and MISS Polly Sut-
ton of the Red Cross.
Mrs. Pugh has been with the vet
eraps' Bureau since it's very inception,
having started in 1915 in the Bureau
Of War Risk Insurance, which insured
merchant ships and later sailors, ana
in time came to be expanded into the
Veterans Bureau.
Fifty-five missing men have been
located for relatives and friends
through the efforts of Mrs. Pugh ana
the Veterans Bureau. Letters sun
continue to come in, from two TO five
a week, seeking light on veterans that
have dropped out of sight.
Mrs Pugh points out that under
the law. all information in the files
relating to cases of veterans is conf
Dental and addresses are not MADE
public. Accordingly, the resources OF
the bureau are limited in this connec-
tion to circulariZing its 54 regional Of
fees and SO hospitals and to search
ing its files, forwarding letters to the
veterans themselves, but not dlsclos-
ing their whereabouts to the seeker.
IL man is a beneficiary of the bu-
reau, Mrs. Pugh says, so that he has
regular contact with the bureau,
through correspondence relating to in
surance, compensation or adjusted
compensation, a clue is given, but If
not the bureau is powerless to help.
Russian Veteran Traced.
At the national headquarters Of the
American Red Cross the complex
problenn of throwing light on men
who have gone out into the night OF
oblivion is in the hands OF Miss SUIT
ton, who has charge of correspond
ence dealing with veterans, their fam
lilies and a multitude of problems.
One of the most interesting cases
was that of a Russian who had en-
listed in the American Army and who
had served overseas, only to be re-
ported missing in action. The Red
Il. l., lNtx~
parents, but as they We're illiteratc
peasants, no response came. With
the aid of a representative of the Rus
sian Red Cross in New York, the
American organization was able TO
trace this man and find that he is now
q farmer in Russia.
The true story was that the Russian
had been taken prisoner and had eS-
capped from a German prison camp
and made his way back TO Russia.
Just six weeks ago the nine-year-old
mystery was cleared up and the man
located on a farm in Russia. lie Is
anxious to get back to America, and
as he Is not discharged soldier he
is still in the American army and Will
have to report to one of the Army
posts or recruiting stations TO get his
orders, should he return to the United
States.
Miss Sutton has found that few
women veterans disappear. and those
that do are usually nurses. Former
Army men make up the bulk of those
that disappear, the records showins
that former Navy men or Marines sell
dom if ever drop out Of sight.
Family to BE Reunited.
This Christmas will be a particularly
happy one for mother and her TWO
children in one of the Northern States.
y soldier will be discharged shortly
before Yuletide, to be reunited. after
q wide gulf Of years, with his mother