New Britain herald., 1930-04-26
Modem Pilgrimage Abroad Planned For Gold Star
 Mothers Becomes De Luxe Voyage Costing $5,000,0OO

New York. April 26.-When 5000 Gold Star mothers and widows em- bark this summer upon pilgrimage to the graves of their soldier dead. among them will be the woman most responsible for Uncle Sam 8 having them all to go as his guests. She is Mrs. Mathilda Burling, of Richmond Hill. Long Island. When Mrs. BurlinS's son died in France in 1918, she decided for pa triotic reasons to leave him lover there" At the time, she recalls that the late Colonel Theodore Roosevelt said. Maybe some day you can go visit his grave"
 His remark made deep im- pression on me-" Mrs. Burling said. But 1t wasn't until five years later that had the idea that maybe Un- cle Sam could send those mothers of us who were too poor to ever dream of making the trip them selves. I have been working ever since To have the bill passed. but Congressman David L. O'Conne.l and others deserve the real credit for it."
 To Be De Luxe Trip Now that the plan Is full grown, and the exodus of 800 mothers per week begins in May. like many an- other mother of an idea, Mrs. Burl- ing hardly recognizes the child of her brain. For, from puny, poor little thing as she first conceived it, the idea of the trip has attained positive de luxe stature!
 Mrs. Burling estimated that per haps 1000 Gold Star mothers would be eligible. Six thousand are going. She figured it would cost around s5o,00o. The govern ment is providing $5,ooo,ooo in the deficiency bill now before Con- gress. She had in mind a real pilgrimage, perhaps student third costing sSs5 apiece. The pilgrim age this summer. IS going first class. in the full regalia manner of the War Department, and the figured cost of first class hotels, transportation, meals and so on is a minimum of sS40 apiece. It Is an unique experiment for the government to take 5000 wo- l men abroad, in groups of 300 each week from May until September. Most of them are between 60 and e5. One is ss. Several are on crutches. A few, are in wheel chairs. Many of them are in ill., health, on special diets, some- al- most helpless. Yet every eligible woman who can come to New York without chaperonage of the Gov ernment will have her fair paid to the embarking port and care and expenses from then on. She will even have fare back to her own door from New York.
 Prepared for Deaths
 Everything is planned like q military expedition. According 10 insurance companies. from 21 to 50 of these government guests are likely to die overseas. The Gov. ernment allows for this and plans to bring back the bodies under es- cort. An allowance is made for $500 sick days, figured by statis- tics. Doctors. nurses. attendants, 45 officers to take charge of the groups, several interpreters, and s4,400 worth of medical supplies for emergencies at the cemeteries are arranged for.
 All Gold Star mothers and wid- ows whose dead are buried in for eign cemeteries and who cannot afford to go themselves or have not gone. are eligible. Mothers whose sons are among the miss- ing" are not invited. They would have no destination; Unless. how ever, their sons are among the missing in a given territory. If so. they can go. and kneel at the mound each cemetery maintains which holds remains of all the sol diers unidentified who died in that region.
 Mothers whose sons are lost at sea cannot go. "The government could not just take them cruising. a, one woman explained. "An1 they must have some specific grav,. in mind or they have no place in this pilgrimage"
 This, of course. means that the mother of the Unknown Soldier will not be among the 5000!
 Special Accommodations Sought
 All kinds of curious requests are pouring into the Government from their invited guests.
 One woman. SS, wants to take her 66-year-old daughter. too, be- cause they are inseparable.
 An Indian woman, whom the Government always has taken ex- cellent care of, wants q special in- terpreter all her own.
 Many many requests are con1- ing in, asking for spending mon ey in Paris So many Jewish mothers have inquired about kosher cooking and the Govern ment has decided to furnish it. One girl who lost two brothers and last year lost her mother who would have been entitled to go, wants to take her place on the trip.
 Two women want to bring back pets, duty free, one a Maltese cat from France, the other a bulldog from England.
 Beginning in May, groups of 300 women, arranged according to their destinations. will arrive in New York a day before sailing. be met by army officers, put up at first class hotels. be received officially by Mayor Walker and started over seas, each tagged with red, white and blue badge on a metal bay, which bears her name and official number. Everything. from trans