Evening star., 1933-11-05

widows wept openly. No tangible grave for
them to visit. After appropriate ceremonies
and heart-Stabbing examples Of grief, . floral
wreath was tossed overheard. to float and drift
apart on the waves Of the sea-
All parties arriving IN Europe were met by
a contingent of officers nurses and Interpreters,
and escorted by special train 10 Paris. There
the parties were separated into groups, ac-
cording to the location Of the cemetery to be
visited. officer charge graves regis
tratior service conducting European arrange
ments, allotted two weeks in Europe for each
party Of pilgrims. This included five to six
days in the vicinity Of the particular cemetery
to be visited. The remainder of the time was
to be spent in Paris and London at the pill
grim groups freedom.
The first day in Paris was spent in resting.
the second in receptions. Afterward the
various groups departed by bus for the ceme-
teries, in charge of an officer and nurse Daily.
for five or six days, the pilgrims visited the
graves of their loved ones and made sight
seeing trips in the vicinity.
Activities on the various front sectors where
American forces fought during the war were
explained by officers in charge. They were
well versed in military movements as they
turned back the years for those mothers and
widows-back to the grim days of nations
struggling against nations.
Shortly after returning to Paris the as
semblages boarded ship for return to America.
At the New York pier group of officers met
each party and escorted it to a hotel for
short rest. Afterward each group disbanded
and departed to respective homes. Throughout
the entire pilgrimage simple dignity OBJ
served, in keeping with the lofty purpose.
THE first memorial trip, in $780, was COM
pleted by 1858 pilgrims. There were 1e
parties in ALL the last sailing on the S. S.
Republic. In 1881 the figures dwindled to
1766; the first party embarking on the S. S.
George Washington and Is other parties fol-
lowing. the last sailing the s. S. President
Roosevelt. Still dwindling, only 566 pilgrims
were counted between the first parties boarding
the S. S. Leviathan May II, 1882, and dsem-
barking from the S. S. President Roosevelt.
The average age Of the pilgrims was SO years,
although the oldest mother was 90 and the
youngest widow was only q years Of age.
This year the S. S. President Roosevelt,
commanded by Capt John Jensen. departed
for France July 26. During the current year
689 women have sailed, making total of
6,674 who have availed themselves of the op-
portunity afforded them to visit the cemeteries
of Europe. They paid all possible honor to
their sons and husbands lost at sea during the
World War period and whose remains have
not been returned to the States. An unfortu-
nate total of 9,812 women sadly declined the
privilege, due to poor health.
During the four years Of pilgrimages, ended
October 81, the total of women who visited
European cemeteries amounted to 6.674. The
graves Of sons or husbands were visited by
5612 And 543 were mothers and widows Of
men whose remains rest in some unknown
part of the Old World. The remaining SIG
were cheated by the sea. They had no
tangible resting place to VISIT but their tears
were added to the Atlantic Is they Leaned over
the liners rail i,,,t -, =, ,..t.d.