Nogales international., 1934-06-02

kAs'sE1 Capitol of the United
~ States, Is Arlington Ma
tional cemetery. Upon its 400 oak
crested acres are more than 10000
carefully tended graves Of American
soldiers. Among these is the tomb
of the Unknown Soldier OF the World
war and the graves Of more than
1000 unknown dead OF other wars.
During the first nine months of
the past year. Myrta Ethel Cawood
writes IN the Washington Star, 7dl
flag draped caskets were lowered
into soldiers graves in Arlington.
On one day alone the solemn strains
Of Taps" were sounded over eleven
open graves. Yet this vast burial
ground is only 65 per cent filled. 1t
is estimated that, judging from the
present rate of burials. there will
be room for new grave plots in Ar
lington for approximately twenty
years to come.
Although Arlington has been an
official military cemetery for sew
enty years, its largest and most i'm.
posing structures were built since
the World war. Among these is
the great marble open-air amphi-
theater. where patriotic and re-
liglous services Of various kinds are
frequently held. Eefore this classic
structure is the tomb Of the Tn
known Soldier, over which is a r.
ton altar of glistening Colorado
marble cut from a solid block Of
stone.
This imposing monument tells Its
story simply: Here rests in Hon
ored Glory an American Soldier
known but to God" On each Of
the longitudinal sides Of the tomb
are three wreaths symbolizing the
six ajor battles of the American
expeditlonary forces in France.
Three heroic figures. representing
ValoS, Victory and Peace. are carved
Ia ato-relief on the base Of the
tomb.
The first soldier inferred In the
Arlington plantation after it was de-
ciared national cemetery was Pri.
vate William Christian of the Sixty.
seventh Pennsylvania infantry. He
was buried Friday, May 13, 1864.
Each imposing monument tells its
story--the Temple of Fame. the Ca
madam Cross. rhe Conf >,erato mon
ument, the Spanish war memorial
the anchor Of the battleShip Maine
the Rough Riders monument. the
bronze equestrian statue Of the one
armed general. railip kearney, and
the great granite sarcophagus over
the grave which contains the bones
of 2.ill unknown soldiers gathered
in September. 1856. from The battle
field Of Bull Run. Their bodies
could not be identified. but their
names and deaths are recorded in
the archives Of their country"
The oldest known grave in AR.
lington Is that Of Mary Randolph
wife Of David Meade Randolph. an
officer OF the Revolution and after
ward the first United States mar
shal Of Virginia. Mrs. Randolph
wrote the "Virginia Housewife" a
famous southern cookbook which
was published l.: 1924. She was
frequent and welcome visitor to
the Custls estate. then known "a
the Arlington plantation, for she
was the aunt Of Mrs. George Wash
ington E'arke CIstis and the god
mother of the latter's daughter,
Mary Ann Randolph Cnstis. who
married Robert T.. Lee at Arlington
Mary Randolph died in Washington
January %, 1928. ami was buried In
compliance with her own request on
the front lawn of the CustlS estate
For more than a century and a
half the hills Of what is now our
National cemetery have borne the
name of Arlington. The name was
given 10 the estate when John Park &
Custis. son of Martha Washington
by her first husband. acquired the
plantation In the year l17S, for
ll.C00 pounds. Of Virginia currency.
lie named 1t Arlington for the old
homestead Of his ancestors On the
eastern shore of Virginia.