Evening star., 1936-11-08
American Respect for Chosen Hero Is in
Harmony With Similar Patriotic Senti-
ments Which Mark War Memories in
Capitals Of World.

porters and photographers, Sergt.
Younger walked three times around
the four coffins in the Hotel de Vile,
Chalons, and placed on the second
casket from the right spray Of white
roses. He saluted the Unknown Soldier
and retired.
Thereupon, after the officers present
had saluted the dead hero. he was
taken into another room and trans
ferred to another casket, which bore
the inscription, "An Unknown Amer
lean who gave his life in the World
War"
The original coffin was returned to
its previous position beside the three
others, a body from one of the three
placed in it, and all four collins sealed.
This final precaution was taken as
last guarantee that no person possibly
could have an inkling or clue which
perchance might lead to Identification
of the Unknown Soldier. The remain
ing three bodies were sent to Romagnc
for burial in the Meuse-Argonne
Cemetery.
For several hours the Unknown
Soldier lay in state In the Hotel de
Vile. In the afternoon, ceremonies
were held in honor of the hero, after
which his flag g-drapped coffin was
placed aboard special train and
brought, by way of Paris, to lie Havre,
where the United States cruiser
Olympia waited to bring the body to
America. The Olympia was Admiral
Dewey's flagship at the battle Of Manila
Bay, had seen service in the Summer
and Fall of 1918 with the American
expedition in the White Sea and
against the Bolsheviks, and had been
reconditioned in 1921 especially to
transport the Unknown Soldier home.
At LIE Havre, a cortege formed at the
railroad station and accompanied the
Unknown Soldier in honor through the
streets of the city to the dock. There
distinguished French officials had
gathered to pay tribute to the Amer
ican hero. At the conclusion of several
addresses, M. Maginot, minister Of
pensions, placed on the coffin the Gross
of Chevalier Of the Legion Of Honor,
the first decoration bestowed on the
Unknown Soldier. The flag-draped
coffin then was carried aboard the
Olympia, which put to sea late in the
afternoon Of October Is.
THE Olympia arrived at the Navy
Yard In Washington at o'clock
on November 8, and was met by Sec
retary of War Weeks, Secretary Of the
Navy DENLY, and a military escort,
comprising a regiment of cavalry and
a mounted band. Petty officers carried
the coffin down the gangplank and
relinquished it on the dock to the pail
bearers selected for the funeral next
day. The pallbearers were Sergt-
Woodfill, First Sergt. Taylor, Chief
Water Tender O'Connor, Sergt. Saun-
ders, Staff Sergt. Dell, Gunnery Sergt.
Jansen, Chief Torpedoman Delaney
and First Sergt. Razga.
The Unknown Soldiers was taken
directly to the Capitol, where, in the
rotunda, he was placed on a catafalque
which had held the remains of the
murdered President Lincoln. Garfield
and Mckinley, the naval hero Dewey
and L'Enfant, who designed the Capital
City of the United States. Only two
men since have been accorded this
distinctive honor Of lying In state ir
the rotunda; they were Presiden,
Harding and Chief Justice Taft.
The first to do homage to the hero
as he lay in state was President
Warren Harding. He placed q wreath
of crimson roses and bestowed the
Silver Shield Of the United States
set with 48 golden stars. Vice Presi-
dent Calvin Coolidge and Speaker OF
the House Frederick Gillette, repre-
senting both houses of Congress,
placed wreaths. as did Chief Justice
Taft, Secretary of War Weeks, Sec
retary Of the Navy DENLY. and the
aide Of Gen. John J. Pershing. Gen
Pershing represented the American
Expeditionary Forces.
Next day, November 10, 10000 per.
sons filed four abreast past the hero's
| bier. The worlds most famous states
{ men, in Washington for the opening
I two days hence Of the World Dis
: armament Conference, came in per