that special trains or steamers may be made up of such parents for that purpose. In other words, that on arriving at the foreign port a special train could be made up to carry all these mothers to the point where the grave is located. Of course, as the committee knows, we have bodies of boys not only in the national cemeteries in France, but we have some in England, and I believe I have about 11 boys at Genoa.

Mr. WAINWRIGHT. One in Belgium.

Mr. LAGUARDIA. One in Belgium. I lost 13 or 14 of the boys of my command and I believe only two or three were brought back. I had arranged when they were in training to have them put in a temporary vault and after that I think they were all brought up to the cemetery in Genoa, Italy.

The details of the purpose of the bill you know. Perhaps it might be of interest to the committee that I state why I introduced this bill. Right after the war there was a tremendous movement started for the bringing back of the bodies. Some of us had different opinions on that and I expressed myself at the time and I received letters from all parts of the country. A very peculiar letter I will try to get out of the file, because it is very interesting. I received the identical letter, rather abusive, from Oregon, from one of the Southern States, and from one of the Middle States, which indicated that these form letters were being sent out at the time. I conferred with some of the mothers and one mother of one of my own boys I think suggested this idea. I did not even get a hearing in the Sixty-sixth Congress on the bill, Mr. Chairman. I was out at the Sixty-seventh Congress. I reintroduced it in the Sixty-eighth.

Mr. WURZBACH. You were a member of the committee?

Mr. LAGUARDIA. I was a member of the committee. At the Sixty-eighth Congress the idea had not gotten hold of the people. In the Sixty-ninth Congress no matter what I introduced, I could not get a hearing.

Mr. BULTER. Why didn't you get a hearing? You were a member of this committee. Why didn't you get a hearing on it?

Mr. LAGUARDIA. Mr. Butler, the idea was not popular at the time. It did not take hold. It just did not take hold. Everything was concentrated on getting these bodies back.

Now it is encouraging that the bill has been introduced and received the support of such an influential Member of the House as the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. Butler, and I am sure all of us who are back of the idea will be glad to vote for his bill. Besides being a duty that we owe these mothers, I think that it will be the greatest mission of peace that one country ever sent to another country. I think that this great mission of peace of these mothers who know what war means, who gave their sons for the cause of war, who gave their sons that we may put an end to war meeting the mothers of the French boys and the English boys, the Italian and Belgian boys who died and getting together will be the greatest mission of peace, will be the greatest crusade of peace that the world has ever seen.

Therefore I urge a favorable report on this bill.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Boylan, will you make a statement?

STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN J. BOYLAN, MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM NEW YORK.

Mr. BOYLAN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, it is indeed a pleasure to speak a few words about this bill this morning, especially on account of the fact that it is being introduced by the father of the House. The father of the House is introducing & bill for the Gold Star Mothers. What could be more appropriate? I am sure the love and esteem in which we hold the author of the bill, irrespective of the noble and laudable purpose of it would be sufficient to have us indorse it.

From my personal knowledge of the distinguished chairman of this committee and the other members on account of personal contact during the past five years and the splendid work they have done in various matters, I know that this bill will strike a chord of sympathy in their hearts.

Now there is one thought that occurs to me, because I know that you all sympathetically inclined to the bill, and that is this, that we ought not hesitate. When Congress declared war, the mothers and the wives of our country did not hesitate. They gave their all. Now all they ask is the consolation of paying the last visit to the graves of their sons or husbands, which would give them the consolation of heart and mind that can not be measured in dollars.

I know that the distinguished committee will give the matter careful and considerate attention and while I am on my feet I would like to read a letter from the junior Senator from the State of New York, Robert F. Wagner, who is unable to be present on account of hearings before the Interstate Commerce Committee. [Reading:] UNITED STATES SENATE, January 26, 1928.

Hon. JOHN J. BOYLAN,

House Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR CONGRESSMAN: Some time ago I had occasion to express myself in reference to the proposal which is now embodied in S. 2681 and H. R. 5494. I am sending you a copy of my statement:

"During the negotiations for the settlement of the various war loans, we largely overlooked a great debt, long past due and payable to our own kin. It is a debt of honor. We owe it to the widows and orphaned mothers whose loved ones lie in the war cemeteries of Europe to afford them the meager solace of a visit to these holy graves. These wearers of the gold star have been deprived of the assistance, companionship and love of their sons and husbands. The national emergency required it. But no cause is served when we further deprive them of the consolation of paying their last tribute. Legislation should forthwith be framed and passed during the present session of Congress to provide for the conveyance of every war bereaved mother and widow to the graveside of him who carried her love across the sea and sacrificed it for the safety of our Nation.

"The expense of transporting approximately 30,000 persons is comparatively trifling. Had the brave boys who lie in France, Belgium, and England, survived the Great War, the Government would have brought them back home to their wives and mothers. Let not this Nation profit through the supreme sacrifice of its heroes. Such a holy pilgrimage to the American shrines in Europe would be a great living and moving monument to peace. The ranks of mothers and sweethearts would constitute a new expeditionary force and a first line of defense for peace.

"Europe would see us in a new light, not as fighting doughboys, nor as gallant legionaires, but as a nation of homes and families whose members are capable of the most pious sentiments.

"The transports of war must be turned into transports of consolation for those whom victory or reparation could never compensate. The soil of Verdun

and Flanders now treasures their love; it should also receive their prayer. Congress should act promptly to give effect to this proposal and I will do everything: in my power to bring it about."

Yours very truly,

ROBERT F. Wagner.

Speaking for the senior Senator from New York, Senator Copeland, he assures us of his sentiments, and would like to be placed upon record as favoring the legislation introduced by the father of the House.

STATEMENT OF HON. LORING M. BLACK, JR., MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM NEW YORK

Mr. BLACK. Mr. Chairman and gentleman of the committee; I do not care to detain the committee. I spoke on this proposition some two years ago, I think. It seems to me it is not only the decent thing for the country to do to permit the mothers of these boys to shed a last tear and say a last prayer over their graves, but that it will be a good thing for the cause of peace, in that Europe has thought for some time that we in the United States are entirely devoted to class materialism, and these mothers will show that this country has been for some time making a spiritual sacrifice due to the war.

This pilgrimage will help in many ways. It will do far more to bring about a better understanding, showing that we have a spiritual side to us, than anything that has been done heretofore by our diplomats and other representatives.

I hope the committee will see fit to report this bill. I thank you. Mr. O'CONNELL. I have a letter that Congressman Fitzpatrick received from one of the posts in his district that I would like to have put in the record.

The CHAIRMAN. The letter will be put in the record. (The letter is as follows:)

Hon. JAMES M. FITZPATRICK,

THEODORE KORONY POST, No. 253,
PARK OF EDGEWATER,

Bronx, New York City, December 28, 1927.

House of Representatives, Washington D. C. DEAR MR. FITZPATRICK: The following resolution was approved by our post members at our last regular meeting held at our headquarters on December 16, 1927:

"Be it resolved, That Theodore Korony Post, No. 253, American Legion, Department of New York, urge the passage of H. R. 5494, a bill to enable mothers and unmarried widows of the deceased soldiers, sailors, and marines of the American forces interred in the cemeteries of Europe to make a pilgrimage to these cemeteries.'

At this time I wish to thank you in the name of our post for interest you have taken in this matter and would ask you to please keep us informed as to the action taken on this bill from time to time, as we wish to inform the widows and gold-star mothers in our vicinity at the earliest possible moment should the bill be passed.

Thanking you again for the interest shown to our post, I remain,

Yours very truly,

OTTO GEO. BRAND, Adjutant.

Mr. HOUSTON. Mr. Chairman, as a member of the committee I wish to say that, speaking on behalf of the Territory of Hawaii, I am in favor of this bill.

TRANSFER OF NATIONAL MILITARY PARKS.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS,
Thursday, January 31, 1929.

The committee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m., Hon. W. Frank James, presiding.

Mr. JAMES. The committee will be in order. Gentlemen, the committee has been called together this morning for a hearing on Senate 4173, which will be inserted in the record at this point. (The bill referred to is as follows:)

[S. 4173, Seventieth Congress, first session]

AN ACT To transfer jurisdiction over certain national military parks and national monuments from the War Department to the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the administrative jurisdiction and control over the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Shiloh National Military Park, Gettysburg National Military Park, Vicksburg National Military Park, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Moores Creek National Military Park, the national park and memorial at Fort McHenry, Maryland, Antietam Battle Field, Big Hole Battle Filed National Monument, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Fort Marion National Monument, Fort Matanzas National Monument, White Plains Battle Field Monument, Chalmette Monument, the Meriwether Lewis National Monument, the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battle Fields Memorial National Military Park as authorized in act of Congress approved February 14, 1927, the Petersburg National Military Park as authorized in act of Congress approved July 3, 1926, the Stones River National Military Park as authorized in act of Congress approved March 3, 1927, and Lincoln Farm, together with the approach roads thereto, be, and the same are hereby, transferred from the War Department to the Department of the Interior. SEC. 2. That such civilian employees of the War Department as may be engaged in work relating solely to the parks, monuments, and other areas enumerated in section 1 shall be transferred without change in classification or compensation from the War Department to the Department of the Interior, when the transfer of jurisdiction is effected.

SEC. 3. That the unexpended balance of appropriations, or allotments therefrom, available to the War Department for the administration and protection of these parks, monuments, and other areas, including the appropriations for the salaries of civilian personnel involved, shall be transferred when the transfer of jurisdiction is effected, in such amounts as may be agreed upon by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of War, to the Interior Department, and shall become available for expenditure under the supervision of the said Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. 4. That after this act becomes effective the parks, monuments, and other areas transferred herein to the jurisdiction of the Interior Department shall be administered under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior by the National Park Service, and such of these parks, monuments, and other areas as shall be so designated by the Secretary of the Interior shall be known as "national historical parks."

SEC. 5. That all duties, powers, and functions imposed and conferred by law upon the War Department, or the Secretary thereof, or commissions or other bodies under his jurisdiction, in relation to the parks, monuments, and other areas hereby transferred, including the duty of completing the establishment of the