HEADSTONES FOR WAR GRAVES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 5, 1 October 1919, Page 7

HEADSTONES FOR WAR GRAVES

CHOICE OF DESIGN. Mr. Churchill recently discussed with ■deputations which waited on him tho question of the form'of headstone to be erected over soldiers' ■ graves abroad. Lord Balfour of Burleigh presented a petition signed by 146 peers and 262 members or tho House of Commons asking - that an option • should bo given to relatives of the fallen to have a cross instead of the type of headstone suggested by the Imperial War Graves Commission, with permission within reasonable limits to vary, the shape of the headstone, as well as reasonable latitude hs to the exact wording of tho inscription on the oross or headstone.

Lord Crewe expressed the hone that the commission would consider how far the cruciform stone could be employed, and strongly supported Lord Balfour's plea for equality of treatment. Lady Florence Cecil presonteu a petition addressed to the Prince of Wales as president of the commission, and signed by 6GGO persons in the names of relatives of fallen. They i asked that the present wooden crosses might be replaced at their own' expense by more durable ones of stone, and that, within limits, tho right of choice might ■be granted both as to the fornl of the memorial and in the inscription, -

Another petition from the Trades Union Congress Parliamentary Committee urged that no personal point of view should bo allowed to interfere with the principle of equality of treatment which was the basis of the scheme proposed by the commission, and continued;—"We would appeal to those whose menhs anabled them to bear the cost of privato monuments to set' aside their individual preferences so as not to mar tho completeness of the scheme of national oommenioration,"

.In replying, Mr. Churchill said that it was essentially a subject where tho wishes of all individuals should bo consulted. The Commission did not refuse religious symbols and individual memorials on, tho graves of our soldiers abroad. _. It was not at all a question of erecting an, irreligious headstone or denying, the symbol of the Cross. It w-as their scheme that every headstone, except on the graves of those of other faiths, should have a Cross. He suggested they should 'nominate from those present three representatives; one from the House of Lords, one of the House of Commons and one of the trade unions, if that would bo convenient—but an extra one oould easily be-fitted in if desired—that thev should meet the Commission. and discuss the details with them. He was certain that they would be greatly surprisod at the enormous difficulties, tho physical and practioal difficulties, attendant upon a, oruciform headstone. Oncc it was rccognised that there was.no refusal of religious but that, on the contrary, they, contemplated that every headstone would bear its religious symbol, the question which remained for discussion was really limited to the practical difficulties as between the cruciform shape and the headstone shape. Ho was informed that there was no limit, in reason, to individual choice in regard to inscriptions, except the size of the stone, which, of course, would bo much trreater in the case of the ordinaro headstone than in the case of a cruciform headstone.

The Commission had aimed at producing a scheme the proportions of which and the principles of which would last for manv hundreds of years, which by its simplicity and its symmetry and its scale would bo a great composite monu'ment of the losses which' this country had' sustained in France. The only desire had been to arrive at a solution which, while it gave the greatest possible amount of consolation to individuals. should at the same time make the caro of British graves in France a Instinc memorial of the sacrifices and glories of tho Armv. The deputation agreed to the conference suggested-bv Mr. Churchill. Mr. Kipling assured tho deputation that the Commission had taken the most anxious and painful care lo meet tho wishes of the bereaved and to bring to them such consolation as was possible.