MEMORIAL TREES 
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went to the defence of civilization. Throughout America 
and in foreign countries the response has spread on a 
growing wave of human approval. Among the Allied 
Nations, as in the United States, the people have been 
quick to recognize the appropriateness of the living 
monument, and to join with America in the planting of 
memorial trees. 
The movement had its birth with the signing of the 
Armistice, when the people of the United States adopted 
the tree as their token of tribute. The idea was taken up 
promptly by officials, by organizations, by the nation’s 
editors and by the people. Memorial tree planting had 
become an established custom before our troops were 
withdrawn from the camps of France. When General 
Pershing reached this country after his brilliant leadership 
of the American Expeditionary Forces, among his first 
acts was the planting of memorial trees in Central Park, 
New York, and in Independence Square, Philadelphia. 
Dedicated to the soldier dead by their commander, these 
trees will stand forth to future generations as noble 
sentinels of a noble chapter in American history. Two 
years later he carried the message of the memorial tree 
overseas, and on French soil planted an Oak in theTroca- 
dero gardens, to symbolize America’s homage to the soldier 
dead of France. 
The American Legion responded with the same spirit 
which moved the great general. The organization is tak¬ 
ing a leading part in cooperating with the American Tree 
Association in spreading the claims of the memorial tree 
and in active planting of these living monuments. In 
orders to posts throughout the world the Legion early 
threw its influence to the movement, and from everywhere 
come reports of tree planting by the Legionnaires in 
tribute to their comrades-at-arms. A pioneer in this 
