WAR GRAVES.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20302, 30 July 1931, Page 14

WAR GRAVES.

; _—« —_ | A SENSATIONAL STORY. j VIOLATION DENIED. (rttov OUR O'.VK COBBESPOiiiJfiKT.) LONDON, June 25. A certain London newspaper recently published a sensational story (giving full details) regarding the violation of the' war graves in Franco. It was alleged that a eertain man took largo sums of money from rich English visitors to disinter the bonea of their-iela-tives and have them secretly shipped to England. Answering questions in the House of Commons, Mr Shaw (Minister for War) said'' that as a result of the special enquiry which has been, and is still, being carried out, no support has been discorvered for the allegations that were made as to the violation of war graves in France and Belgium. Those allegations would involve the disinterment of bodies at night time, the opening and restoring of carefully turfed, graves, and the embarkation and smuggling of the bodies from the Belgian coast, into this country. Frankly, it seems incredible that a carefully tended grave eould be opened up and restored again under cover of darkness so skilfully as to avoid detection. The investigation shows that it is almost inconceivable that the alleged" proceedings could escape notice at any stage. I think it safe to say that the story may be dismissed, and its publication 'is all the more discreditable in view of the pain that it could not fail to revive in so many thousand of eases." (Hear, hear.) Captain MacdonaM asked whether the right lion, gentleman would have his denial widely circulated. Mr Shaw: I do not want to take any further steps. Tf the 'statement was! published in good faith, the difficulties of carrying it into execution were not taken intc account. If it was published sensationally, T am not prepared to take any further steps to make sensationalism more public.