Bodies of War: World War I and the Politics of Commemoration in America, 1919-1933

21. Mathilda’s Victory

198 21 Mathilda’s victory in 1928, Congressman Thomas s. Butler, a representative from Pennsylvania, placed the familiar Gold star pilgrimage legislation before the 70th Congress once more, when he reintroduced the bill to the Committee on Military Affairs.1 Chairman John M. Morin, another Pennsylvanian , presided over the House committee hearings, and none other than the well-known senator David reed served as chairman of the senate committee. Women’s organizations, using their political expertise and favored position as war mothers, cultivated powerful and well-placed politicians such as reed.2 While evidence suggesting reed’s direct responsibility for the promotion of and eventual passage of the Gold star legislation is sketchy, his illustrious career, spanning more than twenty-five years, placed him in an ideal position to influence its success. Considering the plethora of international publicity surrounding the American Legion pilgrimage the year before, and the imminent completion of the battlefield monuments and cemeteries overseas, the timing for this motherhood legislation was ideal. During the course of the bill’s evolution, reed’s committee invited the testimony of countless persuasive supporters, including representatives of the newly founded Gold star Mothers Association. Undoubtedly, the most aggressive rhetoric came from stalwart matriarch Mathilda Burling. Although her precise role as “national representative of the Association” frustrated many people and angered some, no one doubted Burling’s ability to charm, cajole, and coerce all in her midst. Few remained neutral in the presence of her audacious personality. “she is one to be thrown out from the world,” claimed one mother, adding, “she is a man’s woman, a sneak,” and perhaps the worst insult of all, “she is a very nasty politician.”3 Mathilda Burling, wife of a New York policeman and mother of an enlisted soldier who died in 1918, claimed “executive” membership in the American red Cross and “charter” membership in the American Legion, before appointing herself president of the Gold star service Association Mathilda’s Victory 199 in 1924.4 she chose to leave her son’s remains buried in st. Mihiel American Cemetery, purportedly “at the [personal] request of our late President roosevelt.”5 While some women despised Burling’s presumptuous methods , others were quick to praise her. “Mrs. Burling has worked day and night for this bill for the last five or six years,” testified one woman.6 Gold star Mother matriarch Mathilda Burling, the wife of a New York policeman and mother of an enlisted soldier who died in 1918. some people claimed she was a “very nasty politician.” (Burial file of Private George B. Burling, Jr., Box 700, Cemeterial Division, office of the QMG, rG 92, NA) 200 Mathilda’s Victory Burling began lobbying for war mothers in 1924, when she wrote to the army asking for a flag on behalf of the mothers whose sons had no graves. That had not been standard practice, but the army graciously adopted her suggestion and responded accordingly.7 By 1928, her activism was strongly focused on the mothers pilgrimage. she tried unsuccessfully to persuade General Pershing to discuss the pilgrimage bill with her, claiming that President Coolidge was very interested in the legislation.8 Before explaining that he was otherwise engaged, the general reminded Burling of the “great sacrifice” the soldiers themselves had made while pointing out the many objections and difficulties that had arisen since the pilgrimage movement began.9 A month later, Pershing wrote Burling again claiming to have read and approved the American Legion’s resolution on the matter and saying “some satisfactory arrangements” should be made for “those who desire to go and who are unable to afford the expense.” He advised her to seek the advice of congressional members as to how she should proceed.10 Burling’s ties to the national Gold star Mothers Association are vague, but they were certainly not congenial. Burling claimed to have conceived the idea of the pilgrimage, and she took credit for organizing the original Gold star Association. After having been asked to leave her local GsM chapter, Burling founded her own mothers’ organization and sought a separate state charter for her similarly named New York group, the American Gold star Mothers of the World War, inc. so successful were her efforts to publicize herself as the president of all Gold star Mothers associations that the original group eventually brought a lawsuit against her.11 The founder of the original Washington, DC, Gold...