Evening star., 1911-05-29
OBSERVANCE BEGUN
Preliminary Celebration Of
Memorial Day.
EXERCISES At THE CAPITOL
Concert at the Government Printing
Office.
FLOWER CRAFT LAUNCHED
Graves of Irish-Americans Decorated.
Veterans Attend Service.
Plans for Tomorrow.

With memorial exercises for Grant
and Lincoln at the Capitol today and
a concert by employees OF the govern
ment printing ONCE, Washington's pre-
liminaries for the observance Of Me-
mortal day were practically completed.
The preliminaries began yesterday
morning. with the celebration Of field
mass on the Monument grounds, and
were continued during the afternoon
and last night
q. 8. Grant ana Lincoln Circles, La
dies OF the q. A. r. were the sponsors
for the exercises held at the Capitol
today. the former conducting Its serv-
ices In the rotunda. while the me-
mortal to Ldncoln was held In Statuary
Hall The latter began at noon. Tho
service in the rotunda began an hour
earlier. Members Of patriotic organi-
zations participated in both exercises
The concert at the government printing
Office began at 12:1O o'clock. It was given
on the seventh floor and was attended by
all tho employees. Music was rendered
by the government printing offioe choir
and an address was delivered by Repre-
sentative David E Finley Of South Car
olina.
Tomorrow's Services.
Indications today are that. in the event
OF good weather, Washington tomorrow
will witness the biggest Memorial day
celebration 1t has had in years This
was the view expressed this morning at
the headquarters Of the q. A. r., Sons Of
Veterans. United Spanish Veterans and
other organizations which win partdci-
pate In the ceremonies.
President Taft and Senator Curtis will
be the speakers at Arlington. Senator
Hepburn win speak at Mount Onvet,
where the Sons Of Veterans have ar
ranged for an elaborate service, and at
which, it is expected, there will be an at
tendance of 10000 persons.
Next to Arlington, the Mount Ohvet
services are expected to draw the largest
crowd They will be held at $50 am.
while those at Arlington will not begin
until 1 o'clock
The G. A. R., Sons Of Veterans and
United Spanish War Veterans. assisted
by the various relief corps. will be the
principal participants in tomorrow's cere-
monies. with the older organization TAX
ing the lead, as It has in previous years.
With the exception Of the Mount Olivet
CCAuCtC1ys WACIC ~ 4AoS 0Coi0noSON SAA0
Sons Of Veterans to make full arrange
ments for the exercises. the @. A. r. win
be In charge OF the services at Airing
ton. Soldiers Home, Congressional. Bat
tleground, Oak Hill. Holy Rood, Har-
mony, st. Elizabeth'S Glenwood, Prospect
Hill and st. Mary's cemeteries.
Spanish War Veterans will march
with the @. A R. In q preliminary
street parade here prior to going to
Arlington, but before the holding of
services In the amphitheater by the lat
ter organization. they win conduct spe-
cial services Of their own In the Span
ish war section Of the cemetery.
At Congressionl and Soldiers Home
cemeteries the United Spanish War
Veterans also will conduct services
apart from those arranged by the @.
A R.
The day 10 q national holiday. and
only those institutions which are per-
mitted to open under the Sunday and
holiday service will not be entirely
closed The Congressional Library,
with the exception Of the copyright
Office. will open from until 10 pm.
Washington school children this
morning took large quantities of
flowers to their classrooms, which will
be collected during the day by COM
mitteeS Of the g. A. r. in charge Of
decorating the graves Of the 10000
soldiers buried in the vicinity Of Wash
ington. The warm weather had ad-
vanced the season of flowers. and chill
dren yesterday swarmed the fields and
meadows near the Capitol. picking
daisies and other Wild flowers, which
have come out in abundance.