Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-09

dorado p. TAFT,
Sculptor.
With men prominent In every walk Of
nfe In this country as guests OF honor,
the knights OF Columbus capped the eli
max of the great celebration attending
tho unwilling Of the Columbus Memorial
AT the banquet In Convention Hall last
night
Had Columbus been able TO span the
I'D years since his discovery OF America
and to stand for moment among the
banaueters, he would have been astound-
ed at the homage poured out to his men,
pry last night All did honor to the
patron of the order II was a great pa
triotic gathering.
The largest event Of the kind ever given
in the National Capital the banquet. like
the ceremonies OF the unwilling itself,
marked anew the important position the
knights of Columbus hold as an order in
the social fabric of the United States.
Among the distinguished men attending
the banquet were Speaker Champ Clark
and Representative Oscar Underwood of
Alabama. Cardinal Gibbons. former
Speaker Cannon, Representative James
r. Mann, minority leader of the House,
and half a dozen of the ministers of
other American republics also We're seat
ed at the guest table
Thirteen hundred guests gathered about
the banquet board. From the raised
platform where sat the guests of honor a
sea of faces was visible against the back
ground of white napery, the floral deco
peonies-and against the farther back
ground OF green which surrounded the
huge hall.
EHe~< ~ a Gordep
The wall of evergreen trees and palms
Was designed c1everly to give the effect
Of a garden. Overhead, stretching along
the raised platform at which the guests
OF honor were seated, were banners in
Vulnerable the colors of the United
states, Spain and ITALY being particularly
conspicuous, with here, there and every
where .he red and blue of the Knights
Of Columbus. The entire ceiling or the
big hall was beloved with bright-coiored
bunting, and hundreds of lights added to
the brilliancy OF the scene.
In addition TO the guest table extend
ing the whole east side of the hall, scores
OF long tables running crosswise were at
each end of the room. and in the central
portion of the hall We're many round
tables The room was divided into three
sections. A. b and c. and each section
was provided with different colored bou-
tonnieres one section having red, another
blue and the third white boutonnieres.
When the whole assemblage turned to
face the guest table, the boutonrieres gave
the desired red, white and blue effect.
Hidden In the gallery OF the hall was
large section OF the United States Ma
rine Band and during the evening IL
played many of the we'll known airs OF
this country and OF the old world.
Cardinal Gibbons Cheered.
r.r5,rat cfbhonS auoorted nv Eduard
L. Hearn of the Columbus memorial com
mission, entered the hall at the head OF
the disting aished guests. His appearance
was tho signal for an outburst of cheers.
closely following the cardinal came
Speaker Clark, accompanied by James A
Flaherty. supreme knight OF the order,
The invocation was asked by Cardinal
been served when Mr.. Hearn rose and
allied attention TO the advancing years
OF "one Of the greatest Americans, whom
ne have with us tonight.
Cardinal Gibbons LETT the hall after
the Invocation. saying a hearty farewell
- many who crowded about him.
Joseph G. Pelletier. district attorney
of Boston. Mass, was introduced as
4 eulogv OF CHRISTOPHER Columbus. and
oaid his compliments TO Representative
,ioulden Of New York. to whose per-
Sistence he attributed the fact that the
terday. Then Mr.. Pelletier immedia tely
'aunched into the intrpduction Of
speakers. beginning with Speaker Clark
Hardly had he mentioned Mr. C1ark's
name before the entire audience haG
ieaped 10 its feet, waving napkins wildly
nd cheering.
The House will be in order" was the
renark with which Mr.. Clark stilled The
tlmult- Continuing, the Spea ker con
graduated the Knights OF Columbus upor
having with them Americas two Crane
old men," Cardinal Gibbons and Uncle
Joe Cannon.
Mr.. Clark mentioned the fact that Their,
was among the diners a constituent OF hi
from Missouri. who had been voting fo
him for Congress for the last invent,
Years.
Bright Future for Mexico.
John Barrett. director OF the Pan-Amer
lean Union. was the next speaker H
urged upon the United States the neces
sity OF increasing its trade with its sista
republics. Mr.. Barrett predicted that a
soon as war was over in Mexico a grea
development OF that country would FOL
l.