Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-05-31
PATRIOTISM RIFE
IN GREAT PARADE
Stars and Stripes Mingle With
Stars and Bars; Blue and
Gray Together.
OLD REBEL FLAG WAS THERE
Biggest Memorial Demonstra.
tion Ever Seen Here; Credit
to Captain Niles.

Nith fife and drum and brass band
playing, with old Glory streaming at
its very best, with the flags OF all
earth's democracies proudly mingling
their folds in the Oklahoma sun and
wind. with old, old men and wee small
children and stalwart soldiers in be
tween-in fact, with every promise
true TO its making, the Decoration Day
parade and exercises came off yester-
day as per schedule-the biggest
thing OF its kind ever witnessed IN
Tulsa.
Shortly after noon the streets be-
gan to fill with people as ON circus
day and motor cars put on their holi-
day attire. That old favortc, the cir
Gus day balloon, was much in evidence
but decorated in "A way unique TO bal
loons-with the Stars and Stripes. In
spite of these Notifications the bal
looms seemed to be blowing up IN just
the same old way Flag sellers were
out in abundant numbers.
Big Procession Starts.
Parade units began to form early on
the streets as designated and shortly
after > o'clock the parade started for
Convention hall.
Leading the procession with stirring
strains of martial music was the Tulsa
band. The police force partly mount
ed. followed. Then came capt. Alva
D. Niles with his aides, Capt. l.. II. Le-
Reau and w. l.. Lewis Acting as
special marshal was Lieut.. Roy l..
Bowlin of the regular army, recently
graduated from West Point and in
Tulsa for few days visit with his
father A. j. Bowlin, 33S South Victor
street.
After the marshals Of the day on
hor rsebacl, came the mayor. city com
miSsioncrs and officers of the cham
ber of commerce in decorated motor
cars. The boy scouts in their sug-
gei tive khaki uniforms We're followed
hv the Grand Army of the Republic,
the Confederate veterans and all aus-
iliaries in automobiles.
Veteran Picturesque Figure.
In the first Confederate car, his
slight. old figure proudly erect, and
his thin old arm slightly shaky under
the weight OF a big, old Confederate
flag stood the most picturesque figure
of the whole parade. 1t was that of
]. H. Griffin, eX-Confederate sergeant
of the Civil war. where he carried
the Stars and Bars of Dixie, and also
color bearer of the Stars and Stripes
in the SPANISH American war. The
Confederate flag. he said. was handed
to him in 1861, to carry into battle
and 1t had never afterward left his
possession. lie Insists that no one
loves old Glory more than he does,
but that the old Confederate flag has
place all its own in his old heart.
The Spanish war veterans marched
on foot, with auxliaries following In
motor cars Their procession was
headed by a galaxy of very handsome
American flags which had been used
in the Spanish war
Army Units Show Up.
Then came the army, navy and ok
lahoma national guard recruiting
parties in motor cars
The Oklahoma ambulance company
with all its equipment and bearing the
grim suggestion of war in earnest,
made a remarkable showing. 1t was
the first appearance of the equipment
on the city streets.
A highly decorative float carrying
w a. y. G.. A. campfire girls, attired
In the costumes of the various allied
nations, and decorated motor cars
carrying representatives of the various
war relief work organizations pre-
ceeded the fraternal organizations or
Tulsa.
Children In Parade.
The pupils of the Tulsa public
schools, the Catholic parochial school
and students Of Henry N"n"''
lage added very interesting features
Two or three hundred c4ni.. III
marched and groups from various
schools We'd with each other in giving
class and school yells. Every child
carried aloft an American Flag. rms
division Of the parade was headed by