The Washington herald., 1918-06-22
% PEOPLES
TO JOIN U. S.
CELEBRATION
Wilson Issues Proclamation
in Response to So
ciety's S Request.

Nationwide plans for a gigantic
International Independence Day are
being completed here.
President Wilson has been appealed
TO by twenty-five nationaiities to is
sue a proclamation calling upon all
native Americans to unite with the
strangers within their gates just now
in this critical and significant time in
world history. Washington has re-
sponded willingly.
Forty-six societies representing
twenty-five nationalities have pre-
pared plans for celebrations. parades,
pageants and speech-making through
out the principal cities OF the United
States This group represents Ar
menians. Assyrians, Belgians. Chi
.nese. Czecho-Slavs. Danes. Dutch,
Firms, French, French-Canadians
Germans. Greeks, Hungarians, Ital-
ians, Japanese, Lithuanians, Norwe-
CLANS, Poles, Portuguese, Russians,
Rumanians. South Slavs, swedes and
Swiss. These people represent the
sons and daughters who have come
to this country drawn by the same
ideals that caused the founders Of
this republic to begin the movement
for human liberty 142 years ago.
The part that Washington will take
in this unique international celebra-
ton Of the Fourth Of July will be
without parallel in history.
More Festivals July S.
During the day many national
celebrations will be held through
the city, and more festivals of for
eign nationalities will be held on
July to commemorate the birth
of freedom, but all the events will
culminate and focus in the great
Democracy Triumphant Pageant.
which is to be given on the Mall
from to o'clock.
The pageant will show historical
events, characteristic festivals and
so forth, all played by actors and
dancers from the countries repre-
sented.
Washingtonians will assist the
delegations where there are not
enough natives living in Washing
ton or in many cases in the whole
country.
Each national play or dance will
be given before a building which
suits the character of the action"
in front of it.
Thus will Washington give a di-
rect and hearty response to the re-
quest of the twenty-five nations
and to President Wilson's proclama-
ton, in response to the request of
the twenty-five nationalities.
The proclamation follows:
Presidents Proclamation.
ITO our citizens of foreign extrac-
tion:
Il have read with great sympathy
the petition addressed to me by your
representative bodies regarding
your proposed celebration of Inde-
pendence Day; and l wish to con-
Ney to you, in reply. my heartfelt
appreciation for it's expression of
| loyalty and good will. Nothing in
| this war has been more gratifying
than the manner in which our for
eign-born citizens, and the sons and
daughters of the foreign born, have
! risen to this greatest of all national
| emergencies. You have shown
where you stand not only by your
frequent professions of loyalty to
the cause for which we fight, but by
your eager response to calls for pa-
triotic service. including the su-
preme service of Offering life itself
in battle for Justice. freedom and
democracy. Before such devotion
as you have shown, all distinctions
OF race vanish. and we feel ourselves
citizens in republic of free spirits.
therefore take pleasure in call
ing your petition, with my hearty
commendation. to the attention Of
all my fellow countrymen, and I
ask that they unite with you in
making Independence Day Of this,
the year when all the principles to
which we stand pledged are on trial,
the most significant in our national
history.
"As July 4. 1875. was the dawn of
democracy for this Nation, let us ON
July 4, 1918. celebrate the birth of A
new and greater spirit of democracy
by whose influence. we hope and be-
lleVe, what the signers of the Dec
Iaration of Independence dreamed
Tor themselves and their fellow
countrymen shall be fulfilled for all
mankind.
Il have asked the Committe ON
Public Information to Cooperate
with you in any arrangements which
you may wish to make for this cele-
bration.
WOODROW WILSON"
nrr-~