Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-27
Secretary BAKER
TO GIVE PARADE AID
Pledges Assistance in Wei
coming President and D. C.
Soldiers From Overseas.
CONFERENCE HELD TODAY

Keen interest In and disposition
10 facilitate in every possible way
Washington's dual welcome to the
District soldiers and to President
Wilson was evidenced by Newton d.
Baker. Secretary of War. at a con
ference this morning with Robert y.
Harper, chairman of the executive
committee having the Welcoming
celebration in charge.
The cabinet officer expressed the
hope that the demonstration will be
spectacular and impressive. and told
Chairman Harper that whatever the
War Department can properly do to
insure its success will be done. Sec
rotary Baker made a memorandum
to write to the commanding officers
of all Army camps in and near Wash
i--ton to enlist them officially in the
plan of getting as many District men
still in service to come here for par
ticipation in the parade, even IL only
for the day.
Point Raised by the Secretary.
Secretary Baker raised the point.
according to Mr.. Harper, that local
that and the other organization could
not make their appearance here, as
organized units and would Lack COM
manding officers.
Chairman Harper, however, explain
ed that Gen.. Richard ID. Simms, COM
mandant of the new District of Co
lunbia Guard, is making arrange
ments whereby enough officers Will be
secured for the parade properly to
command every temporary company
x.~fn ~ for ed for
the line of march. In other words.
there will be as many marching COM
panies adequately Differed as there
are District of Columbia men to fill.
Another point Chairman Harper
took up with the Secretary was to
urge the latter to ascertain just how
much the department can do In has
tening the return from Europe of
units entirely or largely representa-
tive Of the District
Mr. Harper. for example. called his
attention particularly to Company f
of the 321st Infantry, SD Division,
which has no fewer than fffty-nine
District men in its personnel Secre-
tary Baker already has favored the
idea Of bringing to the capital the 42d.
many local soldiers.
Aviators Volunteer Aid.
Lieut. S0dIieS e. Eofu, ANAdticii
Corps, u. s. A. retired. who has
charge of the aircraft features In con-
nectton with the parade. yesterday re-
ceived the applications Of four more
local aviators who are DESTROYS of fiy-
| ing planes over the line of march
They are William J. Neely, d. J. Suiii-
van, Morgan Brooks and Edwin Wallis,
| all now discharged from service. Lieut.
Ford is keenly anxious to make good
showing in his special department, and
states that he hopes to have available
between fifteen and q score OF skilled
fiers either in service or recently re-
tired.
There Will be fireworks In connec-
ton with the parade. Chairman Har-
per today appointed J. Harry Gun :
ningham as chairman of the commit
4 tee in charge of this feature. The
fireworks display will be q daylight
one, Simultaneous with the parade IT
self, and will include explosives
dropped from aircraft and also set
on from the tops of tall buildings
No committee meetings are scheo-
uled for today or tomorrow. MI. Har-
per will hold his usual weekly CON
| ference with the heads of all sub
committees at o'clock "Wednesday
afternoon Reports of definite prog
ress toward complete arrangements
will then be made.