The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-21
MARTIAL GLORY
RULES 9TH AVE.
EASTER PARADE
First Pageant Since Nation
Entered War Eclipses All
Previous Shows.
HEROES OUTSHINE GOWNS
Churches Besieged as Never
Before-Ships in Hudson
Mecca Of Thousands.
HEROES OUTSHINE GOWNS

Peace and victory and blissful weather
all helped to restore Fifth avenues
Easter parade to its old proud place as
the greatest Of the citye yearly informal
pageants. The crowds which thronged
the thoroughfare from Madison Square
to the Plaza and created state Of setge
about the doors of some of the churches,
notably ST. Thomas's and st. Patricks
Cathedral, never were larger or more
brilliant
Attendance at the churches on the ave-
nue., and for that matter all over the
city, eclipsed all records and might have
been considerably greater even had
there been room within for the thou
sands who thronged the sidewalks until
long after the hour set for the services
in vain hopes OF finding a vacant place
at the last moment.
30 In one sense, and to one element OF
the parading throng, 1t was a real reVi-
val of the Easter parades of pre-war
days. So long as the observer focused
his attention on the feminine participants
the illusion persisted that the spectacle
differed from those OF three or four
or more years back only as the idea OF
what ought to be worn In 1919 differs
years
II was only when one stood on Murray
Hill. say, where there is elevation
enough to allow a view of the crowded
sidewalks in both directions, that the
eye became conscious that between this
Easter parade and the ones OF previous
years there was striking difference.
Where were the shiny top hats, the
sombre black getaways and the gardenia
hAt, 90
Martial Air Pervades Parade.
Olive drab and navy blue were the
prevailing colors among the male parad-
ers, regardless of just what parts of the
rainbow their companions had picked
out for exhibition, and the natty thing
in mems headgear was the jaunty fore
and aft affair which the American Army
adopted from the French and nicknamed
overseas cap" Failing that, the broad
brimmed campaign hat of the old army
or the blue fiat top piece of the Victory
fleets gobs were distinctly in popular
favor, varied by an occasional army
garrison cap and the blue and gold head
gear affected by gentlemen who hold
commissions aboard one or other Of the
hundred odd craft riding at anchor in
the Hudson River.
The most thoroughly up to date sub
stitute for the gardenia OF three years
ego was the blue. red edged ribbon Of
the Distinguished Service Cross or the
star spangled inch of blue silk which
marks the wearer as a recipient OF the
Congressional Medal OF Honor. or per-
haps the green and red ribbon OF the
CroiN de Guerre OF France. All three
OF them, and campaign ribbons too
numerous for mention. passed any given
point on the avenue many times, their
wearers trying to appear unconscious OF
the frankly admiring glances which.
starting generally from the young per-
son who chung to the arm OF the dis
tinguished citizen on whom two not al
ways ungrateful republics had bestowed
such marks of esteem. spread outward
through the crowd like the waves from
q steamers wake
Not that the shiny black tiles and the
Eardenias and the rest OF It were alto
Eether extinct but they were the accom-
paniment OF gray hairs and portly fig
ures and they were relegated to the
background, II a crowd such as damned
the avenue during the church hour and
for a long time before and after could
be said to have a background.
omens of Victory Aloft.
Besides the crowd there was another
difference between the appearance OF the
avenue this year and in the years gone
by. over the heads of the crowds along
the entire length OF what New Workers.
like to think is the greatest street in the
world hung at intervals the white tri-
angular banners OF the Victory Loan, the
blue figure of a winged victory above
the ''V" which seems to have been
adopted by the loan organization as a
symbol of past triumphs on the battle
fields of France and future success In
the last great national loan just about
TO begin. In n number of the shop win
dows the exhibition of paintings illus
trating scenes and figures in the great
war had been placed on view and re-
ceived almost as much attention from
the passing thousands as the occasional
flesh and blood hero who made his way
through the crowd
The bright sunshine was probably re-
sponsibe for the number of movie men
and still photographers who cranked the
alowly passing crowd or snapped por-
traits of distinguished persons as they
made their way to and from their places
of worship. Senator william A. Clark
was the target OF a battery OF cameras
at the corner of Flfty-seventh street, bu,
he seemed unconscious OF the amount OF
Photographic attention he was receiving
After the churchgoing crowds had
passed homeward to the enjoyment OF
Sunday dinners there was a thinning OF
the ranks OF the paraders for an hour OF
so and the afternoon crowds were less
in numbers than usual because Riverside
Drive. with its miles OF panoramic views
OF the great feet OF dreadnoughts and
destroyers lying in full sight of pedes.
TRANS and automobilists. was the mecca
for the entire city. Between Seventy.
second street and 15Sth street, and a.
Inspiration Point, further to the north
10000 people reviewed the long column.
OF gray ships, passing from the dread
noughts below Ninety-seventh street
with the giant Pennsylvania at theil
head. 20 the destroyer fotila, less I'M
pressive to the eve but more appealing
10 the Imagination.
At dusk tho Drive was still crowded
and those who remained after darl
were treated to an illumination ant
searchlight drill by the entire fleet which
turned the darkness over the river into
a magic crisscross of swiftly movinl
beams OF intermingled light
nEN MApNu An NAMn rrnrnrY