The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-21
President Harding to Make
November II, Holiday.
Wants Nation to Join in Armi-
stice COmmemoration.
LABOR Chief WILL ASSIST
Great Parade and Ceremony
Planned for Washington.
Delegates at Peace Farley To
Take Large Part.

Washington, Sept. 21-The nation
will be expected to lay aside its work
and devote November II, Armistice
day, to doing homage to the unknown
American dead in the great war, and
to giving vent to American longings
for disarmament as a symbol of what
the world hopes from the interna-
tional conference on ornaments that
opens in Washington that day.
A holiday nationwide will be pro-
claimed by the government, it was
made known at the White House
not for merrymaking or sports, but
for solemn commemoration of the day
when the war ended and the day
which, the administration hopes, will
open the way to reduced armament
and bring better relations turnout the
world.
Be No Set Program.
There will be no direction from
munity shall do. There is only the
desire that the demonstrations shall
be truly national in character. Kansas
City, Emporia, Rantoul, the country
school house if there is no village
handy-St. Louis, Jefferson City, Platte
City and the country crossroads store
all will be expected equally to observe
the day in some fitting manner.
In many cities the American Fed
Grafton of Labor already has taken the
lead and plans to stage parades and
big demonstrations for peace. In other
cities and towns the churches have
called for hours of prayer for success
of the new move to limit the worlds
burden for military preparations. Fine
and good as far as they go, is the gov
eminent view. But reach everybody
and get everybody to thinking what
the day means and what the purpose
is behind the international gathering
here. Show what is in the American
heart, that's the idea behind it.
Arms Farley to join.
The demonstrations and ceremonies
the country over will head up with a
solemn but grand setting here. Long
before the armament conference was
called, it had been planned to homer
the body of an unknown American
soldier that was to be buried with full
military and national honors in the Ar
lington cemetery here.
The government is going right
ahead with those plans even tho the
international conference opens the
same day. 1t believes the two fit we'll
together-the memorial and the dedf-
cation of the conference to its high
purpose. So the diplomats will meet
and adjourn at once to the graveside
of the unknown American doughboy.
There President Harding will make the
principal address.
Then Washington will stage q big
armament and peace parade. There
will be church meetings as well for
prayers for success of the conference.
A fund OF $4,000 to defray the ex-
pense of handling the days ceremonies
already has been subscribed.
Labor Chiefs Help Plans.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
american Federation of Labor had a
conference with washington news
PAPER men. He was all disturbed that
the people hadn't risen to the dis
armament cali. He didn't think the
people had got the significance at all
of what the Washington conference
meant.
He was afraid the real purpose of
the MISUNDERSTANDING of arma-
mcknight be lost sight of in the
squabbles over the Pacific problems.
And he outlined labor's intention of
staging big demonstrations on Ar
mfstice day, later to assemble a big
armament demonstration here of ma
tional leaders to keep before the con-
ference always that it's chief purpose
is to reduce ornaments.