Evening star., 1925-05-31
Puts Wreath on Tomb.

After his address in the Arlington
amphitheater, President Coolidge
walked to the nearby tomb of the IN
known Soldier and reverently placed
on it a large wreath. Mrs. Coolidge
laid small bouquet of roses on the
top of the tomb.
In the course of his speech the
President traced the clash for author
fty between the States and the Fed
eral Government. which eliminated in
the Civil War, and, he said, still per-
sists to a less extent. He made an ap-
neal for observance of law by indi-
ViduaI Americans and for rigid enforce
ment of the law by States and local
Governments.
Twice during his speech. which was
broadCas st by radio, Mr.. Coolidge was
applauded-once when he declared
that what we need is not more Fed
eral Government, but better local gov
ernment," and again when he asserted
that what America needs is to hold
10 its ancient and we'll chartered
course"
"There is no use Disgusting the fact,
said the President, that as a nation
our attitude toward the prevention
and punishment of crime needs more
serious attention.
Sees Danger in Laxity.
1.-THE conclusion is inescapable he
added, that laXity of administration
reacts upon public opinion, causing
cynicism and loss of confidence in both
law and it's enforcement. and therefore
in its observance. The failure of local
government has a demoraliZing effect
in every direction"
Declaring that the country needs,
in graphing with the manifold prob
lens of these times, all the courage,
intelligence, training and skill that
can be enlisted in both State and ma
tional administrations" Mr.. Coolidge
added
people are given to thinking and
speaking of the national Government
as the Government They demand
more from it than it ever was intend
ed to provide, and yet in the same
breath they complain that Federal au-
thority is stretching itself over areas
which do not concern it. On one side
there are demands for more amend
ments to the Constitution. On the
other, there is too much opposition to
those that already exist
Many Problems Remain.
With reference to the States rights
issue the President said that, although
the Civil War "ended forever the pos
sibility of disunion, there still remain
problems between State and Federal
authority"
But it is hardly conceivable" he
added, that a really menacing contest
between the sovereignty of the States
and of the union could ever again
arise"
The atmosphere of Arlington-char-
acteristic of the other cemeteries-was
charged with a pleasant neighborli-
ness. There was no pomp. The sin
cerity of the ceremonies stood out in
their simplicity.
Family groups munched sandwiches
under the trees. Women in black
strewed flowers, which withered soon,
over the graves here and there. Civil
War veterans talked over old days.
The essential difference was that the
ceremonies were staged in the Airing
ton ampitheater, and the orator of
the occasion was the President of the
United States. But it was a home
town crowd which listened to the Pres
ident. His presence alone made the
occasion national.
Parade Without Ceremony.
In the morning there was a parade
around the Treasury and down the
Avenue and Thirteenth street to B
street. The Marine and Army Bands
were in line. Otherwise il was a pa
rade which probably was duplicated in
hundreds of towns and even villages
throughout the land. 1t was a parade
without ceremony neighborly af-
fair in which privates called ma jors
by their first names. Through it all
the bands played the sad, stirring old
tunes of Memorial day.
At Arlington. before the President
arrived, they placed wreaths on the
Tomb of the Unknown. But they
placed them there as neighbors deck
the graves in country cemeteries. It
was the home town, not a great
nation, paying tribute.
There We're tents pitched under the
trees where the 40 or so Civil War
Veterans and the others who took
part in the ceremonies were served
coffee. Veterans of six wars-Civii,
Cuban, Boxer, Philippine, Indian and
German-2 SSisted at the rites.
In addition to the services at Ar
lington, even simpler services were
held in II other cemeteries about the
city-Soldiers' Home. battle-ground,
Congressional, Oak Hill, Holy Rood
Harmony, Northeast. Glenwood, Pros
pect Hill. st. Mary's and Mount Olivet.
The services at Arlington started at
! pm. with the assembly call blown
by a marine bugler. An overture then
was played by the Marine Band.
Hosea B. Moulton. commander of the
Department Of the Potomac, G. A. r.,