Evening star., 1927-10-23
10000 SEE R|TCH|E
DEDICATE HIGHWAY
Maryland Governor Praises
Old Time ldeaIs-Crain
Road Is State Link.
By Staff Correspondent OF The star.

By a Staff Correspondent OF The Star.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md, Octo.
ber 22.--Against the background of a
large banner with the words 'Ritchie
for President" and before vast
throng of citizens celebrating the ded
ication of the new Grain highway
Gov. Albert Ritche today voiced a
stirring plea for "a return to Mary
lands traditional ideals of liberty.
liberation and faith in mankind"
The banner was suspended from
punches of toy balloons, which were
to have carried the great sign over
the heads of the audience as the gov
ernor began his dedicatory address,
but the banner proved to be too
heavy for the proposed ascension
and after numerous attempts to
launch it had failed, it's sponsors
contented themselves with stretching
1t between two tall posts.
Ritchie was accorded an impressive
ovation as he appeared before the
assemblage to lead in the ceremonies
marking the formal opening to trafhc
of the last link of the concrete high
way. connecting Baltimore with
Southern Maryland.
when the governor removed a ribbon
barrier from the road near Priests
Bridge, and lasted until late in the
afternoon, with an estimated crowd
Of $1,000 to 10000 persons attending
the pageantry, barbecue and speak
ing exercises which climaXed the
festivities.
Lauds Maryland's Ideals.
I.ove of liberty, love of tolerance
and faith in our fellow men are the
ideals underlying the foundation or
our State" Gov. Ritchie said, in dedi-
eating the road at the exercises In
the local fairgrounds. Just as these
ideals of liberty, liberation and faith
in mankind have linked together the
people OF this State. so will this new
highway serve to link us in closer
friendship and understanding.
THE old ideals are not dead. The
presence here today of so great. a
group of outstanding citizens, bent
not on lighter things, but ON celebra-
ting their States progress, Is proof
of the fact that the old-time fervor
of our forefathers Is still alive today.
Let us engender that hallowed spirit
of the past which led the founders
cf our State to crusade for religious
freedom" q
Grain highway will result in the rapid
development Of Southern Maryland
and will bind the far sections OF the
State together in bonds of commerce
and good will.
Ribbou Ceremony Held.
The ribbon ceremony was very sim
ple but symbolically colorful. Alight-
ing from his car, in the forefront of
long automobile caravan which had
formed at Priests Bridge, over the
Patuxent River, the Governor graSped
the silken streamer of black and
orange and removed it from the out.
stretched hands OF Miss Margaret
Grain, young daughter of Robert
Grain. for whom the road was named
and John n. Mackall, jr., son of the
chairman of the Maryland Roads Com
mission. The rite was over so quickly
that but few persons had time to come
forward and witness 1t.
The procession then continued to
Marlboro, where it was met by an
elaborate military escort and a unit
of picturesque floats, representing
each Of the five Southern Maryland
Counties es-Calvert. Charles, Anne
Arundel, st. NIarys and Prince
Georges. The escort consisted of a
section Of the Fifth Maryland Rpgi
mcnt of the National Guard in full
dress uniform, the First Maryland
Regiment of the National Guard, ca
dets from Charlotte Hall Academy
leeionnaires from Baltimore. the
Fifth Regiment Band and the loca
Boy Scout Troop.
AS the Governor reached the fair
grounds, battery of guns blazet
fortl, their salute to the States Chief
executive. Accompanying the Gov
elnor were Mayor Broening of Balti
more and State and county officials.
Gov. Ritchie joined whole-heartedly
In the old.fashioned Maryland barbe
cue and picnic dinner which was
served by women from the five coun'
| ties prior to the program OF addresses.
He and the other officials participating
in the exercises sat down at a long
table and feasted on appetizing fried
chicken. barbecued ham and beef and
other tidbits, served on paper plates
and with cardboard spoons and forks
The Governor demonstrated proficiency