Evening star., 1928-10-27
NAVY YARD THROWN
OPEN TO VISITORS
Every Branch of Naval Activ-
ity loins in National
Celebration.

Open house was the order of the day
| in various branches of naval activity
/ in the Capital today, as Navy day--the
birthday of Theodore Roosevelt, advo-
cate of that service of Uncle Sam-was
celebrated with far-fiung program.
| Various organizations here also OBJ
served the day with programs.
The most pretentious observance was
at the Washington Navy Yard. where
/ officials looked forward to total of
$4,000 visitors, the largest number in
history, when the yard closes at 6
o'clock this evening.
Widely separated activities of the
Navy were brought into close touch with
the public, as ships at the yard, decked
out in multi-colored flags for ~"full
dress ship" were thrown open for in
| spection, and every Washingtonian had
an opportunity to step aboard the ,resi-
| dental yacht Mayflower. thrilling
aerial show this afternoon from 4:30 to
O'Clock promised to vie with an exhi-
6ition of deep-sea diving from the div
ing boat U. S. S. Crilly. staged hourly
through the day, and demonstrations of
pouring liquid metal in the foundry.
Cruiser Arrives.
Arriving ahead OF a schedule pre-
viouSly announced at the Navy Depart
ment, the light cruiser u. S. S. Marble
head, with "a officers and 400 enlisted
men aboard, docked at the navy yard
from Hampton Roads, Va, yesterday
afternoon and today was open for visit
ors. The public exhibited keen interest
in thi world traveller, one of the largest
vessels to visit Washington for some
time, with its two catapults and two
O2u-type planes to stimulate further
interest.
In addition to the Marblehead, which
has come specially for the Navy day
celebration, open for inspection at the
navy yard, were the Mayflower, the
Syiph, yacht of the Secretary of the
Navy, and the destroyer Upshur. WASH
ingtons Naval Reserve ship A series
OF drills was arranged throughout the
day to show the public how the blue
jackets function.
While the navy yard program was
In progress visitors were shown over
the Naval Observatory the Naval Hos
pital and the Naval Air Station at
Anacostia. Rear Admiral Arthur l..
navy yard, saw to it that visitors we're
enabled to get better understanding
OF the ramif1cations of the service in
Washington. A foot BAH game between
the crew of the Reina Mercedes, station
ship at Annapolis, and the Seaman
Gunners School of the navy yard was
set for 2:30 o'clock this afternoon at
the yard
Officials of the yard were confident
that the SO 900 mark for visitors would
be reached by sundown, for by 8
o'clock, an hour after the yard had
been thrown open, they announced
1000 visitors had been shown through.
The Navy Band played for the visitors.
Secretary Wilbur was out of the city,
having gone to New England to de-
liver an address at Providence, r. l.,
and participate in the Navy day cele-
bration In Boston. Assistant Secretary
of the Navy T. Douglas Robinson has
gone to New Bedford, Mass, to take
part in that celebration and over the
Nation, other high naval officials ar
ranged to speak in the interests of the
Navy.
William Howard Gardiner, president
of the Navy League of the United
States, was the principal speaker at a
meeting held at the east end of the
Navy Building, shortly after noon. The
public had been invited to attend this
gathering, at which Mr.. Gardiner ex-
tolled the service the Navy is render
ing to the Nation, and representatives
Of patriotic and civic societies, officers
of the Navy and Marine Corps and
civilian personnel of the department
were in the audience.
Other Exercises Held.
other exercises were held throughout
the city this morning.
A stirring tribute to the memory
OF John Paul Jones was paid in an adj
dress by DR.. Bolivar j. LLOYD, presi-
dent of the Washington Chapter, No
3, National Soiourners, a. Masonic body
of service men, at exercises shortly be-
fore noon at the monument of John
Paul Jones.
John Paul Jones was the first man
to whom the American people turned
when the struggling Colonies in their
fight for freedom realized the need of
an American navy" DR.. Lloyd asserted
He was the first man to receive a
commission, the first to command a YES
sci, the first to raise a flag-a Conti-
mental flag 1t waS-over an American
man of war. He drafted our first naval
regulations, he was present when the
first enemy ship struck her colors to
our infant Navy He was the first man
to raise the Stars and Stripes on a
United States ship, and the first to
carry that flag across the sea- His
was the flag that received the first
salute from foreign power-from
France
His body lies yonder in Annapolis,
his honored Sepulcher an inspiration to
the youth of our country. That flag
that he served still floats and the spir-
| itual leadership, the indomitable cour-
age, the high sense of honor and the
love for a righteous cause which char
acterized John Paul Jones still guides
the destiny OF the United States Navy.
May 1t ever be so guided"
Rear Admiral PresideS.
Rear Admiral Luther E. Gregory, u.
S. NJ, chairman of the committee of
49, presided and the invocation was de-
| livered by Chaplain Alfred C. Oliver of
Walter Reed Hospital
Capt. George +. Unmacht of the
Chemical Warfare, national secretary of
the organization, placed wreath on
the statue on behalf of all Soiourners
and Heroes of Seventy-siX, as did Maj.
Gen. Greed C. Hammond, as commander
OF the District of Columbia Chapter of
the Military Order of the World War;
Walter Bruce Howe, on behalf of the
"OTT HE 1TTN(N AT' Tpc I'd E7crTss