Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-21
PRESIDENT JOINS THOUSANDS
IN OBSERVANCE OF EASTER
Mrs. Hoover Is Kept From Church Services
by Injured Back-Throngs View
Cherry Blossoms.

Host to one Of the greatest throngs
in its history and blessed with smiling
skies which brought out gay Easter
garb, the Capital yesterday observed
Easter Sunday.
Houses of worship were crowded
special open-air services attracted adj
ditional thousands and then these in
turn diverted their attention to the
various recreationS the day offered.
In the little Friends Meeting House
at Thirteenth and Irving streets, I'M
ornamented and undecorated except for
a large vase of Easter lilies before the
pulpit, President Hoover joined in serv-
ices of the orthodox Quaker faith.
Mrs. Hoover, who painfully wrenched
her back q week ago, remained in her
room.
Thousands See Cherry Blossoms.
Large numbers of the almost 100000
visitors to the city flocked to Potomac
Park for a glimpse OF the cherry BIOS
SONS.
Automobiles filled with sight-Seers
proceeded in a continuous stream,
which taxed the abilities of police to
keep moving, from morning until night,
along the Speedway. Sightseeing
buses, taxicabs and commercial air
planes did capacity business.
The religious observances in which
the President took part in the little
meeting house opened with period Of
silent meditation. After a prayer by
DR.. Augustus T. Murray, pastor, and
another period of meditation, a woman
minister among the seven with the
pastor on the platform, spoke briefly
on the Resurrection" There was an
other period of meditation, then DR..
Murray portrayed simply, in resonant
voice, the age-old story of Easter.
The President sat quietly as the
minister outlined different conception
of the Resurrection and of Christ's
words: "He that believeth in Me has
life" and concluded with the lines
of the poet, whittier, that, HE is His
own best evidence, His witness is
within"
The congregation, filling every avail
able seat, including an ante-room at
the side and two rows of chairs at the
rear, sang one hymn to piano accom-
paniment. There was no choir.
Crowd Forces Traffic Det0ur.
Another minister spoke briefly and
after a final period of silent meditation
the benediction was asked and the
hours services ended.
The people who crowded around the
little church to see the President was
so great that traffic had to be detoured
for while.
In the afternoon Mr.. Hoover, with
Mr.. and Mrs. F. L. Slade of New York,
who were overnight house guests,
motored through the Soldiers Home
Grounds, Rock Greek Park and Potomac
Park for view of the cherry BIOS
SONS.
En- route he stopped in front of the
Department of Commerce Building to
view the progress being made in con-
struction of the structure. which he
planned while he was Secretary of Com
merce.
In the evening a company Of friends
were guests at dinner and soon after
this meal Mr.. and Mrs. Theodore Jesse
Hoover, the Presidents brother and
sister-in-law, and their daughter and
son-in-law, who had been house guests,
left for their homes in California.
Sunrise services at Walter Reed Hos
pital, Temple Heights and the new
Universalist National Memorial Church
drew crowds which required the direc-
ton of special details of police.
Eight thousand persons heard Col.