Evening star., 1934-06-17
Magma Charta Day Dinner
At Lafayette Friday Night

While the English-speaking peoples
of the seven nations of England, with
her colonies and the United States of
America, were celebrating around the
earth the foundation of the law and
! liberties of the races, a group of scions
| of forebears, who were barons, belted
knights, crusaders, sages and patriots,
together with their modern distin-
guished guests gathered Friday night
at the Hotel Lafayette to celebrate
Magma Charta day. They were sum-
moned by Mrs. M de Clare Berry,
who is president of the District of
Columbia branch of the International
Magma Charta Day Association, as we'll
as being a member of the National
Society Of Magma Charta Danes
founded in Washington in the year
1909. with present headquarters in
Philadelphia
Senator William H. King, chairman
Of the District of Columbia Commit
tee in the Senate, gave the opening
address. Col. John r. Holt, repre-
senting Maj. Gen. L. H. Bash. quar-
termaster general Of the Army, fol-
lowed.
Mrs. Berry spoke Of the birth of the
Magma Charta on November 20, 1914,
and displayed stones from the high
altar at Bury st. Edmunds, Suffolk,
England, where the Magma Charta
was placed by its author, Stephen
Langton, Archbishop Of Canterbury,
who had summoned there the barons,
where the latter, placing their hands
upon it, swore to defend it. She also
displayed pictures Of the pillar where
today two bronze tablets carry the
names of the immortal 25 barons who
were appointed to enforce the terms
of the charter.
Gen. william E. Horton acted as
host and spoke as a member Of the
Baronial Order of Runnemede.
Brig. Gen. Perry Miles. U. S. A..
who has charge of the District of Co.
lumbia division of the Army, followed
with an address that won much ap-
plause. Vice Admiral H P. Huse
gave greeting for the Navy and for
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Senator Thomas P. Gore, who was
scheduled for an after-dinner appear
ance from the Senate, spoke of his
view of the great charter. Mrs. j.
Cook of the National Society of Magma
Charta Danes gave greetings for that
society, as also did Mrs David P. Pen
halloW and Mrs. Augustus Kempton,
the latter also representing the So
ciety Of Descendants of Signers of the
Declaration of Independence. Mrs.
Redwood Vandergrift was called upon
TO speak for the Society of 1912. fol-
lowed by DR.. Richard L. de Saussure.
who gave a delightful speech for the
Society of the Cincinnati
Mr.. Angus Mclean, Assistant So
llcltor General, ably represented the
Department Of Justice. Mrs. John
Walker Holccmbe. a personal guest of
Mrs. Berry, was called upon to speak
as a past national officer of the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton. and Col. William c. Rigby. as
slstant officer OF the judge advocate
generals Office. well represented the
combination Of law and military
force personifled in Magma Charta
Barons, and DR.. Oscar Dorsey gave
greetings for the Society of Colonial
Wars; Mr.. Walter Davidge for the
Sons of the Revolution, as we'll as a
descendant of the Lees of Stratford.
Mrs. Walter R. Tuckerman, who
was to have represented the Colonial
Danes Of America. was called out of
town and sent apologies.
Mrs. Gusts R. Perry, whose husband
is a descendant of Nelly Gusts, as
sisted Mrs. Berry in arrangements.
Greetings were read from Mary Rob-
erts Rinehart, who is a national Off
Ger in the International Magma Charta