Evening star., 1934-05-21
LAFAYETTE HONOR
|SPA|D BY NATION
Roosevelt Leads in Tribute
on tooth Anniversary of
Frenchman's Death.

The Marquis de Lafayette, who left
his native France to help George
Washington lead the Colonists to in
dependence, lived again yesterday In
the memory of the American people,
as President Roosevelt, Congress and
others in official life commemorated
the Tooth anniversary of the gallant
Frenchman's death.
The Joint session of Congress in the
House chamber at IL O'Clock in the
morning, addressed by the President
and by the French Ambassador, Andre
de Laboulaye, was the highlight OF
a day marked by series of memo
rial exercises in and near the National
Capital in honor of Lafayette.
Memory Is Cherished.
Addressing the distinguished as
semblage at the Capitol, Mr.. Roose-
welt said of Lafayette that, 1--WE the
people of this Nation have enshrined
him in our hearts, and today we
cherish his memory above that of any
citizen of a foreign country"
The Presidents speech was largely
narrative of little human incidents
in Lafayette's career in this country.
He pictured the bond of friendship
which existed between Washington
and Lafayette in the days of the
revolution, and then gave an absorb
ing account of the Frenchman's re-
turn to America in 1924, when An
drew Jackson took the lead in honor
ing and welcoming Lafayette.
In addition to the members of
the House and Senate. the gather
ing in the House included the diplo-
matte corps, the chief justice and
associate justices of the Supreme
Court, the commanding officers of the
military services, the cabinet and
representatives of patriotic societies.
Present also was Count Rene de
Chambrun, descendant of Gen. La
fayette.
Behind Count de Chambrun sat
Gen. John j. Pershing, who II years
ago led more than two million Amer
ican soldiers across the sea to join
arms with France in the World War.
After describing the sorrow with
which this country received word of
the death of Lafayette in 1884, Pres
ident Roosevelt made this brief ref
erence to Americas participation in
the World War:
Many generations later, more than
two million American boys, backed
by the solidarity of a great Nation,
went to France. Those soldiers and
sailors were repaying the debt of
gratitude we owe to Lafayette and
at the same time they were seeking
to preserve those fundamentals of
liberty and democracy to which in a
previous age he had dedicated his
life"
Gives Lebrun's Message.
The French Ambassador, after
voicing his own appreciation of this
country's recognition of Lafayettes
anniversary, said he had been in
structed to convey to the joint ses-
sion of Congress the following mes
sage from the President of the
French republic, Albert Lebrun:
1T affords me great pleasure to
convey to the American people and to
the Congress of the United States the
grateful and fraternal greetings of the
French people. Faithful for genera
tionS to the traditions of your fore
bears and to the unalterable feelings
which constitute the treasured herit-
age of our two democracies, you are
conforming to Washington's spirit in
solemnly commemorating on this day
the memory of Lafayette, citizen of
France and citizen of the United
States.
Your eminent Presidents moral
authority, the initiative of Congress,
and the spontaneous support of the
whole American public invest this
function with an impressive and NOV
ing solemnity. 1t is thus that you
bear witness to your attachment to
the traditions and principles of civil
ization Of which the noble figure Of
Lafayette is symbol. 1t is thus that
you confirm the enduring value o. the
human contacts on which our mutual
is founded.
"On the banks of the MoseIle River
in the heart of the ancient city of
Metz, the society of knights of Co.
lumbus has generously erected mon
ument in honor of Lafayette. When I
attended its dedication at the side of
Marshal Foch. and on numerous sub
sequent occasions, have pondered
over the episodes of the War of In
and of the World War. de-
picted by the bas-reliefs, and I have
upon the great lesson which
these glorious feats teach the present
generation.
THE ideals of liberty which bound
us together in those heroic days con-
tinue to inspire us in the task Of
building peace. Our two peoples are
seeking progress and prosperity
through orderly processes and through
respect for the individual. Their
common endeavor is the strongest
safeguard for these ideals. Their mu-
tual understandings continues to be
one of the basic conditions for the
of world peace.
I'm this spirit, the French people
understand the full meaning and
of the impressive homage
rendered to Lafayette by the United
States. I am expressing the senti-
nents of all my countrymen in as
suring you of Frances unchanging
gratitude
Signed ALBERT LEBRUN.
President of the French Republic"
Exhibits Historic Sword.
President Roosevelt brought with
hin, to tho oyarojaoc of tho Conito1 an