Evening star., 1935-04-16
CEREMONY OPENS
D. A. R. CONGRESS
Message From Roosevelt
Lauds 0rganization-Cum.
mings Is Heard.

SreSlQ6uG fLOOScFcIt ChlIO4 bA1l6 tA9CAAh
to instill the spirit Of their FORE
fathers into modern life, Daughters
of the American Revolution opened
their Forty fourth Continental Con-
gress last night at Constitution Hall
with an elaborate ceremony.
Attorney General Homer S. Cum
mings called on the organization to
throw the weight Of its influence be-
hind the Governments new drive
against criminals.
Mrs. Russell william Magma,
president general Of the society, reiter-
ated the D. A. RS demand for ade-
quate national defense, and joined the
Attorney General in calling on women
to improve conditions in America by
cooperating in the anti-crime cam
paign.
The message from President Roose-
velt came in letter to Mrs. Magma,
who asked the aSsemblage of about
1000, overflowing the capacity of Con-
stitution Hall, to stand in tribute to
the Chief Executive.
President Sends Congratulations.
In his letter, President Roosevelt
said:
Again take the greatest pleasure
In congratulating the Daughters of
the American Revolution on the oc-
casion of their annual congress. You
are assembled here to do honor to
the makers of this Country-men
whose outstanding quality was that
they were willing to risk their all
in order to attain ends without which
they could not live content. It Is
easy in retrospect to underestimate
the gravity of their choice, the mag
nitude of their decision; the hard
ships Of jamestown and Plymouth
Rock had disappeared; with the flow
ering of the Colonial period social
security was an established fact and
the amenities Of life adorned human
relations. To many of that time
surrender of belief meant an assured
life and the guaranteed preservation
of much that they held dear, yet
they did not falter.
"Such were your forbears, and Of
such forbearS you are the worthy
descendants. For your great organi-
enjoy the vicarious fortitude of an
cestorS long laid to rest, but that
you may the better instill their spirit
throughout the land that their sac
rificeS have bequeathed US.
Let Constitution Hall be the SYM
Dol of your purpose. Let this great
structure, erected by your indefatiga-
bic efforts, be the emblem of a coun-
try whose spacious design shall ever
offer a true freedom for all within
its portals freedom of faith, of
speech and of conduct toward all
righteous and noble ends"
Election Stirs Congress-.
1t was a gala occasion, filled with
color, music, flowers, flags, beauti-
fully gowned women from every State
in the Union. and infused with the
excitement of a triennial election
year.
The two rival candidates for presi-
dent-general of the society, one of
which is to be chosen by popular vote
of the membership Thursday, did not
take public part in the program, but
they were the center of much attention
and discussion not only in the crowded
excitement Of the huge auditorium,
but in corridors and Railways.
Mrs. William A. Becker of Summit,
N. j., as chairman Of the Committee
on National Defense, was seated on
the platform. Mrs. Flora Myers Gill
lentine, the other candidate, who as
chairman of the National Committee
on Filing and Lending Historical
Papers, including patriotic lectures and
lantern slides, was said to have been
entitled to a seat on the platform,
sat with officials of her Tennessee
delegation in the Tennessee box.
Rites Follow Tradition.
Opening ceremonies, following ira
dltion. were both musical and colorful.
Preceded by an escort of white-clad
pages, bearing State flags, Mrs. Magma
entered the great hall in regal state
and reached her platform with STIR
ring music from the United States
Marine Band Orchestra, under direc-
tion of Capt. Taylor Branson. leader.
At the psychological moment OF open
ing OF congress great silk American
flag plunged down from its concealed
sheath in the ceiling and unfurled
itself in sWooping gesture Of gor-
geous color. From its prominent
place above the center of the hall it
will hang for the rest of the congress.
Attorney General Cummings de-
Ivered his message on Criminal Law
Sfnlnlstration-1ts Problems and I'm
PrSement," following several pre-
1imlnary features on the program.
The Attorney General reviewed
progress made during the past year in
dealing with the problem of crime
and declared "the signs are propitious
and the time is ripe for a sweeping
advance all along the line"
Cummings Sounds Call.
THE Daughters of the American
Revolution" he said, "can exert a
profound influence in this vital mat
ter. There can be no higher form of
patriotism, no greater contribution to
the public good, than for your mem
perShlp, with its vast ramifications.
reaching into tens Of thousands of
communities ranging from great
metropolitan centers to the smallest
villages and hamletS, to demand that
the administration of criminal Justice
shall be modernized and placed upon
a basis of maximum effectiveness
throughout the United States, that
the operations of courts, of prosecu-
tors, of police departments, of prison
officials and of parole boards shall be
lifted above the Swirling currents of
politics, and that the detection, ap-
prehenSion, trial and punishment of
criminals shall be confided to trained
professional groups free to reach un-
hampered decisions and not forced to
balance conclusions against the de-
vitalizing and distorting considera-
tions of political or personal interest"
THE people of the United States
want this job DONE" declared the At
torney General 1.-THE law-enforcing
agencies of the country, whatever
their jurisdictions, are in a more CO.
operative mood than at any time
within my memory. Moreover, there