Evening star., 1935-07-12
RAINBOW DIVISION
VETERANS GATHER
Famous War Outfit Will
Hold Three-Day Ses-
sion Here.

The Rainbow Division, famous
World War contingent, today assem-
bled In convention for the seventeenth
time since the guns of the western
front were silenced by the armistice.
Memories of the conflict, its friend
ships and tragedies, were revived by
informal groups at the Willard Hotel,
the convention headquarters. The
progress of registration last night and
this morning indicated to officers an
attendance approaching 800 or 1000.
The Rainbow Division, as its name
implies, is national in scope and vet
erans from the most distant Of the 26
States representa- were expected, as
we'll as more than 100 members of
the District of Columbia Chapter.
Fun" Is Main Object.
Speeches and business during the
three-day convention ending Sunday
will be subordinated to fun" officers
said. A business session scheduled
for 1:30 pm. today and the election
of officers Sunday morning were the
only events of their kind on the
program. Officers said controversial
issues, such as the soldiers bonus,
probably would be left untouched in
the interest of harmony.
A special train bearing some 500
Rainbow men from New York, mostly
from Manhattan's East Side, was due
at Union Station at 12:45 pm
Delegations from the South and West
were assembling rapidly.
The divisions Women's Auxiliary is
meeting also, with business sessions
to be held separately.
Nationally known figures expected at
the convention include: Gen. Douglas
Macarthur, chief of staff, U. S. A.;
Charles Macarthur, author and play
wright, and Col. j. Monroe Johnston,
recently appointed Assistant Secretary
of Commerce to succeed Ewing Y.
Mitchell, ousted. Gen. Macarthur will
deliver the principal convention ad-
dress at Sunday nights banquet. 1t
will be broadcast over a Columbia
network. Johnston has been named
master of ceremonies.
Opening Session Today.
The opening session was scheduled
for 1870 pm. today, but probably will
not get under way until 2 pm. be-
cause of the late arrival of the New
York delegation, officers said. M.
Manning Marcus, president of the
divisions national association, will
preside, and the convention will be
greeted by Engineer Commissioner
Dan I. Sultan.
In the afternoon the sports fans
among the delegates will be guests
of Clark Griffith at the base ball
game between the Senators and De-
troit. Those not so inclined were in
vited by j. Edgar Hoover, director Of
the Bureau of Investigation, to visit
the Justice Departments crime lab
ortaory and learn how the &C men"
do it.
Delegates who want to mix REM
iniscence with refreshment will gather
at a smoker tonight in the Cafe de
la Crystallerie," otherwise the Willard
rainbow room, which has been dec
GRATED appropriately for the occasion.
Wall panels have been painted in imi-
tation of chalk drawings with scenes
of the less seamy side of wartime life.
The smoker will be conducted by VIII
liam H. (BilD Kay, 40l Twenty-third
street, who directed delegates to pol
ish up on your A. E. F. songs" and
commanded that all orders for re-
freshments be given to the mattresses
in French.
To See Cavalry Drill.
Entertainment planned for the dele
gates tomorrow includes sightseeing
tour of Washington and a Cavalry
drill at Fort Myer. A pilgrimage
will be made to Arlington Cemetery
at moo nto honor 125 Rainbow COM
rades buried there. Battle deaths
in the division totaled 1850.
A reception and ball tomorrow
night will be followed Sunday by
election of officers in the morning
and boat trip down the Potomac in
the afternoon.
After Sunday nights banquet will
be held a Champagne Hour" to
commemorate the Rainbow's most
stirring experience. Men of the di-
vision were with French troops at
Champagne the eve of Bastille day,
July IA. According to veterans who
related the experience here, the Ger
mans chose that moment for a fierce
attack, thinking the French would be
somewhat the worse for celebrating
their national holiday.
At 1905 am. July IA the first
German shell came whistling across
the lines, followed by storm of fire.
The French and their Rainbow allies
launched a successful counter-attack
which many historians believe marked
q turning point in the war Had
Germany broken through and occu-
pied the railhead at Chalons it would
have made renewal of a drive on