Evening star., 1936-05-30
ROOSEVELT JOINS
|. PERSH|NG PAYING
TRIBUTE TO DEAD
President and General Lead
Nation in Memorial Day,
Observance.
PARADE HERE PRECEDES
ARLINGTON CEREMONIES
Armed Strength of Country Is
Displayed as Flags Flutter
Over Buried Heroes.

President Roosevelt and Gen. John
j. Pershing led Washington and the
Nation today in observance of Memo
rial day
While parading columns of the mill
tary displayed the Nations armed
strength and flags fiuttered in tribute
over the graves of $4,000 soldiers in
Arlington National Cemetery. Gen.
Pershing and other notables Joined in
homage. but expressed the hope pres
ent and future generations would be
spared from conflict.
Memories of the World War stood
out vividly because of the presence
here of Gen. Pershing, commander
in chief of the A. E. F., and President
Roosevelt. who was Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy during the World
War. American soldiers buried in
France were memorialized in services
at Meuse- -Argonne Cemetery, led by
Maj Clifford Church, former WASH
ington lawyer.
Gen. Pershing was scheduled to
speak shortly after l pm. in the
Arlington amphitheater before thou
sands assembled there for the annual
services.
Mr.. Roosevelt. who was to partici-
pate in the afternoon exercises as
honor guest, was to place a wreath
on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
at 11:45 am.
The President is to attend exercises
at Annapolis, Md, later in the day.
Secretary of Commerce Roper also
was to speak on the afternoon pro-
gram at Arlington. Both major
broadcaSting companies have donated
their facilities for the occasion.
Preceding the rites at Arlington
and other cemeteries and historical
spots was a mammoth display of the
Regular Army. Navy and Marine
Forces and host of patriotic, vete-
rams, religious and civic organizations
and auxiliaries as they moved down
Pennsylvania avenue behind the United
States Army Band at 10 m. and past
reviewing stand on Constitution
avenue between Sixteenth and Seven
teenth streets.
Leading the parade was Col. John
w. Oehmann, commander Of the Dis
trict National Guard, who acted as
grand marshal; Ray L. Zwinglas of
the American Legion. as marshal. and
Maj. John Nash, marshal of the First
Division. The Navy and Marine Bands
followed closely behind the Army
musicians.
The parade and Arlington exercises
were sponsored by the G. A. r.
Memorial Day Corp, composed of the
| main veteran organizations. with
James G. Yaden as president and
Harlan G. Wood, vice president, in
charge of arrangements. More than
300 Boy Scouts decorated with flowers
and flags the graves in Arlington.
In Belgium, among other nations
where United States soldiers are
buried, the day was observed after
the American traditions. A message
to the President today from Leopold,
King of the Belgians, said:
Faithful to a tradition which is
dear to it, Belgium decorates today
the graves of the American soldiers
who fell on her soil during the Great
! War.
Il associate myself with all my
heart in this sacred duty. I renew
/ on this occasion to the American Ma
tion the attestation of the profound
gratitude and friendship of the Bel
gian people"
President Roosevelt replied:
II thank your majesty for your
Decoration day message and the
friendly sentiments you thereby con-
vey, which I cordially reciprocate.
The heartfelt thoughtfulness with
which your majesty and the Belgian
people continue to keep in remem-
brance the American dead inferred
on Belgian soil touches the hearts of
the American people and is gratefully
appreciated by me- g,
Observance of Memorial day, which
started last night, will continue
throughout today and tonight in the
National Capital area.
Services were held last night by
George E. Killeen Post. No. IS,
American Legion. at Grace Episcopal
Church; at the Titanic Monument in
Potomac Park and by Jewish War
Veterans, Washington Post, No. So. at
tsee MEMORIAL, Page ID