Evening star., 1937-09-20
RITES
OPEN CONVENTION
Broadcast From Unknown
Soldiers Tomb Begins New
York Legion Session.

In "deathless remembrance" of all
who perished for their country, mes
sage was sent from the tomb of the
Unknown Soldier today to the Amer
lean Legion national convention as
it opened in New York.
From the sunlit Virginia hills, over
Autumnal air, the solemn word Of
tribute that accompanied the laying
of wreath was carried to Madison
Square Garden, thronged with dele
gates. In brief, simple dignity, this
ceremony opened the conclave.
Gathered in Arlington National
Cemetery were high officials from the
Legion, the Army, the Navy and sew
eral foreign legations.
At 9:45 am. there was a flourish Of
trumpets from the Army Band. The
colors were brought forward by an
escort from the Arlington Legion Post
and its auxiliary. A guard of honor
from the Regular Army, extending in
two files in front of the tomb, pre-
sented arms. The Arlington Posts
honor guard, commanded by Walter
E. Holmes, took places beside the Reg
ulars.
Officials Are Present.
Then down the marble steps came
four men-William N. Morell. chair
man of the Legion's National Pilgrim
age Committee, sponsoring the cere-
mony; Clyde B. Stovall, vice chairman:
Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews, chief
OF the Bureau of Navigation, and
Brig. Gen. Dana Merrill, commanding
a provision brigade in Washington.
The two officers represented. respec-
lively, the Secretaries of Navy and
War.
The band played The Star Spangled
Banner" Then Morell spoke into the
microphone beside the sun n-glistening
tomb. He talked to his comrades
massed in New York, stirring in them
memories of the buddies they lost in
France. He said:
In the name of the American
Legion, place this wreath on the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. sym-
bolizing our deathless remembrance of
all who gave their lives in the World
War to restore peace and preserve the
principles Of liberty and democracy"
There was his wreath at the base
OF the tomb and another wreath
gift of the Czechoslovakian Embassy.
brought to the ceremony by DR..
Vladimir Pale, attache.
Traps" Ends Program.
A bugler stepped forward from the
band and ended the brief program
with Taps"
Lieut.. Ernest st. Jacques was aide
to the commander of the Arlington
Posts honor guard. From the Italian
Embassy came Eugenio Bonardelli.
counselor for emigration, and from
the Greek Embassy Nicholas G. Lely.
counselor. The ceremony was broad
cast by the Columbia Broadcasting
System.
Miss Helen Rowland. heroic Amerl-
can nurse In the World War. deco
rated three times for valor, paused
yesterday on her way to the Legion
convention to place a wreath on the
tomb at service sponsored bv the
Allied World War Veterans Council
and the Gold Star Mothers.
Miss Rowland received the Croix de
Guerre with three palms for her medi-
cal services at the front during the
Argonne offensive. She served under
fire for 40 days. After the war she
returned to private nursing. She now
is with the Veterans Division of the
Illinois Employment Service. In 1894
she was elected commander of the
John Hartman Post OF the American
Legion, the only woman 50 honored.
She Is an honorary colonel In the
Illinois National Guard.
Close to 1900 Washington Legion
naires and their families went to New
York over the week end, most of them
leaving on special trains Saturday and
Sunday.