Evening star., 1939-12-03

that red feathers will be as omnipr
Omnibuses, and when a Washing
tonian is as likely to see his next
door neighbor on Fifth avenue as if
he'd just stepped out of his front
door.
This is, in other words, the day
of the third annual Redskin- Giant
game for the Eastern championship
of the National Football League, an
event which has become accepted as
an annual crusade on the part Of
the Capitals ever-growing gridiron
colony.
Three years ago, or the year before
George Marshall transferred his
franchise in the National Football
League from Boston to Washington,
the biggest annual exodus from
Washington was occasioned by the
Army Navy game. Railroad officials
used to talk in terms of thousands
whenever they tried to estimate the
number of Washingtonians who
would go to see the Cadets and
Middies clash, but true figures sell
dom were ascertained.
Today, 10000 is a conservative ap-
praisal Of Capital citizens in New
York. And without trying to detract
bit Of the glamor or sensation of
patriotism always aroused by the
colorful service classic, there's a big
difference in the emotional feelings
of Washington's citizenry between
1t and what-on the face of things
is merely professional football
game.
All for Redskins.
OF Washingtonians who made the
trip to Philadelphia yesterday, prob
ably as many rooted for the Army
as cheered for the Navy. But of
those District folk in New York to-
day, there's no division of sentiment.
They're all for the Redskins!
You've got to ask one who goes to
the Army-Navy game whom he's
going to root for. Ask the same
question of one going to the Red
skin-Giant game and he's as in
suited as If you asked him if he
loved his mother.
For the Redskins, as Owner Mar
shall would have it. have gripped
Washington's affection and loyalty
like no other athletic team in its
history And it's a bit incredible,
when you stop and think of it. that
one out of every so persons in the
city-old or young, rich or poor,
male or females so interested in
the Indians that for weeks he's
planned nothing but to be in New
York today.
Therell be some of the Districts
leading citizens there-bankers,
lawyers, doctors. newspaper pub
lishers-some of whom probably took
private compartments on trains and
stayed at the best New York hotels
last night. Therell be many more
of Mr.. Average Washingtonians
there, those hardy souls who get up
in the early hours of Sunday
morning to catch one of numerous
special trains rolling into New York
an hour before game time and leav-
ing shortly after the last whistle
blows There'll be thousands driv-
ing up in private cars. clogging the
highways from yesterday noon on,
probably picking up many on the
way who've started out with little
more than hopes for hitch to the
site of the game.
Will Amaze New York.
Once in New York. the Washing
ton contingent will provide a con-
tinuous series of demonstrations
that again will amaze blase New
Yorkers as much as it did on that
first historic excursion in 1887. With
the railroad cooperating on the
schedules, all the special trains will
arrive at Pennsylvania Station at
about the same time-and from that
moment. New Workers will know
that Washingtonians have landed
and have taken the situation in
hand.
With the roar of a tidal wave, the
throngs of thousands will sweep up
the steps into the station concourse
and out onto the city streets. The
Redskin band, 100 musicians clad in
Indian costume. will be hailed to the
front, rapidly ordered into a forma-
ton extending from curbstone to
curbstone and start marching and
playing. Playing what? Washing
tons anthem of the day, of course:
Hail to the Redskins!"
What does it matter that not more
than one in five knows the middle
lines of the tune with such familiar
strains that numerous old songs
have been suggested as its original.
Three people, at least, know all the
words: Corinne Griffith Marshall,