Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-05-29
Parade Heads
Memorial Day
Events Here
Senator Taft to
Speak at Arlington
Amphitheoter

AmPnltneoter
Religious and patriotic organiza-
tions will join tomorrow in observ-
ing Memorial Day. climaxing a
four-day commemoration which
yesterday took thousands of Wash
ingtonians to the graves of the
Nations war dead.
Employees of several Government
bureaus, meanwhile, were released
from work today for quadruple
holiday. while many other District
residents were enjoying the long
holiday out of town.
Thousands of visitors were ex-
pected for the Memorial Day pa
rade, to be held for the first time
IN three years, and for the services
at Arlington National Cemetery.
The parade will begin at Gas am.
from Fourth street and Constitution
avenue. Led by the Army, Navy,
Marine and Coast Guard men, the
parade will wind up with veterans
organizations, auxiliaries and patri-
otto societies. The line of march
will be along Constitution avenue
to Seventeenth street NV. Senator
Robert A. Taft of Ohio will be the
principal speaker at the services at
the Arlington Amphitheater, which
will begin at 12:45 pm.
Special delivery trucks were as
signed to each police precinct to
pick up flowers at schools and fire.
houses throughout the city for the
Grand Army of the Republic Me-
mortal Corp. One schoolboy patrol
man was to accompany each truck
to direct the drivers to schools in
the precinct areas.
1000 Attend Mass. >
The first solemn high mass ever
held in the amphitheater was cele-
brated there yesterday with more
than 1000 Catholics, District and
Federal officials, members of Con-
gress and diplomats in attendance.
Sponsored by the Washington Gen.
eral Assembly, Fourth Degree
knights of Columbus, the mass was
presided over by the Most Rev. Peter
L. 1reton, Coadjutor Bishop of Rich
mond, for whom bishops throne
was erected in the amphitheater
for the first time.
Urging return to spiritual ideals
as the sole basis for a true democ-
racy, Bishop Ireton declared, Had
the principles of religion, the prin-
ciples underlying the Constitution
been permitted to find, complete
Judgement in the soul of every Amer
ican we should not be here today.
There would be no occasion for
Memorial Day, he explained, or if
1t were, 1t would be to memorabilia
soldiers Of peace, not OF Wa<."
Col. William Arnold, chief of Army
chaplains, celebrated the mass, as
sisted by Father Joseph Gedra of
Immaculate Conception Church, and
Father Frederick w. Meehling,
United States Navy chaplain, while
the choir from St. Paul's College,
Catholic University, sang the Sc
quence for Whitsunday.
Concert Opens Service.
The service opened with concert
by the Knights of Columbus Band,
followed by a procession of soldiers
of the 10th Field Artillery into
the front of the arena. William
Cobaugh, c. S. p, was master of
ceremonies and the Rev. A. j. Burg
graft, c. S. p, superior of st. PauIs
College, and Father Frank McNab,
c. S. P. of Toronto, assisted Bishop
Ireton with service.
After the mass, representatives of
II local Catholic organizations
Joined behind the amphitheater to
lay wreaths at the Tomb of the I'm
known Soldier. While the Fourth
Degree, knights of Columbus, formed
an honor guard with drawn swords,
Bishop Ireton blessed the wreaths.
Alfred McGarraghy served as gen.
eral chairman of the program, which
was followed by a luncheon at the
Willard Hotel in honor of Bishop
1reton and Col. Arnold.
Schafer Speaks.
Services for the Jewish war dead
were held yesterday at Washington
Hebrew Congregation Cemetery,
with Representative John c. Schafer
of Wisconsin as principal speaker.
The legislator advocated a policy
Of isolation, urging the assemblage
to realize that the place for Amer
lean manhood is on top of American
soil and not under European mud"
Other speakers at the services,
sponsored by Washington Post, No.
So. and Ladies Auxiliary, Jewish
War Veterans, were Joseph F. Barr,
commander of Post 49, Martin
Goerl, commander Vincent B. Co.'S
tello Post, American Legion; Rabbi
Norman Gerstenfeld, Washington
Hebrew Congregation, and Mrs.
, Mary Reiskin, Ladies Auxiliary,
Post So.
Rabbi Harry Segal offered the in
vocation and Rabbi Harry Silver
stone pronounced the benediction.
The ceremonies closed with the sing
Ing of THE Star Spangled Banner"
by Mrs. Herman Hertzberg.
Services at Silver Spring.
Referring to this country as "a
giant" which European dictators
fear to awaken, former Senator Blair
Lee yesterday told an assemblage
gathered at memorial services for
the war dead of Silver Spring, Nd,
that the totalitarian countries hest
tate to take any drastic steps be-
cause of the part this country might
take if war were declared.
Father of two World War veterans
Mai. E. Brooke Lee and Phillip
Blair Lee-former Senator Lee was
the guest speaker at exercises at
the memorial stone in front OF the
Silver Spring Armory. Cooperating
in the program were the Service
Company, First Infantry, Maryland
National Guard, and the newly Or
ganized Squadron of the Sons of