Evening star., 1939-02-23
Washington
.Honored in
Exercises
Birthday Rites Center
In Alexandra
And Mt. Vernon

And Mt. Vernon
George Washington's life as SOL
dier and statesman and the writings
he left behind were reviewed again
in the light of currant events as
the National Capita! area yesterday
celebrated the 207th anniversary Of
his birth
Interest in the occasion was
shared by Washington, the Capital
OF the Nation, named after it's first
President; Alexandria, where he was
a leading citizen, and Mount YER
non, where he lived.
Oratory, ceremony and parades
highlighted the holiday activities.
The biggest parade was that in
Alexandria, where 1000 marchers
braved wintry blasts. In the line
OF march we're number of military,
veterans, civic and school organiza-
tions. Col. w. C. Crane, Fort Myer,
was grand marshal.
Washington's Birthday exercises
were held here throughout the day.
In the afternoon, the National Park
Service formally opened the Chesa-
peake & Ohio Canal as a public
parkway when Mutt, the 38-year-
old canal mule, towed through the
gates of Lock No. a barge bearing
the United States Navy Band.
Frederic A. Delano, chairman of
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, and Assistant
Secretary Of the Interior Oscar L.
Chapman, were the speakers.
Attacks Foreign "Isms."
Representative Joe Starnes, Ala
bama, member of the Dies Commit
tee, assailed foreign "isms" in an
address before joint services of the
Daughters, Sons and Children of
the American Revolution in Me-
mortal Continental Hail. Senator
Reynolds of North Carolina spoke
before the Sons of the Revolution
at Mayfower luncheon. and Rep
resentative Bolles of Wisconsin at
the birthday exercises of the Asso-
citation of Oldest Inhabitants.
The Alexandria, Washington Ma
sonic Lodge, of which the First Pres
ident once was grand master, held
its annual Washington's Birthday
banquet at the George Mason Ho-
tel in Alexandria last night and
heard Senator Byrd of Virginia, con-
servative Democrat, describe WASH
ington as an Instructive conserva-
tive" who "detested all demagogues
and suspected the peddlers of politi-
cal nostrums who promised too
much"
1T is one of the iro1lies of his
| tory" Senator Byrd said, that this
conservative Virginian in his day
should have led rebellion against
his king, while Robert E. Lee, an
other conservative Virginian, in his
later day should have felt con-
strained to lead a rebellion against
the flag he loved"
Was Practical Man.
The Father of His Country" the
speaker said, was practical man.
a square shooter and a man who
spent less than he made"
His political faith was simple, too.
Senator Byrd said, based on the
concept that every man had the
right to life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness.
He believed profoundly" he con-
tinued, in the right of the indi-
vidual honestly to acquire and
legally to hold private property, and
he never felt any occasion to apollo
gize for a recognition of the profit
motive as the handspring of our
business development"
After America had won inde-
pendence, Senator Byrd said WASH
ington was free from new isms'
and craze for new things merely
because they were new. His COM
mon sense taught him that new
ideas must be tested by trial and
error before they can safely be sub
stituted for time-honored prac-
tices."
James Sherier, worshipful master
Of the Alexandria Washington
Lodge, presided at the banquet.
Other noted guests included Repre-
sentative Thorkelson, Montanas
Judge N. S. Turnbull, jr., Grand
Master of Virginia Masons; Carl E.
Herrick, Liberty Lodge, Beverly,
Mass, and Bryant Baker, Constitu-
ton Lodge, Beverly, England.
Masonic Grand Masters from
throughout the United States were
present at the meeting and rites of
the George Washington National
Masonic Memorial Association, over
which its president, Elmer r. Arm,
Dayton, Ohio, presided.
$4,000 for Memorial.
The Grand Masters, here for their
10Th annual conference, turned over
contributions of almost 100000 to-
ward completion of the memorial.
They were welcomed by Gov. James
H. Price who was unable, however,
to attend the banquet last night.
Congress paused in tribute to
Washington, whose Farewell Ad-
dress was read in the Senate by
Senator Taft of Ohio and in the
House by Representative Lanham
of Texas.
American Legion and other cere-
monies were held at the Washington
Monument yesterday.
Alfred Bilmanis, Minister of Lat
via, was the main speaker last night
before the celebration of the Baltic
American Society at the Admiral
Club. The United States and the
Baltic nations of Latvia, Estonia
and Lithuania, he said, have COM
mon ideals.
At the canal dedication, more than
q thousand spectators lined the
waterway. Mr.. Delano recalled
George Washington's interest in
construction of the canal running
from the Capital to Cumberland.
Md, while Mr.. Chapman said the
canal would take its place as part
Of the Nations conservative pro-
gram.
The District Communist party OBJ
served Washington's Birthday with