Evening star., 1939-06-05
Widow and Son
Of Will Rogers Here
For Statue UnveiIinq
Rotundo Ceremony
Is Scheduled for
Tomorrow Afternoon

Two members of Will Rogers fam
lily arrived in Washington today to
be present at the unveiling of a
bronze bust of the late cowboy phi
losopher-actor in Statuary Hall to-
morrow.
Her face beaming with a broad
smile, Mrs. Rogers, widow of the
famed humorist, stepped from a
train at Union Station with more
than 40 members of special memor-
ial delegation from Wills native
State of Oklahoma Most of them
he knew as "the home folks"
Will Rogers, jr.. publisher of a
Beverly Hills tCalifD newspaper
arrived a short while later from
New York, where he had been on a
brief visit.
The other Rogers children, James
and Mary, will come to the Capital
tomorrow from Los Angeles-James
by transcontinental plane.
Unveiling Tomorrow.
Dozens of nationally-known per-
sonages. many of whom were objects
of Wills good-natured lampooning
from time to time, will gather in the
Capitol rotunda at $50 o'clock to.
morrow afternoon for the unveiling
ceremonies.
The bust of the beloved humorist
whose colorful career was ended sud-
denly in August. 1885. when he
plunged to his death in plane
with Wiley Post near Point Barrow
Alaska, will occupy temporary base
between the statues of George Wash
ington and Alexander Hamilton.
His sister. Mrs. Sally McSpadden
of Chelsea. Okla, will unveil the
bust, assisted by the sculptor, 10
Davidson.
Gov. Leon C. Phillips of Oklahoma
will present the statue. 1t will be
accepted by Senator Barkley, Demo-
crat, of Kentucky.
Navy Band to Play.
A concert by the United States
Navy Band will precede the cere-
monies. Walter M. Harrison, secre-
tary of the Oklahoma Will Rogers
Memorial Commission, will preside
The Rev. ZeBarney T. Phillips,
chaplain of the Senate, will pro-
nounce the invocation and intro
ductory remarks will be made by
Norris G. Henthorne, chairman of
the Memorial Commission and edi-
tor of the Tulsa World
Joseph Bentoneli, Metropolitan
Opera Co. tenor and one Of Wills
favorite singers, will appear on the
program. He will be accompanied
by Merl Freeland, graduate of the
University of Oklahoma.
Principal speaker at the cere-
monies will be Luther Harrison, edi-
torial writer on the Daily Okla
homan in Oklahoma City, and one
of the humorist's closest friends
The benediction will be pronounced
by the Rev. James Shera Montgom-
cry, chaplain of the House.
Other Delegation Members.
Other members of the delegation
which arrived by train today in
clude France Paris, State Demo-
cratic Committee chairman; Ed
Falkenberg, counsel to Gov. Phil
Aps; John B. Doolin. former direc-
tor of the Federal Reserve Board
Mrs. John G. Catlett, Democratic
National Committeewoman for Ok
lahoma; Mrs. j. Henry Shields, vice
chairman of the State Democratic
Committee; Mrs. John Mabee, wife
of Tulsa oil magnate, and her
travelling companion, Mrs. Ruth
Phillips, and Scott Ferris, Demo-
cratic National Committeeman. fo,
Oklahoma.
Others were to arrive by auto
mobile during the day. Arriving by
plane tomorrow will be Mrs. Lillian
O'Connell of Colgate, Okla, one OF
the few women bank presidents in
the country.
Congress, several months ago
adopted a resolution granting per-
mission for use of the rotunda fol
the unveiling ceremonies. Location
for the permanent base of the Will
Rogers statue has not been selected
Oklahoma's other statue contribu-
ton to the Hall of Fame in the
Capitol is that of the Indian chief
iSequoyah. It was unveiled % years
ago tomorrow.