Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-11
Roosevelt Leads
.Armistice Day
Ceremonies
Hundreds Attend
Rites at Arlington
Amphitheoter

- -
Amphitheoter
President Roosevelt, standing with
barred head in crisp November morn.
ing sunlight, today led his country.
men in paying tribute to the Un-
known Soldier.
Clad in formal morning dress, the
Chief Executive, with hundreds of
patriotic citizens who OVERLOOKED the
nearby Arlington National Semetery
Amphitheater, remained at attention
while a presidential naval aide ad-
vanced and placed wreath on the
glistening marble tomb on which is
inscribed the simple words:
Here rests in honored glory an
American soldier known but to God"
Accompanying the President were
Secretary of War Woodring and Act
ing Secretary of the Navy Edison.
. Twelve squads of Army, Navy and
Marine soldiers were fodmed parallel
with the tomb in military forma-
ton especially devised for the visit
Of the King and Queen of England
last June and not used since that
time. The wreath was laid on the
tomb by Capt. Dan Callaghan, U. S.
N. The military group included
Gen. George Marshall, Army Chief
of Staff; Col. Edwin Watson, the
Presidents personal aide, and Gen.
Maxwell Murray, commander of the
Washington Divisional Brigade.
The assembly at II am.-21 years
to the minute after guns ceased fir
ing in the World War-observed a
2-minute silence in memory of those
killed in that conflict.
Ceremonies Broadcast.
The hour-long ceremonies which
followed in the amphitheater were
broadcast over an N. B. C. Nation-
wide network.
Principal speakers on the pro-
gram were Acting Secretary Edison
and Raymond j. Kelly, national
commander of the American Legion.
Mrs. William H. Corwith, national
president of the Legion Auxiliary,
and William T. Slattery, commander
of the District Department of the
Legion, also spoke briefly. The
address of welcome was delivered by
Joseph J. Malloy, national chairman
of the Legions Armistice Day Com.
mittee; invocation was by the Rev.
Patrick N. McDermott and the bene-
diction by the Rev. Howard E. Sny-
der, chaplain of the District De-
partment of the Legion.
Martial airs were interspersed on
the program by the United States
Army Band and Mario Cozzi, Met
ropolitan Opera star, sang There
Is No Death"
ITO strive for a state of mind de-
voted to peace is the plain duty Of
every citizen" said Mr.. Edison
in his address. The voice of
the people must be strong and
forceful in an expression to
keep this fortunate land free of
the wreckage and loss accompany
ing all armed conflicts. Perhaps in
the rehabilitation of a disorganized
world, this country will make her
greatest contribution to civilization
and the advancement of human
kind.
1--WE hope a just peace will come
soon to warning world" the Acting
Secretary of Navy continued.
90 In the very establishment of
the shattered dreams and ideals of
those who survived the Great War,
there is spiritual gain in the in
spring fact that we may keep faith
with the dead by directing every
effort to reimbursement in the
present struggle
Kelly Speaks.
Comdr. Kelly also stressed the ne
cessity of keeping out of the Euro
pean war. 1--WE of the Legion" he
declared, "are determined never
again to permit the entry of our
country into a conflict which is none
of our national concern-no matter
what our individual sympathies.
$50 The armistice of November II,
1918, did end-in irrevocable FASH
ion-for these United States any
further participation in European
conflicts. To us it was true armi-
stice. To us it did mean the ending
of war to end wars"
The Legion leader emphasized
that in the observance of armistice
anniversaries there is no beating Of
the drums for future wars-no wish
or desire to develop jingoistic and
juvenile blind worship of our land
no thought or danger of the develop
ment of militaristic tendency by
our people. Only those who do not
understand America believe other
wise. It is that we who have known
war want peace. And we appreciate
above all other considerations that
the surety of peace will be ours only
If our entire population is welded
into solidly defensive force-that
our national will is to resist to the
uttermost the hand of any aggressor
being placed upon our boundaries. !"
The Arlington Cemetery was the
setting for number of memorial
services during the day.
| Legion Wreath Placed.
Immediately after the ampithe.
alter ceremonies, the Legion COM
mander, accompanied by national
officers, auxiliary officers, guard
Of honor and District Comdr. Stat
terry placed memorial wreath on
the Unknown Soldiers Tomb.
A wreath had been laid on tho