Evening star., 1940-04-15
THE EVENING WASHINGTON c. MONDAY APRIL 49, 1s4o
Formal Ceremonies
Tonight Will Open
D. A. R. Congress
Norman Dovis to Speak;
Walsh Will Address
Defense Mass Meeting

Walsh Viii Address
Defense Mass Meeting
The Daughters of the American
Revolution will open their 49th
Continental Congress tonight amid
the pageantry and ceremonial that
always mark the start of the FIVE
day patriotic meeting.
Coming from all parts of the
United States and the territories,
some $500 delegates and members
will stand in tribute as Mrs. Henry
M. Robert, jr., president general,
and her national officers march to
the stage OF Constitution Hall be-
hind corps of white-frocked
pages bearing the State flags.
Preceding the formal ceremonies
tonight, the national defense mass
meeting was to be held at the May
flower Hotel in the afternoon, with
an expected 1000 delegates attend
ing.
Heading the roster of speakers at
the mass meeting, Senator Walsh
OF Massachusetts,. chairman of the
Senate Naval Affairs Committee,
was to discuss "An Adequate Navy"
Others scheduled to speak at the
mass meeting were Livingston Hart
ley. author of Our Maginot Line"
whose subject was America and
the War; Carlton Beale, author
and lecturer, who was to speak on
"Radicalism VS.. Americanism," and
Archibald Stevenson, member of the
New York bar, who was to discuss
Tendencies in Education
The principal address at the eve
ming session will be made by Nor
man H. Davis, chairman of the
American Red Cross, who will talk
OF "Humanity's Agent"
Col. David McCoach, jr., Engi-
neer Commissioner, will extend the
greetings of the District to the dele
gates in the absence of Commits
sioner Melvin C. Hazen, prevented
by illness from attending the meet
ing.
Others to Voice Greetings.
Greetings will also be voiced by
Messmore Kendall, president gen.
eral of the national society, Sons
of the American Revolution; Mrs.
John Morrison Kerr, national pres
ldent of the national society, Chill
dren of the American Revolution,
and Mrs. John L. Whitehurst, first
vice president of the General Fed
Grafton of Womens Clubs.
Mrs. Robert will call the congress
to order for the second time. Her
administration will end with the
general election next year.
Every seat in the vast auditorium
is expected to be filled, while on
the stage members Of the city's dip
lomatic and official life will view
the pageant. The relocated United
States Marine Band Orchestra. un-
der the leadership of Capt. William
F. Santelmann. will play.
Today was to be full of number
OF things for the delegates, espe-
clauy the younger groups. Mrs.
George D. Schermerhorn of Mich
igan was to be hostess at a break
fast for the Junior Assembly at the
Mayflower Hotel and was to act as
hostess for them again at a tea in
the afternoon.
Pilgrims to Visit Capitol Hill.
Meanwhile the Good Citizenship
Pilgrims, 40 senior high school girls
from as many States and the Dis
trict, were to be received by Repre-
sentative Rogers OF Massachusetts
in the House of Representatives and
were to be conducted through the
House and Senate by Mrs. Ruth
Bryan Owen Rohde, former United
States Minister to Denmark.
More than 600 delegates attended
memorial services in Memorial Con-
tinental Hall yesterday for members
who have died during the last year.
Later they witnessed the tribute to
the founders at the Founders
Memorial Monument in the garden
OF the hall and many of them went
on the annual pilgrimage to Ar
lington National Cemetery and
Mount Vernon.
The memorial services opened
with a professional of the pages in
white, followed by the senior girls
choir OF Gordon Junior High School.
The girls, singing a hymn as they
proceeded to the stage, were dressed
In white surplices over green robes.
AS Mrs. Loren Edgar Rex of Kan
sas, chaplain general, read the roll
call OF the dead by States a quartet
OF pages placed gardenias in
termed wreath on the stage and
members of the State delegation
rose in silent tribute to their lost
members.
Mrs. Robert Speaks.
Mrs. Robert, who spoke in honor
OF the 2.464 deceased members, de-
clared:
"A country can rise no higher than
the standards of citizenship of the
individuals who make up that coun-
try. Just so, a society can rise no
higher than the courage and loyalty
OF those who compose it,"
She acknowledged "the debt this
society owes to its individuals" and
pand tribute to those who have died
since we know that without them
there would be no national society
OF the Daughters of the American