Evening star., 1941-07-05
Clear Skies Due
For orFireworks
Display Tonight
Program to Include
Concert and Recording
Of Jackson Speech

Washington's July ceremonies
and fireworks. delayed by fall OF
more than an inch OF rain, will take
place at the Monument grounds at
7 o'clock tonight, if the weather is
clear. This announcement was
bolstered by the Weather Bureaus
prediction that light rains, ending
this morning, will not reappear dur
ing the week end.
Crowds expected to fill the $1,000
seats provided at the grounds and
seeking out vantage points nearby
were promised the twinkle OF stars
and comfortable temperatures, sink
ing from an estimated high point Of
50 degrees this afternoon to low Of
81 tonight. Fireworks will begin at
$3.50 pm.
Except for a personal appear
ance by Attorney General jackson,
the program will 60 of as sched-
uled yesterday, including a concert
by the Marine Band and massing
of flags. Senator Lucas of Illinois
will read the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence. Mr.. Jackson's grafton,
broadcast last night, will be heard
over an amplification system through
transcription.
Program at Takoma Park.
Takoma Park, Md, went through
with most of its independence Day
program despite dampness yesterday,
while Hyattsville and Greenbelt, Md,
chilled by breezes that never reached
70 degrees in warmth, switched
theirs to today.
Washingtonians paused to give at
tention to President Roosevelts plea
for a renewed fight for liberty,
broadcast yesterday from Hyde Park,
NY.
The two major orations here were
given by Attorney General jackson
and Senator Tydings of Maryland.
The Senator, speaking at the Ia
koma Park celebration, transferred
from out Of doors to the local public
| school, warned that America must
accomplish its tasks without sur
rendering individual rights and free
dom.
He traced origins of this freedom
back to Greece, when, he said, a
small group Of people carried on q
struggle for liberty and fair trials
in court
Critics Of Democracy Assailed.
The Attorney General, broadcast
ing over VOL, asserted that there
Is at home and abroad an anti-dem-
ocratic influence, even more cynical
and sinister and dangerous than Hit
Ter, Mussolini and Stain combined"
Il refer" he said, TO those who
think democracy is a fair weather
ideal-to guide us in soft timeS-but
that when the going is tough we
cannot save it without losing it.
This doctrine has every base
quality of Fascism without either
its candor or courage. Let us in
America never forget that liberties
trampled by conquest may be re-
gained, but liberties abandoned by
an Indifferent people are never re-
covered"
Mr.. Jackson called the Declar-
alton OF Independence a fighting
faith" and "the nightmare of con-
querers."
Enemies of American democracy
today cannot begin to assemble a
force so relatively powerful and son
encircling as were its foes that day
when the signers of the Declar-
alton pledged their lives" he said.
Nation Lacked Unity.
The most strategic points in our
own country were then in possession
Of the Kings armies. Canada was a
base for his operations. American
democracy then had no Navy, only
an empty Treasury. It's Army was
composed of unframed volunteer
backwoodSmen who could not get
shoes, clothing or substantial arms
to fight invading British regulars.
There was no national unity. There
were cabals against Washington, a
fifth column of Royalists was power
full and respectable, and States were
jealous rivals who did not act, nor
even think, as unity.
But the American forces had
power-the unseen power of the
earnest individual-the individual
with what Mr.. Justice Holmes called
fire In his belly Only when these
fires go out need we fear the lawless
forces Of dictatorship"
Providing grounds are dry enough,
Hyattsville was to hold its program
today, including athletic events in
Magruder Park starting at 10 am,
a parade at Z pm, patriotic exer-
cises in the park at 8 pm. and fire
works at $50 pm.
At Greenbelt dedication of Braden
Field was to be held at pm. today,
If clear, with Mayor A. N. Gawthrop
making the address. An extensive
athletic exhibition and meet were to
follow, and the celebration will move
to Greenbelt Lake at pm. for races
on land and water and q picnic. At
pm. the town band will accom-
pany community singing and fire.
works will cap the entertainment at
9 o'clock
Orcutt Presides at Takoma.
Capt. Harold w. Orcutt, presided
at the Takoma exercises, which
opened with the benediction by Rev.
j. Adrian Pfeiffer, pastor of the
Takoma Park Lutheran Church, fol-
lowed by salute and pledge to the
flag by Boy and Girl Scouts. After
patriotic address by the chairman,
greetings were extended by L. r.
Grabill, vice president of the Ia
koma Park Citizens Association,
and Mayor Oliver w. Youngblood of
Takoma Park. Vocal selections were
given by Harold H. Lort and music
was furnished by the Montgomery
County Schools Band, under the
direction of Raymond Hart.
Mrs. william r. North, jr., chair
man of the Poster Committee, pre-
sented the winners from among
1913 competitors, with their awards.
c. Maurice Weidemeyer, chairman
of the better homes contest of the
Takoma Park Chamber of Com
merce presented gold, silver and
bronze mounted plaques to winners