Evening star., 1941-12-16
Defense Is Pledged
For Bill Of Rights
Anew on Anniversary
Attack on Peurl hurbor
Bomborded Our Way Of
Life, Declares BiddIe

Pledges anew to defend the free
doms given under the Bill of Rights
were made at exercises in the Cap
ital area in commemoration of the
l5oth anniversary of the bills adop-
ton.
In the cold. still air at point
overlooking the Potomac River. Vice
President Wallace placed a wreath
on the grave of George Mason,
known as the father of the Bill OF
Rights" at Gunston Hall, Fairfax
County, Va.
At the Library of Congress. the
Thomas jefferson room in the LII
brary annex was dedicated with a
speech by Attorney General Blddle.
He was introduced by Archibald
MacLeish, librarian Of Congress.
Asserting that the japanese at
tack on Pearl Harbor was a "bom-
bardment on our way OF lie, the
ATTORNEY General declared:
To-day our 130OO0,000 people are
united in one purpose and one spirit
for they know that the Axis attack
is directed at our shores, and that
the Axis scheme is a world scheme
that includes the domination OF our
free land and the enslavement OF
our free people.
World Can't Be Half Slave.
Last sundays attack was as much
a bombardment on our way OF lie as
il was on Pearl Harbor, for the
enemy knows as we'll as we that tne
world cannot go on half slave and
half free" 5 -
The Bill of Rights he termed a
"svn,bol of what as free and proud
Americans we cherish and de1eno.
While jefferson did not draft the
first 10 amendments to the Constltu-
tion Is veals before their adoption
he urged that We have a Dill OF
rights, the Attorney General pointed
out.
Included in the audience were the
British Ambassador and Lazy Hail
fax and Ezra Winter OF canaan
Conn. whose murals depicting
phases of American life based on
quotations of Jefferson adorn the
walls of the large, hlgh-Vaulleo
reading room.
Following the Attorney General IS
address, the Budapest String quar-
tet PLAYED selections of Haydn ana
Mozart,
Gov. James H. Price of Virginia
was the principal speaker at the
C,unston Hall exercises. After trac-
ing the history of the bill, when
was based on the Virginia constltu-
ton. written by Mason, the State
head said the dictators OF Europe
have "liquidated" such rights Tor
the masses of the people in then
own countries and those which tney
have overrun.
Would Destroy Our Constitution.
Under these despots." he de-
clared, the citizen has become the
slave of the state. These vultures
would destroy. if they could. the
democratic institutions we have
built on Mason doctrine tildI tlio
citizen is the state
Declaring that the defense OF these
ideals is worthy of our greatest
effort and sacrifice" he continued:
we are beyond the pitfalls OF m
decision and factional debate. face
to face with the harsh realities oil
war. The United States was born
fighting and we know that only by
fighting for our ideals and instltu-
tionS shall We survive.
We pledge anew our allegiance
to the Nation. and reassert, in the
words of Mason. that all power Is
vested in the people and that non
resistance against arbitrary power
is absurd. slavlsh and destructive TO
the good and happiness Of man
kind"
Pronouncing the invocation were
the Rev. James c. Runkle, rector
of Pohick Episcopal Church; Msgr
r. A. Rankin. vicar general of the
Diocese of Richmond. and Rabbi
Hugo Schiff of Alexandria. Miss
Judith Easley, great-great-great-
granddaughter of George Mason
presented the wreath to Vice Presi-
dent Wallace Judge Mccarthy Of
Richmond presided.
Senator Byrd Of Virginia ano
Brig. Gen. Charles Kutz. District
Engineer Commissioner, were among
those present.
Ceremonies Held at {. L.
At the Bill of Rights ceremonleE
at Catholic University last nigh,
the Very Rev Ignatius Smith, o. P.
dean of the school of philosophy OF
the university, called upon all u
give full allegiance to the Govern
ment in the present war.
During this war the citizens mus
energize those virtues which madt
possible the creation and the pres
srvation of this Nation he SAID
"They must be patient with graoua
victory and, in long war, with thu
confident hope of complete success
They must be charitable and intelll
gent in their treatment of worth
while American citizens of foreign
and Axis extraction or birth ant
with Axis names. They must b
humble in recognizing that the folk
most competent to plan our battle
and win our wars are the officer
and men especially trained for thi
work. They must be just to al
and vindictively just in their right
eous anger and their holy determi
nation to avenge the atrocities o
Japan and her equally putrid AXi
partners. They must be obedient t
our Commander in Chief, the Presi
dent, and his subordinates.
I'VE are all in the service now
We are paying our patriotic deb
now. We obey generously and un
hesitatingly now. Our people mus
be devout in their determination t
make sacrifice for our cause. w
must give anw work in civilian de
fense as generously as We can. AM
our people must pray that God wi
enlighten and strengthen our lead
ers and hearten our people for tn
long, rough road that leads t
victory"
At the Jewish Community Cen
ter last night the observance wa
marked by a talk by Representa-
tive Rivers, Democrat, OF Soutl