Evening star., 1941-02-16
100 Patriotic Groups
To Observe Birthday
Of Washington
Ceremony at Monument
To Center Celebration
In D. c. Saturday

More than 100 patriotic societies
and civic groups will join in COM
memorating the 209th anniversary
of the birth of George Washington
during numerous exercises to be
held here Saturday.
The main ceremonies will be at
the Washington Monument, and
representatives of approximately
100 patriotic groups are expected
to participate in wreath-laying GER
emonies there, according to an an
nouncement by Irving c. Root, SUI
perintendent of the National Cap
ital Parks.
The ceremonies, beginning at
1890 am, are expected to include
the laying of a floral tribute from
President Roosevelt.
Sponsored jointly by the Ma
tional Park Service and the District
Department of the American Le-
gion, the services are expected to
draw representatives of all local
Legion posts, the Legion Auxiliary,
the Forty and Eight, the Eight and
Forty, the American Legion Guard
OF Honor, Sons of the American
Legion, the Commissioners, Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution,
Colonial Danes and numerous other
national civic and fraternal organi-
cations.
Drain Will Sneak.
The Commute program will in
clude call to order by William H.
Hargrave, department commander
OF the Legion, selection by the
Sons of the American Legion Bugle
Corps under direction of Richard
H. Viancour, and massing of the
colors. s%>
Maj Gen. James A. Drain, as
sistant administrator of the Fed
eral Security Administration and
former national commander of the
Legion, will deliver the principal
address. Invocation will be pro-
nounced by 1t. Speer Strahan, U.
S. A., chaplain at Fort Myer, Va,
and Taps" will be sounded by
Lloyd B. Fields of the guard of
honor. Haywood N. Saunders will
act as chairman of the wreath
laying ceremonies, and John C.
Chase as chairman of the Arrange
ments Committee.
During the morning wreath
from the Washington National
Monument Society will be placed
on the monument by William R.
Harr. secretary. And the society's
Board of Trustees is to have its
annual luncheon meeting at the
Metropolitan Club.
Oldest Inhabitants to Meet.
The Association of Oldest In
habitantS of the District of Columbia
is to hold business meeting at
1890 am. at the Old Union Engine
House, Nineteenth and H streets
NV, with special ceremonies to fol-
low at 1870. Invocation will be by
the Rev. F. Ernest Warren, vicar of
st. Patrick's Episcopal Chapel, and
a naddress will be made by Henry
S. Ashurst, former United States
Senator from Arizona Charles H.
Bates is to read Washington Fare
we'll Address, John Clagett Proctor
is to deliver an original poem and
musical selections will be presented
by David LaWrie. with his mother,
Mrs Justin LaWrie, as accompaniSt.
Five patriotic societies will Join
in service at Memorial Continental
Hall at 10:45 am. They are the
Sons of the Revolution in the Dis
trict, the District of Columbia State
| Society, Children of the American
Revolution, the District Chapter of
the D. A. R. ard the District So
ciety of the S. A. R.
| The speaker will be Sir Gerald
Campbell, the newly appointed
British Minister to Washington
Maj. Edward F. Riggs of the S. A. R
will be in charge of the color guard
and Col. F. Granville Munson, pres
ident of the Sons of the Revolution
will preside.
Grand Masters to Gather.
The Masonic Memorial to George
Washington in Alexandria, Va
again will be the meeting place for
grand masters of the grand lodges
of the Masonic order Saturday when
the organizations officials pay trib-
ute to the first President on the
anniversary of his birth.
DR.. Elmer R. Arm of Dayton, Ohio
president of the George Washington
Masonic National Memorial Asso-
citation and past grand master OF
Ohio, will direct the ceremonies
which will be followed by a visit
to Washington's tomb at Mount
Vernon.
Grand masters of the order will
hold their annual conference in
Washington Thursday and Friday
with sessions at the Willard Hotel
Preliminary meetings include that
of the Masonic Service Association
and the grand secretaries confer
ence Wednesday.
Saturday will be full holiday fol
Government employees, and Mount
Vernon is expected to be the focal