Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-30
Memorial Day
Orators Stress
Hitler Menace
Seret. York Calls for
Conveys, if Needed,
In Arlington Talk

heroes who died for freedom spurred
Memorial Day orators here today to
advocacy of immediate aid to Britain
and issuance of solemn warning Of
the menace of Hitlerism.
Preceded by parade under skies
as Somber as the occasion it marked,
the principal exercises of the day
were held in Arlington National
Cemetery. Graves were marked. and
exercises were held in various other
parts of the city and nearby neigh
borhoods, with most speakers put
ting emphasis on the seriousness Of
the international crisis.
Constitution avenue echoed to the
tramp OF marching feet and the
rumble of mechanical equipment as
military units and veterans and pa
triotic organizations marched briskly
past the official reviewers, who we're
forced to watch the parade from the
sidewalk near Seventeenth street be-
cause early morning rains had
drenched the reviewing stand.
The Indictment weather kept the
number Of spectators down to a few
thousand, and for the second time in
the history of the parade. the Grand
Army of the Republic had no one in
the line Of march. The only two
Union veterans still alive in the Dis
trict-Comdr. John NJ. Kline of the
Department of the Potomac. c.. A.
R., and William F. DorSey-were I'M
able to attend today.
Sergt. York Speaks.
Speaking as one who but for the
grace of Almighty God might have
been the Unknown Soldier himself.
Sergt. Alvin C. York, in an address
prepared for delivery at the Ar
lington Cemetery rites starting at
II 80 am. said that I'VE must give
all-out-aid to England, including
conveys if necessary"
The man who came out Of the
Tennessee mountains TO become the
outstanding hero Of the World War
struck hard at isolationists and their
philosophy. Without mentioning
either Senator Wheeler or Charles
A. Lindbergh by name Immediately
he made his implications plain when
he said "a United States Senator
whose favorite bird must be the
ostrich" or famous transatlantic
aviator" might have made a better
speech than he. but added maybe
the veterans thought I knew this
Unknown Soldier little better than
either of them"
Sergt. York spoke at ceremonies
arranged by the Grand Army of the
Republic Memorial Day Corp. He
also laid a wreath at the Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier on behalf Of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Other
solemn exercises were held through
out the city, including an earlier
observance in the Fort Myer section
Of Arlington National Cemetery.
No Deed on Liberty.
Victory is a quality worth eternal
defense. Serg. York said, and was
not guaranteed by the victory in the
/ last war.
by our victory in the last war we
won a lease on liberty, not deed to
it." he told the crowd that was
gathered in the cemetery. Nov,
after % years, Adolf Hitler tells us
that lease is expiring, and, after the
manner of all leases, We have the
privilege of renewing it or letting it
go by default. have no doubt that
the American people choose to re-
new it, Senator Wheeler to the con-
trary notwithstanding
Reviewing the passage of the
Lease-Lend Act, Sergt. York said
that Congress agreed in its passage
that victory for England was vital
to the defense of the United States.
1T has become no less vital to us
since those stormy hours" he said,
land vet I hear the same voices who
opposed that bill now opposing the
use of conveys.
No Time for Compromise.
I'VE must give about aid to Eng
! land, and we must give it now. If
that means that we have to use
conveys, then we should use them.
The time is not now ripe, nor will
1t ever be, to compromise with Hit
Ter, or the things he stands for"
IF England falls, the United
States is next on Hitlers list" Sergt.
York warned. adding ominously
make no mistake about that"
People of this Nation have always
fought to preserve freedom, he said,
land if we have stopped We owe the
memory Of George Washington an
apology, for then he wasted his time
at Valley Forge"
This is no time for minorities to
argue as to whether or not an emer-
gency exists. Brig. Gen. Frank T.
Hines, administrator of Veterans
Affairs, told the Arlington meeting.
This is no time to waste precious
minutes and hours in debating pro-
cedures." he said. I'VE have selected
our leaders to make our decision. 1t
is for us to support them and to do
all in our power to play our part
nobly and WELL
Appeals for Unity.
He made plea for unity and team
work, asserting that at no time in
our history has the need for a
sound American citizenship been so
great as it is today. At no time be-
fore has it been more essential that
our people stand squarely united con-
fronting the common danger, which
is now bringing about death and
destruction in many parts of the
world.
The exercises at Arlington were
in charge of Haywood N Saunders,
vice commander of the District De-
(See MEMORIAL DAY, Page ABB