Evening star., 1941-10-12
Roosevelt Praises
New World Solidarity
On Columbus Day
K. Of c. to Celebrate
With Ceremony at
Union Station PIuzu

celebration today OF Columbus Day
with a statement hailing the So
cial, cultural and scientific achieve
ments of the nations of the Western
Hemisphere.
Based on the premise that all
of the children of men are equal in
their natural right to the pursuit
of happiness, the government of the
Western Hemisphere republics, now
in their second century of existence,
have advanced through periods of
stress to present day solidarity and
unity of purpose never before known
on the American continents on so
wide a scale and with such unani-
nifty of consent" he said
The Knights of Columbus and
other organizations here have
planned an elaborate schedule of
celebration today. climaXing with
a banquet at the Mayflower Hotel at
pm. at which Francis P. Mat
thews of Omaha. Nebr., supreme
knight of the order, will speak.
Field Mass Planned.
The first scheduled ceremony on
the local program is field mass at
$3.50 m in Forest Glenn, Md. con-
Quoted by the Rev. o. O. RoSen-
steel Council The ceremony was
to be held on the grounds adjacent
to the council headquarters with
Father Urban Adelman scheduled
to officlate.
Several radio broadcastS were
scheduled during the day, including
programs from WMAL at 1915 m.
WWDC at 2 pm. and WINK at
$50 pm
The text of the statement issued
by the President follows:
The rounding out of each century
and each half century following a
landmark in human progress recalls
to our minds the vision and the sac
rifice and the achievement of all
those benefactors of the race who
have striven to advance the cultural
or material frontiers of civilization.
The year commencing October u,
194l, is the 450th year after the
discovery of America by Christopher
Columbus. In these four and a half
centuries. the Western Hemisphere
has received and enjoyed the gifts
Of Old World culture, religion,
science and philosophy, and has
evolved and nurtured a precious
contribution of its own. new marvels
of science, lasting creations of
literature and art, political forms
of benefit to all the world.
Praises Solidarity.
Based on the premise that all of
the children of men are equal In
their natural right TO the pursuit
OF happiness, the governments of
the Western Hemisphere republics,
now in their second century of eX-
lStence, have advanced through
periods Of stress to a present day
solidarity and unity of purpose never
before known on the American con-
tlnentS on so wide a scale and with
such unanimity of consent. These
American nations are firmly resolved
to preserve and defend the principles
and the institutions of representative
government, liberty of conscience
and social responsibility.
columbus acted according to the
ideal OF science. On the basis of
assembled data. he arrived at
hypothesis; and he bent every effort
to test his theory by actual expert
ment. The sighting of dim outlines
OF land in the distance. on the morn
ing OF that epochal 18th of October.
proved beyond contradiction his doc
trlne that dry land lay beyond the
ocean; and he thereby opened new
avenues of human history.
Neither Columbus nor any other
man of science nor any statesman
or colonizer could foresee the prog
reSS destined to be made BY the
lands discovered in the West Nor
can We of the present day foresee
what further advances will be
achieved in the coming years>toward
the goal of a world permanently at
peace, permanently prosperous. per-
manently free. But we do know
that the common striving of all of
the countries of the Americas can
be powerful force in the interest
OF stability, peace and freedom"
Rites at Monument.
AT 10 am. today. members of the
knights Of Columbus will gather at
the Columbus Fountain at Union
Station. where State Deputy James
F. Kehoe will lay a wreath.
IN the MayfloWer Hotel at 2 pm.
there will be the exemplification of
the fourth degree under direction of
Col. Thomas F.. Carlin, master of
the degree. About so members of
the order from nearby States will
take part
Robert F. Handley, ST.. general
chairman of the Committee on Ar
rangements for tonights banquet.
will act as toastmaster at the func-
ton. Among the invited guests are
the Most Rev. John M. Mcnamara,
Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore and
Washington; the Most Rev. Peter l..
Ireton, CoadjutOr Bishop of Rich
mond. Va; the Right Rev. Peter
Guilday, professor of church his
tory at Catholic University: the Rev.
Eugene Gallery of Manresa- -on-the-
Severn, Annapolis, Md; the Rev.
Arthur A. OLeary, president of
Georgetown University. and Daniel
j. Callahan, supreme treasurer of