Evening star., 1945-05-14

truman dnQ fdmlly
Attend Prayer Service
AT Bethesda Hospital
President Truman led the Nation
on Mothers Day yesterday in at
tending thanksgiving services dedi-
Gated to the end of the European
war
The President, accompanied by his
wife and daughter, Margaret. drove
to the Naval Medical Center in
Bethesda, Md, to worship with sail
ors, Marines and WAVES in a chapeI
service typical of others in cities and
hamlets throughout the country
Mrs. Truman's brother Fred Wal
lace; her mother, Mrs. D. w. Wal
lace, and the Presidents sister, Miss
Mary Truman, also attended.
Keynote of the service was the
prayer to keep us humble in vic
tory" The President joined with
the congregation in asking God "in
Thy gracious love and providence
bless our sons and daughters in the
armed forces of the Pacific. May
peace speedily come there also
Navy Chaplains Lead Service.
The interdenominational services
were conducted by Navy Protestant
Chaplains j. Jack Sharkey and John
| WeiSe.
President Truman's 92-year- old
mother, Mrs. Martha Truman, did
not go to the services. Mama did
not feel up to the trip" the Chief
Executive explained to reporters.
After the services, President Tru-
man stopped in to see Cordell Hull
former Secretary of State, now a
patient at the Naval Hospital. The
President said his visit simply was
a courtesy CALI
In his sermon, Chaplain Weise
said I'VE now remember in pride
gratitude, love, sorrow and tender
ness the innumerable company oi
those whose courage and sacrifice
have made this hour possible"
Prayer for Lasting Peace.
Chaplain Sharkey prayed for the
''uprooting of the causes of war, fol
, the ending of prejudices of race anc
nation" and for "the endurins
liberation of the oppressed and fo
the lasting freedom of all TIL!
children"
The Mothers Day note wa.
heard in the litany of prayer wher
Mrs. Harper Sibley of Rochester, N
Y, the American Mother of 1945
told Nationwide radio audience
from New York that ''the mother.
of the world thank God, one and all
that the war in Europe is over"
Wounded veterans, their relative.
and friends at Walter Reed Hospita
gathered in the chapel to hear Army
Chaplain Donald C. Stuart war;
against thinking Of We day as g
lifting of restrictions. The chap.
lain called upon the worshippers te
avoid anything that will delay oul
final victory and spoil the peace"
Churches Are Crowded.
Churches throughout the Distric
were crowded with worshipers heed.
ing the Presidents proclamation t
make Mothers Day one of thanks.
giving and prayer. Many of the
churches had wounded veterans ir
the pulpits bringing message thai
'"The Work Is Not Completed" ane
giving a prayer composed by on,
of their number, Machinist Mat.
1/c L. Dee Belveal, U. S. N. R., {
veteran of 18 months in the South.
west Pacific.
Capacity crowds attended variou.
services at Washington Cathedral
Members of Congress, diplomat!
and civic leaders were in thu
throng that heard Brig. Gen
George F. Rixey, deputy chief O.
Army chaplains, read the prayer
proclamation issued by the Presi.
dent.
The Right Rev. Angus Dun
Bishop of Washington, delivered
IIlS luOIulIS sermon.
An afternoon interdenominatio1
service at the Cathedral sponsored
by the Washington Federation O
Churches and the Cathedral heart
DR.. Marc Boegner, president of tn,
Protestant Association of France
express thanks for the victory il
Europe and pray for peace in tn,
postwar world.
British Services Held.
The Very Rev. John w. Suter
dean of the Cathedral, presided ovel
services held under the auspices
of the British Commonwealth anc
Empire Missions in the Unitec
States. Religious lessons were reae
by Field Marshal Sir Henry Matt.
land Wilson and Fleet Admiral Sil
James Somerville, ranking British
military and naval officers in Wash.
ington. Bishop Dun pronounced tht
benediction.
Masses in Catholic churches wer,
marked with note rejecting tn,
thankfulness for the wars end il
Europe and prayers for an early
completion of the Pacific conflict
At the National Shrine of the I'm.
maculate Conception, Catholic Uni.
versity, the Rev. John j. Reilly, di.
rector of the Shrine, told worshlper.
that man may degrade his fellow.
man but mother-love has the force
to bring him to the place of true
dignity.
Synagogues and temples through.
out the city also were filled as Jew.
lsh leaders prayed for future worlc
peace where man will live in har.
4 mony with his fellows.