Evening star., 1946-05-31
Thousands Attend
Programs Honoring
Capitals S War Dead

A DTlgnCly dressed CrOWQ, inter.
spersed here and there with women
in mourning black, wandered among
white crosses in the hot sunlight at
Arlington National Cemetery yester-
day, as the Nation paid tribute to Its
war dead.
On hillside after hillside, the we'll
kept graves were decorated with tiny
American flags and punches of red
poppies.
President Truman was one of the
first to stand bareheaded before
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Opening the observance of Memorial
Day in the Nations Capital, he
placed wreath of white roses there
at 9 am. in silent homage to each
man who has given his life for his
country.
Today multi-colored floral offer
ings decorated the graves of hun
dreds of soldiers and sailors at Ar
lington and in Battle Ground Ma
tional Cemetery. Words of humble
respect and words of warning echoed
in the ears of thousands who had
listened to Memorial Day speakers
asking the living to make sure that
the dead shall not have died In vain.
In the colorful ceremonies at Arl-
ington, veterans and other patriotic
groups placed scores of wreaths on
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Gen. Bradley Speaks.
At noon, approximately 5000. in
cluding Gen. and Mrs. Dwight Eisen-
hover, gathered in the flag-bedecked
amphitheater nearby for exercises
under the auspices of the GAR Me-
mortal Day Corp. Shielding them
selves from the blistering sun with
their programs, they listened in
thoughtful solemnity to the mea-
sured words of Gen. Omar N. Brad
ley, veterans administrator:
I'VE come to learn, if we can, how
men might live as charitably to-
gether in peace as they died for each
other in war s"
AS the Marine Corps Band played
taps at the conclusion of the cere-
mony, black-clad woman in the
audience broke suddenly into audible
sobs.
One of the few wreaths already
on the Unknown's Tomb when Pres
ident Truman placed his wreath was
put there at am. by three children
Of Army flyers killed in action in
World War II. They were Jennis M.
Strickland III of 70l Flower avenue,
Takoma Park, Md, son of First 1t.
Jennis M. Strickland II, and Edward
and Alan Ducher of 1880 North
Longfellow street, Arlington, sons
of Flight Officer Edward H. Ducher,
At sunset last night, flowers in
the presentation of which these
children took part Wednesday were
dropped over the cemetery from
three Army bombers.
Ceremonies at Battle Ground.
At Battle Ground Cemetery. Mai.
Gen. U. S. Grant HI pleaded for a
"fraternal peace with our victories. I"
Recalling that Memorial Day began
with the decoration of graves of
| oAASoS VAN odfCo Vic COu1lGTy lTOIIl
dissolution in 1865, he observed that
the deeds Of their sons and grand
sons In three subsequent wars ,testi-
fies to the unity they achieved.
The exercises were sponsored by
the Brightwood Citizens Association
and the GAR Memorial Day Corpo-
ration. John Clagett Proctor, chair
man, read an original poem. The
Navy School of Music Band played,
School children decorated the graves.
They were directed by Mrs. Angus
Larnond. ST. The invocation and
benediction were pronounced by
Maj. William Sharp. assistant chap
lain of the Army Medical Center.
A salute was fired by a detachment
from Fort Myer and taps sounded.
President Truman's labor draft
was attacked in a Memorial Day
statement issued by the National
Committee to Win the Peace. Co.
chairmen Paul Robson, singer and
actor, and Col. Evans F. Carlson of
the Marine Corps Carlson's Raiders.