Evening star., 1946-07-05
100000 Mark
District First
Postwar Ju|y4
Monument Grounds
Ceremony High Lights
Holiday Events

tiOiiOOy 6NCHlS
The city's four-day holiday week
end continued on quieter note to-
day following the July observance,
which was climaxed last night when
a crowd of more than 100000 per-
sons packed the Monument Grounds
for a gala celebration of the Dis
trict's first peacetime Independence
Day in five years.
Government employees have the
rest of the week off and the down.
town department stores and shops
will be closed tomorrow, as they
will be every Saturday during July
and August. The city's banks, how
ever, will be open tomorrow. It has
not been decided when they will
start closing on Saturday under a
new law passed by Congress, ac-
cording to S. William Miller, presi-
dent of the District Bankers Asso-
citation.
Many Federal employees took ad-
vantage of the long week end by
leaving the city for brief holiday.
Others remained in Washington,
just taking things easy. The day
that they ordinarily would have
worked today will have to be made
up some Saturday during this
month. Most Federal agencies ex-
pect to be open a week from to-
morrow.
100000 Crowd Estimated.
Although the official estimate of
last nights "Cavalcade of Freedom"
program at the Monument Grounds
was around 100000 persons, some
policemen estimated the crowd as
high as 100000, and the Nation was
told on a coast-to-coast broadcast
that CLOSE to a half million" were
on hand. Many had been waiting
since pm.
The crowd roared its approval of
a spectacular fireworks display and
cheered the ceremonies commemo-
rating the birth of the Philippine
Republic on the day of Uncle Sans
10th birthday.
The crowd saw a fireworks dis
play that outdid similar events of
past years. Children and grown
ups shouted at the sight of multi
colored rockets bursting overhead.
They held their breath when the
fireworks spelled out Victory, Peace,
Prosperity" in brilliant light.
Women tainted. A half dozen
persons fell off their chairs hard
enough to require first aid. A dozen
children lost their parents.
O'Mahoney Sounds Warning.
Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat, of
Wyoming sounded somber warn
ing that while this Nation celebrates
it's freedom, elsewhere there are
powerful governments making at
tempts to subjugate other peoples
to their alien will. The danger
to human liberty and human rights
is greater now than ever before"
America faces crisis he said,
because totalitarian governments
can enforce their arbitrary power
with instruments of war more ter
rible now than ever before. He
called for unity, for tolerance,
understanding and good will, ask
ing that the American public put
aside discord and discomfort and
forget annoyances and even hard
ships.
In honor of the new Philippine
Republic, the lights were turned out
and the audience asked to light
matches, creating the impression
of thousands of sparkling candles
on a huge black cake, and giving
new significance to the old words
freedom and liberty for ALL"
Aside from the fireworks, the
most colorful event of the evening
was the singing of Ballad for
Americans" by choir of $50 voices
picked from every Washington
church and choral group. The sing
ers marched onto the stage dressed
in the costume of every American
period. There were Indians, farm
ers, frontiersmen, soldiers, mechan-
les, Quakers and gypsies. Fague
Springman, Alexandria born bari
tone, sang the part of Uncle Sam.
Massing of Colors.
Among the entertainers, Bob Gen
try, comedian, got the biggest hand
by suggesting that if Congress can't
restore price control it build a
monument to the American dollar.
The show began when the Amer
ican Legion National Guard OF
Honor lead representatives of AZ Or
ganizations down the main aisle
from the Monument to the platform
for the massing of the colors.
Offering the invocation, Rabbi
Samuel Penner expressed the hope
that granting of freedom to the
Philippines would hasten "the era
of universal peace and democratic
living for all people" replacing this
EZRA of imperialism"
Joseph C. McGarraghy, chairman
of the cavalcade and president OF
the Washington Board of Trade.
lead the pledge of allegiance to the
flag. The Navy, the Marine Corps
and the Army Air Forces bands
united In playing the national an
them. "The Star Spangled Ban
ner" was sung by Lucy Monroe.
One the platform were Senator
Capper. Republican, of Kansas;
Brig. Gen. Gordon r. Young, En-
gineer Commissioner, and Brig. Gen
C. B. Ferenbaugh, commander OF
the military district of Washington
Philippine Flag Displayed.
The red, whie and blue flag of the
Philippine Republic, with gold moon
and stars, was displayed by Miss
Pillar Pazada of the National Catho-
lie School and Constante Batoon OF
the Philippine Embassy.
The quiet that fell when the Very
Rev Tpnatius Smith of Catholin