Evening star., 1951-04-16
District Speeds Plan
For Huge Welcome
To Gen. Macarthur
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erous suggestion Of welcome. The
time and date of my arrival In
Washington are not yet fixed and
] will communicate them later
Request there be no formal
speeches in your welcoming cere-
mony. Again my deepest thanks
for this suggested honor by the
citizens Of our great Capital City"
The message. in response to one
sent Saturday by Mr.. Young and
Mr.. McGarraghy. arrived several
hours after the fast-working COM
mittee met yesterday to thrash
out the major problems of the
homecoming celebration. The
committee also approved this mes
sage sent to Gen. Macarthur at
Hawaii:
Cordial invitation extended to
be honor guest at great civic din
ner Friday evening, April 20, in
Washington. If that is not con-
venient, luncheon or dinner will
be arranged any time and date
you desire"
Plans Could Be Changed.
Friday was mentioned in the
cable because that was the day
the committee earlier expected
him to be here, but Mr.. McGar-
raghy said he was confident the
committee could move its dinner
plans ahead a day if that's when
the general can attend.
Without waiting for reply to
the second message the commit
tee set up working subcommittee
to go ahead with an elaborate pub
lie reception and the dinner.
One of the major decisions
made yesterday was on a parade
route. It was settled that the
parade or motorcade will start at
the Capitol and move down Della
ware avenue to Constitution ave-
@ue until Constitution merges
with Pennsylvania avenue. The
procession will then move up
Pennsylvania avenue to Fifteenth
street, where 1t will turn to Con-
stitution avenue and the Monu-
lnent Grounds.
{ Pennsylvania avenue was chosen
Tor the parade route as the ira
ditional avenue of heroes. The
Monument Grounds site was the
scene of the great welcome for
Admiral Nimitz on his return from
the Pacific and is the locale for
the Fourth of July celebrations.
Officials estimated that a quar-
ter of a million spectators will be
able to witness the Monument
Grounds reception and those in
surrounding streets will hear IL
through public-address systems.
Portrait to Be Displayed.
The reception stand, "a by 40
feet long. will have a background
Of American flags. In the center
will be a huge portrait of Gen.
Macarthur, circled by five gold
stars symbolic Of his rank. One
hundred distinguished guests wfllj
be invited to sit on the recep-ai
ton stand and seats will be pro-
vided for 500 others in front Of
the stand. 81
Gen. Macarthur will see 800
posters welcoming him along tho
line Of march. On each lamp post
along the way. the posters will
be fanked by American flags.
Merchants have been asked toI
decorate their stores with flags
and bunting and householders are
being urged to bring out their
flags to greet the general.
Private employers will be urged
to close their stores and offices
during the Macarthur celebration
Sc their employees will get their
chance to cheer the city's hon.
ored guest.
Corning Offers Cooperation.
The public and private schools
have been asked to excuse their
pupils during the celebration. The
Rt. Rev. Monsignor John S..
Spense, director of education for
the Washington Archdiocese, said
he considered this a great his
torical event and the children
in the parochial schools will be
excused on receipt of a letter from
their parents.
DR.. Hobart M. Corning, super
intendent of public schools, said
he would cooperate with the COM
munity in any plans made for
the celebration. He pointed out
that he has always, excused the
school children for events of this
kind if their parents request it.
The extent of the celebration
has not yet been fully determined.
If it is a motorcade, like that of
the Eisenhower procession. bands
will be stationed along the line