Evening star., 1955-02-13
Cold Reduces Crowd
For Wreath-Laying al
Lincoln Memorial

It was so cold yesterday that
the colorful annual ceremony of
laying wreaths at the Lincoln
Memorial on Lincoln day, an
event that usually draws q large
crowd. had little attendance be-
yond the 500 participants.
The sun was shining brilliantly
but the temperature was II de-
grees-15 below the freezing
point-and o brisk wind made
1t seem even colder.
President Eisenhower's wreath.
q huge one Of white and red
carnations and blue iris, was
carried up the long steps shortly
after noon by Maj. Gen. John
H. Stokes, jr., commander of the
Military District Of Washington.
He ascended through a corridor
formed by Army, Navy, Marine
Corps and Air Force men in dress
uniform standing at present
arms. Mr.. Eisenhower was in
Thomasville, Ga.
Kin Of Union Officers.
The ceremony has been spon-
sored for the past 20 years by
the Military Order of the Loyal
Legion, originally a group of
Union officers who banded to-
gether to defend the Nation after
Lincoln's assassination. The
group is now composed Of their
descendants.
The wreath Of the order, white
Gala lilies with a white ribbon,
was carried up the steps by
William G.. Duval, of Cincin-
natl. national commander, and
Maj. Gen. U. s. Grant, III, USA
(retired) former national COM
mander. They were followed by
a color guard Of the four services.
District Commissioner Renah
Camalier recited Lincoln's
Gettysburg Address.
In the background the WASH
ington monument was mirrored
in the ice Of the rejecting pool.
National Capital Parks work.
men had been busy all morning
removing snow and ice from the
steps Of the memorial. The Ma
rine Corps band, under 1t. Col.
William F. Santelmann, played
the Battle Hymn of the Repub-
lie, then blew on their fingers
between numbers.
Participants Listed.
The list Of organizations re-
questing the privilege of laying
wreaths included:
American Gold Star Mothers.
Gold Star Wives of America, the
American Legion and its auxil-
tary: the National Guard Of
Honor. Sons Of Union Veterans,
Daughters of Union Veterans,
Daughters of the American Rev
olution, Sons of the American
Revolution, American National
Red Cross, Army and Navy
Union, Ladies of the Grand
Army Of the Republic, League of
Republican Women, Boy Scouts
OF America. Regular Veterans As
sociation. Danes of the Loyal
Legion. the Girl Scouts, Daugh-
tiers Of the Cincinnati, Military
Order of the World Wars, Ser
toma Club. Aztec Club of f847,
Founders and Patriots, Daugh-
ters Of Founders and Patriots,
American War Mothers, Irish
War Veterans. Catholic War Vet |
erans Auxiliary, Jewish War Vet
Grams, the Board of Trade, the
District Commissioners, the Ma
tional Parks Services, and the
Interior Department.
Representatives of the Loyal
Legion from many States were
there.
In the afternoon, the Fellow
ship House Choir of Philadelphia
sang spirituals at the memorial
and a cantata with words by
Carl Sandburg. Lincoln biogra-
pher.
Roy E. Appleton, National
Parks Service historian, will
speak on "Mr. Lincoln's language
at 2::30 pm. today in the Lincoln
Museum, formerly Ford's theater,
on Tenth street NV. between E
and F streets. The Pentagon
chorus will sing