Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-26
KENNEDY

ONnAAAucu rum rage al
ficialdom IN mourning his pre-
decessor.
After marching In the funer-
al procession and standing
among the mourners at the Ar
hngton grave. the new Presi-
dent made public q message
from him to members Of the
Nations armed forces saying Of
President Kennedy: He viii be
remembered and honored for
evermore for his valor and
courage in serving that cause
Of peace which you serve in
your faithful vigil for freedom.
Political Leaders Join
Old political enemies we're
brought together in the funeral
services for the slain President,
partisan differences buried in a
time Of national sorrow.
Former Presidents Eisenhow-
er and Truman Joined in
mourning his untimely passing.
Former Vice President Nixon,
the man Mr.. Kennedy defeated
in 1860, was among those at
the funeral. So were all the
Republicans who had been
considered in the running to
oppose Mr.. Kennedy next year
If he had lived-New York Gov.
Nelson Rockefeller, Senator
Barry Goldwater, Michigan
Gov. Romney and Pennsylvan-
Ia Gov. Scranton.
Before the Senate adjourned
yesterday so members could
attend the funeral, Senate
Republican Leader Dirksen
Joined Senate Dem ocratic
Leader Mansfield in eulogizing
the slain President as ''his own
profile in courage"-a ref
erence to a book by that name
written by Mr. Kennedy before
he became President.
Mrs. Kennedy Adds Touches
The funeral mass and the
services of the graveside, both
conducted by Cardinal Cush-
ing, were the rites of the Ro-
man Catholic Church accorded
alike to great and humble Of
that faith.
But this was the funeral Of q
President Of the United States
as well as q Catholic, and It
was made memorable by the
combination Of things that go
with that office, the ageold
church rites, and some touches
added by Mrs. Kennedy to
honor her husband.
She was the first widow of a
President to follow his body on
foot in q funeral procession.
And she was the first to light q
flame to burn eternally at the
head Of her husbands grave to
signify her everlasting faith in
his ideals.
Using long, slender taper
handed her by a military aide,
Mrs. Kennedy ignited the pro-
pane gas in a stainless steel
container that will be kept
burning forever.
Then she handed the taper
to her husbands eldest living
brother, Attorney General Rob-
ert F. Kennedy. He touched it
to the flame, and passed the
taper to his younger brother,
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
who did the same.
All Military Honors
AS the slain COMMANDMENT
Chief of the armed forces, Mr..
Kennedy received all the ritu-
alistic honors accorded by the
military to its dead.
The casket containing his
body, completely covered by an
American flag, was borne on its
final journey on a caisson
drawn by six matched gray
horses. Companies of marching
men from all the uniformed
services and military bands led
the funeral procession. A 81
gun salute doomed out during
the graveside services.
Mrs. Kennedy and the other
mourners rode in automobiles
in the procession from st. Mat
thews' to the grave, overlooking
the Lincoln Memorial from a
sloping hillside below the Gus
tis-Lee Mansion.
As the cortege approached
the grave, shadows cast by the
mellowing fall sun were length
ening.
Eight uniformed enlisted
men from all the services car
ried the casket to the grave
and lowered it onto a platform
Of silver rails and webbing that
suspended 1t at ground level
over the open grave.
Shower Of Autumn Leaves
About this time hundreds Of
autumn-colored leaves began
falling from the sky.
As the slain Presidents body
approached its final resting
place, the United States Marine
Band, colorful in scarlet jack
cts and blue trousers, played
for the last time for Mr.. Ken
needy the traditional musical
homage to a President-"Hail
to the Chief"
Then the Air Force bagpiperS,
who had played for Mr.. Kenne-
dy's amuse ment at recent
White House State dinners, did
a brief farewell concert for
him.
Fifty military jets, represent
ing the so States, Numbered by
overhead A moment later, Air