Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-04-02
Blossom FeteOpens
In Perfect Weather
So Princesses
Meet Escorts
For Ceremony

tNNSSA @SSSt
For Ceremony
In setting of warm sun
and the pink Hinged Tidal
Basin, the 1868 National Cherry
Blossom Festival was launched
today with the blossoms them
selves in full and magnificent
bloom.
The opening ceremony was
held this afternoon at the
japanese stone lantern beside
the KutZ Bridge, which COM
the presentation Of
the delicate trees in 1912.
Today's participants included
of two of those
involved in the original gift
from Japan to the United
States 81 years ago.
Representative Taft, Repub-
lican of Ohio, grandson Of
President William Howard Taft.
and Japan Air Lines Captain
Yukinaga Ozaki, grandson Of
Tokyo's 1912 Mayor Yukio
Ozaki, met beside the ancient
stone lantern. There, Mr.. Taft
presented to the japanese pilot
an American dogwood tree and
cherry tree grown here in
memory of the 1912 gift that
provided the Nations Capital
one of its most beautiful vistas.
Good Will Gesture
The original cherry trees
around the Tidal Basin were
sent here by Mayor Ozaki as a
good will gesture after learning
that the wife of President Taft
was interested in planting some
Of the trees in Washington.
Three thousand of the trees
were shipped and, on March 81,
1912, in a simple ceremony Mrs.
Taft and Viscountess Chinda,
wife of the japanese Ambas-
sador, planted the first trees.
From that planting has
sprung the spectacle of pink
and white blossoms that Wash
ington has come to regard as
the official arrival of spring.
The weather co-operated
with a week of warmth to
bring the blossoms out with
perfect timing for the week.
long festival. Furthermore.
forecasters expect comfortably
high temperatures and sun
shine for the next 48 hours.
Today was sunny with a high
reaching into the upper 70s
and tomorrow will be even
nicer with the spring sun
bringing readings in the low
80s.
Never More Beautiful
Everyone agreed that the
blossoms have never been
more beautiful nor the weather
nicer for a festival in years.
t. Sutton Jet, regional direc-
tor Of the National Park Serv-
ice, said he felt certain the
blossoms would remain in
place around the Tidal Basin
as firmly as jewels in a crown
for at least 10 days.
Thus, the setting will be
perfect when the climax Of the
festival comes this week end.
The SO Cherry Blossom prin-
cesses met their military es-
corts yesterday at the WASH
ington Hotel. The beauteous
girls and the handsome officers
were paired off according to
height, with Patty Gavin acting
as mistress Of ceremonies.
Marine 1t. Tom Irving be-
came the escort OF Maryland
Princess Muriel Thomson.
Army 1t. Keith Bevan Joined
Virginia Princess Beverly Jones
and Air Force 1t. Cornelius
Sullivan paired off with Dis
trict Of Columbia Princess Ann
Werner.
Queen Selection Friday
These and the others will be
together pretty much con-
stantly from now through the
whirl Of events ending Sunday.
1t will be on Friday night
at 8 pm. at an invitation-only
ball in the Sheraton Park
Hotel. that the 1868 Cherry
Blossom Queen will be selected
at the official festival ball.
One Of the highlights Of the
celebration will be Festival
Parade. a two-hour procession
down Constitution avenue from
Seventh to Seventeenth street
NV. beginning at II am. Sat-
urday. The Coronation Pageant
will follow at 1880 pm. Satur-
day at the Sylvan Theater.
with a repeat performance end
ing the festival at the same
time Sunday.