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Show By MARIE H. MUDKA Released by Western Newspaper Union. THE six-year-old boy pulled himself up on the marble stool to look into the glass case. As with us, it was his first visit to Washington and he had to see everything. He let out a squeal of surprise, "Mother! " he said, looking up to see where she was. "It's all gold. Is it a treasure?" ' We all laughed, but the policeman stationed 'there on the west gallery of the main floor of the Congressional Congres-sional library bent down to the small boy. " 'Deed it is, Sonny. It's so priceless price-less that there is a special guard like me here every hour of the day. Do you know what they are, Sonny?" "Nope," said the boy, his eyes growing larger. "They're the birth certificates of this nation. That one up in the cabinet on the wall is the Declaration Declara-tion of Independence and this one in the case below is-the Constitution of the United States." The guard pronounced the words with so much pride that they sent a thrill through us listeners and we edged closer to see the golden documents. In this shrine in the Congressional library In Washington are preserved the "birth certificates of this nation" the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. matic corp's. The celebration began with an industrial parade in which 12,000 people demonstrated the progress prog-ress made by the United States in the century of its existence. In the evening Governor Beaver of Philadelphia Phila-delphia held a reception in honor of the official guests. On the second day, 30,000 members of state and federal military organizations organi-zations paraded in review before President Grover Cleveland. At night the President held a public reception in the Academy of Music attended by thousands. Cleveland Is Speaker. On the third day, the real anniversary anni-versary of the Constitution, exercises exer-cises were tield in Independence square before the building where the Constitution was drafted. President Presi-dent Cleveland made an address in which he concluded: As we look down the past century to the origin of our Constitution, as we contemplate Its trials and triumphs, as we realize how completely the principles upon which it is based have met every naUonal peril and every national need, how devoutly should we confess with Franklin, "God governs in the affairs of men"; and how solemn should be the reflection that to our hands is committed com-mitted this ark of the people's covenant, and that, ours Is the duty to shield it from impious hands. In the 20th century the anniversary anniver-sary has attracted general attention throughout the country. Various radical rad-ical groups, small but noisy, began to agitate for the overthrow-of American institutions. Public-spirited men decided that citizens ought to be more fully instructed in ft, nature of the Constitution and j, guarantees of their freedom. So j, 1914 the National Security km was organized to promote this in. struction. The league prepared, catechism of the Constitution, cir. culating hundreds of copies, it urged schools to devote more time to the teaching of the Constiiutioj and observance of the celebration ol September 17. By 1919 there were active commit, tees working in 41 states with chair, men from: presidents of state bar associations; presidents of colleges; chairmen of school boards; presi! dents of historical societies; stall branches of Sons of the American Revolution and other distinguished citizens. Under the guidance ol tht league. Constitution day was observed ob-served by 22 states and a hundred cities in that year. The National Security league tried to counteract the effect of attacks upon the Constitution by radicals out of office. In 1934 these radicals charged the Demoqratic President and congress with setting up a government gov-ernment disregarding the Constitution, Constitu-tion, a kind which the radicals ol previous years had advocated. At that time measures were adopted to overcome the effects of financial panic in the fall of 1929 and the consequent con-sequent business depression. To Save Our Liberties. Prominent Republicans and Democrats Dem-ocrats organized the American Liberty Lib-erty league to use all means in its ' power to prevent the destruction ol those liberties guaranteed by the Constitution. The Constitution day anniversary in 1934 was observed or distinguished orators of both parties par-ties calling legislation for the relief of business as subversive of the Constitution. Meetings were held under un-der the auspices of the SAR. DAB, YMCA, American Legion and other organizations. Some speakers defended de-fended the recovery legislation u constitutional and said they had i profound respect for the Constitution Constitu-tion as the critics of such legislation. This difference of opinion on fundamental funda-mental issues made the 1934 celebration cele-bration more notable than any before. be-fore. It demonstrated, too, the rights Americans were privileged to exercise exer-cise under this same Constitution. In more recent years there is i growing tendency to have "I Am an American Day" on September H as an especially appropriate way lo celebrate the Constitution day. Those who become of age before that day and any aliens who have been naturalized are welcomed as new citizens of these United Stales by their local community officers. The pledge and national anthem given giv-en by these new citizens has such fervor that it makes one conscious anew of what it means to be an American. Few Changes. Perhaps this year's celebration of Constitution day, just two month! before a national election, would be a good time to look up the Constitution Constitu-tion in any encyclopedia and sin its articles. Drafted by 55 dels-gates dels-gates from 13 states, who, wortoS four months in secret session, often violently disagreed, the Constitution now in Its 157th year, has had fe changes in its text. Among all tM constitutions in the world it oldest and yet is well adapted the expanding needs of the resourceful resource-ful American people even in toe complex civilization. Men like ington, Franklin, Hamilton and Ma ison had a hand in shaping it and t cause of their divergent views compromised com-promised to make a "more per'e Union" possible. You will learr itn it confers powers upon the fco government and again exerts lim" tions upon both state and centr governments. Today with accusations hurled W presidential candidates rml loudly in our ears, a quiet conten plation of the original Constitution almost a must for every c1,'zen; is a good way to celebrate Const' tion day this year. Under Protective Glass. "See, they're specially lighted and kept under a protective glass coated with a yellow chemically treated film so the parchments won't fade. Here," speaking to all of us. "Look at John Hancock's signature. Written Writ-ten big and bold so the king of England Eng-land might read it without his spectacles." spec-tacles." "Have these documents always been here?" asked a man in the group. "No, they've always been at the seat of government. At first that was New York. When Philadelphia became the capital, they were taken there. After congress fixed upon Washington as a permanent capital, capi-tal, they were moved to this city." "And been here ever since?" someone asked. "No," the guard explained. "For a short time when the British captured cap-tured Washington during the War of 1812 they were removed to Virginia far enough away to be safe. They were preserved in a vault but in 1921 President Harding ordered them placed here." "Why are some of the names rubbed off?" asked the six-year-old boy; We looked closer and saw a few signatures somewhat obliterated. obliter-ated. "They tell a story about that but no one can prove it. When the British Brit-ish attacked the city of Wasnington in 1814, these parchments were forgotten for-gotten in the confusion that followed. Then a clerk of the state department, depart-ment, in whose custody they were, rolled them up in a hurry, shoved them into linen bags, and fled to Georgetown and then to -Leesburg. It is said that on his journey the ink on the surface flaked off from this rough handling. Now will you remember," he asked the little boy, "all those things on September 17, Constitution day? That's the date ori which the Constitution was finished way back in 1787." Philadelphia Celebrates. Not having such an introduction to the origin of our Constitution, most people do not even know when Constitution Con-stitution day is. But the Philadel-phians Philadel-phians have observed it with greater great-er regularity than any other place in America. Perhaps this city is conscious of the distinction it holds in having Independence Hall, the building in which both these documents docu-ments were drafted. In 1887 Philadelphia Phila-delphia held a national centennial celebration on September 15, 16 and 17, arranged by a Constitutional Centennial commission. This commission com-mission included representatives from each state and territory appointed ap-pointed by the governors; the President Presi-dent and his cabinet; governors and other officers from each state and territory, and members of the diplo- |
