OCR Text |
Show Nations mourn the President The death of the United States President John F. Kennedy, 46, at the hands of an assasin Friday, November 22, as he rode in a motorcade from the airport in Dallas, Texas, brought grief and sorrow to people the world over. Nothing has so shocked the nation since Pearl Harbor. Through modern means of communication, the news was flashed to every corner of the earth within minutes after his death in a Dallas hospital. The information infor-mation touched the heart of every citizen in every free country. Sympathy was also poured out to the Texas governor, John Connally, who was injured by a bullet from the gun of the same assasin as he traveled in the same car. And to the family of the police officer who was slain as he attempted to capture the gun wielder. It was a dark day in the history of this country and one which left the nation stunned. As the tragedy of the President's death was still fresh on the minds of the people, they were told that the accused assasin, Lee Harvey Oswald, had been shot by a small night club operator, Jack Ruby of Dallas, when the accused was being transferred from the city to the county jail. This was on Sunday, November 24, just 48 hours after the death of the President. Monday, November 25, was a day that everyone old and young will long remember. As schools, stores and government buildings closed throughout the country, everyone sat close to his TV or radio set to see and hear details of the funeral for the distinguished leader and President of the United States. It was a time when leaders of the divided world gathered, united in sorrow, and forgot differences in party affiliations, creed and color, as they paid tribute to a fallen leader. It was said to be the most extraordinary assembly of international interna-tional figures that America has ever seen. More than 50 nations East and West at arms and at peace were represented. There were some 22 presidents or prime ministers, three reigning monarchs and princes or princesses of nine countries in attendance. Over a million people lined Washington streets. From behind the Iron Curtain came Russia, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia representatives. Red China and Cuba were not represented. The funeral was held on the third birthday of the President's son, John. His wife, Jackie, and daughter, Caroline, 6, are other members of his immediate family. In contrast to the President's funeral was that for the accused assasin in a desolate spot near Fort Worth, Texas, with newsmen acting as pallbearers in lieu of friends. An investigation is to be undertaken to determine the motive of the shooting of the accused by the one who took the law into his own hands. In a brief ceremony aboard the plane which took the Presidential party to Texas, Lyndon B. Johnson took the oath of office as the 36th President of the United States before returning to the national capitol. And as one commentator remarked, the country now has a new President but the same old problems still exist. However, during the dark, shock-filled days of grief and sorrow, leaders from around the world exhibited the possibility of getting together on an occasion when their presence meant comfort and strength to a nation and its First Family. |