Show I I I ID l q ML 24 V 7 z 1 Hf W c 4 y At G N t S. a f fu u t J 5 2 f A. A Z N 4 r J p p's s 's sN Qi a- a r 4 y w 7 7 AI ht S dr J ft- ft 6 a r I G 6 J NJ f ir sf If I- I I t OIL J 4 r aI r t r- r t w 9 J A 7 rN r- r a. a N a J r- r J p e J Zt 4 fJ eJ 7 J Y r R Afu 7 I r. AP rAC rf i r r L v r. r. 2 1 I r 7 I By MARIE H. H I Released by Ly Western Newspaper Union Unton T THE HE year six-year-old boy pulled I JL himself up on the marble stool to look into the glass case As with us it was hi 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 Its all gold Is it a treasure I We all laughed but the policeman I stationed there on the west gallery I j of the main floor of the Congressional Congressional I library bent down to the small I boy 4 Deed it is Sonny Its It's so priceless priceless priceless price price- I less that there is a special guard guardI I like me here every hour of the day Do you know what they are arc Sonny II Nope said the boy his eyes growing larger the birth certificates of oi this nation That one up in the cabinet on the wall is the Declaration Declaration Declaration Declara Declara- tion of independence and this one inthe in inthe inthe the case below is the Constitution of the United States The guard pronounced the words with so much pride that they sent senta a thrill through us listeners and we edged closer to see the golden docu docu- ments meats Under Protective Glass See they're specially lighted and kept under a protective glass coated with a yellow chemically treated film so the parchments wont won't fade Here speaking to all of us Look at John Hancocks Hancock's signature Written Written Written Writ Writ- ten big and bold so the king of England Eng Eng- land might read it without his hs spec spec- 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 capital capi capi- tal they were moved to this city And been here ever since someone asked No the guard explained For Fora a short time when the British captured captured cap cap- 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 oft asked the year six boy We looked closer and saw sawa a afew afew few signatures somewhat They tell a story about that but no one can prove it When the British British British Brit Brit- ish attacked the city of in 1814 these parchments were forgotten forgotten forgotten for for- gotten in the confusion contusion that tha t followed Then a clerk of the state department department depart depart- ment meat 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 ot of off from this rough handling Now will you remember he asked the little boy all all those things on September 17 Constitution day That's the date on 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 Constitution Con Con- day is is But the Philadelphians Philadelphians Philadel- Philadel have observed it with greater great 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 documents docu docu- documents ments were drafted In 1887 Philadelphia Phila PhIla- delphia held a national centennial celebration on September 15 16 and 17 arranged by a Constitutional Centennial commission This commission commission commission com com- mission included representatives from irom each state and territory appointed appointed appointed ap ap- ap- ap pointed by the governors the President President dent and his c cabinet governors and other officers from each state and territory and members of the diplo- diplo I I II I I II I I II I I II I I In this shrine in hi the Congressional I library in hi Washington are preserved the birth certificates of this nation Dation the the Declaration of Independence t tand and the Constitution of the United Unite I States matic corps The celebration began begat with an industrial parade in which people demonstrated the progress progress ress Tess made by the United States inthe in inthe ii the century of its existence In the tin evening Governor Beaver of Philadelphia Philadelphia Phila delphia held a reception in honor o of f the official guests On the second day members member of state and federal military organizations organizations paraded in review review- before befort President Grover Cleveland A At t night the President held a public reception in the Academy of Music a attended by thousands Cleveland Is Speaker On the third day the real anniversary anniversary anni anal of the Constitution exercises exercises exer exer- were held in Independence square before the building where the Constitution was drafted President President President dent Cleveland made an nn address in u which he concluded As ve we ce look down the past century ti to a athe the origin of our Constitution as we v e contemplate its trials and triumphs a as S Swe we realize how completely the principles upon which it is based have met ever every national peril perU and every national need how bow devoutly outly should we confess wit with i Franklin God governs in the atTaIns affairs of men and how solemn should bethe bethe be bethe the reflection that to our hands is committed com corn this ark of the peoples people's covenant and that ours is the duty to shield it from impious hands In the century the anniversary anniversary anniversary I sary has attracted general attention I throughout the country Various radical radical radical rad rad- ical groups small but noisy began to agitate te for the overthrow of American institutions Public spir men decided that citizens ought to be more fully instructed in th the then I n nature of the Constitution and it iti I Ir guarantees of their freedom So 1 ir r 1914 the National Security league t was organized to promote his chis in The league prepared a I catechism of the Constitution cm circulating cir hundreds of copies It I I II urged schools to devote more timeto time tim timeto I to the teaching of the Constitution ri and observance of the celebration o ol of I September 17 By 1919 there were active committees commit tees working in 41 states with chair chain men from presidents of state bar ba t associations presidents of colleges chairmen of ot school boards presidents dents of historical societies state stat 3 branches of Sons of the American I Revolution and other distinguished I II citizens Under the guld guidance of th the I league Constitution day was observed ob obI served by 22 states and a hundred I cities in that year The National Security league tried 1 to counteract the effect of attacks S upon the Constitution by radicals ou out t of office In 1934 1034 these radicals charged the Democratic President and congress with setting up a government government gov gov- disregarding the Constitution Constitution Constitution tion a kind which the radicals of previous years had advocated At that time measures were adopted to overcome the effects of financial panic in th the fall of 1929 1920 and the consequent consequent consequent con con- sequent business depression To Save Our Liberties Prominent Republicans and Democrats Democrats Democrats Dem Dem- organized the American Liberty Liberty Lib Lib- Liberty erty league to use all means in its power to prevent the destruction of those liberties guaranteed by the Constitution The Constitution day anniversary in 1934 was observed by distinguished orators of both parties parties parties par par- ties calling legislation for the relief of business as subversive of the Constitution Meetings were held under under under un un- un- un der the auspices of the SAR DAR DAFt I YMCA American Legion and other organizations Some speakers defended defended defended de de- de- de I fended the recovery legislation as constitutional and said they had as I profound respect for the Constitution Constitution tion as the critics of such legislation I This difference of opinion on fundamental funda funda- i mental issues m made the 1934 celebration celebration celebration cele cele- bration more notable than any cele be be- fore It demonstrated too the rights Americans were privileged to exercise exercise exercise exer exer- cise under this same Constitution In more recent years there is a growing tendency to have I Am an American Day on September 17 I as an especially appropriate way to celebrate the Constitution ution day Those who become of age before that day and any aliens who have been naturalized are welcomed as new citizens of these United States by their local community officers The pledge and national anthem given given given 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 ye years year's rs r's celebration of Constitution day just two months before a national election would be bea a good time to look up the Constitution Constitution tion in any encyclopedia and study its articles Drafted by 55 delegates delegates dele dele- gates from 13 states who working four months in secret session often violently disagreed the Constitution now in its year has had few changes in its text Among all the constitutions in the world it is the oldest and yet is well adapted to the expanding needs of the resourceful resource resource- ful American people even in their complex civilization Men like Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington Franklin Hamilton and Madison Madison Mad Mad- Madison ison had a hand in shaping it and because because be be- cause of their divergent vi views ws compromised compromised com corn promised to make a more perfect Union possible You will learn that il it confers powers upon the federal government and again exerts limitations limitations limitations limita limita- upon b both th state and central governments Today with accusations hurled by presidential candidates ringing so loudly in our ears a quiet contemplation contemplation contern- contern of the original Constitution is almost a must for every citizen It Itis Itis Itis is a good way to celebrate Constitution tion day this year |