Though rainy weather, which had lasted for several days, threatened to mar the event, the sky cleared up somewhat about midday, and the celebrations in honor of our dead came off satisfactorily.

At the Bohemian National Cemetery

The commemoration began with the customary parade which started from the home of Pilsen Sokol and marched east on 18th Street, then southwest on Blue Island Avenue to Ashland Avenue, where surface cars transported participants to Irving Park. At the Bohemian Orphanage and Old People's Home the participants gathered anew and marched into the Cemetery, where, near the monument erected in honor of the Veterans of the Civil War, a tribune was erected for the functionaries. The 2strains of Chopin's "Funeral March" filled the air, while thousands were assembling around the platform, at about 10 a. m.

The celebration was initiated by a ceremony in honor of the Civil War Veterans, at whose monument Mr. Frank Stejskal, himself a warrior of those times, delivered an address. After this, the attention of the crowd concentrated upon the platform. Speakers, and officers of the Cemetery, were seated there, as were also the wards of the Orphanage with their warden, that goodhearted woman, Mrs. Augusta Dusek.

Mr. John Pecha, chairman of the directorate of the Cemetery, opened the series of speeches with a few well chosen words; admonishing his audience to stand behind our government in these critical times. He introduced Governor Frank Lowden, who expressed his gratification at the opportunity given him to speak before the Czechs, whose ardent patriotic activities he is following closely as the head of one of the greatest states of the Union. Though not prepared, and speaking spontaneously, he soon established a close contact with the Czechs. He said:

"You know better than any one else how to appreciate freedom. You were free, great, and powerful at a time when America was peopled by savages. But you, too, have gone through a period of decline. You have been under the heel of your oppressors for three hundred years. National co-operation is needed by us to down autocracy....."

The governor closed with a very flattering remark directed to State Representative E. J. Smejkal, whom he called a typical exponent of Czech patriotism.

The next numbers on the program were two poems, one in English and one in Czech. The latter came from the pen of A. J. Havranek. "The Star-Spangled Banner," sung by all the wards of the Orphanage, followed. Attorney J. J. Vlach, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, delivered an address which made a great impression. Mr. Brousek's band filled in the intermissions.

There was a throng of people inside and outside the Cemetery such as one did not see in former years. Red Cross workers, in their becoming uniforms, were taking 4up contributions which seemed to pour in like rain. This collection in our Czech Cemetery will net a handsome amount for this humanitarian purpose. Some workers also were "tagging" for the Zdrubek school in Irving Park.

At the St. Adalbert Cemetery

Countless people visited the St. Adalbert Cemetery yesterday. They were headed by a company of Czech-American Veterans and their band, the St. Wenceslaus Order No. 131, and by Cadets' associations. The parade started at 8 a. m. from the Czech-American Auditorium, moved east on 18th Street to Allport Avenue, over 19th Street to Ashland Avenue, where streetcars were waiting to take the participants to Clybourn Junction; there, the Chicago & Northwestern train was waiting, ready to leave for Norwood Park.

The program began with an address by the Reverend V. Kolbeck, who first apologized for the absence of Msgr. Bobal. There was a hint of sadness in his words, quite conforming to the gloomy weather.....The speaker indicated that Congress has 5empowered the President to designate this day as a day of prayer for victory.

A mass was read, followed by singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner". Judge J. H. Mahoney spoke to the crowd; he made a fervent appeal for united support of the President and the Government. He reminded the audience of the many humiliations to which this country had been subjected before it finally was compelled to join the Allies. He reminded them of the "Lusitania," of whose crew and passengers hundreds lost their lives.....

"America" was sung, and Prior Prokop Neuzil mounted the platform. He pointed to this day as the fiftieth anniversary of the Memorial Day celebration, and gave a brief outline of the origin of the custom....."Hej Slovane" (Ho ye Slavs!), Czech national anthem, was sung. The ceremony closed with a prayer for victory.

At Resurrection Cemetery

Resurrection Cemetery is the youngest of our cemeteries. Though the celebration 6there was not as imposing as it was elsewhere, still it left the impression of an act pervaded with true national American sentiment. Most of the people had come from the settlement, Town of Lake. As in former years, the arrangements were in the hands of the Czecho-Slav American Veterans, Company No. 2. They gathered at 8 a. m. at the St. Cyrill and St. Methodius Church, 50th Street and Hermitage Avenue, marched through the streets of Town of Lake, and took the surface line cars to the Cemetery.

Mr. J. R. Vojtech, lawyer, opened with a patriotic address, and was followed by Mr. F. J. Brom, well-known citizen of Town of Lake. The latter, too, spoke in a patriotic vein, exhorting his fellow citizens to do all in their power to contribute to victory for our army. Reverend Thomas J. Bobal spoke of the intrinsic beauty of the meaning of Memorial Day. He is parish priest of the St. Cyrill and St. Methodius Church....There was no speaker from out of town this year.