Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-22
WASIINGTON'S GREAT UNWASHED

- ENIUS has ever been allowed the
poetic license, so to speak, of un-
kempt hair, frayed collars and
~ shabby garments. but never. in
the history of the world. nave
the most ardent admirers OF sucil
supermen been able or willing TO s'ahu
for uncleanlness. 1t ever has peeh anu
ever will be worse than bar-slnlster
across the escutcheon. The subject ltseii
is tabooed If necessity of the moment
demands reference to it, the alluslon Is
generally but an implied one or some va
ration Of the well-known axiom. clean
illness is next to goodness. IL is the uh-
mentionable of unmentionables in polite
society 1t exists and the whole world
knows it does but speaks of 1t In Whls-
per behind closed doors.
Invariably aad perhaps logically: one
generally expects and finds uncleanllnesS
among the poor. In fact. that is accepted
by many as their normal condition but
among the great, the men whose names
are synonyms for power and might ana
the nations welfare-imposslble absurd:
And yet it isn't. Right here in Wash
ington there is whole colony OF men
the greatest in the history of the United
States-who are uncleah- fIsht mere "a
this beautiful capital distinguished
men who, in the opinion OF many, need
a bath,
They need it badly. too,'' the bath ad-
but once O year, And there is one old
chap among them who hasn't bathed for
eight years.
of course it's true. Look and for
yourself. You've passed them time and
time again the street-and no doubt
looked at them closely-and then passed
without knowing their terrible secret.
But don't censure them. Poor fellows, 1t
isn't their fault They no doubt, would
like TO be clean. But it seems the inexor
able law OF fate and their environment
despite their unparalleled greatness-that
they shall not be.
Several days ago party of tourists
evidently from some place west of the
Mississippi or perhaps from East Aurora
New York, were seeing Washington"
Il think that is terribler' exclaimed
one OF them. Its a disgrace to Wash
ington, It's a sacrilege. He certainly
does need a BATH. And such a great
man. too. And every one of them we've
seen i'm Washington is just as dirty,
They all need baths, / don't call that
showing the proper respect for our he
roes, do your?
And with that she turned Indignantly
away from the statue of Hahnemann.
upon which she had been remarking. and
crossed the circle TO gaze upon the ma
jestic features of Daniel Webster-and
To- find the same lack of soap and water.
The statue of Hahnemann deserves
comment. Calmly. serenely. impressive
~ he reclines in his bronze chair. clothed
in his scholars gown. with his finger
marking the place in his half-open book.
His noble brow is adorned with a long
green smear that by no possible trick of
the imagination could be mistaken for
laurel. The sea-Sreen adornment begins
in wdds and gobs the top of his bald
head, and falls gracefully down his
right eye and across his classic nose.
One wonders whether or not some mis-
chievous. unthinking boy is responsible
with a SNOWFALL colored green.
Take little trip. did the indignant
tourist lady" around the circle of
bronze statues commemorative of our
noble dead. Not in spirit OF ridicuIe-
for love and respect for the men whom
they commemorate would revolt against
that-but with just sufficient, even though
undignified. levity. TO see ourselves as
others see us.
There the bronze of Gen Winfield S.
Scott in the parking at Scott Circle 1t
is. perhaps. clean in appearance as
any in the city. for il possesses the adj
vantage OF having the green paint
evenly distributed over both horse and
rider that the dirt actually concealS
itself II viewed from certain angle a
most beautiful % watered-sik effect is
obtained The streaks where the rains
descended and the f1ooos came and fell
upon il are most artistic. for they ram
be along epaulet and sword and
name without rhyme reason. But as
whole. ii is not so bad
Having cleaned and secured that thor
oughly gather up your washtub and your
scrubbing brush. wipe and dry your
hands and cross over to the stately statue
of Daniel Webster Ssh, Whis- 1t
softly, He never has had a bath. And
he's been standing there for over seven
wears, The statue was dedicated Janu-
arv & 1890 Even at that though, he
pretty cles1. Oniy the pedestal is slightly
1iscolore3.
Call t.s y.S1seman to drive off the rub