Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

To the Editor of The Star:

~ tue VI l. he ctdT.
| The formation of the Glenn Brown
Association" for the purpose of foster
| ing a nationwide interest and partici-
pa ton in the Greater Washington
movement is worthy of all praise and
support and is certain to lead to i'm
portant results. The whole United
States is concerned in making Wash
ington the greatest and most beauti-
full capital that the world has ever
seen: the pride Of the nation is to
large extent involved in it. This move
ment should find response from the
lakes to the gulf, and everywhere else
| throughout the land. 1t has begun,
where it properly should, in the CAPT.
tai itself and among men whose stand
ing is a guaranty of it's dignity and
Importance.
But how are the people outside of
Washington to be reached, and how
can their pride in the identifying of
Washington be awakened? All the good
intentions that can be devised will fail
| unless there Is a concrete, well defined
plan of action.
The Shoemaker Plan.
To my mind. the best plan ever put
forward. and the one which must
eventually be adopted in this connec-
ton, is that of Louis P. Shoemaker,
who in 1897 proposed that each state
in the Union should be offered the use
of lot or reservation of from one to
two acres. in the environs of Wash
ington, upon which to erect a state
building wherein might be permanent
ly maintained specimens of the art,
literature commerce and industry of
the respective states, each in it's own
building and on its own reservation,
surrounded by native trees, and kept
up by state appropriations. Statues
and paintings OF its famous men and
| women, books of it's history, and every
other useful interest Of each state were
to be preserved therein. for the benefit
of all Corners, and maintained for all
time. The whole colony of states was
| to be located in some park devoted by
the government to that purpose
1t is difficult to imagine any better
means than this of awakening and main
| tanning nationwide interest in the
| Identification of Washington. State as
sociatiOns would be formed, in which the
| ladies would take prominent and effec-
/ tual part, to secure the building and
equipment of the representative building
| at the National Capital, and there would
| be no trouble and no great expense in COL
| lectfng souvenirs and exhibits in plenty
The final effect OF these grand and char
| acteristic structures and exhibits, occu-
plying perhaps one greater park, would
be beyond description, attracting multi
| tudes of visitors from every state and
| foreign nations, for all the cultured world
| would come to look at it and to learn
| more OF American genius, wealth and
power than could possibly be found in
any other place.
Pressing the Proposal.
The commercial organizations of Wash
| inston will do well to look into this plan
of Mr.. Shoemaker. and then lay it be-
fore the proper authorities in each state,
SO that the movement may spread where
it can bear useful fruit Washington
societies should be formed in every city
and county in the United States; Grand
Army men, clubwOmen, boards Of trade
and other commercial organizations. and
every association of a patriotic nature
should take 1t up, HN it swells into
river of action that shall make Washing
ton what it should be, fitting capital
for the richest and most progressive ma
ton on the globe.
It should not long be said OF Washing