The Washington times., 1911-03-19
Campaign to Raise Quarter
Million for Convention
Hall Soon to Start.
WILL BE MEMORIAL
TO FIRST PRESIDENT
Merchants Say Structure Will Be
Good Investment-Want
All to Give.

One hundred citizens of the District OF
Columbia will go into the homes and
business houses of this city one week
from tomorrow morning and begin
actual solicitation in the campaign to
raise S2J0,OOG which is to be Washing
tons investment in the George Wash
ington Memorial Convention Hall, a
structure TO cost s., 500.0O0.
The building is to be a national mo
mortal to the first President. 1t is als0
10 be an auditorium to attract to Wash
ington national and international con-
ventiOns, whose delegates and visitors
will bring to The city sum estimated
At Sl0,0I0,00 annually.
The structure is to be built by the
George Washington Memorial Asso-
ciation, A nationwide society which
has pledged itself to raise s., ,250,OOO. if
the District of Columbia will raise
$1,000 The District has accepted the
challenge. Under the direction of the
conventions committee OF the Chamber
of Commerce, plan of campaign has
been evolved. The quarter of a million
10 10 be raised Next Monday morning
at clock solicitation begins.
Mass Meeting.
paign will be made Wednesday evening,
when mass meeting of representatives
OF 10U civic, fraternal, charitable, phil
anIhropiC, and religious organizations
will be held at the Chamber Of Com
mcrcc. Representatives of the conven-
lions committee will address this meet
ing. The whole memorial building
scheme will he explained. A circular
setting forth the benefits to be derived
lnN- hn mo ion
hall will be distributed. Those present
will then he asked to return to their
respective organizations and preach the
gospel.
peCted every person i'm Washington will
know all about the George Washington
Memorial Convention Hall. When ap-
preached by solicitors, they are eN-
pected to be ready to sign for COntri-
button, without having to be informed
Of the details of the project. What the
convention hall will mean 10 the people
OF this city is forcefully explained in the
following excerpt from the circular is
sued by the conventions committee:
"Why should Washington care
whether a $2.5O0,00 convention hall is
built in this city?
I'm the first place, il should care be-
cause of its sense Of patriotism.
In the second place, II should care
because an expenditure Of $25O,OOO for
this purpose will increase by S0.OOOOO
the amount of money put into CirCula-
tion in Washington every year.
This 100000 will be brought to
Washington by the national and inter
national conventions of every character
that are already anxious to come mere,
but are forced to stay away because We
have no quarters in which they can he
accommodated.
Everybody Benefits.
WHO will benefit from the ten million
dollars year which the Convention
Hall will bring to Washington?
"A schoolboy should answer this ques-
tion. The answer is:
e Everybody.
Not a man, woman, or child in the
District Of Columbia can fail 10 get
paTt Of that 5000 600. Whether per
directly cuts no figure. If the money is
brought to the town and left here'
everybody will share in the benefit. 80
Who. then, is to be called upon to
YIN; ..Tafursllv, Everybody is to be called
John DoIph, chairman OF the sub
committee of the conventions committee
that arranged the mass meeting or dele
gates from local organizations. Will pre-
side at the meeting WEDNESDAY even
ing. Among those VINO will explain
the purposes of the campaign will be
the following:
Chamber of Commerce.
Dr.. Charles D. Walcott. secretary
Smithsonian Institution and member
advisory council George Washington
Memorial Association.
Mrs Archibald Hopkins, trustee
George Washington Memorial Assocla-
ton.
Henry B. F. Macfarland.
!. Louis Wilige.
p. ]. Haltigan.
Granville NJ Hunt. Chairman n conNen-
tions committee, Chamber of Commerce.
Have Good Start.
A substantial beginning already has
hccn made toward the quarter OF
million dollars For several weeks the
conventions committee has been Wis
itinC the subscribers to the old conVen-
ton hall fund, which was run up 10
SI67 600 but which was never collected.
About 300 has been repiedged to the
George Washington Memorial ConVen-
lion Hall fund. The committee has
reason to believe that about half of
ths sI67. 900 will be repledged.
The Chamber of Commerce already
has pledged 8 900 to the fund from its
treasury. and d. J. Kaufman, one OF
the prominent members of the Cham
her, has agreed to give $1,000 If forty
nine other business men Will give $1,000
each The conventions committee will
endeavor TO get these forty-nine others
Immediately as a move independent of
the general campaign of solicitation.