Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-06
First Visit to Capital.


! Mr.. Taft's friends have been invited to
dine with him at Mr. Boardman's home.
First Visit to Capital.
Today's return to shington Of the
former President marks his first visit to
the capital since he retired from the
presidency last March. and is in pursu-
ance of promise he made at the ban
quet of the University Club last winter,
when he said he would not forget Wash
Iington and would come here as often as
he could to attend meetings of the Lin
| coin memorial commission. of which he
| is chairman
He has passed through Washington but
once since last March. on his return from
| Augusta, Ga, where he spent a vacation
following his retirement On that oc-
| casion he did not stop in the CITY,
/ Former Senator Shelby NJ. Cullom. resi-
dent commissioner for the Lincoln Me-
| mortal announced today that the first
| physical step toward building the memo
| rial has just been taken He has
| ceived a report from Col Spencer Cosby,
| t.. 8. A.. executive and disbursing officer
of the Lincoln memorial commission,
/ who caused borings to be made at the
| site OF the memorial which is to be built
| in Potomac Park, showing that 1t will be
necessary to dig from thirty to fifty feet.
| according to the slope of the ground, to
| reach the solid rock upon which the
| founda tions for the memorial are to rest
| These borings, while they are merely ten
| 1ative engineering, constitute the first
actual work in connection with the me
mortal.
In addition to Former President Taft,
all the other members except one of the
! Lincoln memorial commission are expect
/, ed to be present at the meeting to be
held Monday The exception is former
Representative Samuel W. Mccall of
| Massachusetts. who is on the ocean, re-
| turning from abroad. and Will not reach
the United States until few days after
| the meeting is held In addition to Mr.. Taft
| and Mr.. Mccall the other members of
! the commission are: Resident Commits
/ sioner Shelby NJ. Cullom former senator
rom Illinois, Joseph G. Cannon, former
/, Speaker of the House; former Senator
| George p Wetmore of Rhode Island.
| Champ Clark, Speaker of the House.
and Senator Thomas s. Martin OF Nir-
ginia. All except Mr.. Mccall have an
nounced their intention of being present
Work Is Hampered.
| The present legislative status of the
sundry civil bill, which is the measure
that was vetoed by Mr.. Taft just before
he left office because he was of the
opinion that it contained vicious class
| legislation, is hampering the work of
the Lincoln memorial commission. be-
tion for the work Of the memorial COM
mission. 1t is now in conference, owing
| TO a disagreement over an item affecting
/ the visiting board of the Soldiers Home.
| and il is problematical just when it will
become law. Notwithstanding class leg
isIation'' TO which Mr.. Taft objected Pres
dent Wilson has decided, il is understood,
| 10 sign it under protest. far as this
| class legislation is concerned, because it is
| necessary that the other items in the
| bill become law. When he does SO for
mer President Taft, the chairman of
the Lincoln Memorial commission will
be in the unusual position of being al
lowed to go anead with the Lincoln me-
mortal work under provision of a bill
which he vetoed.
Owing to this lack of funds for the com
missions work, all questions to come be-
fore ii at its meeting Monday will be
| considered tentatively. and no announce
ments Of decisions will be made until the
sundry civil bill becomes law.
Sculptor Must Be Chosen.
one OF the most important questions to
come UP is the selection of sculptor
to design and execute the statue of Lin
coin which is to be the central feature
Of the memorial Former Senator Gull
lom stated today that the commission
will consider the work of the foremost
American sculptors. and probably will
select the one deemed DeSt ntted for the
task and intrust the commission to him
without asking for competitive designs.
ne said he was not positive that this
would be the procedure. he could
not tell what would come up at the meet
ing of the commission in regard TO it
No sculptors have so far applied for the
commission. he said. although any man
would undoubtedly consider the commits
| sion a great honor.
The commission will also inspect Mon
day the detailed working drawings of
|, The memorial made by the architect of
the building. Henry Bacon, who is also
. expected to be present The members of
the commission will find its offices filled
with samples Of beautiful white mar
ble which is to be the material used
| for the building, from all the various
American states having such beds
There Is keen interest among marble
ouarrying firms In the coming meeting
and a number Of them are in Wash