Evening star., 1913-11-13
A National University.

The United States is great enough. rich
enough. progressive enough to establish
university for higher education Tor the
benefit of all the people. IL has attained
10 that stage of its development at which
II can and should create an institution oi
learning which. supplementing the wors
of already existing colleges and univer-
sites. will afford 10 the younger citizens
tho widest possible opportunity for the
completion of their mental training ana
their preparation for special lines of use
fulness Such an institution, founded upon
the broadest educational lines, sufficiently
endowed to enable il 10 give the benefits
Of its course to students of slender
means possibly without tuition fee
would be no innovation, but on the con
trary would he "A counterpart OF univer-
sites already created by the govern
ments of Germany and France. II there
is doubt I'm any minds as to the wisdom
OF the proposals which have just beer
approved b. the National Association oi
State Universities row in session here,
il should be resolved by study of the
work which is done by the institutions IL
Berlin and in Paris.
The reasons for this national university.
and particularly for its location in Wash
ington. are set forth most convincinaly
in Yesterdays Star in course of a state
ment by Edmund J. James. president OF
the University of Illinois, who is Pee
pairing bill TO be introduced at the regu-
lar session of Congress There is no
ground for jealousy or opposition on the
part of already established universities.
The national institution is designed 70
give to their graduates the higher courses
which would, be possible only in ma
tionai university embracing the unrivaled
facilities afforded at the seat OF govern
ment
Ii has often been urged tina: Washing
ton is the ideal place for an institution
of higher learning, with its Library OF
Congress. its highest law court in tne
United States. its scientific collections and
laboratories, its government offices and
workshops all affording in themselves a
veritabIe university of practical science.
law literature and art. George Wash
ineton himself conceived this thought
even while the plans for the seat Of gov
ernment were formulating. Ever since his
day it has been urged by educators. These
facilities are certain to grow in number
and in value as time passes. No other
educational equipment as rapidly a
Washington. The idea of national uni
yersity and that of It's location here are
consequently associated inseparably.
1t is stated that sentiment in favor OF
the creation of such university is al
ready formed throughout the country.
The fact that the National Association of
State Universities is so positively favor
able TO the proposition is evidence that
this is a country wide movement. 1t has.
of course. long been the dream of Wash
ington to become actually. as 1t has been
potentially the educational center OF the
United States. But no initiative on the
part of Washington itself could alone ac-
complish this end. 1t must be recognized
in it's own merits and i'm it's true ad-
vantages by the people of the states. by
the educators of all sections. This Is
now coming to be the case, and with pub
lie sentiment crystailiz.ng in terms of the
proposition Mr.. James has so eloauently
and enthusiastically outlined. there can
he little doubt that ultimately Congress
will recognize the demand of the people
for a national seat of learning which
will efnbody the highest advantages that
America can provide. situated At the
political and in terms of it's great poten-
tial resources the educational center OF
the United States.