Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-29

European war may be the
creation of a great interna-
tional city. This is not to be
INTERNATIONAL in the ordi-
nary sense of that word in that it will
he inhabited by people from various
nations. 1t is to be international" in
a much broader sense. In it will be
gathered. in essence. the thought and
the effort of the nations along scien-
tific, artistic, literary. social and cul-
tural lines
This international world center of
communication is the dream of Hen
dirk Christian Andersen, a kinsman of
Hans Christian Andersen of Danish
fairy tale fame. The former, Nor
wegian-American, who came to this
country with his parents when only
six months old. is of the same stock as
the Danish Andersen who wrote the
delightful stories that have pleased the
children of the world for SO long.
The scheme of Hendrix c. Andersen
for a world city, however, is already
far more than a mere dream. 1t has
not been a sudden idea which sprang
up in the brain of a man overnight.
Already plans have been drawn in de-
tail, large corps of skilled architects
having been engaged on the work, for
the city which Mr.. Andersen believes
should be established.
Mr.. Andersen. who has spent some
years past in Paris and Rome working
on his plan, is now in Washington to
arouse the interest of this country. in
his project. Believing that the end of
the European war will bring home to
the nations of the world the benefit
they all could. derive in many ways.
economic and otherwise, from the
founding of an international center of
communication, Mr.. Andersen is
ranging to place on exhibition in some
of the capitals of the world the detailed
plans which he has prepared of his in
ternational city.
Washington, the capital of the United
States, he has decided on as the place
where he will first bring his plans from
his studio in Rome, where they now
are kept
Washington is the most likely place
Mr. Andersen declared in an interview
the subject, for the holding of the
peace congress at the end of the war.
For that reason he plans to reach the
eye and the ear, also the heart and the
brain, if possible, of the delegates to
the greatest international peace gath
ering the world has ever seen. He be-
lieves they will be convinced of the
utility. the value to all nations, of the
creation of city such he proposes.
Since arriving here Mr. Andersen has
engaged the services of Prof jeremiah
W. jerks of New York, a well known
economist, to make d careful study
from an economic point of view of the
value to the world. and to the individ-
ual nations. of an international center
of communication" Mr.. Andersen de-
clined to give even an approximate fig
ure as TO how many millions of dollars
this might amount to. but he declared
that the yearly saving to the nations
of the world would be far greater than
what is now spent annually on battle
ships alone.
But has not the European war re-
tarded rather than brought nearer your
international city," Mr. Andersen was
asked.
Not at ALL" he answered. In a slow
and quiet tone. which. IN spite of its
mildnesS, carried with an expression
of firm belief.
THE war has only served to forward
the idea" he continued. 1T has prob
ably advanced, by fifty years, the plan
on which l have been working for the
mast ten years" His deep, clear blue
eyes which open wide as he talks,
seemed 10 look as If with prophetic in
st1nct to the near realization of the
dream he has been trying to make
reality
part of the confidence which Mr.. An
dersen has in his scheme, il was soon
discovered by the interviewer. is due
10 the fact that, unlike many dream
ers he has been going at it in a
practical way. Slowly but surely he
has been organizing the forces
throughout the world. and has been
! sowing deep the seed in the minds of
! a few thoughtful men in every nation,
which he feels will insure ultimate