Evening star., 1914-10-28
Urges Greater Unity
of Purpose Upon All
Residents of Capital

| Simon Wolf delivered an address to-
day before the Commercial Club at a
celebration of his seventy eighth birth
day anniversary, in which he declared
that there is not sufficient unity of
purpose among the citizens of Wash
ington. and that the great number of
organizations in the capital are ham
dicap rather than help to civic ac-
compliShment.
club. the title of his address being "a
Half Century in the Nations Capital"
He said his first visit to Washington
was in 1860. when he called on Presi-
political happenings of that time, and
recalled having been admitted to the
bar at Mount Vernon, Ohio on the day
Of the first battle of Bull run, July 19.
| 1851 and of his having volunteered in
the 51st Ohio Regiment. of which Stan
ley Matthews. afterward associate JUS
| t1ce OF the Supreme Court of the United
States, was colonel. Mr.. Wolf was re-
1ected as a volunteer because of de-
| fect1ve eyesight. He came to Washing
ton then with a letter from George ".
| McCook addressed to Edwin NJ. STAN
ton, then Secretary of War.
Always Thankful to Stanton.
The letter spoke hatteringly of his
ability. and after reading it Stanton
said to Mr.. Wolf:
| IF this statement of McCook's is
true. you had better stay out of the
| War Department. If it is not true. 7
| have no use for imbeciles" Mr. Wolf
said he had never ceased to thank Mr..
stanton for guiding his career out of
tne war department. That was in the
| early days of June, 1862.
Gen. Mcclellan was fighting the bat
| ties of the Peninsula" Mr. Wolf said.
| mere was great excitement and anx-
| lety IN Washington. and after the re-
| treat of the Army of the Potomac the
| second battle Of Bull run was fought.
IL was announced that there were so
| many prisoners and wounded that citi-
zens or washington were needed to
care for them and 1 started with 9TH
ers from the capital, with a horse and
| buggy and supplies. only to find when
l got to the battlefield that 1 was a
| that the Confederate officers who ha 4
possession of me had ordered me sent
! to Richmond.
Saved by Masonic Sign.
gave the Masonic sign of distress,
Mr- Wolf said. "and l was promptly
permitted to return to Washington.
saw the grand review of the Army
OF the potomac and the Army of the
West" Mr.. Wolf continued. from nv
ONCE window. and it was a memorable
arnas'o army ns Aman,..g nh.s great and valorous
A.
tions. creeds and all Occupations peace
fully disbanded and went back to their
respective homes. and the Union was
cemeneeo In stronger bands than ever
The Washington Of that day was as
Dickens 50 aptly described it-.a city
OF magnificent distances It bears no
comparison whatever with the city of
today. although it showed great posi-
bilities and offered great opportunities
Washington and L'Enfant had laid the
foundations. but the city needed the
ind able will; energy. genius and
ander r. Shepherd, who was the gov
ernor of the District of Columbia: Cros-
by 8. Noyes and other loyal and
stanch friends of the District to carry
out to glorious future the plans laid
| down, and which have been consum
mated In the production of the most
beautiful capital in the world
Hopes to See Even Greater City.
Although 1 am seventy-eight years
old today. I hope still to see the time
when the more elaborate plans of SEN
ator Mcmillan and the Mcmillan park
commission shall be carried out in
Washington to the fullest extent, when
its many drives and parkways shall be
one beautiful, connected system OF
speedways: when the Memorial bridge
across the Potomac shall be built, and
when every available space in the
parks shall be studded with monu-
ments, not only to our martial heroes.
but to the heroes Of the midnight
lamp. who have glorif1ed art. science
and invention. and whose peaceful ac-
complishments have been the source
of happiness and delight not alone to
our own countrymen. but to all the
world.
washington has taken a high rank
among the cities of the world, and we
need no longer feel ashamed, as we
once did. Of being classed among its
citizens. but what We sadly need here
now is unity Of purpose and action.
There are, unfortunately, too many
! organizations which, although mean.
ing we'll. destroy their strength and
usefulness by dividing their purposes
activity which can only be brought
into play by unity. and hope the Com
/ mercial Club will be one Of the main
springs to bring about a reform in this
| dirhctiOn"