Evening star., 1914-01-28
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
LAUDS FRENCH ADMIRAL
Describes to Sons of the Revolution
Services of Francois Joseph
Paul de Grasse.
Local Society at Meeting Indorses
"Star Spangled Exposition" to
Be Held at Baltimore.

A meeting of the District of Colu.l-
bfa Society of the Sons of the Revolu-
ton was held at the Army and Navy
Club last night at which the president
or the society, Col. Henry May. intro
duced as the guest OF the evening
Franklin D. Roosevelt assistant secre-
tary of the navy. who addressed the
society on The Important Services OF
Admiral Francois Joseph Paul dc
Grasse and the French Fleet Under His
Command to the Cause of the Ameri-
can Revolution in Their Relation to the
success of Gen. Washington's Opera
tions on Shore Against Lord Cornwall
lis at Yorktown"
Col George Richards. L. S. NJ. C., pre-
sented the report of the board of man
agement. setting forth the work ac-
compiished by the various committees
dwelt upon the conditions governing
the competition by the school children
of the District for a medal offered for
the best essay on some historical sub
ject connected with the revolution.
He stated that the board of managers
had appointed committee of judges. con
sistfng of Gaillard Hunt, chairman: Her
bert Putnam. librarian of Congress, and
the Columbia Historical Society. to pre-
scribe the rules for the competition in all
the public and private schools in the Dis
tr1ct. This competition closes February
IA. In season to award the medal at the
public exercises commemorative Of Wash
ington's birthday to be held in the Ma
tional Theater Sunday afternoon, Feb
ruary %, at :; o'clock.
Winner to Read Essay.
The medal to be awarded the success
full competitor is similar to the one adopt
ed by the Sons of the Revolution in New
York for like competition. It will be
suitably engraved. and its presentation,
together with the reading of the sue
cessful essay by the prize winner Feb
ruary 10. is to be a feature of the con-
templated exercises.
These exercises are in charge OF spe-
cial1y appointed committee of arrange
ments consisting of Lieut.. Col Henry T.
L. Gurley. DR.. Ralph Jenkins and Col.
George c. Richards. The committee re-
ported to the society last night the ten
der of the National Theater by Harry
connection with the forthcoming cele-
bration.
Attention Directed to Exposition.
A resolution was presented by Barry
Bulkley and unanimously adopted, set
ting forth that:
The city of Baltimore is planning to
make the centenary OF the writing Of
The Star Spangled Banner a great
national event of 1914 by grouping nota-
Bile celebrations of patriotism and peace
The national Star Spangled Banner Cen
tennial Commission has been incorpo-
rated. with President Woodrow Wilson
and ex-Presidents Taft and Roosevelt as
honorary vice presidents, along with the
governors Of the eighteen states which
constituted the Union in 1914, as honorary
vice presidents Mayor James II. Pres
ton of Baltimore has been named as act
ice president of the commission, and
charged with the duties Of CARRYING out
the various features of an elaborate pro-
gram in connection with the proposed
commemorative exercises.
The District of Columbia Society OF
the Sons of the Revolution. in meeting
assembled this 9th day of January, 1914,
is in entire sympathy and accord with
the purposes for which the Star Span
sled Banner Centennial Commission has
been incorporated, and that the secretary
of the society be directed to communicate
with Mayor Preston informing him OF the
willingness OF the District of Columbia
society to cooperate with him in any
way to make the exercises noteworthy
and fully expressive of the spirit of pa
triotism which animates the entire So
ciety.'
Would Maintain Historic Farm.
1t was also resolved, on motion Of the
secretary, Col. George C. Richards, that
the board Of managers be instructed to
make such investigation and take such
action as In their discretion seems prop
er to the end that the Wakefield farm,
including the site of the mansion In
which George Washington was born and
the burial place of his progenitors on
that farm. be maintained in a condition
fitting their historical Importance
TINS action was taken in view of a
resolution passed at previous meeting
of the society and which required some
modification.
Among those present were: Henry T.
Allen. William s. Albert, George II. Bea-
man. a. B. Bennett. jr.. r. R. Bennett,
p. NJ. Blackwell, Barry Bulkley, II. K
Bush Brown, I. B. Conkling, Charles f.
Dfggs. John B. Dahlgren, r. Dickinson
Goodloe. Charles L. Gurley. F. E.
Guernsey, 6. G. Gibson. +. w. Hackett,
Thomas W. Hungerford, J. Malcolm
Henry, James II. Hayden. F. l. Huide-
koper. John Van r. HofY, Gaillard
Hunt Alfred B. Horner William A.
Hall. ii. l.. f. Johnson. Theodore John
son. Joseph l. Keefer, A. L. Lewis, JEFF
Ierson NJ Levy. George X. McLanahan
Thomas w. Lockwood. Reginald B.
B. McGroarty, w. p. Metcalf, S. B. Nun
caster, Ben Miller. Lewis O. Clephane
A. Il. Parsons. sr., A. K Paris. ir
David .. Rittenhouse, John w. A. Sam.
pie, J.. Kennedy Stout, C. H. Sinclair
franklin Steele. Henderson Suter. John