Evening star., 1916-11-27
A Permanent Exposition Plan.
the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
The action of the West Virginia So
ciety Of Washington. taken early in
October, looking to the establishment
of state building and permanent ex-
hibit at the capital of the nation points
a way in which this important and
most desirable adjunct to the city's
growth and greatness may be realized
If each state organization in Washing
ton would do likewise, calling on its
respective members in Congress to
work for an appropriation of land for
its building sites. big push would
be given the enterprise. 1t is under
stood that Senator Chiffon is taking
an interest in it. and it will be remem-
bered tina, bills looking to the estab-
lishment of a permanent national ex-
position at Washington have been in
troduced by representatives of VIZ
ginia. Mississippi. Montana, New Jersey
and Pennsylvania. some in the House
and some in the Senate. These state
buildings. erected on small portion Of
Rock Creek Park. or of some equally
eligible land yet to be acquired. would
form the basis of the finest group Of
exposition buildings in the world. The
removal of the National Botanic Garden
TO Rock Greek Park would furnish au-
a
which is as yet far from being the
pleasure ground for the nations cap
itai that it ought to be. That vas
tract of as Vet raw material can b.
made into a beauty spot and a cente'
of attraction second to none on Thu
planet.
1t was the late Louis z. ShoemakeI
who. nearly twenty years ago, suggest
ed the plan of state buildings for wash
ington, and the idea has been growing
ever since. Some four years ago biz
movement. which embraced more than
half of the Union, was under way.
but the lack of responsible head
caused II to lag. Twenty seven state
governors set the seal OF their ap-
proval upon the plan of having their
respective states represented at wash
ington by permanent buildings and eS
htbits. and the plan was strongly ap-
proved by nearly 200 commercial or
ganizations in all parts of the country.
A disposition upon the part or some OF
the promoters to feather their oN
nests in a pecuuiary way through th,
movement put a damper upon IL. Whaf
is most needed is unselfish, patriot0
work all along the line, and in thE
way the various state societies sd
Washington can do great work
The states will not long be alone D..
this field Representatives of seyeral
foreign countries have been WORKING
to get share in it. The leading even
ing paper of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A Note last winter called attention
to the Importance of erecting and main
tanning a Brazilian building at Wash
ington. and SO popular was the i'd.
that il entirely superseded the former
plan of sending ii special commercial
embassy to the United States. Efficient
workers are already busy in that di-
rectiou High representatives of Mex
leo. Uruguay. Colombia. Russia, Great
Britain and Switzerland have also eN-
pressed their deep interest in securIn-
place in the permanent exposition al
Washington. The time is coming when
we will have TO take stock of our
sources broaden our fields of trade
and work for the solidarity of our in
terests and those of our foreign friends
These buildings and exhibits at our
ca pital will be the foundation to work
upon, and Congress can richly afford to
nut its broad shoulders to the wheel
and nut il in motion. The state so
cieties of Washington have a big and
important work cut out for them in
this line. L. >. fEhklNS-
Louisville, Ky.