The Washington herald., 1918-05-12


lIt stuck In her mind. and she could
not get rid Of Il. until 1t had driven
her TO going and Offering herself for
the job.
J Mrs. Doyen, wife Of Brig. Gen.
Charles A. Doyen, known among his
friends as Jack" Doyen, Is having q
beautiful time learning to farm. She
says she Is a farmerette already. She
Is taking the farmers course at the
National Service School and is having
a beautiful time. She not only is en-
Toying the work. but says that 1t Is
improving her health in a marvellous
fashion. She leaves home early every
morning. and doesn't get back there
until 6 o'clock In the evening. She
can't talk about anything else, except,
Of course, the fact that her husband
] Is coming home shortly. She is de-
: lighted about that.
| Gen. Doyen has been In command
1 Of the Marines abroad. but has had
to come because of some trouble with
his eyes. He Is TO be succeeded by
Brig. Gen. John A. Lejeune.
want to say q little bit about the
annual meeting Of the Mount Vernon
Ladies' Association which is In ses-
sion right now. For very few people
know Just how the home of Washing
| ton Is controlled and maintained. Be-
yond an occasional kick because It Is
not open on Sunday, or Is not free to
the public. one hears little of it-for
the ladies who run II do not as a rule
argue the question.
Most people know that 1t was bought
UP. when IL was about to be sold and
cut UP into building lots, largely
through the efforts of Miss PAMELA
Cunningham. OF South Carolina, be-
lieve. She had more than she could
handle alone. and SO the Mount Ver-
non Ladies' Association was formed.
II meets every year on the second
Wednesday in May. at Mount Vernon.
and stays there for about ten days.
1t will stay all through the coming
week, living in the house, hearing
what the superintendent, Mr.. Harri-
son Dodge. of a very well known
Georgetown family. has to suggest.
and talking over possible improve
ments or desirable changes.
There Is the regent OF the associa-
! ton. at present Miss Harriet Com
eggs, OF Dover. Del. and there are a
varying number of vice regents-every
State Is entitled to have one. but not
every State has. There are thirty
four at present. but / believe several
new ones will be chosen at this ses-
sion. They are named by the regent.
! the nominations being confirmed at
the annual meetings. OF course the
idea Of being one of the regents Of
Mount Vernon appeals to a great
many people. but there aren't so
many who measure up to the require
ments. 1t takes wealth-to be able to
contribute when contributions are
necessary to the upkeep of the place.
and to the gathering under its roof
as much as possible OF the furnish
ings that were actually at one time
the property of George and Martha
Washington. But they want no re-
gents who merely belong but do not
want to take an active interest in the
affairs Of the organization. So that
only those are named regents who
will probably be able to come to the
annual meetings. Three consecutive
absences means resignation. Other
wise one Is elected for life; and the
regent, who Is supreme is chosen for
life, from among the vice regents.
Probably the most severe criticism
! leveled at the women who control the
| place is against its being closed on
| Sunday. have talked to several OF
the regents. Some Of them have taken
the puritanical point OF view. that it
would be dissertation, and argue that
Washington himself would not have
had his home overrun with visitors
on the Lords Day. But the most
frequent argument, and 1t seems to me
the best has been, I'VE are custodians
of this priceless national shrine. We
are responsible for its preservation.
! To open it on Sunday would be to
lay it open to destructive forces that
we could not combat. from which we
could not possibly protect it. Damage
would be done which we could not