The New York herald., 1921-11-15

mercd fragments Of communities into
a great nation, as the first President
and as the author of that body Of do
mestic and foreign policies which he
bequeathed i'm his farewell address, j
think IL may be said that if on the one
side Washington was the great personal
force that wrenched apart the two chief
branches of the English speaking race,
he was on the other the greatest per-
sonal factor I'm saving this continent
to Anglo-Saxon domination. and in do
Ing that he contributed very greatly to
making possible the wideflung family
of English speaking nations.
Washington as a model citizen shines
forth with a peculiar radiance from his
last testament. The first provision is
that his debts shall be paid promptly.
All the world needs the example of
kept obligations. The second item makes
generous provision for his wife. and
then comes the direction that at her
death all his slaves shall be given free
dom.
Next follow devises of fund.- to aid
education of poor or orphaned children
and for the endowment of university
in a central part of the United States.
Another specific bequest goes to Liberty
Hall Academy now Washington and
Lee University. at Lexington, Va. A
list of debtors are forgiven their debts
To each of five nephews he gave one
of his swords with IAN injunction not
TO unsheath them for the purpose of
shedding blood except it be for self
defence or in defence of their country
and its rights, and in the latter case
to keep them unsheathed and prefer
falling with them in their hands to the
REIMBURSEMENT thereof There Is no
selection of words wherewith more elo-
tiy fn
obligation of good citizen to his coun-
try. Let us be thankful that the spirit
of that injunction has been borne in
upon the nation he founded and ami
mates it even to this day.
"As a charter of good citizenship and
I patriotic purposes this last will and
testament has been an inspiration many
times to me- l commend its Thoughtful
reading to whoever would emulate his
example. Indeed. as we are gathered
here. representatives of q grateful and
reverent nation, to signalize the consum-
nation of one more public beneficence
inspired by him, can think of nothing
more appropriate than to urge the study
OF the Farewell Address and the last
will and testament as compliments OF
each other Neither of them can be
! fully appreciated without the other.
The Farewell Address was the final
40JuratlOn OF the SOIuleT, tile s5ldteSiildH,
the founder The will and testament
was the last word Of the Christian
| citizen, the loving husband. the devoted
1 kinsman, and the provident man of
| business.
Il am prone 20 believe they contain
! a chart by which the captains and
! pilots Of a world in distress, seeking
harborage from battering storms and
raging. unknown deeps, might well lay
| the course of civilization itself.
within brief century and half.
! the American people under Washing
ton,s inspiration have created great
nation added 10 the dominion of liberty
and Of opportunity, and, we may hope.
! afforded a helpful example to the
world. 1t has not been accomplished
without heavy sacrifices. At fearful
! cost we had to wipe out an ambiguity
! in the constitution and reestablah union
where disunioa threatened. In con-
! fiict well nigh as wide as the world, we
were called TO draw the sword for
humanity and the relief of oppression.
/ Very recently we have paused TO speak
tribute to those who sacrificed in that
struggle for civilizations preservation.
/ We cannot too often or too earnestly
repeat that tribute: and we consecrate
this institution as n memorial and a
| shrine in reminder to all the future of
! the services and sacrifices Of our heroes
| of the world war"