The Washington herald., 1921-03-10

are requested 20 make their
contributions 100 words OF lss&
DEFENDS ORGANIZATION coN-
TROLLING MOUNT VERNON.
To the Editor. The washinrtou Herald:
The statement which appeared ed
itorially in The Herald Of sunday
that Mount Vernon is in the hands
Of private corporation operated for
profit is without justification In fact
and is a serious injustice TO an or
ganization Of patriotic women, ma
tiopal in character. which many
years ago rescued the home OF
Washington from a decay into which
it had fallen, and has kept IL, all
these years. as a patriotic shrine
the most perfect in it's preserva-
ton Of any similar historic land-
mark in all the world.
The movement TO make the place
a picnic ground rather than a safe
guarded shrine may interest the
street car and steamboat companies.
but Il did not originate with those
who have a proper appreciation OF
been dedicated to the memory OF
Washington. Doubtless IL wou.d
profit some interests TO have &c
transformed into a Glen Echo or
Luna Park on Sunday. but IL would
drive from the place the atmos-
phere which makes IL worth while
to those who go there in the right
spirit. There are plenty Of picnic
grounds, plenty Of free and easy
resorts around Washington without
adding Mount Vernon TO the list.
The plea that the common people
cannot AFFORD to pay rs cents to
be applied toward the upkeep OF
the place, as a fee for entering the
grounds. would be more plausible
but for the fact THAI no one can get
there saving a few hundred nearby
residents. without IL costing, them
considerably more than IS cents
in boat fares, street car fares or
gasoline. Every penny for the up
keep of the house and grounds, the
occasional purchase Of additional
acres Of the estate and the guard
ing and administration OF the place.
No government bureau could or
would run IL as well for as little
money. The statement that the
q
profit making corporation is an in
decent libel on those who rescued
the estate at a time when the ma
tional government, the State Of Nir-
ginia and the District Of Columbia
were Indifferent to its fate. They
have done a service TO the Ameri-
can people and the memory Of their
greatest hero that deserves bet
ter recompense than the reflections
upon their work originated by Ger
tain commercialized interests in the
City OF Washington 10 whom MOTH
ing is sacred but the dollars they
hope to make out of a wide open
Mount Vernon.
There is a necessary cost OF up-
keep at Mount Vernon: il would be
greater under governmental than
under the present semi-public con-
troll. Is IL better that the tax nec-
essary 10 maintain the place should
be paid by those who journey there
to pay tribute to Washington
memory and to enjoy the beauty ot
his estate, few of whom are mean
enough to object TO bearing their
share OF the cost. or by millions of
people who never have the oppor-
tunity to come TO Washington or
IOuEhts "
II 1t is interest in lower cost ot
getting to Mount Vernon which in
spires the periodical attacks upon
the patriotic organization which
has IL in custody. why not let mat
ters stand as they are at the estate.
and let one OF the governments
new ships ply between Washington
and Mount Vernon, with free fares
to all who may wish TO make the
trip? That would save more than 25
cents per head. and the pilgrim
could give up this amount and still
be money ahead. Perhaps, however.
there would not be SO much en-
thusiasm over this proposal.
II is TO be hoped that Washington
organizations will consider this
question in all its bearings before
joining in the railway
eating house-automobile and wide-
open Sunday clsmor for a commer-
cialized Coney lslandized Mount
Vernon. GEO. r. WILLIAMS.
Washington March 6