The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-11
Frederick Haskin's Letter
The George Washington Memorial
Especial Correspondence Of The Argua.

some societies have already Sci
aside funds to furnish and main.
tain rooms here.
Above, on the third floor rooms
are to be reserved for each of the
states and territories, to be fur
nished by them and used for state
societies and other state purposes
The Fourth floor is arranged in
more offices for patriotic and ma
tional societies.
A Long Felt Need.
The need for this type of public
building has long been apparent
Members of the patriotic societies
come to Washington at times for
conventions, to promote special
Legislation, to consult government
records, and to use the fine genoa
logical collection at the library Of
congress. But most of the socie-
ties have no headquarters, no sps-
cial place where members can get
information, or hold meetings
Worst of all, Washington lacks a
suitable auditorium for meetings Of
large, important bodies
1t was because patriotic
building" was needed and because
it seemed to fulfill, in spirit at
least. the almost forgotten desire
expressed in Washington viii.
that the George Washington Me
mortal took this form.
The first president had a long
cherished dream of a national uni
versity to stimulate high ideals in
the youth of the land IN his last
message to congress he urged that
body to promote institutions for
the dissemination of learning. IN
his will he said he regretted that
American students should go TO
other countries to receive higher
learning and foreign ideas at an
impressionable age when they
should be tmbibing the principles
of patriotism. He expressed an
ardent wish that there should be
founded a natural university free,
as far as reasonable, from local al
tachments and state prejudices,
and he left $25, 900 TO establish that
university.
The $4,000 bequest mysterious
~ disappeared, some say through
failure and reorganization of the
Potomac company in which the
bonds were invested. It has also
been said that the money lapseQ
back into the estate. Attempts Of
the treasury department some
years ago to trace the money were
futile. Invested at compound in
terest, the bequest would now
amount to more than $4,000 900,
but it has permanently vanished
Interpreting WashingtOn's Wishes.
Congress has at intervals dis
cussed the establishment of a ma
tionaI university, and the tendency
now is toward very learned in
scholars of the country-not exact
Iy Washington's idea, but a school
for scholars is more needed now
than another flapper college.
The George Washington Memo
rial association. started in 1898.
has like congress been trying to
carry out Washington's wish It
the matter from anotn-
er angle. Some years ago it dc
cided. as congress did, that a broad
view of Washington desire might
well be taken. Mrs. H. F. Dimock.
president of the association. sug-
gested that the erection of a great
national auditorium and headquaT-
tiers where patriotism could be in
spired and fostered would surely
meet with the approval of Wash
ington, since his aim in establish
ing a national university was to
promote patriotism.
Three presidents, Taft, Wilson
and Harding, have indorsed tts
plan. and the board of regents OF
the Smithsonian institution. Of
which the president Is the head,
has accepted the control Of the adj
of the building and the
of the fund It is
prophesied that when finished the
George Washington Memorial will
be to America what Westminster
Abbey is to England and what ths
is to France.