Evening star., 1923-04-12
CAPITAL KEYNOTES
BY PAUL v. COLLINS

had said: "I have never been as
happy as a sculptor as I was when
I was earning s1,bo day plastering
houses" Whatever that remark dis
closed otherwise, IL certainly proves
that he did not get union wages of
1929.
The statement that the historic
statues OF Jackson, Lincoln and
Washington were produced by men
with little, II any. art schooling is
natural abilities, but rather in regret
that with such gifts of birth they
never had the advantages OF art
training to develop their powers.
But knowledge to their eyes her ample Page.
Rich ,,,sa,,, w,.h the spoiis Of time. did ns'er
Chill penury repressed their noble rage
| And frozs the genial current OF their sou.
y " r. n
On the same day that will witness
the rededication Of the Lincoln
statue there will be launched a new
! movement for the Identification or
| the nations capital. This is not q
local community nor a local city. It
belongs to the whole nation and is
governed. and partially supported, By
Congress. It devolves. therefore,
upon It's owners, the nation, TO MAKE
the most OF It; for this is. as Il were.
the front yard of America.
So there is to be an American civic
association. whose function will be
TO confer with some fifty Of the rep
| resentative cities, widely scattered
with the view to awakine in them
all a sense OF responsibility and pride
in the Identification Of the Nations
Capital. Washington is already orr
Of the most beautiful cities in th~
spots" have been developed. Careful
city planning will be safeguarded
Speakers will travel to these leading,
cities TO address civic organizations.
There may be devised some features
which will give the cooperating
cities an opportunity for self-expres-
sion in the capitaI-not in erecting
memorials Of their own cities. but in
making the capital in fact national
pride. fitting their own ideals.
Americas best in a way that no othe'.
city can possibly do. Every other
city is distinctly local in characters
ties. Even New York. the least
features which differentiate II frorl
every other-in its alien populatior..
II nothing else. Washington is note
worthy as the concentration OF all
America.
The difference between great pa
triotic love Of America and narrow
provincialism is that patriotism
grows with knowledge Of facts. while
provincial prejudice thrives best or
ignorance Of shortcomings
Therefore. to recognize tre deree-s
OF the country is more patriotic than
to shut them from sight. The United
States commissioner OF education.
John J. Tfgert. points out that illft-
eracy is one Of the great menaces OF
ing more serious rather than improy-
ing. He estimates that If illiteracy
reduces the earning power OF
worker only 80 cents a day it means
to ss25.o0o.0o0 a year. He means that
the actual production would be In
creased by that amount annually II
illiteracy were wiped out.
DR.. Tigert points out that that esti-
mate is based upon the United States
census of illiteracy That is so no
toriously inadequate showing that
Il results in an understatement OF
fact. In proof OF that charge he
cites the Army test. which showed
that 20 per cent OF all the men draft
ed could not read and write-read q
newspaper they had never seen be
fore and write a simple letter to their
home folks telling Of their expert
ences so far in the Army. In short.
25 per cent OF the young nlen-and
women-cannot express themselves
intelligibly.
X 4 X
The remedy DR.. Tigert recon
mends that all schools be opened for
night schools for adults, there. nc
says. every evening OF every week
| in the year offering courses that will
| attract illiterates as grown men and
women. At the same time, because
| of this. create a desire to overcome
their great handicap. To reproach
| the illiterate for being illiterate Is
! the worst possible way of correcting
| the evil"
y & x
The appalling feature OF the stu
alton is that the public generally
| fails to comprehend the national
| menace that 1t faces; else it would
pay school teachers. build schools and
stop illiteracy as 1t would deyas-
tating epidemic Of the plague.
Copyright, 1929 by p. V. ColiinsJ