Evening star., 1923-04-21
Lauds Col. Sheriff..
Writer PAYS Tribute for Efforts
to Beautify Capital.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
There We're three articles in The
Washington Star last week that will
appeal to the people who are in
terested in the Identification of the
Nations Capital. The first was in
The Sunday Star of April S. and the
13. The titles We're as follows: Seek
Nation wide Plan to Develop Capt.
tails Beauty" Propose a Larger Bo-
tanic Garden of over Fifty Acres"
and Toxic Will Give Artistic Lantern
to Potomac Park The last article
stated that the city of Toxic is pre-
pairing reproduction of an old Jap
anese lantern and tablet to be placed
among the cherry trees in Potomac
Park, as a gift from the Japanese
people to the American people. The
leading artists anu designers of Japan
are at work preparing the old lantern
and tablet which eventually will find
it's place among the cherry blossoms.
Washngtons chief charm is its
trees. The people are fortunate in
having a man like Col. Clarence o.
and grounds Col. Sheriff. seems to
really have the interest and beautifi-
cation of the city at heart About Il
year ago he undertook the task of
fishing national arboretum in
the National Capital. He had an ar
tistic label designed by the Commits
sion of Fine Arts to mark the trees
in the parks Of Washington. The
label is bronze, with raised lettering,
showing the common and botanical
l., I,, l,st
The Commission of Fine Arts es-
tablished by an act of Congress in
1910, is composed of seven well quali-
fed judges of the fine arts, who are
appointed by the President for d
period of four years each. When the
people of the United States realize
that we are indebted to the members
of the Commission of Fine Arts for
the Lincoln Memorial. Rock Creek
Park, the preservation of the Mall
and the Memorial bridge. we can at
least show our appreciation by Civ
ing them our moral support. These
men are body of experts, to whom
the President and Congress can refer
questions relating to the artistic de-
velopment of the city of Washington.
According to the plan of LEnfant
the Mall was intended to be park
way between the Capitol and the
White House. The parkway really
extends from the Capitol to the LIN
coin Memorial. At present the Mall
is marred by having the Botanic
Garden at the foot of the Capitol.
Mount Hamilton, east of Bladensburg
road. has been recommended as
site for the Botanic Garden. If some
other site is selected Mount Hamilton
should be purchased as part OF pro-
posed park plans. 1t would be an
attractive addition to the National
Arboretum. A parkway should con-
meet Potomac Park. Rock Creek Park,
Soldiers Home Park, Mount Hamilton.
Anacostia and James Creek canal. A
national park should be made of the
virgin forests on the Virginia banks
of the Potomac from Georgetown to
Great Falls. Boulevards should be
made on both sides of the river from
Georgetown to Great Falls.
These plans have all been recom-
mended by the Commission of Fine
Arts. If the people of the United
States would give their support to
these plans the Nations Capital would
become the most beautiful city In
the greatest country of the world.
BLANCHE c. HOWLETT.