Evening star., 1923-12-23
MONTICELLO SAFE,
WORKERS BELIEVE
Movement to Secure Jeffer.
son Shrine for Nation Is
Well Under Way.

Monticello, the beautiful Virginia
home of Thomas Jefferson, which was
taken from the great statesman be-
fore his death to satisfy creditors
will be preserved for the people OF
the United States and for all time, ac-
cording to the belief of a large group
of persons who are behind the move
ment for purchase by the public
Representative Lew. the owner, has
agreed to accept from the Thomas
Jefferson Memorial Foundation a sum
OF money much less than that offered
from private sources.
The present situation in the move
ment to obtain the property, which
VIII occupy a future status similar to
that of Mount Vernon, was not reach
ed in short time, nor was the labor
surrounding it easy Disappoint-
ments figured prominently at times
but the central idea of transferring
ownership from private to publ
hands spurred workers on.
Failure Seemed Sure.
Miss Ruth Read Cunning CHAM. Whrse
cousin, Miss Ann Pamela Cunningham.
made possible the preservation of
Mount Vernon. worked seven years
alone in the interest of Monticello be-
fore forming the Thomas jefferson
National Memorial Association, char
tered under the state of Virginia. In
the spring of last year this assecia :
ton seemed to face certain failure.
Then Gregory DOYLE Of MouEgai in
Lakes, n. j., who during the world
war was engaged in several patriotic
activities and who has been an ear
nest student of the career of Jeffer-
son, stepped to the fore. He Called a
conference in New York city and the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Founda-
tion had its beginning. The organi-
zation today is composed Of governors
OF the several states, leaders of the
bar. bankers and jurists.
Disclaimfng any special credit for
the results obtained, Mr.. Doyle, tell
ing of the work he has done in bring
ing about the formation of the
memorial foundation, said that his
interest had been awakened when he
heard the story Of the work of Miss
Ruth Read Cunningham as secretary
OF the Virginia committee and of
what had led her TO undertake her
task.
Miss Cunningham now is secretary
of the new foundation as we'll as of
the Virginia association. Mrs. L. d.
Hotchkiss of Richmond is the presi-
dent Of the Virginia. body, and is also
Virginia chairman of the national
foundation.
Members of Board.
Among those who form the govern
ing board of the Thomas jefferson
Memorial Founda tion are Gov. E. Lee
Trinkle of Virginia, Edwin a. Alder
man. president of the University Of
Virginia: cambridge Colby, former
Secretary of State; John W. Davis.
who served as ambassador to Great
Britain: James W. Gerard. war-time
am bassador to Germany and formerly
York; Alton B. Parker. former chief
judge of the New York state court
of appeals: Guyot McLendon, secre-
tary of the state of Georgia: William
G. McAdoo, former Secretary of the
Treasury; Theodore Roosevelt. assist
ant secretary of the Navy: Charles
D. Hilles. former chairman of the
republican national committee; Mrs.
John Shelton Williams, Mrs. J. Alli-
son Hodges. Mrs. r. Gouverner Hoes.
Gibson, Mrs. E. d. Hotchkiss, Mrs.
Lucy Hooe Boggs and DR.. Clarence j.
Owens, both of the District of Colum-
bia, and Miss Ruth Read Cunning
ham. The governors of the states of
the Union have also consented TO
serve on the governors committee.
Has Kept Up Traditions.
The foundation believes that Repre-
sentative Levy's custody of Monti-
cello has been extremely fortunate,
as all the traditions surrounding the
place have been maintained. The
property was first purchased by
Commodore Uriah Phillips Levy.
10. S. ", an ancestor of the owner.
but after his death was nearly lost
to the American people on two occa-
sions In the eighties, however. it
was acquird by Representative Levy.
who began work of restoration and
Improvement with the result that to-
day Monticello is as il was when
Jefferson possessed it at the height
of his career.