The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-11-11
TRIBUTE TO
WILSON
AIRED
Memorial Heads Deny Run1or
Real Estate Firm Backs
Venture
By JOsEPHINE TIGHE

mat tremendous uHuSIbehlHk ~
the Woodrow Wilson Memorial
Association to raise SIS, 500 900 for
the establishment Of a "magnifi-
cent university on the Virginia
hills, just across the Potomac" in
honor and memory of the late
President of the United States,
again is in the limelight.
After weeks of quiet investiga-
ton The Washington Times, on
October 8, published an exclusive
article dealing with the aims and
Iambition of the Woodrow Wilson
Memorial Association.
At that time, in addition to the
directing personnel Of the organi-
cation, was printed a list Of men
high in authority affairs, and dis
ftfnction, who had subscribed their
names among ita members.
h This list included such disting-
lnished gentlemen as Hamilton Holt,
i friend and confidant of President
Wilson'S; Secretary of the Navy
Curtis d. Wilbur; David Starr Jor-
dan, president of Leland Stanford
University; William Green, president
of the American Federation of La
Dor; Rear Admiral BREASTED, u. S. NJ;
the governors of sixteen States of
the Union, together with Senators
and Congressman.
Copeland Letter Shown
Senator Royal Copeland, New
York, announced as chairman Of
the memorial, was out Of town
when a Times reporter attempted
to verify the Senator's contact with
the association, but A. w. Lowell,
manager for the huge undertaking,
not only exhibited a letter from
Doctor Copeland in which the. Sen.
ator accepted membership. but de-
clared that he, Lowell, would name
the new Fordham National Bank.
of New York, Of which Senator
Copeland is president. as one OF
the state repositories for the
memorial associations funds.
Mr.. Lowell said that letters had
been written to President Coolidge
asking that someone in the comp
troller-generaFs office be designed
as auditor for such contributions to-
ward the memorial as should be
subscribed. TO date. Manager
Lowell declares, he has had no
satisfactory answer to his request.
No Trouble Seen
When it was pointed out to Mr..
Lowell that there was serious diff
ficulty experienced in raising thu
million dollars for the woodrow
Wilson foundation, exploited. heaV-
lily subscribed to and organized
during President Wilson's lifetime
Mr.. Lowell was emphatic in de-
claring that there would be no
trouble "in this instance" in col
lecting $5,50O.OO0.
He even went little further and
put in writing that "the plans and
policies also provide for like pro-
cedure for contributors to fund
for the erection of law school at
Princeton. provided that the pro
cedure meets with the views OF
Princeton University and its execu-
tive committee"
Started Three Years Ago
The Woodrow Wilson Memorial
Association was Incorporated three
years ago under an act of Congress
approved by the President. Its Of
ficers are r. Moulton Pettey, Of Ar
lington, Virginia, president and A.
w. Lowell, Of California, general
manager. Mr.. Pettey has for years
been an employee Of the Treasury
Department. Mr.. Lowell, avowed
publicity expert, says that it was
he who successfully raised the funds
for the Shriners' convention here in
Washington two years ago.
Among the rumors flying about
with regard to the University to
grace the Potomac Hills, was one
which suggested that certain real
estate firm in Washington was
back of the memorial" Mr.. Lowell
emphatically denied that impeach,
ment and said that not until Con
gress convened and selected the site
for the University would it be
known just where the lofty pile
was to rise.
With the inception of the $5,000,-
900 venture, Mrs. Woodrow Wilson's
name, as stated in The Times
story of October 8, was invited as
chief sponsor for the memorial to
the former President. The answer,
through Secretary McAdoo, was to
the effect that no one of the
Wilson family ever lent his or her
name, or public approval, to any
woodrow Wilson memorial, prefer
w.;r.~~ tl,oh tha n1lhIin- ha 1aff nm.