Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-05
Save the Valhalla That
WASHINGTON Planned

10 tne Editor Oh Inc star.
July 4. 1926, il our 150th birthday.
Within that period of time we have
grown to the full estate of "a sover
eign Nation. Within that period OF
time, and it is short time in the his
tory of nation that has become d
leading nation of the world, whether
ancient or modern, we have done
many notable deeds---deeds that the
world acknowledges are of sufficient
magnitude to call for great memorials
to the cause" or the man"
Few are the nations, indeed, which
in so short a period of time as 15C
years, have enunciated a bill OF
rights equal to our Declaration OF
Independence. or made such a con
tribution to the science of govern
ment as is our Federal Constitution
or given to the world men compa
IA bic to George Washington. Benjamin
Fra nklin, Thomas jefferson, Alex
ander Hamilton or Abraham Lincoln
And not least among these contribu
tions, yet little understood and ever
less appreciated by the generality
of men, is the Federal district in oui
scheme of National Government-tht
seat of Government in which is stu
ated our Nations Capital City.
Without giving credit to any single
individual for the creation of this
credit to the founding fathers
severally for the creation of the "seat
of Government" one must, never
theless, give large measure OF
credit to George Washington, who haC
the vision and administrative ability
to establish the Capital City on 9
more magnificent and comprehensive
plan than first contemplated by the
makers of the Federal Constitution.
Not the least among the particu
lars of this city plan of George Wash
ington was the memorial park he
provided for extending from the west
front Of the Capitol building to the
Potomac heterogeneous in width
and approXimating II mile i'll length
1t was to he, as he conceived it. a
/ halla--the Nalhalla OF Il mighty
Nation built to endure for centuries
on the foundation of equity.
Sadly has the Nation neglected-or
shall IT he said. fOrgOtten?-thiS Val
halla, Neglected or forgotten. which
ever IT may be. in the years that
have pa ssed-even within a few DAYS
of our l50th anniversaiy-men good
men, proud of the country, have
OltcIl dLttIiIDItu, anu iOtliN attempt
in the name of mistaken economy
or for the sake of immediate eff
cheney. to make this Nalhalla ar
emporium of business"
The records. in the archives of the
Government are full to overlooking
with projects and schemes to put
here and there on this Nalhalla a
Jail. market house. an armory. a
hospital, a railroad station. factory
private dwellings,, business houses
everything save that for which the
Father of His Country planned it
| Too often have these good but
thoughtless men succeeded in THEN
attempts. And so today, while we
are celebrating our 150th anniversary
much Of this park that was to be oui
| Nalhala is covered with Chinese
joints dlapidated tenements, vari
Gus kinds of retail and wholesale
establishments running the Samu'
/ from insanitary, dingy, makeshift
poultry. killing concerns and a whole
sale coffin establishment. To auc
, tioneerS' markets where everything
from broken-doWn automobiles e
pedigreed horses and mules is sold
on this same sacred ground are the
Washington Monument and the
Lincoln Memorial at one end and, al
the other, the impressive Grant
Monument. In between are various
other memorials-mostly memorial
like buildings serving practical ends
but not SimOn-pure departmental
buildings. Yet it is now proposed 10
erect "A monumental lin size) depart
ment building on a part of the Val
halla still preserved from permanent
The colo iS
that it will save the Nation money
a grievousIy small excuse, all things
considered.
Here is the richest Nation on the
face of the earth-richer than any
three nations put together Nation
with q little plot of ground especially
laid out by the Father of the Coun
try for Talhalla--a Nation today
celebrating the 150th anniversary of
the real beginning of the Nation
thinking" about using a part of that
small plot of ground for 1t depart
ment. building built for the use of
today. What of tomorrow? What OF
the Valhalla?
On this Valhalla. within the com.
paratively short period of $50 years,
we have erected several great me-
MORALS Others are projected or
under consideration. All this in $50
years. What of the next $50 years,
and the other $50 years that shall
follow after? Has not posterity some
rights which ought to be respected
some right to parts of this Valhalla
on which to commemorate its deeds.
Have we in this first $50 years done
all the great deeds our Nation is &c
do? Let us hope not. Then, if not
why not preserve the sacred right OF
posterity if only in honor of the
Father of Our Country, to some small
part of this Nalhalla?
History tells us that nation
which has risen to true greatness
has. generally speaking, held its pre-
eminence for several hundred years
We have just reached our pre-
eminence.
Save this Nalhalla to future genera
tons of great Americans-and we car
prove our greatness of this generation
bv buying few hundred square feet
of ground now occupied by dilapi
dated buildings nearby this Falhalla
sold by careless or thoughtless Amer
leans who preceded us.
GROVER WARREN AYERS.