Evening star., 1926-04-25

times difficult to grasp. They Imagine
that an imbecile king and a short
sighted and obstinate prime minister
represented the English point OF view
in 1876. They fail to realize that SEN
sible and educated English people
have always realized that the Ameri-
cans took the only possible course
when they declared their independ.
ence. Otherwise, they would have been
traitors to their English blood.
A fierce and almost aggressive pa
triotism is noticeable wherever one
goes. 1t is, imagine, the same spirit
that ennobled Elizabethan England
and | love and admire the Americans
fer it. The national flag is seen every
where, the clergymen emphasize the
principles of national conduct tyes. we
find time to go to church,, the guide
hooks are bursting with quite justi-
fable pride a. the tales they tell The
hope and buoyancy Of youth are ap-
parent on every hand, and are splen-
did driving forces.
Artistry Is Superb.
1t seems difficult for me to keep to
what is material in describing my ex.
periences. and / have not gone beyond
the Monument. but all the public build
of marble or white granite. They are
not dirty white as in London. but
white and no expense has been spared
to make them worthy Of the Capital.
1t is a very green city, as thousands
of trees are growing in the courtyards
of the different buildings and avenues
of trees line many of the chief thor
oughfares. The artistic effect is
superb. The white buildings outlined
against a brilliant blue sky have the
effect Of gigantic and exquisite cam
eos. but the green softens and hard
ness and relieves the glare.
The roads are wide and straight and
we'll kept. Pennsylvania avenue is a
fine thoroughfare with the dome of
the Capitol in view at one end. There
are few skyscrapers here and one has
not that buried feeling that is so op-
pressive in some parts of New York.
1t is indeed a city Of magnificent dis
tances." nothing Is cramped or squalid
or sordid. Washington has been de-
signed and built by men OF genius
who had the consciousness Of untold
millions upon which to draw. Nc
cutting ones coat here to suit the
cloth That is one quality in the
Americans that appeals to me with
great force. When they determine to
F, do a. thing we'll they do it superlatively
well. Yet there is no gliding Of the
lily" Everything is fitting. even Law
ish In it's fitness, but a splendid sense
of proportion has been maintained
and there Is an entire freedom from
all that is vulgar or pretentious. In a
word, Washington Is to me a most sat
isfying city, and I'm eagerly anticipat
ing a more intimate knowledge than
we've been able to get so far.
Visit to Mt. Vernon.
On Monday we visited Mount Yer.
non, Washington home. 1t is only
IS miles away, and we went down the
Potomac in a small steamer, landing
! right in the grounds. Surely when
Washington pere chose this spot he
had ancestral memories Of the green
shores Of Southampton Water or the
| lamar. The scene is very English
with a luxuriance of verdure sugges-
! tive Of Kent or Devonshire. From
the little pier one climbs a gentle slope
| up to the house, which stands about
| 80 feet above the river-here magni.
/ ficent stream. The building is OF the
colonial type with columns supporting
| veranda, and the servants quar-
ters are in the rear. The gardens be.
hind are beautiful and very carefully
F, tended, disappearing into an undulat
| ing park. The house is now main
! tained as n national shrine. the cost
VI uvkeep and restoration beinS de