Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-12
WAKEFIELD ASSOCIATION PAYS
HIGH TRIBUTE TO WASHINGTON
Memorial Body Euloeizes Statesman as
Father of World Liberty at
Birthday Dinner Here.

George Washington was honored
last night as a statesman, soldier.
dutiful son and father Of liberty for
the world at brilliant dinner given
by the Wakefield National Memorial
Association at the Mayflower Hotel in
celebration Of his 195th birthday an
niversary yesterday, according to the
old calendar
Five hundred guests attended the
dinner. and these included persons
high in legislative, military and social
life Of the Nation. Several speakers
paid tribute to Washington, and took
occasion to denounce the modern his
torians and biographers who tend to
dim the traditional glory which has
surrounded the name OF Washington
since his death. The dinner was
marked by the first donation for the
restoration of Washington's birth
place, at Wakefield, Westmoreland
County, Va, which the memorial as
ISOLATION hopes to complete by 1882,
in the gift Of $1,000 by the Citizens
Guild Of Fredericksburg, Va.
Reed Reviews Principles.
Senator James A. Reed of Missouri
the first speaker, reviewing the bill OF
rights of the Constitution as Wash
ington's principles Of government, de-
clared that they are as sound today
as they were in 1875,
"There are some" he said. who
will call Washington an old fogy
and a back number, and they'll say
he never even rode in an automobile,
but. then, remember another VINO
never rode in one-Christ rode into
Jerusalem on an ass, and yet his Ser
mon on the Mount will live forever.
And so it seems to me that Wash
ington's great principles OF govern
ment will live forever also. They were
built upon Washington's sound judg-
ment. and they are as sound today as
they were in 1916"
Senator Reed said there was more
statesmai1ship and patriotism in the
Revolutionary period than there IS to-
day. and he said: I'VE have not had
they who smelled the smoke of despot-
ism Of the Old World"
Warns of Foreign Policy.
Senator Reed sounded a warning in
his reference to Washington's attitude
on foreign relations when he said:
washington knew that foreign en-.
tanglements would draw us into the
vortex Of catastrophe, and that once
we were in that vortex ours would be
the fate Of other great nations that
had gone before us" =.
Washington advocated Isolation,
the Senator said and he declared that
by Isolation" he did not mean self.
ish holding aloof from the affairs OF
the world or the refusal OF this coun'
try to deal commercially with other
countries, but Of the United States
avoidance Of the political bedev1i'
ment of moderation"
Senator Reed reviewed the passing
of great monarchies during the Worio
War. and he declared all this neean
with the signing Of the Declaration OF
independence in America. The poll
cies of Washington have made the
United States the star by which all
the other nations steer today. This
Washington whom we honor az the
father Of our country and who Is the
father Of liberty for the world has
done more for the human race than
any other man, so let's consecrate this
memorial-his birthplace-as perpet'
ual reminder Of his greatness"
Scores Carriage Historians"
James M. Beck. another speaker. de-
clared:
"The weakness Of our national
character lies in our failure to revere
our ancestors" With this as a pref
ace, he said: when we honor WASH
ington it Is not so much a tribute TO
George Washington as 1t Is to George
Wa shineton's mother, who-notwith-
standing the garbage historians who
would have her a rather gay lady who
danced too much and who smoked q
pine and who was, in short. a burden
for her illustrious son to bear-must
have had the character Of woman
and mother so eminent man as her
son would love and respect, as is shown
by the letters he wrote her"
Reviewing the honorS In history.
art and tradition that have been paid
to the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ,
and the more recent tributes to Wash
ington's mother and the standardization
of both by modern biographers, Mr..
Beck declared that he favored a reg
ulation in the field Of biographers that
would keep dogs out OF the cen1e-
teries."
In passing, Mr. Beck said that in his
opinion the supreme disaster OF the
so years he has been observing affairs
in public life is not the great wars
but 1.-The disintegration of the home
anu LUc WdIlllS respect VI pStIcilIS lOT
children and children for their par
ents."
Pleads for Home.
1--WE can rebuild q nation" Mr..
Beck contended, land we might even
rebuild our onstitution--though /
am at a loss to know where the states
manship material could be found for
such a task-but when you destroy
the home, you destroy the source Of
all good and you cannot rebuild with
out those assets which come from a
home"
Mrs. Alfred J. Brosseau, president
general Of the Daughters of the Amer
lean Revolution, delivered an address
in which she recited an imaginary ad-
dress by Washington If he had
been present at the dinner. In
that imaginary talk Mrs. Brous-
seau contended that Washington
would warn against the prevailing
lack of interest in governmental well
fare and conduct. He would denounce
the criticism that is heaped upon the
President the reduction of ornaments
to a danger point and the endangering
of State rights by the adoption Of