Evening star., 1927-10-19

Fess Announces Proposed
Campaign to Foster Interest
in Father OF Country.

Plans for Nationwide movement
to awaken among all Americans
new interest in the life and achieve
ments of George Washington will he
considered at meeting here soon of
sthe executive committee of the COM
mission in charge of the celebration of
the 200th anniversary of the birth of
the patriot in 1882.
This was made known here today
by Senator Simeon ID. E'eSs of Ohio,
vice chairman of the commission. who
outlined some of the suggestions that
are to be laid before the executive
committee shortly after Congress
meets for the purpose of stimulating
the people throughout the country to
learn more about the Father of His
Country.
In this connection Senator Fess re-
-Nealed TODAY that information has
been obtained by the commission in
dicating that the original ancestors of
Gen. Washington. many generations
hack, were named washington.
The Ohio Senator said data leading
TO that conclusion was secured by
Prof. Albert Bushnell Hart, historian
pf the commission. while he was IN
England recently making historical re-
search into the genealoSy OF the WASH
ington family.
Prof. Hart spent the greater part
Of 1926 and this year in England, dur
ing which time he visited more than
so places connected with the Washlng-
ton family, and succeeded in tracing
the lineage through an unbroken chain
of Is generations.
Going back still further, Senator
Fess said, Prof. Hart reported that
while making his researches he
learned that in 1888 one William d.
Bertburn bought land in washington
and took that place for his name. Ac-
cording to Senator Fess, Prof. Hart
ia of the belief that this was the source
of the Washington family.
Details Not Studied.
The Bicentennial Commission has
not vet gone into the details of the
form of the celebration in 1882. Sena-
tor Fess said the thought is to have
the executive committee turn its at !
tention first to a program designed 10 /
get all Americans reading and think |
ing about George Washington during
the several years that will elapse be- |,
fore the anniversary is observed.
One step in the plan, Senator Fess
said. is TO have the American Library |
Association cooperate in preparing |
lists of books on Washington and as
sist in stimulating reading OF such |
volumes.
Another suggestion is the publica-
tion of a booklet on the life of Wash
ington, and the manuscript for such !
a booklet is being prepared by DIR. !
Hart.
"Prof. Hart" Senator Fess contin.
ued, ''is proceeding now to 60 about /.
the country. meeting representative
bodies in their national conventions
and laying before them the aims of
this movement to make Washington /
better known to the people"
Two Lines of Publication.
When the executive committee
meets here in December or January
II will consider also a recommenda-
tion of the historian that two lines
of publications. be compiled as fol-
lows: One, the public works of
Washington, including all OF his
speeches, letters and general orders.
which would comprise probably 20
volumes; two. Washington series,
including separate volumes on vari-
Gus phases of the patriots life, prob
ably in Is volumes.
1--WE hope" said Senator Fess. ito
obtain the cooperation of the schools. Il
colleges and universities throughout Il
the land to help establish this re- !.
newed interest in the Father of His
Country by means of debates and
essays.
THE aim Is to revive an intelli-
gent interest in this outstanding f1g-
alre of American history. am afraid
that as time goes on people might
otherwise forget what Washington
did.
Il feel that the President, as chair
man of the commission, is much in
terested in the possibilities along this
line of reviving public interest in the
life of Gen. Washington"