Evening star., 1928-05-22
MEMORIAL ROAD
PROPOSAL PASSED.
Mount Vernon Boulevard Plan
Sent to President for
Final Action.

IOT bIIdIl ~ yGdAHs WllACAA 10 W BlNC
the City of Washington the most beau
tiful entrance of any city IN the world
and which is to be the American
PEOPLES monument to George Washing
ION on the 200th anniversary Of his
birth, was approved by the House late
Yesterday by vote of lit to 81 under
suspension of the rules. It now awaits
only the Presidents signature and he
advocated 1t in his annual message 70
Congress last December. The Senate
passed the bill unanimously
The bill authorizes an approprlation
of "a 500 900, with $500,000 avallabie!
during the coming fiscal year--the ROAD
to be completed and In use during the
hicentennial celebration in 1882. Ihe
selection of the route Is left to the Pres
ident's hicentennial commission, but
there is little doubt but that the scenic
river route skirting the Potomac River
from the Arlington Memorial Bridge 10
Mount Vernon will be decided upon.
Robsion Champions Bill.
representative Robsion of Kentucky,
,,,,1o rennrted the bill to the House bS
,,nanimous decision of the committee
IN roads. spiritedly championed tne
nroiect and challenged the gratituoe OF
fhe entire Nation by declaring tnat II
we are going to make an ordinary roao
Il win not be a fitting memorial 10
Washington" He said, In part:
"There is no suitable or adequate
hiohwav to accommodate those VINO oe-
sire to visit Mount Vernon, the home
and tomb of Gen. washington, A
movement to provide suitable high
wav to Mount Vernon and at the same
time TO provide a suitable memorial 10
the Father of Our Country was starteo
as early as 1886. This movement mas
been warmly commended and indorsed
by various Presidents of the United
states. Secretaries of War, hundreds OF
members of Congress and by nearly all
the great national patriotic ana CIVIC
organizations.
.'The need for improved highway
facilities to Mount Vernon has greauy
increased from year TO year. In 1889
there were about $4,000 yearly visitors
to Mount Vernon. In 1926 there were
395 5,636, and we are advised that last
wear this passed the 100000 mark.
1--WE began as early as 1924 to make
for suitable observance OF
the two-hundredth anniversary OF the
birth OF washington in 1882. 1t has
been estimated that there will be 2,O0O,-
600 or more people visit Mount Vernon
during the year OF 1882.
Need TO Become Pressing.
"As the years come and go the need
for additional highway facilities to
reach the home and tomb Of Washing
ton will become more pressing. The
highway facilities are such at this time
- AtsftVAnfttahad Tgfhtf6Fa
are taken to Mount Vernon on the
Mayfiower instead OF by way of the
present highway. so that admirers OF
who visit his tomb may
not see how We have neglected this i'm
portant matter
"I dareSay no great nation has failed
10 contribute from It's public treasury
10 the shrine OF Its outstanding soldier
and statesman like Washington. except
our own country.
Some of the opponents to this meas
ure have stated Washington does not
need memorial highway TO honor
him. May I say that we need 10 build
this great memorial that we may honor
ourselves In honoring him and show
our gratitude and devotion for his
sacrifice2"
Representative Treadway Of Massa-
chusetts vigorously refuted the asser-
ton that the cost of this boulevard win
be extravaganza, saying:
This proposition Is neither extrava-
CANT nor Is Il one that win not appeal
20 the good Judgment Of the President
1f the United States. 1t connects this
great city Of Washington, our National
Capital, with the home and burial place
II George Washington. and the criticism
of extravaganza can not be leveled at
yuch connection as that.
I'VE are using the peoples money
Tor the best purpose 1t can be used for.
for the memory OF WASH
Ington and practical purposes Of the
people. Think Of how many thousands
0f visitors come to this Capital City
Yearly. Do they not look with reverence
On the home of George washington at
Mount Vernon? DO they not return
10 their homes better and prouder
Americans? Let us see TO Ii that WASH
ngton Is not only great Capital but
hat the memory of the man whose
name 1t bears Is forever honored.
Further. the Masonic fraternity Is re-
.ognizing Its duty to the memory of
George Washington by erecting $5,-
)0O, 900 memorial, contributed from the
purses of the Masons of this country.
IN Shooters Hill as you 60 into Alex
indria. VIII the gentleman from Mich
gan say that the Masons Of this country
sre also showing extravaganza when
hey put this sum OF money into a
proper memorial 10 George Washing
on? There lis nothing more Of interest
% the people Of this country today than
luch a memorial 10 be dedicated at the
lime Of tho anniversary Of his birth"
UnderhIll Wins Applause.
Representative Underhill of Massa-
was vigorously applauded when
ne said:
Washington needs no memorial.
rhe city Of Washington Is q memorial
% him. But Mount Vernon Is o shrine.
rhc city of Washington is the Capital
II the Nation. There ta now no proper
connecting link between the Capital OF
,he Nation and the shrine TO which the
leople OF the country make pilgrimagea.
There are literally millions OF people
Who come 10 Washington from all over
he country during the year, and there
will be more millions In the years TO
,ome than we can count.
we have built a memorial bridge,
,r provided for one, across the Potomac
river at an expense Of St0,000,000.
1T ends at the river bank and II
eads nowhere. You cannot spend
ylb. 600, 900 for that project end leave
he objective incomplete, You have
.ot 10 carry 1t clear through To Mount
Vernon before IL becomes Of real value
q the community. and by the com
nunity' I mean the whole country.
II have stood firm and steadfaat In
,ehalf of the 100000 limit as The
roper appropriation ON the part Of the
Federal Government toward the annual
Of the Nations Capital,
nut am going 10 urge and stand for
very proposition that advocates an im-
of Washington's surround
ng within a radius OF 40 miles"
Moore Denies KxtFavaganee.
In concluding the arguments for the
sgislation Representative Moore of ViF..
mia, through whose district the road
yiIl be- run and who IN recognized as
he best authority In Congress on The