Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29
NATIONS LEADERS HAIL
WASHINGTON CATHEDRAL
President Hoover Heads Statesmen and
Scholars in Praising Shrine on
Mount St. A1ban.

THAT the building of a great
church structure in the National
Capital is of compelling interest
Il to present-day America is re-
vealed by a symposium of opin-
ion compiled by the authorities of
Washington Cathedral of the Episco-
pal Church.
Expressions from leaders in national
affairs indicate that the twentieth CEN
fury is In a measure as responsive to
the appeal of cathedral building as
were the historically revered ages of
the past.
building of Washington Cathedral are
stated include President Hoover, Chief
Justice William Howard Taft. Elihu
Root, former Secretary of State: New
ton D. Baker, former Secretary Of War;
James j. Davis, Secretary of Labor;
Andrew w. Mellon, Secretary of the
Treasury: Franklin D. Roosevelt, gov
ernor of New York; Gen. c. P. Summer
all. chief of staff, United States Army:
William Green, president American Fed
Grafton of Labor; Daniel Chester French,
sculptor and former member of the
Federal Fine Arts Commission. and
William Holland Wilmer. ophthalmolo-
dist, director Wilmer Institute.
Fresadent mowers view.
Excerpts from several Of the state
mentS follow:
President Hoover: "In the course Of
time hope that Washington may be-
come INTELLECTUALLY an inspiration to
the Nation. This hope will be achieved
when there Is beautiful architectural
expression of the fundamental aspects
of Cur democracy. Certainly one of
these aspects, because it is the deepest
spring of our national life is religion.
Therefore, as a wonderfully beautiful
expression of religion 1 watch with
sympathetic interest the growth Of the
great cathedral on the heights over
looking Washington"
Chief Justice Taft: 1.-The older grow,
the more certain I am that morality Is
dependent upon the spread of religious
conviction to prevail in the Govern
nent and civilization of this country.
1t certainly will aid that cause to have
a suitable, constant reminder of 1t in
the form of a great cathedral on beau-
tiful site in the Capital of our Nation.
Already it has shown its usefulness in
the call upon it that the public makes.
Every friend of good government and
of the strength and spread of morality
church like Washington Cathedral"
Reflects Nations Tradition.
Secretary Mellon: Every year Amer
leans 60 to Europe in increasing num-
berS to see the great cathedralS which
were built there centuries ago. In CIV
ing the people of this country an oppor-
tunity to help in building such a cathe-
dral here, you are not only comforting a
privilege on all of us who are allowed
to participate in this work, but you are
ae|
importance cannot be overestimated.
Here in the city of Washington we
have need for a great cathedral It will
be, in the eyes of the world. the visible
expression of that strong religious be-
lief which was one of the very corner
stones on which the Nation was
founded That belief is still deeply en-
bedded in the American character and
by erecting a cathedral such as this, we
give evidence that America has re-
manned true to her early traditions and
that she Is using her great wealth, not
solely to create further wealth or to
promote comfort and security, but as a
lever to raise the Nation to a plane of
civilization higher than one Of merely
material achievement"
Protest Against MateriaIIsm.
Secretary Davis: 1.-THE rising Of a
church like the Washington Cathedral
is the clearest proof that under all our
material wealth there lives among us,
as robustly as ever. that spirit of rever-
ence, love and gratitude toward God
which guided the fathers in founding
this country.
ITO me it is both eminently fitting
and profoundly significant that we who
have become the richest of nations in
worldly goods should be the first to ex-
hibit in these great temples this new
outpouring of gratitude for our bless
ingS. Surely the charge that We are
materialistic cannot hold against these
impressive protests against materialism
ION the contrary, what we stamp on
our very coins of exchange we afirm
again in these nobler terms and mean
and believe-'In God we trust"
Opinion Of SummeraH.
Gen. Summerall: "Our Capital Is in
complete If it does not contain a visible
and inspiring witness to the influence
of Christianity on the development of
the Nation. It is most fitting that the
President in his mansion, the lawgivers