Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-23

The text of President Coolidge's ad
dress at George Washington Universit
last night follows:
My Fellow Countrymen:
Compared with some OF the olde
nations, our holidays are few In mum
Der. Being less frequent, they are givei
a more formal observance. With tn
possible exception of the Fourth day o
July. none of them on the secular sid
arouses any more popular interest thar
the birthday of George Washington
OF course, he is honored for what h
did He was leader in successful
struggle for independence which CAV
him a justified military reputation. HI
was also the foremost influence in Sc
curing the adoption of our Fedora
Constitution. which gave us free Re
public. Naturally, he was chosen tn
first President.
In this office he brought into practi
cal operation the theories OF our Ma
tional Government, which demonstrated
that he was not only a military leader
but a sound and patriotic statesman
In addition to all his public service, h:
was man of affairs. He ranks as tht
best business man Of his day. Hac
there been no Revolutionary War, he
would undoubtedly have become the
foremost Colonial figure of his time.
1T Is because Of his success in SC
many fields of action that his memory
makes such wide appeal. Wherever
men love liberty We find veneration
for the name of George Washington
Wherever there are aspirations for a
free government whether already In
being or in future expectation, there is
admiration for the institutions he es-
tablished. Wherever purity of char
acter and self-sacr!ficing public service
are admired, his name Is honored and
reVered. Almost alone of the great fig
ures of history, he can be accepted
without any qualifications or reserva-
tions. Not only is his fame world
wide, but his life is held in universal
respect.
Tn day when filling the soil went
mostly by the rule Of thumb, we find
him developing agriculture in SCI
entific way. While others were specu-
latmg, usually at a loss, he was invest
ing In land and making profit. When
the political thought of his day was
conferred for the most part in each local
Colony. he had the vision to see ana the
uAtuCA StuIGIIk 10 CUIIlpEGLtA1Q EtlE du~
vantages of Federal Union.
Although his own native State of
Virginia had a college in his youth, and
there were others in the North, with
the possible exception OF some short
studies in surveying he did not attend
any of the higher institutions of learn
Ing. Yet he became a we'll educated
man himself, and In many of his pub
lie statements. and finally In his will,
he was careful to disclose his views on
the Importance Of republican institu-
tons, of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS free
schools and opportunities for higher
education.
Nationally Minded.
Here again he showed distinctly that
he was nationally minded. because he
coupled the personal benefits of a CEN
tralized university training with the
cultivation of a national spirit in the
students. Since his day so many local
colleges and State universities have
been established that the provisions of
his viii have never been put into exc
cution. Yet it Is a satisfaction to have
this institution at least bearing his
name in the National Capital The
views which he expressed on the ALE
important subject of education have
that ring Of truth and that soundness
which makes them apply with the same
force today as they had when they
were uttered.
Although he. like Lincoln, did not
have opportunity to take a college
degree, yet, like the Great Emancipator,
the Father OF His Country had the
advantage OF working with citizenship
which was well permeated with college
men, whom he constantly sought for his
advisers in positions of responsibility. 1t
should always be remembered that un-
less many of their associates had secured
the liberal education which comes from
college training. the careers OF both
washington and Lincoln would have
been utterly impossible. Without well
educated leaders and general diffusion
OF learning among the people they would
have had no success.
Outside OF college walls, but usually
under the guidance OF competent i'm
structiOn, Washington was most palms.
taking and thorough student. He gained
the position which he held through
application to hard work BY that means
his mind became we'll trained. He knew
how to think.
mot only In what Washington said
do we find much wise counsel relating
TO education, but we find even more In
the man himself His life justifes the
existence and demonstrates the necessity
of institutions for giving to our youth
that broad culture which comes from
application to a course in the liberal
arts. We need men OF technical train
Ing. They are much more necessary
now than they were in the Revolution
airy period. We could not maintain our
modern life for any length OF time
without them Washington himself
would be entitled to considerable rank
as an engineer in his day. 1t is neces-
sary for our progress to have individuals
who make life study OF one subject to
the exclusion of everything else. The
danger to them and from them lies in
their becoming lost in particulars.
While they are wonderfully skilled in
their own subject, they often do not
its relation to other subjects.
Talents Usefuliy Directed.
There would be a place in the world
for the soldier and sailor who could see
nothing but national defense, a place
for the pacifist who would never engage
in war and had no comprehension of
IEldGiUIlSs lUT LIE PHYSICIST
who had little interest In spiritual ideals,
and place In every large enterprise for
the experts in accounting, In production,
in transportation, and In merchandising,
though they might understand nothing
of the broad principles Of political econ
omy. But these talents will reach their
greatest usefulness only when directed
and co-ordinated by the wisdom OF a
comprehending executive who may not
always know but who rarely fails to
understand.
1T was In this field that Washington
appears to have excelled He could not
have written the Declaration of indie
pendence. Yet as statesman he was
easily the superior of Jefferson. He
could not have prepared the intricate
report on manufactures. Yet, he was a
far better business man than Hamilton.
His words and actions were such that
he inspired confidence. The country
followed him because it trusted him.
They were willing to take his judgment