Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-01
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

| they. the Rockies, are almost a mere
concrete panorama OF rock and tree and
Ice, without the slightest element Of
human association to give them what
might be called the literary value that
belongs to the Alps by reason of their
every aspect being shared by the great
deeds Of men and the peoples OF all
times running back to the very dawn
Of civilization. Hannibal, Caesar and
| Napoleon give the most rugged Vistas
magic that counts and cannot be du-
plicated."
"Aye, there's the rub!" That ex-
plains the unfathomed interest poten-
, tial in this Eastern scenery, Of our
ellipse, beyond expression in the mere
rocks and rills. We boast no Ararats
nor any Yosemite Valleys within our
beautiful ellipse, whose centers are in
Portland, Me, and Washington, d. G.
Altitude lies in Alaska, expanse lies be-
rests in this ellipse.
Here are the scenes where America
was created.
And the Lord planted a garden east
ward in Eden, and there He put the
man whom He had formed. And out Of
the ground made the Lord God to grow
every tree that is pleasant to the sight
and good for food"
Maybe that was not written originally
concerning our beautiful ellipse, but 1t
sounds literally like it. Note that Eden
never developed interest until man in
habited it. Same case as our ellipse.
So no scenery counts except in the
measure Of the human interest. Hence
the vast importance Of bringing out the
llumanness of the scenery through
which We drive.
-
Maybe Whittier stretched his imagi-
nation in his story of Barbarie
Fritehie Maybe there never was that
Jackson. but its human interest sane
titles Frederick. Md. Who cares for
literal facts? It's true, nevertheless, in
its keynote of fearless patriotism and
mans respect for 1t. Is the grandeur
of the mountain peak determined by
its geology or its serene loftiness amid
cloud and sunshine?
Here is Valley Forge-beautiful in
its natural scenery, moving beyond
words in its history Of what men SUI
fered there. Here is Gettysburg! As
| cend its hills, look across its yistaS!
Admire its sunsets and drink in its
atmosphere so bracing and refreshing.
Then listen amid its historic scenes
| to Lincoln's immortal words recalling
| the vivid picture OF what men did
! there!"
Drive along the National Highway;
Stop! Here General Braddock died and
was secretly buried until months later
Colonel Washington recovered his body
and bore 1t to its final resting place"
He was Colonel" Washington then. II
the Indians had killed him In place
Of his superior oficer. what would nave
been the fate Of the future united
States? 49,.
Somewhere in each State along me
National Highway stands that pathetic,
inspiring group, nodded in granite COIL
position, immortalizing the me-. triaa
of the Plains" Can the motorlst VI !ie
with such an inspiration OF measuie 40
sublimity with the altitude u any
mountain In sight? ,,-,, ,,,,;ch
r,arss the tourists pulses throb with
Wide and 10Y Of living In such coun.
~, uhere inch are men"-aye, and
rooothers are "Madonnas OF the Plains.
The state Of Ohio, through its Iegis-
| ,st,Ire. has recognized this fact OF the
importance of human history by an ap-
| nropriation at the last session OF $50 1000
to cover the expenses of a commission
of distinguished citizens to study the
State and locate the important sites for
the erection of monuments telling the
story of what men did there"
In the early future, then, there will
be many tablets and monuments estab-
lished which will crystalline the romance
of Ohio's history and make accessible to
the passing tourist the knowledge OF
what has made the greatness OF the
State Of Presidents and OF pioneer
heroism.
II is trite to complain of the desc
Grafton of landscapes by outdoor signs
| and advertisements. Even in ONO, as
well as all over the ellipse, there remain
many such blotches upon the beauty Oh
Nature. There are 10-foot WOODEN
cows in Pennsylvania fields; to aavert soe
matted milk. There are in ONO oO-
foot-hlsh ice cream cones, marking
stands where 6-inch cones may be
bought. There are 30-foot mutations OF
| cakes and all sorts OF insults to the
| "Corots" of the haZy mornings.
stopped In curiosity to see heroic
statue to some general only TO dis
cover that it was a plaster nightmare
Advertisement Of General Electricity.
Yet am more and more an optimise
regarding the early Punishment OF such
| disbursements, not through legislation.
but through popular disgust and dis
approval. why worry?" Wooden
Indians are gone. Madonnas OF the
Trail remain.
recall that the establishment Of a
concern for Outdoor Advertising" To-
Gated upon Dayton's fairylike boule-
ward, on the bank of the Great Miami,
hides its own sign with dense shield
Of Normandy poplars. Ashamed Of
Grass publicity In the face Of such re-
fined beauty a. that flower-decorated
river bankl