Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-02
CAPITAL PICTURED
NATIONS SYMBOL
Lack of Representation Is
Flouted Before Association
of Oldest inhabitants.

Praising President Hoover's declara-
ton that the National Capital should be
symbol" of America, Henry H. Glas'
sic, Assistant Attorney General of the
United States. last night told the Asso-
citation of Oldest Inhabitants that ii
should be a true symbol of political
economic and religious freedom.
But, referring to political freedom,
Mr.. Classic raised the question, What
If the very greatest principle is fiouted
and denied in the very place intended
for a SYMBOL"
The City of Washington. Mr.. Classic
contended, was not merely a reservation
and collection of buildings, but a coll
lection of living men and women with
vital interests in American ideals.
Congratulating Theodore w. Moves,
president of the Association of Oldest
Inhabitants, presiding officer of the eve
ming for the wonderful work" he had
Done toward national representation
for Washington, the speaker expressed
the opinion that perhaps the most I'M
portant point in Mr.. Moves work for the
District had not been merely getting
great public recognition" for the prin-
ciple of national representation.
Larger Contribution.
A larger contribution. Mr. Classic
thought, was what had been done to-
ward "arousing and stimulating pro-
found consciousness that Washington is
a community of human souls, not COL
lection of structions, but a life-a hu-
man life stretching back to an historical
past, with present full of everything
that makes life fine and beautiful and
future so glorious that only the imag-
tnation can conceive what it will be-"
Washington. the speaker declared,
WAS living. social political, economic
unit, not large in size. but in reality a
State"
Athens at the height of her glory.
Mr.. Classic pointed out. had only about
100000 population, and he recalled the
prophecy of an early sage who had pre-
dicted that no republic could grow much
larger than 100000 population without
losing much of its inherent qualities as
such a state.
President Hoover'S message recently
to the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States, in which he had charac-
terized this city as symbol of America,
Mr.. Classic declared, had proved thrill
ing to every American who heard the
Presidents words.
Should Represent Ideals.
But what, he asked, was Washington
TO symbolic? This city, he went on,
should stand for "au the greatest ideals
for which America stands" This, he
declared, should not stop at repre-
sentation of the wealth, the power, the
resources, the material side of America.
Washington, he claimed, should stand
more for what America means in the
realm of ideas, those ideas which had
changed the world.
THE first of these principles" de-
clared Mr.. Classic, with emphasis, for
which he drew cheers of his audience,
sis that free men must have representa-
ton in the government of the country
of which they are part. That is the
greatest of all things"
Pointing to an American flag on the
wall, the speaker asked what a flag
symbolized. To the Communist he sur
missed it might mean only rag, stained
red, white and blue. But to an Ameri-
can he declared it would symbolic
what? Power? Wealth? Glory? Much
more than that The flag symbolized
to the American, he said, political free
dom, equality of economic opportunity,
and of course religious equality, "the
three great things for which this coun-
try stands"
Mr.. Classic scored people in Wash