Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-21
BILL INTRODUCED
: TO BUY MT. VERNON
Representative TreadWay
Wants Government to Own
National Shrine.

Acquisition of Mount Vernon, the
home and tomb of George Washington,
by the Federal Government is directed
under a bill introduced in the House
today by Representative Allen T. Tread
way, Republican, Of Massachusetts, who
desires that the gates of this great
American shrine shall be thrown op@
free to the public for the celebration Of
the 200th anniversary of Washington's
birth in 1882.
This legislation proposes that the d.
rector OF public buildings and public
parks Of the National Capital, who hap
pens to be Lieut.. Col. u. S. Grant, "a
one Of the associate directors of the BIZ
centennial celebration, shall negotiate
with the Mount Vernon Ladies' Associ-
alton OF the Union, who many years
ago purchased the estate from the
Washington family, under a charter
granted by the State of Virginia. 1t
instructs him to take such action as
may be necessary to secure a release
from the State Of Virginia of any limi-
Catlon against this association disposine
OF the property. AS a last resort II
proposes that he shall condemn" the
property under right of eminent domain
Ior the United States Government.
Representative Treadways bill would
nave Mount Vernon maintained as a
pubic national memorial to George
Washington, but would allow the grand
council of the Mount Vernon Ladies'
Association OF the Union to continue tn
manage the property for five years sub
Ject 10 regulations by the Federal Off
cial. JIM
Thinks Time Suitable.
Representative Treadway told his COL
leagues In speech on the floor Of the
House that he feels very strongly that
THIS should be done and desires that Ali
the people OF the country should give
the subject very serious consideration.
-, Tnere could be no more suitable
time" ne said, ito take UP the subject
OF Federal acquisition OF washington's
nome ana burial place than on the an
niversary Of his birth.
For about IS years the question of
the ownership Of Mount Vernon by a
private corporation has been discussed
ana debated periodically throughout the
country. Washington is becoming more
ana more the mecca Of visitors No
citizen can visit our Capital without
thrill OF pride and patriotism. Per-
maps the greatest surprise and shock
the visitor experiences Is when he learns
that Mount Vernon Is closed on Sum
Gays ana that on week days an admis-
| sion lee Is charged.
Both the United States and the
state OF Virginia had the chance Ia
become the owner Of Mount Vernon
while 1t still belonged to the Washing.
ton family John A. Washington. the
elder, in . codicil to his will. JULY
1880, provided for the disposal of the
place to the United States, should the
congress desire to possess it. Nothing
came Of this proposal.
Congress Asked to Act.
In lS46 Congress was memorializeo
TO purchase Mount Vernon. The me-
mortal was signed by the Vice President,
the Speaker Of the House and various
otner nlgn oncials OF the Government.
as Wen as the mayors of washington
and Georgetown. Nothing came of this
effort. '-'''
In 1858 Gov. johnson of Virginia
transmitted to the General Assembly Of
the state an urgent recommendation
that the State Of Virginia purchase the
property from its owner. The Commits
zee 70 which the recommendation was
referred was unable to make terms with
the owner. and the matter was dropped
IN 1888 Miss Ann Pamela Cunning
nam OF South Carolina, helpless In
valid, organized the Mount Vernon
Ladies' Association of the Union for the
purpose OF acquiring, restoring and
caring for the home and burial place
OF Gen. Washington. This organization
was conceived by Miss Cunningham
the efforts of this organization the
purchase Of Mount Vernon was con-
summated under charters granted by
the State Of Virginia.
Prom that time until now the
Mount vernon Ladies' Association Of
the Union. a self-perpetuating body.
has owned the property and conducted
its affairs.
Thomas Nelson Page and Charles
Moore have both written accounts of
the stewardship of the Mount Vernon
Ladies Association. and are most
laudatory in their praise of the man.
agement OF the property by the aSSo-
citation.
Washington Memorials.
"I want now. however, to suggest
that the work of the organization hav-
Ing been so well accomplished, it pro-
coed to perform a still more worthy
purpose by turning over the actual
ownership of Mount Vernon to the Fed
eral Government, where, in my opinion,
It belongs. In proposing this, 1t is my
thought that the association should
continue to exercise such managerial
authority as may be mutually agree
able to 1t and the Government.
During recent years Congress has
more and more come to a realization
Of the fact that places having directly
to do with our history should be pre-
served and ownership placed in the
Government.
But let us refer particularly to prof.
ects in memory of George Washington.
Two years ago Congress authorized an
appropriation Of $4500,000 to build a
new memorial boulevard from Wash
ington to Mount Vernon. The contract
for this road is in process Of being
awarded. Within q month legislation
has passed this House for the restora-
ton and preservation of the birthplace
Of Washington at Wakefield. One of
the arguments for having this property
owned by the Federal Government was
that this would ohviate the possibility
of an admission fee being charged to
visit the place. Another bill has recently
been passed by the House authorizing a
memorial parkway and boulevard on
both sides of the Potomac from Mount
Vernon to Great Falls, and in that bill
an amendment was inserted requiring a
free bridge, owned by the Government
across the river at Great Falls.
THE Washington Boulevard will thus
extend from Great Falls to the gate a.
Mount Vernon. every bit of 1t owned by
| the Government, TO be freely used by
Its citi8ens. ] can conceive of nothing
more incongruous than to have one
Of these wonderful memorials to the
memory Of Washington, starting almost
at the base Of Washington Monument
itself in the City of Washington, ter
inmate at the gate of Mount Vernon.
where access to that hallowed ground
is barred except upon the payment OF
an entrance fee"