Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-15
Representative Plans Bill to
Take Over Washington'S
Former Estate.
BIRTHDAY OBSERVANCE
WILL BE PRETENTIOUS
Treadway Declares Beloved Ameri-
can Shrine Should Be Thrown
Open to Public.

q
eminent take over Mount Vernon, the
home and burial place of George Wash
ington, as one of the features of the
celebration in 1882 of the bicentennial
of Washington'S birth, and throw open
the gates so that all school children and
others from every State in the Union
may be admitted free to this greatest of
American ShrineS. has been made by
Representative Allen 7. Treadway of
Massachusetts,.
The National House of Representa-
tiveS has by formal vote decided to make
the Washington birthday celebration
this year more pretentious than usual
in order to focus attention on the plans
being made by commission appointed
by former President Coolidge to arrange
for a Nationwide and epochal celebra-
ton of WaShington'S bicentenary OBJ
servance. On Washington's birthday,
February %. Representative Treadway
intends to introduce his bill for the
Government to take over the Mount
Vernon property.
This legislation is proposed at this
time because of the several important
Capital development projects linking
Mount Vernon with Washington City,
which Washington founded, and the
Great Falls. on the Potomac, near which
are his earliest engineering feats. When
legislation was under discussion in the
House for the restoration of Wakefield,
the birthplace of Washington, and again
when the George Washington Memorial
Parkway project to connect Mount YER
non with the Great Falls by a parkway.
with palisade drives on both sides of
the river, and when Congress appro-
priated S4,500,000 last year to lay out
the most beautiful stretch of boulevard
k16 bot IToc
and Mount Vernon, to be known as the
Mount Vernon Boulevard, Representa-
tive Treadway on each occasion pro-
tested that the gates Of Mount Vernon
should not be closed against visitors
unless they paid an admission fee. He
declared that this shrine should be most
carefully preserved by the Government
itself and should be open at all times
to all the people.
Face Opposition by Women.
This proposal faces strong opposition
because an association of patriotic
women, representing every State in the
Union, has been for many years reStor-
ing and caring for Mount Vernon as
labor Of love, after both the Federal
Government and the State of Virginia
had refused to rescue it from a state of
delapidation and decay. This work of
restoration was carried on with funds
contributed by the patriotic women of
the country, and with Edward Everett,
the great Massachusetts, stateman, as a
principal contributor
One of the principal objections raised
in the past against having the Federal
Government take over this property was
the object lesson shown at Wakefield.
the birthplace of Washington, and Arl-
ington House, the former home of Gen.
Robert E. Lee, both owned by the Gov
eminent, which had not been properly
preserved. This latter objection is now
being removed by the fact that the
work of restoration Of the Arlington
House Is now nearing completion, and
Cngress has authorized an appropria-
ton for the restoration of Wakefield.
Representative Treadway, in declar-
ing his intention to introduce this bill
on Washington's birthday, said that he
appreciates the excellent condition in
which the Mount Vernon property has
been kept by the regents of the Mount
Vernon Ladies' Association of the
Union, incorporated under the laws of
Virginia, who hold the legal title to the
property.
Il am informed that the property
had become very much run down and
these women from patriotic and unset
fish motives purchased it." said Repre-
sentative Treadway. THE reason why
i advocate and expect to present bill
for ownership by the Federal Govern
ment is that as years elapse, more and
more the name of Washington and all
that Is connected with it becomes hal
lowed in the minds of the American
people and particularly the rising gen.
Grafton.
Loved Mount Vernon.
Congress has by very recent action
shown that even the birthplace of
Washington is regarded as a national
shrine, and should be owned by the
Federal Government I submit that
unless scholar in civics happened to
study the life of Washington very few
of cur citizens would connect Wake
field with the name of Washington. He
lived, died and was buried at Mount
Vernon. 1t is we'll known how ne loved
that spot and both its delightful loca-
ton and the associations that he
brought to 1t. It was here that he en-
tertained his distinguished friends.
The last Congress appropriated
S4,500,000 to build memorial boule-
ward to Mount Vernon. We have re-
Gently voted in the House to establish
the Washington Memorial Parkway up
and down the Potomac River to Great
Falls and beyond. All of these actions
reflect the interest and pride of the
American people in the name of Wash
ington and his life. To have his home
and tomb privately owned is an anom-
oily. To have this highway, built by the
Government, extend to private property
where admission is charged for entrance
is an abSurdity.
What splendid conclusion of fine
work it would be for this patriotic
group Of women to generously offer to
the Government the Mount Vernon es-
tate, on the two-hundredth anniversary
of Washington's birth, when it is hoped
the highway will be completed.
Desiring to act in entire harmony
with the present owners, shall hope to
secure their consent to the introduce
ton of suitable bill to carry out this
purpose for appropriate introduction
into the House on the anniversary of
Washington's birth, February %.
THE frame of mind of Congress and
of the American people as reflected by
Congress was illustrated the moment
something was said recently on the
floor of the House about toll bridge
at Great Falls. That was promptly pro-
hibited. Congress then showed its real
feelings regarding such charges on tour
/" lists who visit the National Capital
:. Hundreds of thousands of school chill.
dren are attracted to Mount Vernon
: from all parts of the country. It would
be a crime to have the school children
2 of the country deferred from visiting
this shrine on account of the charge
made for admission. will be quite will
ing to propose that the Mount Vernon
Ladies' Association of the Union SHOULD
always have an active interest in the
Mount Vernon property and should con.
tlnue its management under govern
mental ownership and direction"
, Charles Moore, chairman of the Com
mission of Fine Arts, which has TO
many years taken leadership for q
beautiful development Of the Nationa
Capital and which is working in mos
earnest cooperation with the Nationa