Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-08
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.

Washington citizens are organizing
for the greatest celebration here since
the city was founded.
After recent preliminary conferences
with the Federal authorities, the men,
bers of the George Washington Bicen-
tennial Commission for the District OF
Columbia, which has been quietly layA
ing the foundation since 1928, is be-
ginning to build the machinery for the
local celebration-as part of the
Federal program-and caring for
the unprecedented number of visitors
who are expected to flock to this city
from February %, 1882, all through
that year to the last official program
on Thanksgiving day.
Cuno H. Rudolph, former District
Commissioner, has been named chair
man of the local Bicentennial Commits
sion, and he is preparing to set up an
organization for the celebration of the
2O0th anniversary of the birth OF
George Washington that will surpass
anything that any inaugural committee
has ever had to do.
ut will be bigger than any inaugura-
tion," said Mr. Rudolph, "if for no
other reason than that it will last 10
months, instead of one day."
Right Man Wanted.
A plan of organization proposed by
DR.. Cloyd Heck Marvin, president of
George Washington University, who is
vice chairman of the District Bicenten-
NAL Commission, has received general
approval. Mr.. Rudolph declared that
an able executive-Some one pre-emi-
nently qualified for the job-would be
put in charge of the local work under
the general supervision of the commits
right
Realizing the magnitude of the COM
ing celebration, DR.. Marvin built his
plan of organization along the lines of
that for the San Francisco World Ex-
position, which had a directing general,
under whom were various committees
that in this case would report what
they are doing both to the executive,
by whatever title he may be called, and
to the District Bicentennial Commission.
The name, as well as the title, of the
new executive, who will have to give all
of his time to the work for two years, is
yet to be selected. Mr.. Rudolph said
that this executive should be some one
who is adequately compensated" and
will devote his or her entire time to
the work." Thus, it will be seen, Mr.
Rudolph is not closing the doors to
woman executive in this instance.
He explained that however much the
such an executive adequately for his en-
tire time, it probably would be difficult
to raise enough money locally for this
purpose and the other expenses OF the
commission, so that a salary might be
offered that would in itself not be an in
ducement. Some one must be found, ex-
planned Chairman Rudolph, who could
and would give all his time to this great
work at q comparatively moderate salary
VIII Furnish Force.
A force of clerks, stenographers and
subordinates will be set up by the Dis
trict commission, with offices in some
conveniently located downtown building.
All this will cost money-much more
than the commission yet has in sight
and way must be found to provide it,
according to Mr.. Rudolph lest the local
end" of the great bicentennial be a fall
ure-something that is unthinkable.
The District commission, at its con-
ferenceS with the two associate directors
of the celebration on behalf of the Fed
eral Government, Lieut.. Col. U. S.
Grant, Sd, and Representative Sol Bloom
of New York, has been given to under
stand that, while it is supposed to work
in cooperation with the national or
ganization, its own committees, officials
and general organization Is its own
business.
Mr.. Rudolph wants the people of
Washington to realize fully the magni-
tude of this bicenntennial. so that they
will come forward without delay in Of
fering their services, offering suggestions
and principally offering the needed
money. The District of Columbia is one
of the few local units of the United
States that promptly appointed its local
bicentennial commission and lost no
time in getting down to work. Where
there has been delay it has been due to
the fact that the United States Bicen-
tenniaI Commission, created by Congress
more than five years ago, has adopted
no plan which would enable the local
commission to cooperate with it or even
to know what sort Of a celebration 1t
was supposed to look forward to.
All this has changed, however, In
the last few weeks, since the United
States Commission chose Lieut.. Col.
Grant and Representative Bloom as di-
rectorS, to take the responsibility OF
the details upon their shoulders. The
Federal directors have been very active.
They have now large organization of
subordinate executives and clerks and
a big suite of rooms In the Washington
Building. There is every indication
that ali this will grow larger as the
months pass.
States Slow TO Act.
The District commission is holding
weekly meetings and intends to keep
this up, scarcely without let-up, until
the series of 1882 celebrations in honor
of the memory of George Washington
is over. AS heretofore mentioned, the
District was one of the foremost local
units to organize and make preliminary
arrangements for the great affair. AS
William Tyler Page, clerk of the House
Of Representatives and executive Secre-
tary of the United States bicentennial
committee, told the House in speech
in that body on George Washington's
birthday last February, at that time
more than five years after Congress
had authorized the Internationally
IS States, the District of Columbia and
Hawaii had appointed local bicentennial
commissions.
MARYLAND and Virginia, by the way,
the two closest neighbors of the District
and the Colonies and States best known
by George Washington, were among
those first IS STATES to respond
"The District OF Columbia Commits
sion for the Bicentennial Celebration
of the Birth of George Washington
said Chairman Rudolph, was appointed
nv the Board of Commissioners of the
District in June, 1928. They named
Cuno II. Rudolph chairman, DR.. Cloyd
Heck Marvin vice chairman and Roe
Fulkerson. Isaac Cans, Leo Kolb, Mrs.
George A. Kicker, DR.. Gilbert Gros-
venor. John Poole, Gen. George Rich
ards Mrs Philip Sydney Smith, Mrs.
Virginia White Speel and Gen. Anton
Stephan.
"Mrs. Smith was subsequently chosen
secretary. Mrs. Kicker was compelled
to sever her connection with the COM
mission last July when she took up her
permanent residence in Chicago. She
had rendered valuable service and her