Evening star., 1930-12-03
Urges World Center
Campaign for ID. C..
TO the Editor Of The Star:


Seldom has a matter of such weight
been covered so briefly as was done by
your correspondent, William A. Ryan,
In his eight-line letter Of last We'd
nesday on q proposed United States Of
the World" to be fostered by the city
| of Washington in 1892.
In March, 1907. The Sunday Star
printed an article Of mine on this sub
| ject, and since then the idea has been
treated from many angles. monu-
| mental work was published by Henorlk
Christian Andersen Of Rome, Italy, IN
the year 1913, entitled "A World Cen
| ter of Communication" the prepara-
ton and printing of which is said to
have cost weIl-nigh one million dol
lars. Three ponderous volumes are
| on deposit in the division devoted to
rare books In the Library OF Congress.
This is the English edition. and others
| are said to have been published in
French and Italian.
This amazing work, gotten up in the
best style of the printing art, goes into
detail as to what such world center
must be- There are imposing designs
for an international bank or clearing
house, q temple Of religions, mterna-
tional court of Justice. temples OF arts,
sciences, industries, agriculture, sports,
etc. A Fountain OF Life" is prom
inent feature, as is also the great
Tower of Progress" looming many
hundreds Of feet into the air, and there
are many commercial museums and
exhibition buildings and a Palace of
Congresses" The author remarks in
his introduction that the more rapidly
the creation of q world center OF COM
munication can be pushed forward by
public agitation the more swiftly and
surely must a true means be found Tor
establishing peace" The economic fea-
lures of such a. center are dealt with
at length by Prof. jeremiah w. jerks
of Cornell University, well known
authority on the subject.
In the year 1912 a serious effort
vas made by certain parties in the
National Capital to launch a world
washington" movement, and the Board
of Commissioners at the time appointed
committee of 100 members to look
after the local interests, while lead
ing financial and other authorities, as
well as governors and commercial or
ganizations In most of the States, re-
sponded favorably to invitations to par
ticipate in its fulfillment. The fact
seemed to be realized by American peo-
pie as well as number Of the diplo-
matte representatives here that the
time had arrived for such a develop
ment and that Washington was the
logical world center of communication.
Lack of means and leadership caused
failure of the movement.
Were it not for the natural human
tendency to jealousy and suspicion
there might be a fighting chance for
Washington TO realize this dazzling goal.
1t is possible that with United States
of the World" and its center at Wash
| ington, designed on lines following the
dream of Andersen, picturing the most
| daring conception Of achievement since
John of Patmos dipped his pen in fire,
ebon blackness and rainbow dews and
wrote the Revelations" q new era
would dawn upon mankind, and that
wars, panics and evils Of many kinds
| would disappear or be remedied to a
great extent. There is plenty of money.
plenty to eat and wear in the world
| and enough honest work to keep all
| able-bodied people busy. and what Is
most needed Is knowledge and under
| standing of principles and conditions.
/ A world clearing house at Washington
| would have q better chance OF ful-
| filing this purpose than any other con-
ceivable institution on the planet. Our
course in the World War and in all
| public and international matters has
been such as to create practically uni
versal confidence in our good faith.
The political lines Of countries have
heretofore been written in human
blood; possibly enough of that precious
United States of the World to be
! established. If so, there is only one
| imaginable center for such world
! unit Washington, D. C.-and 1882 is
a good time to start the bali rolling.
LINDSAY S. PERKINS.