Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-02

tContlnued from F1rSC Page.)
ing a tour of the East, came to WASH
ington, read of the plans for the cele-
bration of the 200th anniversary of the
birth OF George Washington. I called
upon William Tyler Page, executive
secretary of the Bicentennial Commits
sion and conferred with him on the
plans of the commission. He asked
me, at the conclusion of this con-
ference, to write in whatever plans /
might have.
II did SO, the letter is now in the
hands of the Bicentennial Commission,
suggesting that the celebration be not
a materialistic exhibition, but rather a
series of patriotic, spiritualistic events.
Two features ] suggested in particular,
one that there be series of pilgrimages
to the scenes of the life and death of
the father of his country, and the sec
ond that there be a series of great cele-
brations to exalt the ideal of Wash
ington.
These two suggestions form the
basis of all plans made by the Con-
gresSional Bicentennial Commission.
On account of my talk with Mr.. Page,
when the District of Columbia started
work with its own plans for celebra-
ton of the bicentennial, Mr.. Page rec
commended that I be invited to come
on to Washington and help. I was
in the West. I received a wire and
came to Washington. / met for Is
minutes with members of the District
Bicentennial Commission. A short
time later I was asked to come to
Washington from June l to october l,
to set up plans for the Districts particle
patton in the bicentennial program.
Plans Referred to Chairman.
ION account of the Summer season,
with most of the members of the COM
mission out of town, was forced to do
most of the work of the commission
on my own initiative. All features I
planned / referred to the chairman
of the commission, John Poole, and to
such men as Isaac Cans and Lieut..
Col. U. S. Grant, 3rd, all of whom
Endorsed the program I offered.
During the four months planned
the possible program, now SO well
known to Westinghouse, which fea-
tured the great inaugural parade of
April 80, the reunion of the Revolu-
tionary States on July 4, National Fire
mems day, August 81; a great cele-
bration here by labor on Labor day, a
complete program for Constitution week
in September, Fraternal day in October,
Navy day and Farmers day in Novem-
Der and elaborated preparations for
Thanksgiving. The plans for all these
events, of course, awaited the final de-
cision of the commission this Fall.
The Governors of the Is States were
ready to confer. Col. M A. Winter of
Boston had arranged with the Centen-
NAL Legion, a vast body of military men
which has come down to us from the
Revolutionary War, to take part in the
rpl6hTQfi0T q
complete survey of the program, work.
ing out all business details for submits
sion to the commission this Fall.
But DR.. Marvin, recently appointed
head of the commission by DR.. Reichel-
derfer to succeed Mr.. Rudolph, called
a secret meeting of the commission. I
was not asked to be present and many
of the most important members of the
commission did not attend. Without
consultation with the absent members
or with me, those attending this meet
ing requested my resignation and the
Office was turned over to j. Leo Kolb,
Georgetown real estate man, who is
now in charge.
This, of course, practically cancels
most of the great things in the pro-
gram of 1882. I have received word
from many connected with the pro-
gram, as I had worked it out, that
they do not now care to go forward
with 1t.
Too Much Work Blamed.
1.-The only excuse they have offered
me is that I did too much work this
Summer. This excuse was offered by
Mrs. Philip Sidney Smith, secretary Of
the commission.
Il want TO say I've had the most
hearty support of the leading men of
the city, the Chamber of Commerce,
the Board OF Trade, the newspapers,
the District Commissioners, the Masonic
body, the citizens associations and have
the very kindest feelings toward Wash
ington. Outside of Washington l have
had the heartiest support of the Gov
errors of all the States, the State COM
missions with which I have come in
contact, the American Educational
Association and the railroads.
The railroad men have been par
ticularly anxious to do all they could
to help. They have formed trans
portation committee for 1882 and have
conferred with railroad organizations
throughout the country to get reduced
rates to Washington for all the big
celebrations I had planned.
Il feel that the matter is now en-
tirely out of my hands. have nothing
but best wishes for Washington and l
am anxious for the success of the 1892
celebration"