Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-29
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.

iOiu occur. The merit article mill appear
tomorrow
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.
1.-THE greatest celebration thus far
known in history-the most ambitious
celebration ever undertaken in honor OF
an Individual"
When Senator Simeon D. Fess OF
ohio-former educator and college
president, with a reputation for speak
ing Observation-Disclosures language such
as this, 1t is perhaps excusable If or
binary folks get bit excited.
Especially might the residents Of this
city be justified in becoming stirred up
since the National Capital is to be the
center and principal stage of this
Nationwide, year-long celebration.
The language just quoted sums UP
the way Senator Fess emissions the
celebration, or. more properly, the series
Of celebrations that are being planned
under the auspices Of the Federal Gov
eminent to occur throughout the year
1892 In observance Of the 200th ami
versary Of the birth OF George Wash
ington.
Fess Heads Commission.
Senator Tess Is the active head Of the
George washington Bicentennial Com
mission, whose ex-offlcio chairman Is
President Hoover. Senator Tess holds
the official titles of vice chairman of the
commission and chairman Of the ex-
ecutive committee.
Members Of the commission, which
includes prominent Federal off1cials and
men and women widely known In
reSentative of The Star has talked,
realize that celebrations of various kinds
are "old stories" to washington City,
which has been witnessing events of
national and international Importance
since the Government first moved here
in 1900.
But they are convinced that this 1882
affair Is going to be something entirely
different from all the others. Besides,
while the principal national programs
are to occur here, this city will be the
point from which the series Of cele-
bratio1s will radiate TO every Granny OF
tries.
It Is to cover more territory-with
washington as It's center-than any
former celebration. It is to last longer.
II Is to be on grander scale. It Is to
bring more visitors to Washington dur
ing the period of ten months in which
the official celebrations will be held. It
will arouse more deep and lasting senti-
rnent-practical and, especially, spiritual
than anything of the kind that has
gone before it here or elsewhere during
the worlds history. Those are some Of
the forecasts.
Something TO Remember.
'It Is right" said Senator Fess, dis
cussing the matter informally with The
Star representative day or two ago,
that there should be such an observ-
arlce Of the 200th anniversary of the
birth Of George Washington, whose life
and achievements have meant so much
to the people of the whole world. Our
task Is now to make the people Of this
thing this washington bicentennial Is
going to be. It viii be something to
remember and look back upon so long
as any person shall live to remember 1t. f"
The 1882 celebrations are being plan
ned to extend into every city and ham,
let in the land, but the whole thing will
"revolve" around the City Of Washing
ton as the center.
Here will be held, on all holidays
during that year, programs in which the
President Of the United States and the
highest officials Of the Government will
participate. Radio will carry what the
President says in his public addresses
to every part Of the country and will
permit the washington programs to be-
come literally part OF the programs
to take place simultaneously in every
State and Territory Of this country, and
probably in foreign lands, where the
name Of Washington Is revered almost
as much as 1t is here.
Work Speeded Up.
The work Of planning the actual, con-
crete events of the numerous 1882 Gel
ebrations has begun. Since The Star
published an article q few weeks ago,
pointing out that the BicentenniAl Com
mission had been In existence since
December, 1924, without having got be-
yond authorizing three splendid perma-
nnent memorials to George Washington
without having adopted any definite
plans for the great celebrations that
It is proposed TO hold under the auspices
Of the Federal Government In 1882
there has been q great deal of activity.
A force Of men and women, occupy
ing large suite Of rooms in the new
Washington Building and comprising
the nucleus of what will probably be
q much larger organization that will
be built up during the next two years,
has already begun the herculean task
Of forming contacts with state commits
sions, taking steps to have backward
States organize bicentennial commits
sionS, arranging for cooperation with
patriotic, civic, commercial, religious
ana every other sort of organizations in
the country, working out the details of
neaVspaper, radio movie and other kinds
Of publicity, planning programs and do
ing thousand and one things neces-
sary to make the celebration a success,
all Of which must now be crowded into
the less than two years that remain
before the bicentennial year dawns.
High Power Directors.
Two high-power directors have been
placed in charge Of the bicentennial ar
rangements of the Federal Government
They are Lieut.. Col. u. S. Grant, Sd
who, among his other multitudinous
duties, Is director Of public buildings
and public parks Of the National Cap
New York, who began to learn how to
conduct celebrations of various kinds
when most of us were children.
While this phase of the subject will
be explained more in detail In a later
article, it might be advisable at this
point to state that the George Wash
ington bicentennial celebration is not
to be worlds fair in any sense.
The purpose behind everything the
Federal and State commissions and the
two national directors are doing. and
propose to do. Is to impress upon the
minds of the people of this generation
and especially of the next generation
the children who soon will take charge
of the worlds affairS-the real meaning
Of devotion to duty, courage in the face
of disaster, unself1sh craftsmanship