Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01

George washington painted by Charles
Wilson Peale in l772, showing him In
the uniform of colonel OF the Colonial
Militia of Virginia, will soon hang In
copy was lent for this purpose by tire
General Society of Colonial Wars in
this country, of which George de Ben
neville Keim Of New Jersey Is governor
general.
The original of this historic painting
hung at Mount Vernon until the death
of Martha Washington, after which It
ington Parke Gusts, and then to his
daughter, Mrs. Robert e. Lee. 1t now
hangs in the chapel of washington and
Lee University In Lexington, Va.
Comparatively few Americans are ia
miliar with the turbulent history of
Mount Vernon since the death of
George washington and Martha WASH
ington. The mansion with all its In
teresting relics did not come TRANQUILITY
into the hands Of the Nation and re-
ceive dignified conservation as O ma
tional shrine. Far from it. Mount
Vernon was q virtual ruin until long
after the Civil War, when the neglect
of Americans to safeguard the home Of
their great liberator had assumed the
proportions Of an international scandal.
Women Purchased Ess1te.
That Mount Vernon today holds its
pristine beauty and charm is due en-
tirely TO group Of woman who organ
ICED in 1854 the Mount Vernon Ladies
Association and campaigned the cour1-
try over for nearly 20 years before
Mount Vernon was metamorphosed from
cleSolate and melancholy disgrace 70
its present proud state.
These women, under the leadership
of Ann Pamela Cunningham of South
Carolina, raised 100000 for the pur-
chase Of Mount Vernon from John A.
Warrington, great-great-nephew Of the
| first President. Edward Everett OF
| Massachusetts, raised $4,000 Of this
through lectures and writings. School
children, sewing circles, clubs and So
cieties OF every sort in every city Of
the country contributed their pennies
and dollars to the fund. But when
| the 5000 900 was at last raised, the task
was only half accomplished, for Con-
gress refused to grant money for its
repair and maintenance.
Finally Congress literally was heckled
into voting an appropriation Of $1,000
to repair the ravages that had visited
the crtmbling mansion in its more than
| 100 years Of life. Again the Mount
Vernon Ladies Association campaigned
| for funds and subscribed generously
| themselves to save the shrine. And at
last, in 1883, SUFFICIENT money was
| obtained to insure the maintenance Of
Mount Vernon in perpetuity.
| But the great patriotic duty was not
and private homes and barns and
storage houses delved the women Of the
association and their friends, seeking
/ the invaluable relics that had been sold
down the river" when the failing
| fertility of Mount Vernon's 200 acres
virtually impoverished the Washington
family. Even today the search for
authentic articles dealing with the life
| OF washington goes on. Every year sees
some hitherto undiscovered book or
painting or weapon or piece Of furniture
returned to its anctsnt home on the
banks of the Potomac.
Neighboring Swamp Drained.
Mount Vernon, built in 1745, has been
a chronic care to the association. The
soil constantly has to be rejuvenated,
that the famous gardens may survive
The many trees, planted there by kings
! and princes, maharajahs and prime
| ministers, as well as by washington
himself, require frequent ATTENTION. In
former days neighboring swamp visited
chills and fever on all who lived at
Mount Vernon. This had to be DRAINED,
and the wharf rebuilt to withstand the
/
| All these tasks, and thousand more,
the Mount Vernon Ladies Association
has accomplished with loving care.
| One of the biggest exhibits that viii
| be built in Mount Vernon Is that rep
resenting the Island OF Samoa. This
| territorial possession of the United
/ States is the finest example Of COM
munism in the world today, for here
no one individual owns property and
food seems to be plentiful whether one
works or not. The people are all healthy
and happy, and conditions are so favor
able for human life on the islands that
there Is grave danger OF overpopulation
| at the present time.
The entire exhibit for Guam also win
be built and assembled In Mount YER
non. Similar to the Samoan exhibit,
the Guam exhibit win have two do
ramas showing the native life and Amer
lean accomplishments on the island.
The exhibit representing the Virgin
Islands, the latest possession of the
United States, viii be filed with ro-
nance. The fact that once famous
pirates had their stronghold on the
islands and three pirates castles still
remain there viii be used as part Of the
motif Of the exhibit.
One of the largest exhibits TO be con-
structed in Mount Vernon VIII be that
representing the Territory of Alaska.
Material for this exhibit is being COL
lected by the Department of the In
terror and will be arranged here.
For Panama, the exhibitors have de-
cided to show relief map Of the Canal
Zone, with locks and various bodies of
water, all arranged to scale. A work
ing model Of one of the canal locks VIII
be included in the exhibit.