Evening star., 1931-12-08

carefully considered In order that the
municipal buildings might harmonize in
magnifieence with the new national
public structures, our architecturally
artistic and nearly adequate Municipal
Building was marked for abandonment.
Substitution of the new Municipal Gen.
ter for the present District Building In
wolves an additional expenditure of
over s20.00o,o00. Surely this excess of
expenditure on the Capital City over
that necessarily expended for similar
purpose in the ordinary commercial
city cannot in equity be exacted to the
extent of three-fourths or more from
the taxpayers of the District.
''Washingtonians also appeal for
financial equity in legislation by Con-
gress upon pending propositions to in
crease unnecessarily old taxes and to
levy new taxes in this period of de-
preston. when all taxpayers, small and
large. having suffered severe losses, are
groaning under existing tax burdens
I'm message to Congress Calvin
Coolidge, when President, penned a
thrilling paragraph concerning the fu-
ture Capital as the City Beautiful of
our dreams, to be made real under the
ambitious ~buil.ing program on which
the Nation had embarked. This pro-
gram he said, should represent the
best that exists in the art and science
OF architecture. Into these structures
ought to go the aspirations Of
the Nation, its ideals expressed in
forms of beauty Concerning the won-
derfully attractive Capital which will
result, he exclaimed, Let 1t express the
soul of America"
I'm the same vein President Hoover
has said Washington Is not only the
Nations Capital; it is the symbol Of
America. BY its dignity and archi-
tectural inspiration we stimulate pride
in our country, we encourage that ele-
vation of thought and character which
comes from great architecture
Soul of America Cited.
"A fine thought. inspiringly expressed
But can washington merely by the i'm
pressiveness of its architecture become
the true symbol of America?
Can the National Capital be made to
express fully the soul of America
merely by glorification of its material
external appearance?
Not battlement, wall and moated
gate constitute the state Cor city,. the
poet says, but men who know their
rights and knowing dare maintain
The soul of the Nation shows forth
In its men and women, not in its build
ings, parks and monuments or other
evidences Of accumulating wealth.
THE soul Of the Nation, politically,
| is in the vital principles upon which
1t is founded, showing forth IN the con-
crete in the men and women whom
these principles inspire.
THE soul of the representative re-
public, of the government Of, by and
for the people, cannot be expressed by
a rit ttrhn notln OF
delinquent Americans, have no share In
their representative National Govern
ment; who in relation to the national
legislature are on the same footing .as
aliens, ana who in relation to suing in
the Federal courts are, the United
States Supreme Court says, less than
aliens; whose Americanization has been
ignored as negligible In our absorption
in the alluring task of making the
material city externally beautiful.
Since the mind, the heart, the soul
OF the Nation cannot be adequately
expressed merely by making wonderfully
attractive the external aspect of the
booy OF the Capital, what must be done
to Washington to cause it to express
truly the soul Of America?
Answer Is Plain.
THE answer to this question Is plain.
The people of the Capital must be
Americanized. National representation
Will clothe the Washingtonian with
vital American privilege to which he is
undeniably in equity entitled: will
cleanse him of the stigma and stain of
un Americanism, and, curing his politi-
cal impoteney, will arm him with GER
! tain power
The men and women of the Capital
can express truly the soul of America
only when the Nation has relieved itself
of the shame and injury-workine nara
dox OF maintaining non-representative
un-American government of the Ma
tional Capital territory, at the heart of
the Republic, under exclusive national
control.
Our thoughts center tonight upon
Washington in its three phases|(n
Washington the City Beautiful, the in
animate material city, with its parks
and ooulevards, It's buildings and monu-
ments; t2) fair play for the animate
washington, for the fine constituency
OF men and women who constitute it.
Nay every oiesslng bringing contentment
them; G) the Americanized Washinu-
ton that is to be, with its people res
cued from. the political status of the
convict and the lunatic." '''
DR.. Grosvenor ExtolIs Capital,
Dr.. Grosvenor deeply Interested the
gathering with his address on WASH
ington CT the past and present. In his
Introductory remarks he paid tribute to
The Star and to Mr.. Noyes.
AS we refer to the complete and
most interesting daily summary of han
penings IN our eventful Capital. which
Inc star mas faithfully recorded curing
tnree-quarters OF century" said DR.