The Washington times., 1935-03-08
NOW
4 Memorial for
Jefferson
SITE PROPOSED
Bv HELEN ESSAEY

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ciples which set this country
on the Democratic path are
lost at present in a maze OF
optimistic hodge-podge.
Neither of these unhappy
conclusions is true. Thomas
jefferson and his teachings
may soon be honored by a me-
mortal as splendid as those to
Washington, Lincoln and Lee.
President Roosevelt, himself,
is keen about the erection of a
jefferson Memorial, one that
will be an adequate tribute to
Jefferson.
Mr.. Roosevelt knows a place
which he personally thinks suit
able for the site of Jefferson
ian Memorial - subject, OF
course, to the Judgment of the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Commission.
The place Mr.. Roosevelt has
in mind is on the Mall, be-
tween Seventh and Eighth
Streets.
It is a spot exactly in line
with the Capitol, the Grant
Memorial, the Washington Mon
ument, the Lincoln Memorial
and Arlington. Suitable neigh
bors, all of these structures, for
a memorial to the author of the
Declaration of independence.
The commission already has
considered, vaguely, as a site
for a memorial the apex of
the triangle itself. Mr.. Roose"
velt and other Jefferson en-
thusiasts feel that this site is
both small and unsuitable.
It would necessitate a modest
memorial, overshadoWed by the
Archives Building and lost in
d jam OF architecture and
traffic.
The ideal Jefferson memorial
would be a simple, dignified
monument, either in the form
of a building or a cenotaph, in
keeping with the ideals of
Thomas Jefferson. Such a me-
mortal, it is thought, should
have space about it and green
grass and plants at its feet, as
the Monument and Lincoln Me-
mortal have.
The site in which the Presi-
dent is interested is a large
area. It is midway between
the Capitol and the Monument.
On it is the abandoned foun-
dation of a memorial to women,
that got no higher than the
cellar.
Erection of a memorial to
Thomas Jefferson has been the
hope of his admirers for gen"
erations. They have resented
the fact that other American
founding fathers are honored
in the Capital, while Jefferson,
who meant so much to the
founding of the young republic,
is overlooked.
Little tangible planning for
such a memorial occurred un-
til, during the Seventy-third
Congress, Resolution No. AZ of
the House of Representatives
created a Thomas Jefferson
Memorial Commission.
The commission was to con"
Sist of IL men. The Speaker
of the House appointed three
Representatives: John j. Boy
Ian, of New York: Howard w.
Smith, of Virginia, and Frances
D. Culkin, of New York.
The Vice President appointed
three Senators: Augustine Lon
ergan, of Connecticut; Elbert
D. Thomas, of Utah, and
Charles L. McNary, of Oregon.
President Roosevelt is ap-
pointing three members, yet
unannounced. Stuart Gibbo-
ney, president of the Thomas
Jefferson Memorial Founda-
ton, which maintains Month
cello, Jefferson'S birthplace, is
choosing the remaining three.
The congressional resolution
which authorized appointment
of the commission directs its
members to "the purpose of
considering and formulating
plans for the construction of a
permanent memorial to Thomas
jefferson"
The resolution suggests no
location, other than that the
memorial shall be in the Dis.
trict of Columbia.
Up to the present, the work
of the commission has not &C.
tually begun. 1t has not met
In a body.
It is possible, however, that
eventually the commission, COM
pletely organized, will adopt a
resolution authorizing the Pres
ident to turn over PWA funds
e the building of the memo