Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-23
ROOSEVELT VISITS
MT. VERNON TOMB
Places Wreath in Honor of
203d Anniversary of
First President.

Laying aside all official business and
denying himself to business callers,
President Roosevelt yesterday after
noon sought the peace and quiet of
Mount Vernon to pay his tribute to
George Washington on the 203rd ami
versary Of the birth of the first Presi-
dent.
The visit Of the present New Deal
President to the first President was
made without ceremony. Less than
rs sightseers were on hand to watch
the President lay a wreath of palm
leaves on the Washington tomb with
his own hands.
Mr.. Roosevelt made the trip to
Mount Vernon with only q small es-
cort of Secret Service men and police.
He was met at the estate by Col.
Harrison H. Dodge, superintendent.
Escorted by Col Dodge and his mill
tary and naval aides, COL E. w. Wat
son and Capt. Walter Brown, the
President walked to the tomb and laid
his wreath beside those of others who
had preceded him in paying honor to
the memory Of the great American.
He returned Immediately to his auto
mobile and was driven away.
Receives Old Friend.
The President remained away from
his Office during the day and the only
caller received at the White House
was an old friend of the President
Dean E. Gordon Hill of Dartmouth
College.
While the President was on his way
to Mount Vernon, the Senate and
House. following time-honored Gus
tom, gathered to listen to readings
of Washington's farewell address
The famous document. addressed to
the Nation by the first President in
the hope it might be productive of
some partial benefit, some occasional
good and might now and then recur
to moderate the fury of party spirit"
was read to the Senate by Senator
Austin, Republican, of Vermont and
to the House by Representative Dris-
coll. Democrat, of Pennsylvania.
At the end of Representative Dris-
coils reading, Representative Rich of
Pennsylvania threw the House into
an uproar by suggesting that Demo-
Gratis follow the principles laid down
by the first President
While the Democrats were booing
the remarks of the Pennsylvania Re-
publican, Representative Sisson, Dem
ocrat, of New York shouted:
II object to using the address Of
George Washington in this way
The outburst was quieted only after
repeated bangings Of the Speakers
gavel
d. A. r. Holds Ceremony.
Outstanding among the local ceIe-
brations Of the day was the annual
observance in Memorial Constitution
Hall, under the auspices of the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton.
The annual meeting of the WASH
ington Monument Society was held
in the Metropolitan Club.
The traditional George Washington
birthday meeting of the Association
of Oldest Inhabitants was held in the
old Union Engine House.
One of the unique features of yes
terday'S observance was a radio adj
dress by Representative Sol Bloom OF
New York. chairman of the 1882
George Washington Bicentennial
Commission, from the 500-foot leveI
of the Washington Monument. Bloom
described the Monument, in its SIM
plicity and grandeur. as "curiously
like the man himself" He described
the history of the building of the
Monument.
Many wreathS were placed at the
base of the Monument, where the off,
cial observance of the day began at
o'clock with the laying of a wreath
from President Roosevelt by one OF
his military aides,