Evening star., 1938-11-17
Memorial
Continued From First Page)

area during the Whole peTlOu O1
construction. The same thought,
too, is in the minds of park officials,
most of whom also had opposed the
site on which the memorial Is to
be built.
Secretary of Commerce Daniel C..
Roper and the Executive Committee
of the Federation of Citizens As
sociations were among the influ-
ences being brought to bear today
on the Chief Executive to stay exc
cution of the plans. The latter
urged that operations on the site
be deferred until Congress convenes.
White House attaches had no COM
ment to make.
Said Secretary Roper: II believe
that some way will be found to pro-
tect the cherry trees, which have
become a national asset, attracting
many people from great distances
to observe their beauty in WASH
ington. AS to the removal of some
trees, that may be necessary, but I
have no thought that these trees
will be destroyed. and transplanting
them need not destroy them and I
hope will not"
The Chevy Chase and Dahlgren
Terrace Citizens Associations also
urged delay until Congress con-
venes and the whole matter can be
! reviewed.
No Delay Is Indicated.
The fact, however, that the work
of transplanting trees on the site
indicated, however, that there will
be no further delay in carrying out
the plans of the Thomas Jefferson
Memorial Commission. Park officials
said that none of the C. c. c. men
engaged in the work will cut down
any trees. AS a matter of routine
that business Is always left to the
contractor.
The park officers are expert at
transplanting and as many of the
trees will be saved as possible in
this way before the contract is
awarded for the foundation job.
The responsibility after that, it was
said. will rest with the contractor.
The Executive Committee of the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
at a special meeting called last night
by President L. A. Carruthers, re-
iterated the position taken by the
whole federation last May, opposing
both the site and design for the
Jefferson Memorial and urging that
the memorial be in the form of an
auditorium or stadium in the east
ern section Of the city.
The committee urged that fur
ther operations on the memorial
site be deferred until the convening
Of Congress, when vacancies on the
Memorial Commission can be filled.
Hope for reconsideration.
Evidently Congress did not have
complete information on the extent
of destruction of trees that would
be necessary to make way for the
memorial" the committee declared.
with this further information now
available, it is hoped Congress will
reconsider it's action on the site
and form of the memorial"
Mr.. Carruthers said he would
carry a report of the committees s
action Immediately to Mr.. Delano.
The federation president explained
that in calling special meeting he
was guided by the recent action of
numerous citizens associations
which have protested destruction or
removal of the famed Japanese
cherry trees on the memorial site.
Although the federation previously
had disapproved the memorial plan,
he said, the Executive Committee
felt that failure to take further
action at this time might be con-
strued as showing lack of interest.
Mr.. Carruthers said special meet
ing of the whole federation will not
be called.