Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-06
Fight 10 Name Span
For Sousa Renewed
By Citizens
Bill Before Congress
Honoring Musician
To Be Revived

A renewed fight by citizens as
sociations to obtain passage of q
bill in the coming session of Con-
gress to name the new Pennsyl-
vania Avenue Bridge In honor of
John Philip Sousa appropriately
dovetails with the observance today
of the 84th birthday of the cele-
brated composer and bandmaster.
Actual construction of the new
bridge was started about 10 days ago
and this, coupled with the late band
masters birthday observance, has
prompted several associations to
renew the fight for the name.
A bill was introduced in the last
Congress by the late Senator Cope
land The bill passed the Senate,
but failed to get action by the House.
Many Reasons Cited.
Many reasons have been advanced
for the naming of the bridge after
the native Washingtonian, known as
the march king"
The most significant given is his
birthplace, in Southeast Washington.
He attended schools here and the
old Christ Episcopal Church on G.
street Sc. from where funeral serv-
ices were conducted following his
death in Long Island.
SouSa was buried in Congressional
Cemetery, which, to many minds,
is as good reason as any for giving
him the honor of having a bridge
in his name. The cemetery and the
new structure are only q stones
throw from each other.
For many years Sousa was leader
Of the Marine Band and gained
worldwide recognition in this posi-
ton and a composer. His STARS
and Stripes Forever" is one of the
most popular of martial tunes.
Proponents Of bill to name the
bridge cite the case OF the Key
Bridge in Georgetown. This was
named in honor of Francis Scott
Key. composer of the Star Spangled
Banner" Although living in the
western part of the city, George
town, for some time. Francis Scott
Key was not a native Washingtonian
and was not known as a musician as
we'll as Sousa.
Last year, when the bill was in
the Senate, number of citizens
associations were on record as ap-
proving the change. Among these
was the Society of Natives, South
east Council Washington Highlands,
Randle Highlands, Trinidad, Oldest
Inhabitants and Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations
Now that work has actually
started efforts will be made by the
above groups and others to have the
bill passed in the coming session of
Congress.
One of the prime movers for the
bill is A. w. Lee, president of the
Randle Highlands Citizens Associa-
ton and vice chairman of the
Bridge Committee of the Board of
Trade.
At meeting of the Randle High
lands Association last week a COM
mittee was appointed to interest
members of Congress in introducing
a bill providing a change in the
name. Mr.. Lee announced that
further action would be taken
toward this end at a meeting of the
Streets and Avenues and Bridge
Committees of the Board of Trade
later this month.
Mai0 to Push Proposal.
Another civic leader, William A.
Maio. president of the Southeast
Citizens Association and chairman
of the Southeast Council. whose or
CARNATIONS are on record as approx
ing the change, announced that the
two groups would renew efforts to
have the bill introduced in the new
Congress.
Opinion has been advanced by
many members of citizens associa-
tions that the fight is not one for
Southeast Washington alone because
Sousa lived in Southeast or the new
bridge is located there. When ap-
preparations were being sought for
the new structure, many groups in
widely scattered sections of the city
were on record as approving such
an expenditure. Now it is felt that
the new bridge is certainty. CO.
operation should be given the efforts
to have the name changed to John
Philip Sousa, move that would
require no expenditure of funds.