Evening star., 1938-11-15
Cherry Trees
Are Discussed
By Roosevelt
Memorial PorIey Is
HeId-To Open Bids
On Foundations

President Roosevelt today dis
cussed matters affecting the erecting
Of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial
IN West Potomac Park with Stuart
Gibboney, acting chairman of the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Com
mission.
Mr.. Gibboney, who has been acting
chairman since the death of Repre-
sentative John Boylan of New York,
said he personally had nothing to
say about the removal of some Of
the cherry trees along the Tidal
Basin in connection with this
project.
He did say. however, the matter
was discussed during the days con-
ference and that the President would
have something to say about it later.
Mr.. Gibboney said that bids would
be opened November 81 for the
foundation work. He said also that
the commission would elect chair
man sometime in January.
Engineer Commissioner David Nc
Coach. jr, meanwhile deplored the
loss of the trees.
Col. McCoach said he was conf
dent that officials of the memorial
project would try to preserve as
many of the trees as possible and
to replace as many as possible OF
those which must be moved out of
the memorial site.
His comment was made in con-
nection with the current revival OF
discussion over the embattled memo
rial plans, but he did not indicate
that he proposed to take any official
action in the case.
Civic Groups Protest.
Protest against possible destruc-
ton of the trees was voiced yester-
day by nine District civic and busi-
ness groups.
Objections came from Francis G.
Addison, jr., president of the Board
of Trade; Gardiner Moore of the
Washington Hotel Mems AsSocia-
ton, Ford E. Young, president of the
Merchants and Manufacturers As
sociation, the D. c. Federation of
Women's Clubs and the Kalorama,
Piney Branch, Stanton Park, Hill
crest and West End Citizens Asso-
Citations.
The hotel men today were pre-
pared to serve notice on Federal
officials that they are unalterably
opposed to changing the contour OF
the south shore of the basin by
removing 1923 of the cherry trees.
Change in Plans Hit.
The Board of Directors of the as
sociation adopted a resolution reg
istering vigorous protest" against
any departure from the plan an
nounced last spring by the Memo
rial Commission, which, according
to the commission, would necessitate
removal or transplanting of only u
trees.
Last spring the Memorial Com
mission said the present contours
of the Basin would remain un-
changed. In recently released plans
from the architects Office in New
York it was shown that complete
change in the contour of the Basin
was contemplated and resultant
change in the cherry tree planting
for a distance of approximately a
quarter of a mile on each side of
the proposed memorial.
The hotelmen's resolution also reg
istered opposition to changing the
present road system in the vicinity
of the memorial site, with result
ant change in tree planting.
The action of the Federation of
Women's Clubs came in the form of
q reimbursement of a resolution of a
resolution adopted more than year
ago, In which it was urged that the
Tidal Basin be abandoned as the
site for the memorial and that an
auditorium, which will be per-
petual Joy and convenience to the
public" be erected instead.