Evening star., 1953-02-12
By George Kennedy

Lindsay, the prairie poet. wrote
Abraham Lincoln Walks at
Midnight" It was well received.
The time was World War I and
the theme was that Lincoln.
disturbed about what was going
on, was walking the streets of
Springfield, III.
Some poet today might write
that Lincoln is still very much
in Washington. Every Goth CEN
tury President in the midst of
the crises of war and disturb
ances of the domestic economy
has been fortified by the thought
that Lincoln had it worse"
Each year about 2 million
pilgrims climb the steps of
Robert Bacon's beautiful Lin
coin Memorial to look at the
seated statue by Daniel Chester
French and read the texts of
the Gettysburg Address and the
Second Inaugural chiseled in the
stone walls.
Nothing of Lincoln has been
lost of late. While the interior
of the White House was entirely
reconstructed in recent years
the Lincoln room was rebuilt
and the Lincoln bed, forbid
ding Gothic monstrosity, was put
back in it. It was purchased
during Lincoln's presidency and
Lincoln slept in it. It is a guest
room. An innerspring mattress
has made it a comfortable haven
of repose.
Spot Of Inspiration.
When Gen. Eisenhower deliv-
cred his inaugural address from
the Capitol steps last month he
was undoubtedly inspired by
speaking from the same spot that
Lincoln had delivered his two
inaugurals.
The Capitol dome was not fin
ished when Lincoln asked, why
should there not be a patient
confidence in the ultimate JUS
tice of the people?" Nor was it
finished for the second inaugural
(war has a way of delaying con-
struction) when he said: with
malice toward none; with char
ity for all: with firmneSs in the
right, as God gives us to see the
right. let us strive on to finish
the work we are in"
A great-grandson of Lincoln,
Robert Lincoln Beckwith, is a
resident of Washington. He will
attend today's ceremony at the
Lincoln Memorial as guest of
Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant III,
the district commander of the
Loyal Legion, descendants of the
Union officers who banded to-
gether to, protect future Presi-
dents, the cabinet and their fam
lilies after the assassination.
Mr.. Beckwith's mother was a
daughter of Robert Todd Lin
coin, President Lincoln'S son who
made a fortune as president of
the Pullman Co. He lives in q
new house at 5169 Tilden street
NV.
Lincoln Under Fire.
At Fort Stevens, Rittenhouse
and Thirteenth streets NV, a
plaque marks where Lincoln was
under fire, the only President
who exposed himself to enemy
bullets during his encumbency
They were scouts of Confederate
1t. Gen. Jubal Early's force
which crossed the Potomac al
Harper's Ferry in the summer
of 1864 and descended on the
Capital from the North. Get
down, you fool" shouted young
Capt. Oliver Wendell Holmes
the Supreme Court justice who
died in 1885.
hincoln'S summer White House
still stands at Soldiers Home
A quaint Victorian cottage, it il
used as personnel Office. Con-
Struction of the huge new "dom.
:ciliary" or dormitory opposite
has robbed it of its view of the
Capitol and the Potomac.
A poet observed Lincoln:
daily arrival in Washington
from Soldiers Home. His name
was Walt Whitman. He wrote
his observations in prose (Spec-
linen Days), one of the best
descriptions of Lincoln during
the war.
''I see the President almost
every day." Whitman wrote. 81
happen to live where he passe.
to or from his lodgings out ot
town. He never sleeps at the
White House during the hot sea.
son, but has quarters at 9
healthy location some 3 mile.
~ 4 u - u q