Evening star., 1955-10-30

the tongue anu ueF peOpl6.
this week end by a Dutchr
It concerns Her Majt
Netherlands and the gift
people in 1862 of q monum
tuned bells and tower to houst
them.
The gift Of the tower was q
mistake. according to the Dutch
man.
Bonaventura Eysbouts Of Os-
ten, Holland. the H-year-old
owner Of one Of the three bell
foundries which cast the bells
for the American gift. Is spending
q two-week vacation in the
United States. He came to Wash
ington for q few hours yesterday
to see his bells, which now hang
from a temporary steel scaffold-
ing in West Potomac Park.
A taxi driver was unable to
tell Mr.. Eysbouts where the bells
were, so the visitor asked to be
taken to the Offices Of The Star.
There he told the story he says
has concerned the Netherlands
government for more than three
years but which Is still unknown
to the people Of Holland or the
United States.
Expression Of Gratitude
Several years ago. the Dutch
people wished to express their
gratitude to the people Of the
United States for their aid dur
ing and after World War II. AS
the Dutch newspaper. Haagsche
Courant. tells It. o writer con-
ceiyed the idea Of giving q caril-
Ion. for the manufacture Of
which Holland is famous.
The idea caught ON at once
and a committee was formed to-
organize popular subscriptions.
DR.. L. @. Kortenhorst. president
of the Second Chamber Of the
States General kcCrresponding to
our Speaker OF the House), was
named head Of the committee.
1t was determined that each
bell. tuned TO half intervals Of
the chromatic scale, would re-
present 3 different province or
segment Of Holland and each
would bear decorations and in
scriptions appropriate to the
province.
The largest bell. s feet high
and weighing more than s tons,
would be dedicated to the
Netherlands Antilles. The SMALL
est. 3 inches high. would be the
gift Of the Dutch children. Dec
Grated with q stork, It would be
inscribed. u am the smallest. the
purest.n
Individual donations were linn
tied to very small sums. In d
short time. the required $250,o00
was subscribed.
Queen Presents Token Bells
The bell-designing and caste
ing process was not yet under-
way when IL was announced
Queen Juliana and her husband,
Prince Bernhard, would make q
tl1ree-week tour OF the United
States, opening with q state visit
to Washington.
The Omitted States previously
had been asked about the gift Of
the bells and President Truman
had said he would be delighted
to accept the gift.
Consequently, 1t was arranged
for Queen Juliana to make the
presentation TO President Tru-
man.
Since the bells were not yet
completed. q smaller set Of 80
bells was shipped here as q
token and erected on q tempo
rary scaffolding in Meridian Hill
Park.
On the Afternoon OF April 4.
1852, . crowd Of more than 5000
persons assembled In Meridian
Hill Park for the presentation
ceremonies.
After q welcoming speech by
Secretary Of the Interior Chap.
man. Secretary Of state Acf1eson
introduced the Queen Of the
Netherlands.
Queen Juliana, speaking In
English, then presented the bells
to Mr.. Truman. In doing 50 re-
ferred to the carlton and the
tower which would house 1t as
gifts from the Dutch people.
No one knows whether the
Netherlands representatives
there fiinched at the word
tower"
No Mention Of Tower
Henry Teixeira, first secretary
Of the Netherlands Embassy.
said yesterday that 1T had al
ways been the intention to give
9 bell tower as well as the bells
from the Dutch people"
But In the many communica-
tions which passed between the
two countries prior to the pres
entation. there Is no mention of
Q tower.
A handsome official souvenir
booklet printed In The Neither
lands In connection with the
ceremony bears the Dutch royal
crest on its oover and contains
photographs and descriptions Of
each Of the 40 bells. Itsis printed
In Dutch and English. It calls