Evening star. [volume], April 18, 1937, Page A-6, Image 6

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
MEMORIAL FIGHT
Request for $500,000 for
First Work in Hands of
House Unit.
Congress today holds the key to the
much-confused controversy over plac
ing the Thomas Jefferson Memorial at
the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park.
Over President Roosevelt’s signa
ture, a request has gone up from the
Budget Bureau for $500,000 to begin
construction of the memorial without
delay. This is now pending in the
House Appropriations Committee. It
is considered likely that this item will
be Included in one of the deficiency
supply bills—unless opponents of the
memorial as projected can pievent it.
The item conceivably might be at
tached as an amendment to one of
the regular appropriation bills, now
running the congressional gamut.
Apparently only by failing to appro
priate money, in the face of Presi
rent Roosevelt's request, or by chang
ing the act setting up the Thomas
Jefferson Memorial Commission, by re
quiring that Congress itself pass upon
the design or location—or otherwise
circumscribing its powers—can the
Nation’s lawmakers halt the pro
spective march of the memorial
toward completion.
‘‘Battle of Flowers” Continues.
While Washington’s "battle of flow
ers” goes on, over whether the cele
brated Japanese cherry trees around
the Tidal Basin will or will not be de
stroyed if the memorial, as conceived
by the New York architect, John Rus
sell Pope, be constructed, not a dollar
yet has been appropriated for the
work. Originally, it was announced
that the memorial would cost $3,000,
000 and that half of this sum would
be asked immediately. Just why this
initial sum now has been cut to *500,
000 has not been fully and officially
explained.
Opponents of the program say that
it will be just as bad if only $10,000
is appropriated, for if Congress em
barks upon any spending at all for
the Pope design at the Tidal Basin,
they argue this will commit the law
makers to its execution.
Another major factor that is confus
ing the situation, particularly officials
in the executive branch of the Gov
ernment, is the absence of an ap
proved final plan for the Jefferson
Memorial, giving engineering details,
down to the grades of highways pro
jected and other pertinent data. Thus
far two of the agencies most inti
mately concerned—the United States
Engineer Office, which has jurisdic
tion over the Tidal Basin, and the
National Capital Parks, which super
vises West Potomac Park and the
famed Japanese cherry trees, are
without detailed information on the
Whole program.
3,09* Trees Sent by Japan.
lacking an approved plan, the park
officials cannot say with certainty
Just how many of the Japanese cherry
trees might have to be eliminated.
They have no road grades under the
project, a vital factor affecting the fu
ture of the cherry trees. Originally
3,000 of the trees were received here
from Japan and planted, not only
around the Tidal Basin but in East
Potomac Park, in the Department of
Agriculture grounds and elsewhere.
They were about 5 years old when
they came to Washington and were
planted In March, 1912—a quarter of
a century ago. The prospective life
of the Japanese cherry trees is placed
at 40 years—10 more to go.
Aoout nve years ago, when Ueut.
Col. U. S. Grant, 3d, was director
of public buildings and public parks,
a replacement program was launched.
The park authorities began to plant
• American-raised stock, and officials
say that some of these young trees
now are around the Tidal Basin and
forming part of the display. Some
500 young trees have been planted
under the replacement program thus
far. They are in varying stages of
maturity, some having been set out
each year.
The park authorities are planning
on setting out some 1,200 young
trees this Spring, but are waiting un
til the current display is over, so that
the program will not Interfere with
the public enjoyment of the blossoms.
In East Potomac Park the grade
has been raised to get the roots of
the trees above the ground water
level. In the past floods hare caused
many of the trees to die.
515 of Original Trees.
Around the Tidal Basin there are
•bout 515 of the original trees from
Japan and some 208 younger trees,
Cherry Trees May
Live 1,000 Years,
Botanist Declares
Wild cherry trees in Japan,
ancestor* of those around the
Tidal Basin here, are said to be
1,000 years old and reach im
mense proportions, with trunks
several feet in diameter, Paul
Russell, botanist in the Bureau of
Plant Industry of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, said yester
day.
Russell says the life of the
cultivated variety is around 40
years, but they may live longer
under good care. As early as
1846 Japanese cherry trees were
introduced into the United States,
in New York.
In 1926 Dr. David Fairchild of
the Department of Agriculture
planted 25 cherry trees from
Japan at his residence in North
Chevy Chase, Md., and many of
them are still growing, Russell
observes. Dr. E. A. Merritt, di
rector of the X-ray clinic at
Garfield Hospital, who acquired
that property, at 9312 Kensington
road, described those trees as ‘‘the
finest specimens in the Western
world,” holding them far superior
to those at the Tidal Basin. They
are located north of Chevy Chase
Lake, near Kensington, Md.
Loans
ON DIAMONDS. WATCHES.
JEWELRY. GUNS. CAMERAS.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. ETC.
LOWEST UNREDEEMED
RATES PLEDGES
POSSIBLE FOR SALE
Take Any Bu» Leavlnc
11th and Pa. Ave.
Established 1S90
HORNING’S
-Opp. Washington Airport.
official* say. Soon about 100 addi
tional trees will be planted there.
Authorities assert that It will be dif
ficult, If not impossible, successfully
to transplant the original Japanese
cherry trees around the Tidal Basin.
They have been there for a quarter
of a century, and their roots have
become so interlocked, because of the
closeness of the trees, to achieve the
mass bloom effect, that It is con
sidered fatal to attempt to move them.
Further, the trees would have to be
pruned to transplant them and achieve
a balanced effect above and below
ground, according to those in a posi
tion to know.
This pruning would interfere with
the present "feathery” appearance of
the much-publicized trees, say some
officials.
It is possible, they say, to construct
a memorial at the Tidal Basin site
so that only a few trees will be af
fected, but in the absence of an ap
proved plan the officials shrug and
say they do not know.
If the Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Commission is now given $500,000 to
make a start on the memorial, this
will be the last year the Tidal Basin
Oriental floral display will be seen
in its present setting, some authori
ties assert. Dredges and other equip
ment in the Tidal Basin, they hold,
will detract from the peaceable set
ting that now reigns there.
Suggest Construction Delay.
One suggestion is for erection of the
memorial be delayed until the end of
the life-span of the original trees from
Japan. Then, the theory is, the
younger trees might be more easily
transplanted, with the old trees out
of the way. The projected rearrange
ment of the shores of the Tidal Basin
could then proceed with less thought
of interfering with the gift from Ja
pan. It is argued that it might be
preferable to wait until the young
trees have reached their maturity be
fore interfering with the present status
of the trees.
The $3,000,000 announced as the
cost of the Thomas Jefferson Me
morial will have to be duplicated for
the development projected at the end
of East Capitol street, on the banks
of the Anacostia River, say opponents
of the Tidal Basin project. They argue
that it would be better to put that
money into a stadium and auditorium
rather than destroy the cherry trees
and the present Tidal Basin.
The Fine Arts Commission and the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission have submitted reports to
te Thomas Jefferson Memorial Com-,
mission, urging that a study be made
of the whole area of West Potomac
Park. This would provide for a study
of an adequate setting for the me
morial and all its approaches, includ
ing bridges, proper highways, land
scaping and other features, consider
ing the project as a harmonious
whole.
Broad Enabling Legislation.
So broad is the enabling legisla
tion, which set up the Thomas Jef
ferson Memorial Commission, that
the National Capital Park and Plan
ning Commission is not even men
tioned. The commission is clothed
with wide powers, for it was author
ized by Congress to pick the site, re
tain the architect, select a design and
construct the memorial. The Pine
Arts Commission, under the law,
might be asked by the Memorial Com
mission for its advice, which was
mandatory, if requested, but was not
binding upon the Memorial Commis
sion.
The Memorial Commission has now
named the National Park Service of
the Interior Department as its agent
to build the memorial and has ap
pointed Arno B. Cammerer, director
of the service, as its executive of
ficer. The members of the Thomas
Jefferson Memorial Commission are
Representative John J. Boylan, Dem
*
ocrat, of New York, chairman; Sena
tor Elbert D. Thomas, Democrat, of
Utah; Senator Augustine Lonergan,
Democrat, of Connecticut; Senator
Charles L. McNary, Republican, of
Oregon; Representative Howard W.
Smith, Democrat, of Virginia; Rep
resentative Francis D. Culkin, Re
publican, of New York; Thomas Jef
ferson Coolidge, Hollins N. Randolph,
Joseph P. Tumulty, 8tuart O. Glb
boney, Dr. George J. Ryan and Dr.
Fiske Kimball.
Opponents of the memorial as pro
jected insist the Thomas Jefferson Me
morial Commission, with the approval
of Congress, may now go ahead and
construct it as an Isolated develop
ment, ignoring entirely the setting
which should be provided for it, in the
form of adequate traffic arteries and
other considerations. Thus, they say,
this problem would be left to others
to decide.
Friends of the memorial insist that
the Pine Arts Commission was asked
for Its opinion, after the Memorial
Commission had decided on a location
for the memorial and expressed its
preference for a design. President
Roosevelt himself, they say, picked the
plan he thought most suitable, out of
a number submitted by Pope. This
south axis, complimentary to the
White House, 1s "the greatest site In
the District of Columbia for a me
morial today,” its proponents contend.
This has been in the plans for the
development of Washington for more
than 25 years. In 1925, a memorial
was proposed to Theodore Roosevelt
at this identical site and Pope won in
a competition for that design, his
friends recall. Then, there was not
the “hue and cry" raised against it
that is now being leveled against the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial, say its
sponsors. Both Fine Arts and Plan
ning Commissions have approved the
location for the Jefferson Memorial.
FUGITIVE SLAYER,
‘TIRED,’ SURRENDERS
“Slim" Scarborough Had Escaped
Six Time* From Georgia
Chain Gang.
M tf.e Associated Press.
ATLANTA, April 17—8. J. (Slim)
Scarborough, elusive life-term killer
who has escaped six times from Georgia
chain gangs, surrendered to police to
day in his attorney’s office here.
“I'm tired of dodging the law,”
he said.
Scarborough, who has spent 12 of
his 29 years in and out of prison, made
his latest break April 3 from the
Cherokee County convict camp in
North Georgia.
Only a few days before he had
been returned from Hobart, Ind.,
where he was recaptured after a previ
ous escape.
Eight others fled with Scarborough
April 3. They sawed the bars of the
convict camp dormitory and lowered
themselves to the ground with ropes
made from blankets.
Scarborough was convicted of the
slaying in 1925 of W. C. Wright, Put
nam County school superintendent,
who had given him and two other
men a ride in an automobile.
Deputy Sheriff S. G. Davies took
the fugitive into custody.
Scarborough said he decided Friday
the best thing he could do would be
to surrender.
“Not that I couldn't beat the law,”
he boasted, "I always could. They
never captured me except when some
body put me on the spot.”
Parcel Poit Boute Changed.
China will send its parcel post to
Western Europe through Soviet ter
ritories instead of by sea as heretofore.
JEFFERSON MEMORIAL ARGUED
Well-Conceived Plan
of 1901 Would Be
Carried Out.
Cherry Trees Around
Tidal Basin Would
Be Destroyed.
The proposed Thomas Jefferson Memorial, projected on the
south side of the Tidal Basin, which is the center of the con
troversy.
1
FOR THE MEMORIAL.
It carries out the well-conceived
plan of 1901 for the development of
the city of Washington.
The location has received the ap
proval of both the Fine Arts Commis
sion and the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission.
This will give Washington another
beautiful memorial at an announced
cost of $3,000,000.
It will be executed by John Russell
Pope of New York, one of the best
architects in America.
Pope won the competition for the
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, proj
ected some years ago in Potomac Park,
so he has already made his mark in
the competitive field.
Lincoln Fight Similar.
A similar fight was carried on
against the Lincoln Memorial, which
now draws upwards of 1,000,000 visi
tors annually. People apparently can
not visualize what a magnificent cre
ation the Thomas Jefferson Memorial
will be. “Uncle Joe” Cannon and
others fought the Lincoln Memorial
and said it would “shake itself to
pieces with loneliness and ague” in the
swamps.
The Jefferson Memorial will provide
an adequate vista, south of the White
House, for the Chief Executive, and
carry out an essential element in city
planning.
It will provide work here and else
where and give a permanent asset to
the National Capital.
Representative Boylan of New York,
chairman of the Memorial Commis
sion, says a more beautiful cherry tree
display will be possible than now. The
display of cherry trees can be created
also in other sections of the city, re
ducing the great traffic jams that now
come in Potomac Park.
Last Great Site Left.
The memorial will adequately honor
Thomas Jefferson, who has been
neglected all these years, but who did
much for the National Capital.
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Commission approved it. This is the
last great site left in that section of
the District.
President Roosevelt has indicated
his approval of the project by sanc
tioning the Budget Bureau indorse
ment of a request that Congress ap
propriate $500,000 to begin construc
tion of the memorial.
Congress authorized the Thomas
Jefferson Memorial Commission to
select a site, pick an architect and
approve a design for the memorial—
and this law has now been carried out.
Borings have shown that construc
tion is engineerings feasible.
WASHINGTON ART GALLERIES
Take Pride in Announcing
THE SALE AT
PUBLIC AUCTION
4
Within Our Gallorios, 722 Thlrtaonth St N. W.
Monday to Saturday, Inclusive
April 26th to May 1st 1937, at 1:00 P. M.
Art Objects, Oil Paintings, Bronzes, Ivories,
Enamels, Oriental Rugs, Tapestries, XVIII
Century French Furniture, etc.. Including
The Property of
W illard D. Rockefeller
MALVERN HALL, WEST PARK-ON-THE-HUDSON
and Others
The Illustrated catalogue will Include 800 Items among which are:
PAINTINGS, Original Masterpieces by Coreggio, Andrea del Sarto. Van
Dyke, Frans Hals, Lancret Schreyer, Clays. Vibert DettL Bouguereau;
BRONZES, the works of Frederick Remington, P. J. Mene, Barye,
SchreivogeL Bonheur, Henry Kirk Brown, Fraser, Lansere, Fremiet Moreau.
RUGS AND TAPESTRIES; A Saronnerie carpet 16x32', a Palace Kirman
carpet ll'xl8', lour Kashan Picture Rugs, a pair oi Silk Kashan Rugs 4'x7'»
a set of four Aubusson Figure Panels 6'x9'; SILVERWARE by Bailey.
Banks & Biddle, Tiffany & Co., J. E. Caldwell & Co., Gorham & Co., and
others. Also a splendid collection of XVIII Century French Furniture;
Carted Ivories; Viennese Enamels; China and Glassware; Antiques, Etc*
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The Week of April 19th, to April 24th
Special Showing of the Art Collection at the
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AGAINST THE MEMORIAL.
Erection of the Thomas Jefferson
Memorial will destroy Washington’s
world-famous Japanese cherry trees
around the Tidal Basin, a great busi
ness asset to the city.
Even if some of the cherry trees will
be saved, erecting a marble monument
at the Tidal Basin is in effect "gilding
the lily."
John Russell Pope, the architect se
lected, has already had too much in
the National Capital, for he designed
the Archives Building, Constitution
Hall, the Scottish Rite Temple, the
Pharmaceutical Building and now the
Mellon Art Gallery.
This memorial will further inflict
the dead architecture of ancient
Greece and Rome upon America.
Let's have something modern, typical
of vital America.
Higher Coat Feared.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars,
perhaps millions, will be spent in the
foundation, nearly twice as deep as
the Lincoln Memorial, before anything
, shows above the water—and it will coat
far more than the announced $3,000.
000—perhaps as high as $16,000,000,
considering the oompleted project and
Its approaches, highways, bridges, etc.
It may create a “dead end" In the
Washington Channel, giving rise to
stagnant water and unhealthy condi
tions, because of reducing area of
Tidal Basin.
It will be Just another "useless mon
ument’’ here. Why not construct
something useful, with so many people
now In distressed circumstances? It's
a waste of money.
The design was picked in secret,
without a competition, thus shutting
out people with youth, talent, Ideas
and vision.
Minutes Kept Secret.
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Commission has conducted Its deliber
ations with “star chamber" tactics and
little real Information Is available; its
minutes are not open to Inspection and
it has not published any final, ap
proved plan.
Construction of this memorial will
crowd too many memorials Into one
section of the city. Why not distribute
them In various locations?
Why destroy something beautiful for
something of uncertain value? Mil
lions of dollars have been spent In cre
ating the Tidal Basin, Potomac Park
and the Japanese cherry tree display.
Why Junk these?
Erection of the memorial utilizes
funds that could well be wisely used
elsewhere in improving undeveloped
areas for playgrounds and parks and
for the construction of a badly needed
auditorium and stadium.
HONOR GUESTS
Senators James J. Davis and Joseph
F. Guffey will be honor guests at an
entertainment, reception and dance to
be given by the Pennsylvania State
Society at 9 p.m. April 27 at the Wil
lard Hotel.
The Georgetown University Glee
Club will sing.
BUILD YOUR COLOR SCHEME FROM
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FIVE DIE IN AUTO
PLUNGE INTO RIVER
Riverton,, Ind., Reaidenti, Includ
ing Boy, 4, Victim* Near
Terre Haute.
By tht Aftsocltted Press.
TER RE HAUTE, Ind., April 17.—
Five persons were drowned at the
Merom Ferry, on the Wabash River,
south of this city, today when an
automobile In which they were rid
ing got out of control and plunged
into the river.
The dead are; Peter Milam, his
wife, Mrs. Blanche Milam, and their
4-year-old son; Jack Warren and
Mr*. Warren. All were residents of
Riverton, in 8ullivan County, Ind.
The bodie* of Warren and the child
had not been recovered early last
night. The body of Mr*. Milam
floated to the surface of the water
and the other bodies were found in
the car.
First reports were that the auto
mobile, driven by Mrs. Milam, en
tered a ferry boat on the Illinois side
of the river, plunged on through a
guard chain and into the water. The
water where the car entered the river
Is 25 feet deep.
“EVENING WITH ARTISTS”
IS PLANNED AT SCHOOL .
Hyattsville Mothars and Taach
ara’ Club Sponaora Event
Friday Night.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
HYATTSVILLE. Md.. April 17.—
“An Evening With Artists” will be
presented next Friday night to the
Olive Street School here, under aus
pices of the Mothers and Teachers’
Club of the school. Mrs. Lawton Riley
and Mrs. Charles Cook will ha in
charge. E. O. (Daddy) Jenkliy will
be master of ceremonies.
The Potomac Electric Power Co.
Olee Club, of which John Fletcher
Moulden of Rlverdale is business man
ager, will sing, and there will be other
features. Proceeds wll go for audi
torium equipment.
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