Show r. r tj J RY t. t t. l l I I By ELMO SCOTT WATSON iS FEBRUARY 22 America will be begin gin a n wide nation celebration honorIng hon hon- orIng the memory of ot the st American for February 2 22 Is the anniversary of the birth ol of George Washington and as a n result re re- suit sult of ot plans planS' which have been IE In preparation for several se years the tho observance of this bicentennial will be be the most extensive ever eyer held beld in this country But the ceremonies on F February 22 are only the beginning of a series of patriotic pilgrimages pageants programs dedication of ot memorials and other forms of celebration which will be held until Thanksgiving ThanksgIvIng Thanks Thanks- giving day all l having as their purpose a re ure reawakening awakening in the hearts of all Americans of an appreciation for the character and the life Ufe of ot Americas America's great greatest t citizen In addition to these celebrations the name of ot George Washington will be kept dally before his countrymen In other ways Every time they mall a letter or a parcel they will see his face for a series serles of ot 12 commemorative postage stamps ranging In denomination from one half cent to ten cents have been Issued each one bearing n a likeness of ot Wa Washington In their pockets will Jingle a new cent 25 sliver silver coin which will bear the face of Washington on the obverse This new quarter Is not a special Issue Issue Is Is- sue merely to mark the Washington bicentennial nial but It will replace the cent 25 piece now In general circulation The Tho year Is certain to bring forth also ulso new books about Washington In which new attempts will be made to interpret Washington ton in hi his various roles as a n soldier as a business leader as a statesman as a President and as ns a man In view of ot this fact it Is pertinent to raise the question Considering the amount that has hns already been written about Washington la Is there anything new that can be said about him 1 Offhand Off Off- hand the answer would probably be No 1 Yet the tact fact remains that something new l s s been said about him and that In a recently published published pub pub- biography It Is George Washington Republican Aristocrat written by Bernard Fay and published by the Houghton company and this book Is Important not only because of ot the Interpretation of or Washington as a Republican lican aristocrat but because hI his interpreter Js not a n fellow countryman but a n foreigner n Frenchman therefore a n man whose Judgments arc less likely to be obscured by bO partisanship one way or the other It is doubtful If It there has yet been written such an adequate and under understanding summary of at the greatness of at Georgo Washington with Washington with without out indulging In extravagant language as as the 1 1 Portrait painted by W. W Williams In Philadelphia Philadelphia Phila Phila- delphia In 1794 for the Masonic lodge at Alexandria Alex andria Va V This portrait will be on the new nine cent stamp 2 Portrait 2 by Charles Wilson which will be on the new three cent stamp 3 Miniature 3 portrait by Charles Wilson Peale which was presented by Washington to his niece Harriet This portrait will be on the new one half cent stamp 4 Another 4 portrait by y Charles Wilson Peale made In 1795 It will be reproduced on the new five cent stamp 5 Photographic 5 reproduction of the famous bust of Washington which has been chosen as the official portrait for the Washington Washing Washing- ton bicentennial 6 6 The Washington bicentennial medal o admirable essay which forms the Introduction to M. M Fays Fay's book Those who believe in the hand of ot God In the of ot man will indorse the Idea set set forth In this Introduction that George Washington ton carne came on the stage of ot history at the precise moment he was most needed It was the Eighteenth Eighteenth Eight Eight- century when all looked forward with Joy to the arrival of an on enlightened despot He was a n gentleman n. n He was rich He lie was wasa a soldier There was nothing of ot the revolutionary revolution ary about him And for the first time In more than fifteen centuries he exemplified the type of ot hero who declined supreme power and wished to command only to serve The world lid Ud not e expect this and It surprised the upper classes more than any other attitude would have dur dv And throughout the entire world the conser con con- ser sen classes the middle classes the enlightened enlightened ened nobility and the people who even though most cautious were desirous of chan change c. c beheld the serene great man with an on astonishment which soon turned to enthusiasm ton accomplished by 0 the UHl legend which so immediately immediately immedi immedi- surrounded him him more than anyone els else had done By his personality he be prepared th extremists and the traditionalists to accept democratic dem dem- ideas There was nothing of the revolutionary about aboul him So it is all the more remarkable that this Virginia lnla gentleman this land holding aristocrat should en engage a e In a struggle In behalf of ot th the common people In which he had ever everything thing t tc lose and but little to gain If he could have e foreseen that he would have to carry carryon on that thai struggle almost handed single and then after II It was won that he would bo be reviled re by those whom he had served so well and for whom he had suffered so much one wonders rs If he would have engaged In it For lIl like e all great men men en even more so than most most he he was a lonely man man man-a a lonely man both bothIn bothIn In private life and In public office Throughout his life he carried on his heart the burden of an unrequited love his love loe for Sally Cary who married his best friend and neighbor Geor George e Fairfax Even when he married the Widow Custis he was still a lonely man While he was busy building up the estate at Mount Vernon according to M. M Fay He noted in his diary sometimes during a whole week that he had remained remained re re- at home alone alone although Martha artha Washington Wash Vash ington was living under the same roo ro roand and In Inthe Inthe the same house But this was as nothing to the loneliness that was to come to him during the dark hours of the Revolution when he was trying to keep leep together the wretched little arm army which congress con con- gress ress had given him for winning the Independence ence of the new nation natIon and then save gave him nothIng nothing noth noth- ing more certainly not enough supplies or even moral support for carrying on his almost Insuperable Insuperable In In- task Even Een when he had been successful successful success success- ful when the new nation had rewarded him I with the hl highest hest honor in Its power by making hIm Its Its' first President he wa-s wa was also the to discover what every President since then has learned learned that the Presidency Is a lonely Job wherein the occupant of ot that position never ne knows whom to trust For no sooner was he made President than ho he found himself travelIng travel travel- Ing a lonely path between two opposing political cal Ideals the Ideals the monarchial tendencies of ot the tho Federalists and the democratic theories of ot the I Republicans So he be followed Ved 10 his lonely course to the end by W D Newspaper Union |