The District of Columbia, 1945

ah the home of the federal government of this land of ours is Washington District of Columbia the city of Washington and the District of Columbia are one in the same covering an area of 69 square miles and bordering on the states of Maryland and Virginia our government government of the people by the people and as provided by our Constitution under the Constitution our government is organized into three branches the executive judicial and the legislative the White House symbolizes the executive branch of government here lives and works the man we elect to the highest position that can be conferred upon any citizen of this land of ours the presidency of the United States under the executive branch of government are ten administrative departments each headed by a member of the president's cabinet the Treasury Department is the watchdog of the net pocketbook and in addition to collecting and paying out fabulous sums of government money it duties include the protection of the President himself the Navy Department has a proud record of achievement never has it failed its trust as the protector of our shores our possessions and our national dignity the War Department is housed in what is perhaps the world's largest of the structure the Pentagon building here the nation's top ranking military strategists hope for peace as they plan for war to the State Department is entrusted to conduct of our relations with foreign governments many of the affairs of state are transacted the residents of embassy role where the representatives of foreign powers live this beautiful building houses the judicial branch of our government the Supreme Court composed of nine justices appointed by the president the decisions of this highest court in the land are meant to ensure that this will remain a nation of equal justice under law the third branch of our government the legislative is symbolized by the Capitol building here the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate for you and me in the making of our laws almost all of the activity of Washington is governmental however Washington has another side to it is one of the world's best plan cities a city of beautiful parks city of historical shrines and famous museums andrew mellon gifted the American people with this beautiful gallery of art one of the world's greatest collections this is the Smithsonian Institution James Smithson and Englishmen who never visited the United States nevertheless left his fortune to found in his country and institution increase and diffusion of knowledge among men today it is unquestionably one of the world's greatest museums just down the Potomac River from Washington in the state of Virginia is Mount Vernon home of George Washington the grounds and buildings are as beautiful today as they were when General Washington and Martha his wife lived here also on the Virginia side of the Potomac in arlington national cemetery is one of the most magnificent of all monuments to those men whose blood has watered the seeds of our faith and fed the route to the American Way of life a tomb of the unknown soldier here resting an honored glory is an American soldier known but to God back in Washington again we visit the old Ford theater where President Lincoln was assassinated the theater has been transformed into a museum as has the house across the street where Lincoln died the following morning the people of a grateful nation have erected an everlasting shrine to Abraham Lincoln straightness a magnificent marble structure which reflects the grandeur of the man who preserved the Union in beautiful Potomac Park on the banks of the tidal basin stands a memorial to another great American Thomas Jefferson on the wall behind his tattoo are the immortal words which he wrote into our Declaration of Independence we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights among these are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men we solemnly publish and declare that these colonies are a bright ought to be free and independent states and for the support of this declaration with firm reliance on the protection of divine providence we mutually pledge Our Lives our Fortunes and our sacred honor with those unforgettable words indelibly stamped in our memory we finally come to the George Washington Monument visible from every part of the city which bears his name this mighty pillar is a fitting tribute to the father of our country a first president of the United States of America now let's review what we've learned about our nation's capital we've learned that the city of Washington and the District of Columbia are for all practical purposes one and the same we've been reminded that under the Constitution our government is divided into three main branches the executive symbolized by the White House where lives and works the country's chief executive the judicial represented by the Supreme Court the nation's highest tribunal and the legislative represented by the Capitol building where Congress meets to make our laws we crossed the Potomac River into Virginia to visit Mount Vernon and wallington to pay homage to the Unknown Soldier we visited the memorial to Abraham Lincoln inspiring shrine to the memory of Thomas Jefferson we've looked up at the spire commemorating the greatness of George Washington father of our country we've been reminded that this is a nation of representative government government of the people by the people or the people that the business of government is our business it is not alone the task of great men to keep alive and perpetuate faith in our way of life it is the task of all men to maintain and keep ever secure those principles for which so many have bled and died surely there will be trying problems in the years ahead those problems must be met with courage and indomitable devotion or freedom equality and justice must ever be preserved in land of ours