The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
TO GARB STATUES
Chicago Woman Thinks Art
i'll Nude Is Shocking
WHOLE CITY NOW IN STEW
Cold Weather Indirectly RespOn-
sibIe for UprOar I'm WouId-be art
Center-NO Trousers Available for
Marble Men-Mrs. BONves Appeals
60 the Municipal Art League.

Chicago, March 1.-StriYing 10 become the
art center of the United States, Chicago
is in a stew over the question OF how far
"the altogether may be displayed in
public places without offending the aes-
thetic taste.
1t was all the fault of the weather If
the cold north wind had not whirIed
around a corner of the new 5000. 900
courthouse and compelled Mrs Bowes to
halt a second 10 catch her breath It
might never have been discovered that
the poor statues on the costly structure
needed protection. and all the brainstorms
might have been avoided. Sut as It was.
Mrs. Bowes chanced TO take a sweep
ing glance little above her head and
the human figures, chiseled out of the
enlisted her sympathy.
"Unholy city" she exclaimed: you
are another Pompeii. and like Pompeii
You ought to be burned forever by a
Vesuvius upheaval''
One OF the figures was clad only in a
belt and buckler. over the shoulder of
another was loosely draped boys size
tOga- third. of heroic stature and ath-
letic proportions. was garbed merely in
the style most fashionable among the
dark skinned warriors of Zululand in the
hottest days Of midsummer
They call that art said Mrs. Bowes,
Chicago art; and then they wonder why
woman Is unsafe i'm the streets. The
whole rising generation viii be corrupted.
They're hideOus. I'll have them covered
up. if it's a life work"
stamps No. Foot.
She stamped a high arched patent
leather No. on the icebound sidewalk
and was on the point Of shaking fist at
the window Of the county commissioner $
Office when she awoke 10 a realization
Of the fact that she WAS pedestrian on
a shopping tour in a busy street rather
than a speaker on the rostrum OF her
steam heated clubroom. She gripped her
skirt tightly and hurried on. At every
step her wrath became mighter.
IN report IL to the Municipal Art
League" she said, as she entered a big
store. her Indignation at a climax. Within
ten minutes she was making a selection
from a mountain OF laces and for the
time the stone men on the courthouse
were forgotten.
The next day, however. President Will
lam Busse. OF the board OF county COM
missiOners. was asked 10 preserve the
honor and dignity OF Chicago by cover
ing up the statuary that had evoked the
Indignation of Mrs Frederick X. Bowes,
founder and once president of the Chi
cago Culture Club and formerly presi-
dent Of the Tuesday Travel Club.
No Money for Trousers.
This travel club has been all over the
World-in Imagination Its members
they all are women-have communed with
the Sphinx; they have visited the renown-
ed art galleries OF Europe and seen the
works of the masters Any one Of them.
therefore, is in a position 10 know what
real sculpture IS, and when one Of them
says a product of the chisel Is art or is
not art, Chicago sits up and takes notice.
For Chicago. in the words OF W NJ r
French. director OF ChicagO's art insti-
tute. is striving 10 become the art center
OF the United States. and anything that
aids or deters her in that ambition is
subject for serious consideration.
"Of course" said President Busse.
when Mrs. Bowes' complaint reached
him. We might put iron trousers on those
bOys-they're only boys. anyway-but
we haven't the trousers and there's no
appropriation for them.
Mtdutllilc lIe uSlItS OF contention,
obvious OF Jack Frost and the seathing
denunciation of Mrs Bowes. continue to
hold their positions and smile on the
passing throng. The figures are Of gi-
gantic size. the huge stone toes protrud-
ing over the edge Of the ledge on which
they stand.
Asks Aid4Of League
Mrs. Bowes next asked the Municipal
Art League. composed Of Chicago's s great
est artists and best citizens. to condemn
the statues and either have them draped
or broken up with a sledge hammer.
Chicago. the best Of Chicago. as found
in her refined and cultured people" said
Mrs. BOwes, will not stand for this
nudity in public statues. II is most in
furious 10 the morals of our children.
who pass 70 and fro before our public
buildings, and must not be tolerated. The
preservation of public morals, especially
portance than the preservation Of this
high art so called. The bare stone
would be better than such works OF art"
The Municipal Art League has not yet
acted on Mrs. Bowes' protest She is
carrying on her fight quietly. however.
enlisting sympathy among her associates
in society and the clubs and among the
olergymen of the city. Some of those who
have listened 10 her plant and have
viewed the statues have become so indig-
nant that they talked OF emulating Car
RE Nation. But evidently they decided
the granite epidermis OF the statues
would turn the edge of the best bladed