The Washington herald., 1909-01-10
EXPERT APPROVES
LINCOLN MEMORIAL
Glenn Brown Declares Site
Is an Ideal One.
PRAISES PARK COMMISSION
WeII--Lnovvn Architect Points Out
How Plan VIII Develop Into some
thing Practical a. Well a. Beauti-
fuI-Says Nothing VIII Detrae:
from Grandeur of the Statue.

Glenn Brown. secretary TO the American
Institute Of Architects. has sent a com
munication 10 The Washington Herald
calling attention 10 a resolution passed
by the institute at its last meeting reIa-
tive to the Lincoln memorial The reso-
luton faEors the setting Up Of the ne
mortal in accordance with the plans OF
the Park Commission, and II comment
ing upon the general proposition Mr..
Brown says
"One OF the most important elements
in the Park Commission scheme for the
development Of Washington was the Ioca-
ton Of the Lincoln memorial on a site
overlooking the river and on the principal
axis Of the Capitol and the Monument
II would seem as II every one would in
stantly appreciate the value and impor-
lance and fitness OF the site, but unfor-
tunately this IS not the case
Two Bills Introduced.
Two bills for other memorial schemes
were introduced at the last session OF
Congress One was - make, as this
memorial 70 Lincoln. a roadway from
Washington TO Gettysburg Tie other
calls for the location Of the Lincoln me
mortal on Capitol Hn in connection with
the Union Station.
The institute. az whose suggestion the
Park Commission was appointed, and
which has approved without qualihca-
ton the Park Commissions plan, should
emphaticaIly lend its influence 20 the end
that this most important feature Of the
plan does not miscarry. and that no
scheme which runs counter 10 this plan
should have lis approval
THE scheme presented by the Park
Commission. while only "A suggestion for
the form Of the memorial. was a careful
study Of the site by such men as Charles
+. MCKim. D. II. Durham, Augustus
Saint Gaudens, and Frederick Law Ohm
sted, jr- This selection gives the Lin
coin memorial a position Of Importance
equal 20 that Of the Capitol and the
Washington Monument
Regarded a Fine Site.
When the parkway. lagoons. river
front. and Memorial Bridge plans are car
RED out. this site viii be one OF the most
distinctive and beautiful IN the city and
country. Nothing viii overshad0w the
memorial. nothing viii clash with it. 4
site most fitting for the man who gave
his life IN preserving the Union enhanced
IN scale, beauty, and dignity by the nat
uraI surrounding and proposed archi-
tecIUral embellishments.
The location proposed for a memorial
on the plaza Of the Union Station simply
makes the Lincoln memorial a minor
part Of the design for the station neces-
sary 70 the completion Of this design,
but always subordinate 10 the station.
on this site. & would be overshadOwed
by the Senate Office building, BY the
Capitol. and be complicated by the ne
mortal Of Columbus, thus losing the IN
dividuaI distinction so necessary.
while the roadway might become n
great memorial il would only become
such a memorial by the buildings. monU-
ments. and treatment along its borders
This would mean hundreds OF millions
? without making Il a distinctive memorial
20 Lincoln. I would advise all people who
wish 70 study this subject 20 examine
carefully the models and drawings OF the
Park Commission in the Congressional
Library al Washington. 10 get the report
Of the Park Commission from the govern
ment and study Il carefully
VIII see site Is Fitting.
Then they VIII see the beauty and
fitness Of a site on the banks Of the Po-
tomac. on the axis Of the Capitol and
the Monument. a mile from the Monu-
ment surrounded by beautiful bits OF
art and nature the focal point where I
viii attract the notice Of the thousands
who pass across the Potomac 10 Airing
ton and drive along Rock Creek 10 the
park whore IL viii be located in the
most beautiful and most freqUented sec
ton Of the city.
After such study II does not seem pos
si5le that there could be TWO opinions
upon the location Of the Lincoln me-
mortal and all viii appreciate the re-
maTkable artistic PERCEPTION. high appre-
citation Of the character and Importance
Of Lincoln, and intelligence Of our people
shown by the Park Commission when
they made this most happy selection in
their great scheme for the future develop
ment OF Washington