Evening star., 1911-06-06
In Memory of Lincoln.

In Memory OF Lincoln.
The strongest argument for riverside
site of the Lincoln memorial Is In The
Stars opinion overlooked by the formal
resolutions and petitions Of architects as
sociations and other organizations which
urge only in behalf Of this site that 1t
bears an axial relation to the Washington
Monument and Capitol. and was suggested
by the Mcmillan Park Commission.
II the Memorial bridge is made an in
tegral part of the Lincoln memorial. as
suggested by The Star, the riverside To-
cation of the connected architectural
memorial structure becomes not only ap-
propriate but essential And the creation
Of the bridge not only honors Lincoln In
striking fashion, but assures the location
Of his memorial on q noble thoroughfare
leading to Arlington and Mount Vernon
and protects the site from the reproach
OF shameful isolation on the outer edge
of reclaimed swamp.
That a straight line drawn from the
Capitol TO the Monument would II contin-
ued pass through the precise point where
the memorial is located is Interesting, but
not to the layman especially significant or
important. Whether ii Is desirable that
the memorial shall be placed in axial and
vista relation with the Monument would
seem to depend on the character Of the
memorial and whether 1t is able to stand
the comparison resulting from this In
innate relation. II the memorial Is low
and sQuatty in comparison with the Mon
ument the less II is looked at in contrast
with the Monument the better Its effect
may be. The Monument, 555 feet high,
and the Capitol. crowning Capitol Hill,
make noble terminals Of vista In this
impressive architectural company Is
portico Of Doric columns. only forty feet
high. able to sustain itself on equal terms
of honorable conspicuousness?
The argument addressed to the House.
which urges in effect that the plans
Of the Mcmillan Park Commission be car
ried out in every detail, solely because
they are the plans Of the commission, and
not on the ground Of the intrinsic merit
of the commissions suggestions, is I'm
polite. because the House took no part
IN creating the Mcmillan Park Commis-
sion. and has. through its appropriations
committee, shown q jealous sensitiveness
in respect to the commissions suggestions
and . tendency to resist them. 1t II q
waving Of the red rag IN the face Of the
bull to demand that the House appro-
pr1ations committee do something or
anything precisely in the way that
the Mcmillan Commission recommended,
and solely because the commission has
thus recommended. The House has.
however. recently Joined with the SEN
ate In creating Fine Arts Commission.
which contains all the surviving members
Of the Mcmillan Commission and has the
same capable chairman. This relation
between the two commissions Is q guaran-
tee that the recommendations and plans
Of the mon n-commissioned" park commits
zion will receive due consideration from
the commissioned Fine Arts Commission.
1t IS clearly polite to bring city develop
ment suggestions to the House exclusive
ly through the commission which the
House has itself helped to create.
II the memorial must be located on the
precise spot recommended by the McMil-
Ian Commission. solely because 1t was so
recommended, then the design of memo
rial suggested by the commission must also
In consistency be accepted precisely Is
proposed, and there In no need of q COM
petition among architects for a memorial
design. or of q Fine Arts Commission to
advise concerning site and design. or OF
Congress, with Its Lincoln Memorial Com
mission, except TO say ditto TO the Nc
MILAN Commissions design and to appro-
pirate money in conformity Herewith.
The popular craving In the matter Of
a Lincoln memorial Is for something vast
and eye-dliins. corresponding to his great
ness. as we'll as for something artisticalfy
beautiful. with an appeal to sentiment.
The Memorial bridge, with its related
memorial structure at the Washington ap-
proach. would meet the popular desire. A
low, classic portico. divorced from the
bridge however beautiful its architectural
Lines and however extensive Its surface
area, would to many seem inadequate as
. memorial to Lincoln. especially in con-
trast with the towering obelisk Of the
Washington Monument
II the Lincoln memorial is not to have
vastness as a characteristic, as In a
bridge across the Potomac. IL would. In
the opinion of many. be better located
on Q hilltop, taking advantage of the con-
sequent increase Of apparent height. as
on a slope OF Capitol Hill, or on Sixteenth
Street Hill, than on the low. reclaimed
ground of Potomac Park. On this level
the Washington Monument, rising $50
feet in the air, threatens to dwarf every
neighboring or intimately related struc-
ture. The lofty memorial to Washington
might humiliatingiy minimize the iow-ly-
ing related structures In honor OF Lincoln
and Grant and give color to the reproach
that the memorials to the latter are not
calculated so much to honor these heroes
as TO sacrifice them and their memories
TO exploit an architects plan.
Speedy success Of the City Beautiful
campa sn $ the nd desired by all. The
sympathetic anc .earty cooperation OF
both houses of congress Is essential tC
victory in this struggle. and judgment
and tact are cessary in the conduct OF
the campaign. Il successful result 10 tt
be secured.
Mexican nlaraxiue editnrS have shnKn