Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-04
TO LOCATION
FOR LINCOLN MEMORIAL
Fred L. Fishback Suggests 1t
Be Placed on Union
Station Plaza.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Its. distance lends enchantment to
the view
This must have been the idea of the
so-called fine arts commission in recon-
mending the placing of the Lincoln me-
mortal on the bank of the Potomac at
the western extremity of the Capitol
Washington Monument axis, as they call
it. This axis of theirs is wonderful
thing-to them. They revolve around it.
Placed on the river bank, the Lincoln
memorial would be SO far from the in
habited portion of the city, and from the
beaten track of tourists even. that only
those persons who could afford to hire
conveyances would ever see it at close
range. Can we truly say that we honor
a man when in building what is sup
posed to be a memorial to him we place
it so far away from the people that they
cannot see it? To my mind no man is
honored in having what is intended as
his memorial set down in an out-of-the-
way place. When it is SO located it fails
of it's object and never becomes truly
a memorial at all, for memorial is
something which is calculated to keep
before us the name and the deeds of one
who is gone.
Should Be Easily Accessible.
If today there is in this broad land
one who does not revere the name of
Lincoln he and he alone is the man who
could reasonably be expected to desire
that the Lincoln memorial should be
placed just where the fine arts commits
sion recommends that it be erected
where it shall not be seen. Lincoln was
of the people, raised up for the people
and chosen by the people.
Lincoln was not only man of the peo-
pie He was the man Of the people.
Without doubt the people who loved him
and revere his name would have his
memorial placed where the poorest, whom
he loved most, shall see it, and not where
only those who can afford to hire con-
veyances to take them to it shall have
the privilege of looking upon it. 1t should
be located at point where it would be
impossible for any one who visits the
city to fail to see it.
OF all locations it seems to me that the
best is on the Union station plaza. The
memorial could be placed on the plaza as
the plaza is now expected to be, Or better
still on an enlarged plaza, which should
include the additional three blocks be-
tween D street and Massachusetts ave-
nue. and North Capitol street and New
jersey avenue. This would give ample
space for the emplacement of any me-
mortal which might be de signed. 1t would
the city itself and of the Washington
Monument which should not be cut off
from the sight of any one coming out of
the station doorway, as it will he If ad
ditlonaI high structures are erected on
North Capitol street south of Massachu-
setts avenue.
Not Surprised at Suggestion.
No one can be surprised at the sug-
gestion made by the so-called Fine Arts
Commission that the Lincoln memorial be
placed on the river bank out of sight
and away from the people. because after
that commission has recommended that
one of the three large public buildings
whose construction Congress has author
lied on the squares between 18th and 18th
avenue shall be placed south of B street
actually on the Washington Monument
grounds. no suggestion which they could
make would surprise any one.
That shaft to Washington is to many
people the most beautiful structure in
Washington. beautiful In its simplicity, and
our enjoyment of it depends upon the
shaft standing absolutely alone. The sug-
gestion of the members of the Fine Arts
Commission that another structure should
be placed on the Monument grounds to
detract from the grandeur, yes, l may
say, the sublimity. of that greatest of
men,or.a ais, shows them lacking in appre-
citation of the best we have and leads
one to doubt their capacity to indicate in
any way how the capital of this nation
can be beautided..
FRED L. FIsHBACK.