Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-14
TAFT AND CULL0M
HOLD CONFERENCE
Plans for the Lincoln Memo
rial Subject of Their
Discussion.
ACTION OF COMMISSION
IN MATTER OF CONTRACT
Recommendation Defended by Mr.
Taft-Former President Here
for Two Lectures.

Former President William H. Taft,
chairman of the Lincoln Memorial com
mission, arrived in Washington this morn
ing for the purpose of delivering two lee
tures-one this afternoon and one to-
mght-before the National Geographic So
ciety. After dropping in at the White
House and paying his respects to Presi-
dent Wilson. he went to the Senate office
building. where he held a consultation
with former Senator Shelby NJ. Cullom.
resident commissioner of the memorial.
-ur. Taft was in a business-like mood on
his arrival at the office of the commits
sion with respect to the protests which
have recently been filed by contractors
and others with the Secretary of War
against the recommendation Of the COM
mission for the award to construct the
memorial.
lave you ever noticed" he asked.
when a contract for public building is
let that the contractors who did not get
the award, and those who are selfishly
interested in material other than that de-
cided on, always come around and pro-
test after the awarding or recommending
authority has done its very hest for the
public?"
Mr.. Taft said that he nor as far as he
knew, any other member of the commits
sion had any knowledge of the contrac-
tors one as against the other who bid
on constructing the memorial. beyond
their public reputation. The commission
felt certain, he said. that the contractors
to whom it had recommended awarding
the memorial contract will do a splendid
piece of work if the Secretary of War
makes the contract with them.
Colorado Marble Preferable.
So far as the Colorado yule marble Sc
lected is concerned. he declared it to be
far preferable to the Georgia marble
which Representative Underwood and
others told the Secretary of War is
cheaper and more desirable, in the pro-
test they filed on the award of the COM
mission The Georgia marble. Mr.. Taft
said. was deemed by the commission to
be not as desirable AS the Colorado yule.
because the latter is pure white, and the
commission believes that If the building
We're constructed of the Georgia marble
it would contain BLUSH white effects.
Progress III regard to finally signing the
contract for the memorial will be de-
layed until the Attorney General renders
to the Secretary of War an opinion. asked
for by the latter. on the question OF
whether the Secretary of War must make
a contract in accordance with the rec
ommendation of the commission, OF
whether the Secretary of War has power
to choose Il contractor.
These big things move slowly Mr..
Taft remarked. We must wait for tine
opinion of the Attorney General. Every
one is anxious TO see the first spade of
ground turned over in Potomac Park. and
the construction of the memorial actually
begun. but patience must be exercised
Friends ot the Secretary Of War say he
will be glad il the decision of the Attor-
ney General is that he has no discretion
airy power. and must make a contract for
the memorial in accordance with the
recommendation of the commission, thus
relieving him of the responsibility OF
choosing among the con tractors.
If however. the Attorney General
CONSTITUTES the act of Congress provid-
ing for the memorial to mean that the
Secretary of War may dismiss the rec
concentration of the commission and
himself choose a contractor, 1T will not
be necessary, it is said today, to re.
advertise for bids. He would prob
ably choose contractor from among
the bidders who have already submit
ted offers