Semi-weekly herald., 1913-12-04
IDEALISTS ERECT STAR
IN MADISON SQUARE

tBy Charlton Teneyck. Written for
the United Press.)
NEW YORK, Dec. They saw the
star last night-those helpless hu-
man derelicts in Madison Square and
perhaps they will be more hopeful.
The Idealists aimed at that result.
Though hope is supposed to beat
eternal in the human breast the brand
of expectancy around Madison Square
has been at low ebb for many years.
The homeless and jobless have first
claim on the benches in the old rec
tangle and their share of hope has
been limited, but the star may help.
The Idealists-a group of charit.
able and benevolent. New Yorkers
with more money than their own
needs require, who were careful that
their names are not made public
erected the star. 1t is five-pointed
emblem, two feet across, set on a
high pole. Scores of electric blubs
that compose the star shed their pure
white rays over Madison Square from
sunset to sunrise. The star will shine
every night, except during Christmas
week when the tree of light"-a
huge public Christmas tree-will
take its place. The Idealists found
ed the Madison Square Christmas
tree, too. They put it up last Christ
mas, a huge Christmas tree from the
Maine woods, and covered it with
countless electric bulbs, of all colors.
Every night, from Christmas eve to
New Year, the tree shone and thou
sands of the poor, homeless and
friendless came from all parts of the
city, the east side, west side and
Hell's Half Acre, to look at the en-
blem.
The derelicts seemed to get such
real enjoyment and hope from the
"tree of light that the Idealists de-
termined to place a permanent en-
blem in the square. The star result
ed 1t is queer bit of press agency,
sign for hope, peace and good
will" There is no lettering on it,
no advice of any kind, just the
cleaning white star.
Set there in the historic square
with beer, cigarette, whiskey and
patent medicine advertisements glar-
ing in every direction, the star strikes
peaceful and restful note in the
riotous and raucous glamor. 1t is
way below that part of Broadway
that makes up the present-day Great
White Way. It's location was the
scene in the years gone by, of long
forgotten splendors and gaiety
Across the street, where now a huge
office building rears its towers was
once the famous Fifth Avenue hotel,
location of the Amen Corner, scene
of the brilliant balls and functions
and hot-house for some of the most
momentuos and far-reaching political
plots that have made the Empire
states history.
Diagonaliy across the intersection
of broadway, Fifth avenue and Twen-
ty-third street was once the aid Ho-
tel Barthold, in its day famous
hosiery, home of distinguished for
eign travellers, visiting diplomats and
famous folk from all over the world.
A square up Fifth avenue was Louis
Martins one of the first of the "lob-
ster palaces" and for many years
one of the most exclusive of New
York's eating places.
But where once the night life of
the big city throbbed at its zenith, is
now little but commerce. The white
lights and automobiles, decollette
| gowns and silk hats have gone north
ward, and Madison Square is left at
night to its own devices, and to those
whose only refuge are the city's open
| spaces. Men and women and chill
dren from the east side tenements
come there in the evenings for fresh
air, and later IN the night the bench
es are occupied by jobless men who
know no other beds.
1t is for them that the star was pu,
up. 1t was to give them hope that
the Idealists erected the pole with its
five e-pointed emblem of cheer. The
detected lounger on the bench and
the belated wayfarer hurrying by car
see the star and perhaps learn from
it that all hope is not dead.
A vag who saw them putting it up
the other day said it was the first
time 'star" had been that far down
Broadway since the Garden theater
became stock house.