Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-01

NV vi T s"ssa. is p ass s ss'
this stately memorial have already been
approved by the statutory commission in
charge of the project, and a site select
ed.
This tribute to the heroism Of the wom-
en- of the north and the women OF the
south, is to rear its stately columns
within = stones throw of the White
House on 18th street. and will be f1anked
on one side by the famous Corcoran Gal
lery of Art and on the other by the mag
nificent-. Continental Hall. the national
home of the D. A r.
4
The plans provide for a structure of
two stories and basement, with an as
sembly room fifty feet by sixty-four feet
on the first floor; large museum room
on the. basement floor. and numerous
Offices on the first and second floors The
floor plans were suggested largely by
Red Cross officers. in order that the
work of the great organization may be
carried on as Systematically as possible.
Therefore. the chief task of the architects
has been to work out the details and de-
sign a beautiful exterior.
There will be three rooms especially for
the use OF the three great boards Of the
Red Cross-the war relief board, the
national relief board and the interna-
tional relief board. From the standpoint
OF the Red Cross the erection Of this
building places the United States on
plane with Russia, Austria and Germany
which already have Red Cross buildings,
and with Japan, which is now construct
ing pne.
But from broader standpoint it
means the rendering of homage to the
flower OF American womanhood of
period when the country was torn
asunder and grim war stalked the
land. And 1t means. too. the uniting
in memory of that womanhood-for the
building, mark you. is not a memorial
to the brave women of the north. nor
yet to those noble ones of the south,
but to, both Of them In fact, to all
the known. the unknown. the nameless
and the forgotten women who gave
their uttermost of soul and body and
mind to principles of the Union blue
or the Confederate gray.
And their numbers are legion. In
1856 Frank Moore. in his book Women
of the War" declared that the story
of those dreadful days could not be
told If the work of the women were
left untold. Nurses. spies. watchers
by the bedsides of dying loved ones,
preparers Of bandages and supplies.
members of organizations that worked
to relieve the sufferings of the men
in the f1eld-angels of mercy. all-each
and every one of them has her inalien-
able share in the memorial The names
of many of them are known. and their
deeds have been told and retold in
song and story. But the unknown
ones are no less objects Of the nations
tribute than are the few instances-out
of the many thousands-herewith cited.
While seemingly new. the thought be-
hind the project Is really old and may. In
decd. be traced back by the kindly OBJ
server TO, one person. In the battle of
Gettysburg Gen. Barlow. then Capt Bar
low. of the United States Army, was
wounded and left upon the field for dead
The news was carried TO his wife, who
straightway set out to find her husband
1t was no easy matter to secure trans
portation for many miles, to say nothing
of getting through the lines of the enc
my: but. probably because no man can
withstand a woman who is determined to
search reekiHg battlefield for her hus-
band, Mrs. Barlow finally was permitted
10 pass.
And, wandering about that field Of az
ony and woe, she went till she found
her husband-and found him alive And
as she searched she gave such aid as
she could to the dying. She managed to
get her husband back to Washington and
nursed him. He went back again. and
again was wounded and had to be brought
ont. Over and over that happened, with
Mrs. Barlow nursing her husband when
he needed il and other soldiers when he
was we'll. She died in 1854. but only her
fraiI body passed. Such a spirit could
rot be forgottens
Mindful Of what the army nurse. suY
fered that they might alleviate suffering
Gen. Barlow often said to his friend
Capt. Scrymser Of New York, with whom
he had served in the war, that he wished
a memoLiaI could be built to the women
Of the war. And Gen. Barlow wanted the
memorial TO take the form of something
that could be used He wanted some.
thing which would be not only beautiful
but useful. He thought of the hardships
and labors of his own wife: and of the
other women during that awful time and
enough-that there should be -somethine
that should forever aid suffering human
ftv-and be talked of it.. 49,,
Influenced by this. Mr.. Scrynlser finally
offered TO the Dmmandery of the LOYAL
Legion of the state of New York s1OO 40
10 be used as part OF a fund for building
a mamoriai tofthe women of the war The
LOYAL Legion. engaging to raise 500 600,
asked Congress for an appropriation with
which TO build a monument to the loyal
women of the war. But Congress- de-
ciined to differentiate The women of the
whole. country had suffered. and lad
borne nobly the weight of the war; the
government would not k1clor part of them
alone
-.
But when the Red Cross asked for an
appropriation for monument to all the
women who rendered aid to sick and
wounded soldiers, Congress appropriated
the money. Mr.. Scrymser's offer. still
i,
itself to secure the needed balance, and.
as soon as may be, there will stand In
Washington a new white marble building
which will bear, probably at the division
of the stairway. where all who enter may
THE inScrtDffop-