Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-24
AWAKENS
TOC|TY BEAUTIFUL
British Metropolis Starts Move
ment to Preserve Its His
torioal Places.

London Is beginning TO wake up
and really know her worth, as
Yum Yum sings in "Fhe Mikado. ="
For long she has Withstood the re-
proaches Of authors of an archeolog-
ical turn, pilgrims from far lands
on worship bent, and the desul-
tory indignation of certain enthusi-
asts upon tho press. The London
county council has taken matters In
hand to u certain extent and has
awakened public interest in the proc
ess of civic Identification.
This result has been arrived ut
partly by pointing out that ordered
streets and Well-preserved buildings
are an asset and attraction to
moneyed visitors, and partly by going
ahead with practical improvements,
and sending the bill In to the public
in the shape of increased rates. This
drain on his pocket has stimulated
the ratepayer at last to the degree Of
interesting himself In the proceeds
of this expenditure, and whether he
agrees with this kind Of outlay or not,
he seems resolved to have a voice In
choosing the channels where the
money goes.
So much the better for London, and
so much the better, certainly, for the
London lover Tor he sees a prospect
That the greatest metropolis In the
world will be saved from what Lord
Curzon in an eloquent passage once
called "sacrilege and spoiiation." 1t
is true that George Nathaniel was
appropriating this task and purpose
to the London society OF which he is
the worthy chairman, but in a way,
though few of us tender it subscrip-
ton, we may all claim to be hon
- h.
ton. and pledged, as far as in us
lies, to make recruits for it.
Reconstructed Office of Works.
But am not out so much for pros
elytism as to give an account of Lon
don's stewardship in the matter of
taking care of herself, and realizing
what Lord Curzon in another burs
called her historic heritage" And If
London with her thousand years of
history does not deserve a little pur-
pie pat upon the back like this, then
rhetoric is rubbish, and all flesh is
fishified
The chief conversion of this great
crusade for the preservation of ole
London Is his majesty's reconstructed
office of works. perhaps the least
sentimental of all official bureaus OF
this imperfect planet. In answer to
an appeal from various quarters, /
has stepped forward and spread
sheltering wing over famous
Georgian house in Soho, so as to save
It from the hands of the destroyer
and If before the eighteen months o.
grace have expired we cannot flnd
some publc-spirited person to defray
the chief expense, there is every
chance that the said department W.T.
work upon the feelings Il say fee.
ings for want of an exacter world o.
MS ma1esty's exchequer. 1t is a rash
expectation, perhaps, all on accoun4
OF a single one among the many hun
dred thousand houses in London bu
] hope before I lay down my pen t.
show that it Is justified.
London's Museums.
= In the meantime let us look a.round
and see what has been done to D.,
the historic self-consciousness O.
London into perfns nent form.
the last couple of years we hay,
added to the many repositories q
London lore-I mean the f;uildha
and other public librares--the librar
OF the ROYAL Historical Society ar
the local museums Ike those at Beth
nal Green and Dllwicb-what
perhaps. the nearest approach w
have e conceived of the Muse
Carnavalif in Paris
This is the London museum prone,
which is q sumptuous and careful
collection of everything reIa ting t.
the social, public and historic life OF
London from the times of ..he dug
out found in an up-Thames swan
and the Roman barge unearthcd no
long ago at Westminster This as
semblage of every conceivable cir