The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-12-30
THE HAsKIN LETTER
The Women's Memorial Building.
By Frederick ]. Haslin.


Within a few weeks the corner
stone will be laid for the erection of
magnificent new building In the ma
uonal capital in honor OF the women
Who served as nurses in the Civil
war and by their heroism and self
sacrifice lessenkd the. suffering and
I, loss of life. The building is to be
utilized as the permanent home Of
the American Red Cross society For
Years the erection of some memor-
ial to the women Of the Civil war
has been under consideration and
many views have been advanced as
70 the form 1t should take. These
differences. have been united in the
decision to erect a beautiful build
ing to house the organization Of
ficially authorized to carry ON the
humanitarian work OF the nation.
since this work best typifies the
spirit of the women that the build
ing is designed to honor. The eff
fciency developed by the Red Cross
Society in relieving the suffering Of
millions Of human beings in recent
disasters makes 1t worthy Of build
ing typifying heroism and sacrifice.
The honor OF providing such a
memorial to the women of the Civil
war must be divided between Misn
Mabel Boardman Of the National Red
Cross Society and Captain James A.
lscrymser Of the Military Order OF
the Legion Of Honor OF the United
States Captain Scrymser felt. thai
the nation should erect memorial
Ito the loyal women Of that period
and offered to create a fund for that
purpose. Miss Boardman felt that
no memorial could be quite 30 fitting
as a handsome building to be used
for the permanent home Of the or
ganizationi carrying on the work OF
mercy which these women inaugur-
ated. The two thoughts are COM
bined in the beautiful white granite
building to be erected during the
coming year.
Captain Scrymser's plan included
only the northern women in the me-
mortal. He made It practical by
offering the sum Of 100000 in the
name OF the Loyal Legion provided
that congress would appropriate a
Hike amount. A bill appropriating
s400.0 600 was passed by the Senate
in 1912, but was rejected by the
House. Considerable opposition was
expressed because the proposed me
mortal was to honor only the women
of the North, thus ignoring the
Women Of the southern states who
had made equal sacrifices from an
equal sense of duty. In addition to
their heroic services in nursing the
wounded. the southern women sur
fered from actual war in their midst,
q horror the northern women were
spared. It seemed fitting, then. IN
the minds OF the entire nation, that
the special session of congress last
year should, appropriate the s400.-
900 for a memorial to the women OF
the Civil war. regardless OF their
|sympathies or allegiance.
The bill provided that the apnro-
Ipriation would be made available for
q Red Cross headquarters, providing
that the organization raise at. least
$300.000 in order that building
wor-Sa 100000 might be erected.
The response was prompt and
through the generosity OF Captain
Scrymser. Mrs! Russell Sage, Mrs.
Edward H. Hartman and the Rookie
Teller Foundation the sum OF $780,
900 was made available for the me-
mortal building.
A commission was appointed to
take charge 'lof securing suitable
lot and arranging for the building.
The commission consisted Of PRESS
dent Wilson, Secretary Of War Car
y.fcNYa Ca~otAy. an ~ Nd
Congressman Slayden OF Texas. A
desirable lot was secured at once
and the contracts let for building
from plans designed by well-known
firm OF architects. The building will
be three stories high and of classic
design. Massive Corinthian pillars
will surround 1t. The material is to
Se white marble. It will occupy q
city block 300x500 feet in size,
bounded by Seventeenth and Eigh-
Iteenth and D and e streets, North
west. In Washington, D. G. When
the building is completed an I'M
broken line of magnificent white
marble structures will face the beau
tfful park south OF the Write Rouse.
The women's memorial will stand
between the Corcoran art gallery
and the Continental Memorial hall
built by the Daughters Of the Amer
lean Revolution. Next to the Con-
tinental Memorial hall stands the
magnificent building Of the Pam
American union. These buildings
lin their order represent art. philan-
thropy, patriotism and peace, and
constitute the finest group OF their
kind in the world.