Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-31
THE SPIRIT OF GREECE IN AMERICA
Finds Expression in the San Diego Exposition Which Has
Set Fine Object Lesson for the Whole of the
Country-A Fair Not Made to Order
By DAVID NJ. STEELE, D. D.

girls of Aragon The atmosphere of ole
Spain and the days Of the padres is flaw
less, decked out with added quaintness OF
the Indian life of the Southwest. There are
exquisite Spanish palaces, with cornices OF
polished, carven wood ornamented with
touches of gold and gay colors, with bal
comics and griles of delicate wrought iron;
others represent stately cathedrals, while
others are of the plain, substantial mission
type, and all have counterpart in the serv-
ants and helpers. You have left behind you
modern twentieth century city; you find
yourself, after only a few minutes walk, in
this all romantic atmosphere Here is the
great dome of a Spanish Cathedral, there the
plain doorway to an old Mission. Here is an
old Spanish residence, it's hospitable arch
way inviting the passer- by into a shady
patio, and there a garden thick with palms
and ferns and strange varieties of shrubs
AS one mingles with costumed guards, chair
attendants and clerks of concession booths
he might well be in Saville, Old Mexico
New Mexico-as here in Alta California.
And everywhere the foliage! Over the
appealing lines of the buildings, over the
cool cloisters, all around the pergoas which
overhang the canyons up the slopes of the
campaniles and the domes and the low bell
towers where the pigeons nest, everywhere
swarm the palm and the cypress, the.euca-
lypt and the acacia, the rose, the clematis
the jasmine and the honeysuckle The scent
of orange blossoms floods the air. cooled by
soft zephyrs from the nearby sea. Here is
rest; here is peace here is happiness Here
is the loveliness of bountiful Nature as
sembled and crystallized at San Diego's Ex-
position Beautiful.
Shame on America!
Now, all this has been well worth doing
for the reason all its own. 1t has set a
fine object lesson for the whole country
1t becomes copy book in Natures hand
writing for us who are so childlke after
all in our stage Of development, to practice
and attempt to initiate This is Southern
California's task, and she is trying to per-
form 1t this year at a cost approximately
OF SS'OOO,OOO In this whole country of ours
II is shame, but 1t is fact-here is almost
the one lone portion where Beauty, as in
ancient Greece is worshiped, actually wor-
SHIPPED. And this worship here has been con-
duclVe' not only to good health, but to
nightly good morals. They are devotees
these people, at the shrine of things aes-
'hStiS' anu d loNe OF lie so ttnged that led
them into better moral living The result
Is that not alone the place but the people
are the finest Of their race upon this con-
tinent. 1t is this that is the message of
the San Diego Fair 1t is this that gives
measure of value to the Panama Ca alifornia
Exposition. Would that myriads would con
the lesson and that our whole hundred mill
non population, money-mad but unromantic
unpoetie, unartistic, unappreeiative of mere
beauty and unmindful Of its value in the
realm OF morals might learn here this
meaning and take home this message.
1t is said Of Frederick the Great that he
once stood by the tomb of Peter the Great
and bearing his head spake low in admira
uon thus; Il would give one-half my king
dom II l might learn from thee how 10
rule the other half" We might. To our
pront give up half of what we boast al
the Panama-Pacihc, of mechanical genius
and material accomplishment. IL we co,Id
iearn trom the Panama-california how to
develop admiration for aesthetics ana IN
consequence new, higher, better ethics