Evening star., 1916-08-02
UNWILLING RITES
HELD At CAPITOL
Impressive Ceremonies as
Bartlett Statuary on House
Pediment Is Undraped.
SCULPTOR DESCRIBES
ALLEGORICAL FIGURES
Speaker Clark and Representative
Slayden Make Addresses
Fitting to Occasion.

yelling of the statuary of the
pediment of the House wing OF
the United States Capitol today
were SO favored by sunshine and
other circumstances as to make
them among the prettiest and
still most impressive among all
the various unveiling ceremonies
the city of Washington has seen
The pediment, which is the triangular
space above the columns of the House
portico. faces the great stretch OF
greensward across the plaza from the
Capitol, and it was upon this soft
lawn, under great spreading tree
that Speaker Clark and Representative
Slayden and the sculptor, Paul Bart
lett, spoke briefly to gathering OF
people there, including senators and
and daughters and friends. The Ma
rine Band, in full strength. was there
also, to make the unveiling more of a
success.
Gives History Of Work.
Representative James L. Slayden OF
Texas, chairman of the House commit
tee on library, the committee which
prepares and passes upon legislation
was the chairman of the unveiling cere-
ND al m FROM
former chairman, Samuel Mccall OF
Massachusetts,, who was the author OF
the bill resulting in the sculpture. Rep
resentative Slayden gave a brief his
tory of the work, beginning with the
passage of the law authorizing it,
eight years ago.
II suppose" he said, there are still
a few people who believe that such an
investment as this is a waste of public
money. These are people who mistake
crudeness and baroness for the noble
that should characterize q
and dignity in public buildings that
house the legislative and executive
bodies of the government.
Proud of Temple of Democracy.
But that is not true Of all the pec-
pie; and If any such Philistines remain
they should stand for an hour on this
plaza and observetheir wondering and
delighted fellow countrymen when
viewing the Capitol for the first time.
In their glowing faces one can read
it's magnificence. Every American is
justly proud of this temple of democ-
racy, open to all the people all the time.
and into which his prayers and his
never fail to penetrate"
The Marine Band played the national
and as the people upon the
lawn arose the white-clad sailors, who
seemed to be clinging like swallows to
the sides and top of the House portico,
loosed the ropes and the canvas cover
ground
Describes the Group.
The sculptor, Paul Bartlett. described
the group. He said:
IAN allegorical group of two figures,
Peace Protecting Genius fills the
center of the pediment. Peace, an armed
Peace, stands erect, draped in a mantle
which almost completely hides her
arm rests on her buckler. which is sup
ported by the altar at her side, in the
background the ''olive tree of peace.
Her right arm is extended in a ges-
ture of protection over the youthful and
winged figure of Genius. who nestles
at her feet and holds in his
right hand the torch of Immortality.
The composition is completed by
two other groups symbolizing and
typifying the two great fundamental
sources of wealth. agriculture and in
1ustry.
Callings Are Exalted.
The most modest of our farmers and
aborers can find in these groups the
symbol of his own self and of his en-
leavors; he may even find there his own
and he will see that his
lelpmate. his children. his cattle and
he harvest from his fields have been
exalted and carved in marble forms.
THE printer the ironworker, the
can do the same, and enjoy the
same profound satisfaction. The toll
ng factory girl, weaver or spinner of
.extiles will observe that she has not
5oted to the sea can discover a group
which will remind them of the joys of
heir vocation.
"A wave terminates the sculpture at
,ither end of the pediment. and is
meant to indicate that all this human
,rised between the shores of the two
oceans, the Atlantic and Pacific"
Speaker Clark's Address.
Speaker Clark said. in part:
washington is the finest capital city
n the world. The United States has the
argest homogeneous population of any
ountry in the world and we have the
nest Capitol building in the world, a
model for Capitol buildings everywhere.
his sculpture is the finishing touch to
he Capitol building. especially to the
Iouse of Representatives. The first
nan to upraise his voice in oratory in
hat House building was Sunset Cox.
nd if all the oratory delivered there
fnce that time should be printed in
ooks the world wouldn't contain them
IL"
The Speaker was applauded when he
aid a tribute to the Monroe doctrine
nd predicted that 1t would be strength
ned and not weakened.
Those dilettante writer's who say
he Monroe doctrine is a fake don't |
lnow what they are talking about"
,e said I'VE will not only maintain 1t. |
nut we will strengthen it. The Monroe
doctrine says that we take the coun- |
ries of the western hemisphere under |
,ur wing and that European nations |
Who lay hands on 1t will suffer- We
Lon't want our neighbors' lands, but |
We want our neighbors to be free"
The Speaker said that when Col. |
roosevelt spoke of the Monroe doc |
rine in Chile he caused a riot
The various speakers paid their COM
liments to the cooperation and aid |
oward making the pediment statuary
success granted by the superintend- |
mt of the Capitol. Elliott Wopds. and /