Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-30
TREES AS WAR MEMORIALS
Joseph Pcnnell and DR.. James NJ. Anders
Write Of Screen Monuments

WTlt6 OF OTcen MOnunleHt5
To the Editor Of the Evening Public Ledger:
Sir--The project of the Pennsylvania
division OF the woman's land army to plant
trees on the Lincoln Highway should be sent
to Mr. Sproul and all the other Governors. as
we'll az to the American Forestry Association,
for It Is most useful and would make the road
moro beautiful
It is only what the inhabitants of the devas-
tated regions of the war zone will do at once
along their roads. Every road In Europe is
tree-lined. Can one forget how the stone
pines compose with the tombs and the
aqueductS near Rome on the old roads-or
the noble. solemn plne-covered ways that
lead from leghhorn south toward Grosetto-
or the dim shadowy tunnel near Ravenna.
And coming north over the Alps or along the
Riviera, into the land Of that terrible wind,
the MisTal, how II IS stilled by the i'm
pcnetrable lines Of expresses that stretch
across the plain of La Crau by the roadside.
These are most useful and most beautifui
memorials.
We should SO plant our trees. We have
as many sorts as they have in Europe, ana
they can be planted in the same useful
fashion. Who, that has seen. can forget the
avenue of buttonballs with the little river
dividing the road in two parts that makes
of hot Vaucluse a COOL sweet-smelling,
shadowyftown? Or again to have driven once
the high road from Sorrento to Naples forget
vistas OF that journey?-or how, beneath
dense mhsses. are placed the curved seats the
Pompeahs loved to place where there was the
best view Of their loved sea their dreaded
mountain. All these seats and trees and
groves were memorals-and all were on their
highways. And then coming north in France
how the road that runs straight across the
plain or winds among the hills Is also tree
lined. And the avenues at Fontainebleau.
the vIstas at Chantily mostly gone, the last
I fear and then the endless popars that lead
TO the coast, and every once in while you
cross a tree-lned canal on a beautiful bridge.
t. NIArA sEla. nf NlaG
New Forest and of Sherwood and through
them all the high roads run.
Here on the highway we too must have
trees to shade it--and groves dedicated to our
heroes and our great and our shrines as well.
and our resting places and our wells and all
tree-shaded with the trees OF our country.
The elms in the East, the eucalyptus in the
West, and all that grow between. This Is ono
of the ways to make our useful roads beautl-
full. And II the women Of America Will take
this scheme up II will be carried out and II
must bc carried out, for the road Is in
dispensable and must be beautiful as well.
They can do II. JOSEPH c., PENNELL.
Philadelphia, December 20.
To tho Editor Of the EVenin0 Public Ledger:
sir--In my view it would be entirely fit
ting TO plant trees as memorials to the Penn
sylvania heroes OF the recent conflict OF ma
tions. These emblems would yisibly reveal
their vitality. attracting the attention of the
appropriately located, e.. e., in our puprc
squares or lining our principal streets ana
new boulevards, The same occult, irresistible
forces, guided by the author of all life. that
are displayed by men on the firing line. are
indicated by the fingers Of hardy trees and the
charming goddess Of flowers. II has been we'll
said that plants are "living emblema OF the
rapid flight OF hours and time itself, eternal
lessons OF wisdom are associated with all our
wants our pleasures and our pains"
Nothing In the way Of memorial with
its special mission or Bignihcaton would
appeal more strongly to the emotions and
soul OF man than hardy trees, which we prize
for their beauty and genius in marking the
different seasons of the year, Trees would
give the signal of strength life and repose.
after the struggle and dangers which our
heroes bTaved so valiently. The writer votes
for trees as memorials, and would assign to
them the function Of binding all the springs
OF love, of country, devotion and heroism
for this and the coming generations Obvi-
ously, to replace these trees when fully
matured by others would be imperative. but
this could be safely left to our successors.
j. NJ, ANDERS, NJ, y.
philadelphia, December &C.