The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-04
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
y INFORM ALTON
BUREAU
FREDERIC J. HAsKIN. Director
A WAR MUSEUM.
Washington, D. C.

II II
new responsibility. He has promised
to help the National museum get to-
gether a collection of war relics.
Just how much of the collecting will
be done by the commander in chief
of the A. e. F. himself the museum
management does not know, but it has
his assurance of his personal interest
in a national war exhibit. There is
no doubt that the general will do
his part in shipping over German
guns and barbod wire coated with
genuine French mud and all of the
other things which Will help TO make
the war real to future generations.
All of our half hundred museums
will have more or less extensive war
collections, but there should be. and
will be, d <big national collection like
the British imperial war exhibit, to be
a part Of the government possessions
and to serve as a, soarce of authentic
information on the various phases of
the war.
This collection. which IS so far
largely a thing the future, is to be
lodged in the National museum at
Washington. Already a few easily
available exhibits are on display in
the museum halls. If the collection
| assumes the expected proportions, it
will demand an amount of space war
ranting a building of its own, but
| with a congress bent on cutting down
national expense. there is small chance
of an immediate appropriation for
this project.
as regards the war relic collection is
| to be both conservative and progress
i've. Following time -honored museum
traditions, General Pershing and other
| war notables will probably be asked
to contribute their uniforms when dis
I'd d a M al
their personal possessions. But to be
even fairly complete a war exhibit
planned today must go far beyond
the limits of previous war collections
the battlefield and its heroes.
According to the plans of Mr.. Will
liam Ravenel of the museum, the
national exhibit will not consist of the
usual conglomeration of objects picked
up on battlefields and labeled war
| relics" The purpose of the collection
is to hold in concrete form the memoir
les and the spirit of the war, and this
can best be done by gathering together
the various products of the period.
For example, there are the inven-
| tions and methods of modern warfare,
the artistic output inspired by war.
typical OF this war. These and other
angles OF the war are to be presented
| in careful arrangement to bring out
| relationships.
The museum hopes to secure SAM
Pies OF as much of the machinery of
warfare as possible. even to a tank
and baby dirigible. When 1t is i'm
possible to transport the real thing, as
in the case of a trench and dugout,
PAPER mache coated with paint is
| made into an excellent lifesize or
miniature reproduction.
J.. Promised cooperation of the war
and navy departments should gain for
the national collection the pick of the
wars souvenirs. Stringent passport
regulations have, kept collectors and
archa biologists at home and as vet Sec
ond hand balloons and big guns have
not been put up at auction. The SOL
diers are Of course bringing home
small souvenirs but the really big
game in the way of relics is still to be
bagged.
Few objects will be bought by the
government to swell the collection, as
all the larger allied nations either
have, or expect to have. war exhibits
similar to our own. and trophies OF
war can readily be gained by ex-
change. Our participation in actual
campaigns was too brief for extensive
capture Of trophies fact which may
warrant an occasional purchase-but
in the main the museum wishes il
clearly understood that It is not in the
market for war relics. Donations, on
the other band, are gladly received
and credit given for the gift. In fact
the museum expects the bulk of its
war collection to be gained thru the
Incorporation of the war department
and the public.
War relics now at hand are limited
to the red flag Of a German Zeppelin
the French uniform, medal certifi-
Gates, a photograph of Lieutenant
Wolcott. an American aviator who
fought and died with the Lafayette
escadrille, and an American flag made
by three Scotch women for use at the
funeral services for the rTuscania
and equipment of our forces, and a
food conservation exhibit complete
the nucleus of the national war sur
yey.
The logical emphasis of the food
display rests upon a long array OF
imitation edibles for the purpose OF
showing the exact and relative food
value Of items of wartime menus
Real food in glass Jars fills another
case and recalls the fervent canning
appeals of the food administration
Posters, diagrams, and war substi-
tutes complete this unit which will
BECOME more and more interesting as
recollections of food administration
rule become less vivid.
Many OF the orthodox relics OF
former wars will have no counter
part in the world war exhibit Most
noCceaDly absent will be the flags
The day of the banners romantic as
ISOLATION with battle is gone, and -ex-
cept for flags of aircraft and ships
flags damaged more by the elements
than by bullets, war museums will
be flagless.
j; Another disappearing piece of tradi-
tional museum property is the sword
OF the hero Generals today have
swords which they wear on state oc-
casions, but the sword of the modern
commander is less an instrument OF
history than his fountain pen. Ten
denotes of the era are read in these
subtle changes in the order of things
and these are the significant points OF
interest in comparing exhibits of this