Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-04
A War Museum
BY Frederic J. Haskin

done by the commander IN CnIef oI bhF
| A. T. r. himself, the museum manage
mrnt docs not know; but it has his assur-
ance Of his personal interest in a national
war exhibit There IS no doubt but that
| the general will do hts part in shipping
| over German guns, and barbed wire,
| coated with genuine trench mud and all Of
tho other things which will help To make
the war real 10 future generations
| All Of orr half hundred museums will
/ have more or less extensive war collec-
tions, but there should be, and viii be, n
big national collection like the British
/ Imperial War Exhibit, tn he part of the
government possessions and tn serve as
| source of authentic information on the
| various phases Of the war.
| This collection. which is so far largely
q thing of the future If % be lodged IN the
| National Museum at Washington Al
ready Il few easily available exhibits are
on display IN the museum halls. If the
| collection assumes the expected proper
| tions, It will demand m amount of spare
warranting building Of its own, but with
q Congress bent on cutting down national
| expense. there II small chance OF an I'M
| medatr appropriation for this PROJECT
The policy of tho National Museum as
regards the war relic collection, IS - be
| both conservative and progressive Fol
| lowing time honored museum traditions
| Gcperal pershing and other war nOtablcs
will probably hc asked ~ contribute their
uniforms when discarded and also souvc-
| Mrs from among their personal possese1ors
! But 10 be even fairly complete, q war
exhibit planned today, must % far be-
vond the limits Of previous war coilec-
tons the battlefield and its heroes
ExHIRir TO SHOW PRODUCTS or THE
PERIOD.
According tn the plans Of William
| RavCnel Of the National Museum, he
national EXHIBIT will not consist of the
usual congorneration of ohlecte pickod
| M on battlchelds and labeled var
| relics The purpose ~ the collection ls -
| hold IN concrete form the rncmoTIeS and
the spirit of tho var, and this can best be
done ~ gathering together the various
| products Of the period.
For example, there are the inventions
ard methods Of modern warfare, the
| Artistic output INSPIRED by var and fopd
conservation, an institution typical Of this
war These and other angles Of the war
are to be presented IL careful arrange
ncnt to bring ont relationships
The museum hopes to secure samples ~
as much Of the machinery of warfare as
possible, even 10 tank and baby
| dirigiho " hen II is impossible ~ trans
port the r. al thing, As IN the care of
trench and iugout PAPER u ache, coated
with paint Is made INTO an excellent ilfe-
size Or immature reproduction.
Promised corporation of the War and
Navy Departments should gam for the
national collection the pick Of the war .
souvenirs stringent passport regulations
have kept collectors and archaeologIsts at
home and az yet second hand balloons
and big guns have not been plIt Up A.
auction The soldiers are, ri course,
bringing home small souvenirs, but the
feallv biz game IN the way of relics is
still to be bagged
Few objects will be bought BIZ the gov
eminent 70 swell the collection. as ali the
larger allied nations either have. or ex-
pect to have, war exhibits similar 10 our
own, and trophies OF war can readily be
gained By exchange Our participation in
actual campaigns WAS too brief Tor ex
tenslve capture Of trophies TACT which
may warrant IN occasional purchase
but IN the main. the museum wishes Il
clearly understood tina il Is not IN the
market for war relics donations. on the
other hand, arc gladly received and credit
given Tor the GIFT In fact, the museum
expects the bulk of lis war collection 10 be
gained through The co operation OF the
War Department and the public
WAR KELICs LIMtTEo.
War relics now at band are limited to
.he red flag of ! German Zeppelin. the
French uniform. medal certificates, a
photograph Of Lieutenant Nolcott, an
American aviator Who fought and d,ed
with he Lafayette E.Scadrille, snd an
American FLAG maGc BY .hnr Scotch
u omea for tlsc a the funeral services for
the TuscanIa dead. Samples ot uniforms
medals, ana cqlpmen; of our forces, ana
:. food conserN alton exhibit complete the
nucleus vi the national Mar survey.
The logical emphasis o5 the food dis
play rests upon 4 long array II Imitation
ediblcs for The purpose u showing the
exact and relative food value OF items of
wartime menus Real food in glass jars
ILLS another case and recalls the feryent
canning appeals OF the Food AdnInistra-
ton Posters, diagrams and war substi-
tutes complete this unit, which viii be
come more and more interesting Is recol-
lection~ Of Food Administration rule be
como less vivid
Many Of the orthodox relics Of former
wars wlll have no counterpart in the world
war exhibit Most uotictably absent will
bc the flags The day Of the banners
romantic aSsOclatlon with battle is gone.
and except for flags of aircraft and ships,
flags damaged more by the elements than
hy bullets, war museums viii b. aagltss
Another disappearing piece of tradi-
tIUnal museum property, IS the sword cf
the hero Generals today have swords
which they wear on state occasions. but
the sword Of the modern commander y less
an instrument Of history than his fountain
pen Tendencies, OF the era arc read IN
these subtle changes IN The order II
things and these are The significant points
Of interest in comparing exhibits Of this
ard other wars
Perhaps the most graphic view Of the
war can be gained through pictures
This is recognized he the museum 5
SCIENTISTS, who will later take steps TO
acquire both photographs and paintings
for the collection. When the excitement
attending the wars close has died down.
and perspective Of the important mel
dent and most valuable productions ot
the period can be obtained, pictures and
other exhibits can be chosen more wisely.
IL theY are not taken during he delay