Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-22
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
CAPITOL PAINTINGS
ByrRIGGS


paintings that complete the capital
dome seem to be the result of a
prophetic vision Of coming events.
Placed high above the cherished,
she'll torn, powder blackened battle
flags-Revolutionary, 1912, Mexican,
Civil War flags-how many?
While peculiarly fitting to Penn
sylvania-the Keystone State-these
paintings, to-day. take on breadth,
an application, that is almost ma
tional in character.
An illustration or two:
President Wilson, in his Boston
speech said, we put all our men
and all our means at the disposal
of those who were lighting, not only
for their homes, but for the cause,
/ the cause of human right and just
ice"
Now we all remember the letter.
ing on Abbey's medallion represent
ing Religion:
For religion. pure religion, say,
! Conssteth not in the wearing of a
monks cowl, but in Righteousness,
| Justice. and well-doing.
Another reminder of the meaning
of the same painting is carried in
! local soldiers published letter
from France, an extract from which
| follows:
IF we have done we'll it was for
! the love of America.
Dimly we understood that we had
! been sent forth to slay something
which. if it thrived unchecked, would
| one day reach out across the seas
! and destroy America, and believe me
| there was not one of us who did not
walk n little straighter. live little
| cleaner, work n little harder, fight
| a little harder on that account, and
! above all become better citizens, be-
| cause America means more to us
than ever before. For one thing we
have had to learn what it was to dc
without America. Some for little
while, others, for interminable
months, others forever. TO be frank
! brother, We have tried to hide 1t II
our letters OF being as abysmallS
homesick, but surely that was nc
| bad thing"
Who can doubt that something
| TO be slain was the same hideous
writhing dragon, THE Spirit of Evil
that Abheys appealing figure of Re
! ligion tramples. conquered, under
| her feet.
The flaming altar and lighted
| torch on either side at once sugges
and recall to many some of the fin
est lines inspired by the war: "TC
you. with failing hands we throw the
torch. BE yours to lift it high" ant
who can count the millions of hands
that have reached forth lifted anC
held il high-the torch of progress
of civilization and of religion?
AN inevitableness i'll the suddeI
golden haired, ivory-tinted god
desses, swathed in diaphanous blue
upward flight of the spirits of light
and coming like eXhaltations of th'
deeps'-Royal Cortissoz's descrip
ton of that "torch-bearing" bant
with upreaching, flame-tippet
hands, going forth to carry light
who cannot find an application o
his own?
One word more for this group o
paintings.
We see the fleet of oncoming ships
irrcsistably drawn to our shores b.
the Spirits of Freedom and Liberty
| Now, millions of our own have beer
irresistably drawn back across tha'
same eastern sea. guided by th'
same spirits, to guard and save ou
dearly-won liberty, and to help es
tablish freedom in many lands.
Blindfolded fortune balances upoI
her wheel between peace and war
seeking the treasures of the earti
to prove their strength and vulcan
mighty works to both. Flower
decked peace on one side. hoVerini
on the other stern war, classi
Greek helmet on her head, avengini
sword in hand-War-who way
we have but lately come to know 81
well.
While mysterious science, serpen
coiled about her feet, snowy oWl~o
wisdom and knowledge perche'
upon her left hand, the forked light
ming in her right-Science, the Inys
tic, the veiled, the beautiful-stand
sphinX-like by.
Abbey's lettering of science i
this:
at am what is, what shall be
what hath been. My veil hath beel
! disclosed by none. The fruit whicl
I have brought forth is this. Tn
Sun is born"
And 1 might add this
Life said to the artist; show M
dream,
That men may know me loftier thar
l seem.
Not only kin and servitor OF the clod
But the yelled Image and tn
. thought of God"
APPRECLATIXE.