The sun., 1919-05-16
EXPERTS CRITICISE
HYLAN'S ART TASTE
Big, Fat Balloons Mar Victory
Arch, Is View Expressed
at Federation.
MEMORIALS FOR HEROES
Cass Gilbert Suggests Waiting
for Decade at Least to Get
Perspective.


decorations received pungent criti-
cism at the meeting of the American
Federation Of Art in the Metropolitan
Museum yesterday. Charles Moore,
chairman Of the general committee Of
war memorials. said that there was
more camoufage than art in the arch
and the various decorations along Fifth
avenue and suggested that the result
would have been better IL most OF the
decorations had been eliminated.
The Victory Arch in its art has been
obscured by a number of large, fat bal
looms was the way Mr.. Moore put
his criticism of the attempt to make the
entrance to the avenue at Twenty-third
street striking demonstration of well
come. 1t may be striking. but it is not
artistic or inspiring, he believes. Every
time you endeavor to look at the decora-
lions on the top Of the arch you sec
a black, floating gasbag."
Sherman's statue at Fifty-ninth street
and Farragut's statue In Madison Square
Park have been so camoufaged, he said,
that the real art in them has been care
fully concealed.
Most of the addresses OF the day ad-
Vised careful consideration before any
permanent memorial Is planned.
rms view was also supported by Cass
Gilbert, the architect, who decried the
attempt of people to rush to the imme-
oiate completion Of war memorials.
In to 10
thy OF the heroism they commemorate.
You have people asking that advantage
be taken OF the present sentiment. No
advantage should be taken of a noble
sentiment"
Best Memorials After n Decade.
Mr.. Gilbert said that he had heard
that the French had passed a law that
no permanent memorial should he
erected on the battlefelds Of France
until ten years have passed, and said
that II he had been wrongly informed
he hoped that such a law would be
| passed. In the meantime, he added. It
would be possible to make the glorious
traditions OF America in the present war
| part Of the national life by naming
forest for Belleau Woods or the Ar.
gonne. river for the Marine or the
| Meuse, or streets for some great events
| in the war.
Elihu Root did not believe that the
great deeds of this war could be COM
memorated by the erection Of monu-
ments both unitarian and useful
| We must appeal to the art Of Amer
lea to express the spirit of America to
the future he said. ut must not be
that the generations Of the future should
not be moved by the spirit which moved
| U.s."
This can only be done, he said, by
work of the best artists in the coun.
try which shall typify the spiritual
heights to which the country rose in the
| war. which shall express things not ex-
| pressible in books or histories, and
which shall be undying because of their
inspirational value to the men and WON.
en- of future years
The careful use of architecture scuIp-
| ture and painting are all needed In the
memorials. said Edwin II. Blashfield
the mural painter.
Lincoln Highway Could he Used,
The Lincoln Highway. decorated with
| arches and reservations for trees and
| inches. was recommended by Joseph Pen.
nell, the etcher as most hitting way &c
| express the national sentiment in the
| war. The Romans did this whenever they
| conquered province, and some OF their
| ways have come down to the present
time, until a Roman road is a synonym
| Of lasting memorial.
plea for the Pennsylvania Dutch
| and Germans was made by the Rev c.
| Everest Granger. who said that no more
loyal people had given their all in the
| war
| There was a wide division of opinion
| in the meeting as to whether memorials
| should be unitarian as well as artistic
| and as to whether the two ideas could
| be combined. There were suggestions
| that community houses could be built
/ which would be both artistic and useful
and that bridges and other improvement.
could be erected and named so that they
might be memorials 10 the heroism OF
| the men who fought in France and Elan.
| ders. To this Mr.. Root took exception
although a paper by Morris Gray, presi.
dent of the Museum OF Fine Arts OF Bos-
! ton. said that the most impressive OF
unitarian memorials would be a bridge
over the Hudson River.
After the meeting the delegates and
members of the Federation viewed the
J.. p Morgan Library and the collection
Of Mrs II. o. Havemeyer In the eve.
ming they attended a reception at the
home of former Senator William A
Clark.