Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-24
THE ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL
Purposes Of the Association Explained
by the Chairman Of the Phils-
delphia Committee
BY WILLIAM DRAPER LEWIS
TNIIERE are hundreds Of thousands Of peo

TnlERE are hundreds Of thousands of peo-
- pie in the United States who are anxious
for suitable opportunity TO show their re-
gard and in many cases their affection for
the memory of Theodore Roosevelt.
1t is not that they always agreed with
him. Many of those who now realize the
greatness of his character, when he was alive
often differed from him and opposed him
politically. Today there is an almost uni
versal appreciation of his public services.
Men realize that the kind of Americanism
he stood for is the kind of Amcricanism
which. above all things, we most need in
this critical period of our national life.
THESE arc some of the reasons why. ire
u spectivc of party or race or creed, there
is in all sections of the country very gen
cra and growing desire to do something
which will express our regard and affection
for him. This general and universal desire
has given rise to the Roosevelt Memorial As
sociation. a national organization controlled
by national committee, representing per-
sons of all political faith, all sections OF
the country. as well as the many sided ac-
tivitics of Colonel Roosevelt himself.
NEXT Monday, October 81. is the first
~ anniversary of his birth occurring since
next Monday special effort is being made
in every state of the United States to give
every man. woman and child who desires to
show his or her regard and appreciation for
him an opportunity to do so. Any one may
become member of the Roosevelt Memorial
Association by signing an application blank
and contributing as a permanent life mem
bcrship fec 81. or any larger sum which they
may desire to give.
Arrangements have been made by the locaI
Philadelphia committee to distribute these
application blanks as widely as practicable
throughout the city. Any one who has not
already received a blank nay obtain one
from the nearest drug store. The blank con-
taihs directions how to forward the appli-
cation and the contribution. Each person
becoming a member will receive certificate
of membership from the central hcadquar-
ters in New York.
TIIE money contributed is to be used by
l. the national committee to create me-
mortal satisfactory to Colonel Roosevclt's
family.
No effort is being made to collect great
sum Of money.
No pressure is to be put on any one TO
subscribe.
Colonel Roosevelt himself would have
been the first to oppose any effort TO use his
name to collect large sums of money at any
time. and especially at this time, when there
is so much suffering in the world.
TIME exact form of the memorial will, of
L course, depend on the amount of money
which the committee will have at its dis
posal but we may have confidence that in
any event it will be appropriate. The rep
rescntativc character of the committee is an
assurance that the money will be used in
such way as to combine dignity with prac-
tical usefulness. Roosevelt was too intensely
alive to think of the use Of any large por-
ton Of the money in. the erection of mere
monument.
However great the good which may be done
with the funds collected. the real benefit is
to be derived by the gathering together in
one association Of thousands of persons who
unite to do honor to Colonel Roosevelt's
memory.
GREAT characters are the rungs of the
" ladder on which nation climbs TO
higher, better planes of action. Roosevelt s
public services were many; but his great
service to the nation collectively. and to
each one of us individually, is that to him
more than to any other man of his generation
we owe the elevation of our ideals of Ameri
can citizenship. Every American who knows
the history of his country is better Ameri-
can and better man or woman because
men like Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt
have lived. The very act, simple as it is,
of joining an association designed to honor
the memory of a man of the character and
life of Theodore Roosevelt does good to the
person who joins.
TTHUS the Roosevelt Memorial Association
l. finds the real reason for its existence in
the benefit which will come to its members
In the very fact that they have united to
do honor to man who, to the great ma
iority Of his fellow citizens, is the typical
American"
The efficacy of a kick depends on the
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