The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30
War Memorials.

War Memorials.
Every town Of size has It's memo
rial Of the civil war. There are In
Manhattan at least a dozen monu-
ments or statues In honor Of individ.
usls or organizations conspicuous in
that struggle. Soon. throughout q
country that is far richer after the
great war than II was after the con-
fiict to preserve the Union, there will
be built hundreds Of memorials to the
men Of 1917 and 1918. In this city
for instance, there Is talk of sol.
diers' monument In Pershing Square
and shaft to Major mitchell in the
old reservoir In Central Park.
Because Of the certainty of the
erection Of these lasting tributes to
heroic patriotism the Municipal Ar,
Society Of New York City has devoted
a special bulletin to war memorials
Its purpose is to guide grateful com.
munities toward the beautiful and
away from the monumental atrocities
that disf1gure some American towns
The bulletin says:
Compared with our own time, tho
civil war period found every town
and hamlet singulsrly unprepared
in the Fine Arts. and when. at its
close, soldier memorials were desired,
no one even thought OF any other
form than the ready made or to order
types Of cemetery monuments. en-
larged a little and furnished with
artillery and ammunition.
Now, when a new wave OF patri-
N0tism is bringing TO US again the OPP
portunity OF defeating new memo
rails, our first fear Is of return to
that dismal stone age. Such fears
may, however. prove unfounded. for
the times have completely changed
and there 10 a general acquaintance
with works of art and a growing APP
probation of their part in life, as We
have become accustomed to live with
them"
The town in search OF a memorial
is no longer limited to the heroic
statue or the conventional column
The fame Of a soldier or regiment
may be preserved through some struc
ture which will at the same time
serve another purpose. Gateways
bridges, beacons. clock towers, colon
nades, community houses, libraries
museums-these are some of the
partly unitarian memorials that may
be used where the funds are suffi
Client. In the list of the more conven
tional tributes are equestrian statues
figures and groups, fountains ant
arches. The bulletin offers a picture
Of the Sherman monument in the Cen
trail Park Plaza as all example Of ar
equestrian statue combining action
dignity and poise. Whether eques
TRAN statues Of heroes Of the late
war will BIO popular Is a question
The popular mind associates General
PERsHING, for instance, with a motor
car rather than with a steed; and hi
will be genius who will carve {
marble automobile that will not be out
Of style In few years.
Gin sculpture is another Of the
Art Society's suggestions, and some
New England or Southwestern regi
ment's admirers may take advantage
. IT. 1t might be that the deeds OF
lie Twenty seventh Division could bt
chlselled upon the Palisades Of the
great river of that divisions State
but the Seventy seventh Division has
no cliffs except those in which 1T
members dwell, and the sides of these
are already decorated with the death
less legend: six rooms and bath
apply to janitor." But that some fine
memorial will rise to remind the way
farer Of the great battle In the Ar
gonne Forest we do not doubt thu
last stand of the Lost Battalion would
make ane panel In relief.
OF the less expensive memorials
the society suggests doors, tlagpoIes
groups of war trophies, mosaic or mu
raj paintings, stained glass window,
and tablets. A finspole Is something
which every American village SHOULD
have, and the base of II. in bronze oil
stone, may serve as monument tc
the village heroes.
Many Of the works which theA 50