The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-03

Much has been said and written about
She effect of the world war on the ma
tional life of the United States. but
little attention has been paid to one
phase Of that erect namely, the change
that will inevitably be wrought In the
style OF houses which Americans will
build In the future because of the fact
that upward of two million impression
able soldiers, now returning, have been
favored with an opportunity to study
and observe some of the best types OF
architecture Of France and England.
Much of the improvement In our ma
tional architecture has come about
through the fact that those architects
who in recent years have borne abort
the torch of reform have been greatly
assisted by the growing army of tour
lists which has annually been returning
to America with enlightened minds and
with a willingness to cooperate with
those architects who have been zealously
trying to apply here in America the best
characteristics of the Old World school,
The army of tourists OF the past Is
small when compared with the army
Uncle Sam sent over to help beat Ger
many Too, II should be borne In MIND
that this body OF soldiers was cosmo-
politan and was not made up largely
OF men who had a modicum or appre-
citation for Old World art and beauty
before they landed in Europe More
than a million of them were just plain
doughboys, but they were impression
able, ana II 10 quite certain they brought
most Of their impressions home with
them.
Reference to the assistance which
tourists have lent to the pioneers In bet
Ter house designing for America Calls
attention to the fact that as soon as
ger armies Of tourists from the United
States are going to invade the allied
countries, and what they see IN the way
of the great destruction of the beauties
Of France, Belgium and italy will serve
only to emphasize the Impressions which
the architecture of those countries VIII
have on them
WIN DispeI the Dark Age.
Painful though the admission may be.
the period following the civil war ush-
cred In the dark age" Of American
architecture. Whatever the causes OF
that artistic phenomenon may have been
n is not the purpose here to analyze
them. Suffice II to say that architects
are almost unit In believing that the
world war will go as far toward righting
American architecture as the war OF
the rebellion apparently did to ruin II.
Among the New York architects who
sense deeply the subtle change that u
impending Is Lewis z. Welsh OF i32
Madison avenue. who. while In England,
made a careful study OF English types
OF domestic architecture and also OF the
psychological effect they were working
on the minds OF the Americas officers
and enlisted men.
MANY Of our soldiers" says Mr
welsh spent their rest time thinking
OF home and OF the future and inter
rupted business and domestic plans
Many Of them were actually about 70
build homes when the war interviewed
To these especially was afforded an op'
portunity to study and observe. Many
OF them. lived for months In the at
sDosphere OF splendid artistic surround
ings. They marvelled at thu cathedrsls
the public buildings and the chateaux
but the plain small town dwellings OF
their hosts with whom they were bill
leted. made the deepest and most listing
Impression on them.
at IL natural therefore 70 believe thai
q keener appreciation OF the efforts o.
our best architects and their work will
follow. The greatest effect will be or
domestic architecture The saying thai
distance lends enchantment applies al
much to architecture as anything else so
for that reason. many OF the places II
which soldiers were stationed and which
now possibly have no great charm OF
interest. viii IN q few years become. II
the memory Of these men at least. places
Of wonderful beauty.
They HAD Eyes for Beauty.
The men had plenty Of time In which
10 form reasonable OPINIONS and 20 ON
n