Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-10
:Make Your Dollars Work
:SomeGood-- memorials Are
mot All That Live Forever

l. More and more we are becoming unitarian in our
ideas.
Every year finds the Christmas cry becoming more
N general "Give something useful
n In no way could this movement for the useful and
practical be carried out with greater good than in the
building Of useful memorials to the heroic dead who
passed away amid the thunder of the guns the
Only the suen of the srike-crazed mob browns
the clamor that but lately rang the country for
work for any kind of work that would furnish employ
men for surplus labor, and, result of this various
specous plans proposed for the erection of build
ings, and similar projects.
Means were suggested whereby to get around the
high and soaring cost Of materials, by tax exemptions
and other subterfuges and then the question of
the buildings themselves.
Among these were suggested memorial buildings,
and that the inspiration for these happy and worthy
is attested by glance at the columns any day.
wherein to be found reports OF halls libraries gym
nasiums other structures of the kind that going
in the smaller towns of this and other states.
Todays budget of news carries story of one such
enterprise, magnificent gymnasium for one of the
smaller colleges of Nebraska.
How much better, and more truly fitting the spirit
of the age and the fundamental for the parc
patton of the U. S. in the buildings such as
these compared with monuments however beautiful
majestic, symbolic.
In oden days monuments were erected to celebrate
great victories, but they closely associated
with the fame of the hero who commanded the victorious
hosts.
Today all victories are celebrated in the name of the
people.
It is fitting then that memorials to such victories
should take the shape of something in which the people
would feel greater share of interest.
monument is often passed in carriage or at best
with passing glance. momentary wonderment, awe,
admiration is felt and then the next spectacle
into view and the impression is effaced. p !.
How different to sit in the ajestc hall of library
building dedicated to other of the public
gaze around at the massive pillars the vauted dome and
wide archways while rejecting the event created
to commemorate. The impression received is in
sistent, more lasting.
And it is not selfshness on the part of people to
rear such memorial in order that may the two
purposes of honorng the dead and accommodating the
living.
The very fact of the selfish ease comfort enjoyment
or use that the living get from such memorial gives them
greater interest they feel greater share in it, and
they inspired with ambition to leave to succeeding
generations something of like nature that these may sit
and reflect upon the good done for them by those who
went before.
Nor-to pursue the thought logically are such
MORALS necessarily lasting because built of brick
stone.
There are deeds and acts just imperishabe.
And for that reason dollar given to the Red Cross
as in the present drive for funds is just wisely
pended and will be of lasting effect and good the
same dollar put into fund to erect stately mausoleum
no matter how uttarian in nature.
These thoughts may be fragmentary but they all aim
at the poin-f you have dollar put to work and
put it to work some some good