The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-25
SHAFT IN CAPITAL TO
HONOR ROOSEVELT
Committee Decides Also on a
Memorial Park for
Oyster Bay.
SOCIETY TO BE FORMED
Funds VIII Be Raised by Sub
scriptions-Lieut.-Co
ROosevelt's Views.

R00SevelGS views.
Plans for . national memorial to
Theodore Roosevelt were adopted last
night by the Roosevelt Permanent
Memorial National Committee. Of which
Col William Boycs Thompson Is chair
man, after the committee had been In
session all day. during which time more
than a thousand suggestions were con-
sidered. The plans hnally adopted to
perpetuate the memory Of tho late Pres
ident provide for:
The erection Of q suitable and ade-
quate monumental memorial In WASH
ington.
The acquisition, development and
maintenance Of a park In oyster Bay.
which may ultimately include Sycamore
Hill, to be preserved like Mount Vernon,
and Abraham Lincoln's old home at
Springfield. Ill.
The establishment and endowment OF
an Incorporated eociety (probably to be
known as the Roosevelt Society to pro-
mote the development and application
Of the policies and ideals of Theodore
Roosevelt for the benefit OF tho Ameri-
can people
Branches In Every state.
Subscriptions to the Roosevelt me-
mortal will be voluntary. The Roose-
welt Permanent Memorial National Com
mittee however. In response TO countless
communications from every part Of the
country announced yesterday that 1t
would organize branches in each State
to which contributions might be sent
The decision was arrived at after hear
ing suggestions from two score or more
members who met at Madison avenue.
The suggestions were supplemented by
more than 1000 communications re-
ceived by Col. Thompson since Mr.
Roosevelt's death. Many of these sug-
gestions were duplicated. The duplica-
tons came from many States. There
were suggestions from New Mexico and
Oregon that In the matter of perma-
nent memorial the claims Of the people
Of the village of oyster Bay should not
be overlooked.
Several States wanted to claim the
honor Of providing site for pre-
tentious memorial to Col Rosevelts
memory, and those less modest were
unanimous in suggesting that II the
memorial should be In the form OF a
monument its place was In the ma
tional capital. Tho suggestion of a
memorial in France, such as a shaft
in Belleau Wood. where the American
Marines made their heroic fight, and
similar suggestions were discarded In
favor OF an almost unanimous demand
for a tangible monument in America
Committee Then Made the Choice.
Decision on the form that the memo
rial should take was announced after a
dinner given at the Waldorf by Col
Thompson TO tho committee that had
! been appointed earlier in the day &c
consider the suggestions submitted. This
! committee was composed Of Gov. James
p. Goodrich OF Indiana, Major-Gen
Leonard Wood. Elihu Root, Clifford
Pinchot, William Loeb. Jr.. Irwin r
Kirkwood. Kansas City; Henry C. Wal
lace, Des Moines. and Senator Frank b
Kellogg Of Minnesota.
Col. Thompson, after tho dinner. au.
| thorized the statement that the amount
OF money necessary to carry out the
three fundamental plans was no concern
at all He said II was impossible to say
how much money would be required
Others OF the committee said that the
matter OF funds to put the plans into
effect was the least consideration.
Statement by Col. Thompson.
Col Thompson issued this statement:
THE meeting of the Roosevelt Per
manent Memorial National Committee
| to-day was marked by great earnestness
and as a result OF the action taken the
movement will now be organized by
states The eager desire OF the count
less friends and followers OF Col. Roose-
Welt to express in something more en-.
during than words the admiration and
devotion they felt for him. will. l be-
! live. be thoroughly satisfied by the
committees decision TO erect on the
| one hand the monument, which shall be
4 a symbol OF his greatness and on the
other hand. to establish a Roosevelt So
ciety which shall be an instrument to
develop and apply his policies and ideals
| There was complete agreement among
the members OF the committee not only
concerning the desirability of erecting
a monument at Washington and develop
| ing and maintaining a park at Oyster
Bay, but also the larger project which
! the Roosevelt Society represents. This
project Is the direct result OF the popu.
lar demand which the committee was
bound to honor. and in its final actor
| to reflect. This demand was for per
manent, continuing and living memoria
! to keep alive and inculcate the Ideals
! of the late President for the benefit Of
| future generations.
Personally l am greatly pleased
with the result OF the meeting. The com.
mlttee had the benefit OF an admirable
statement from Lieut. Col. Theodore
Roosevelt in which he gave the wishes
, OF himself and the Roosevelt family
/, Sho naturally endeavor to interpret
what our dead friend would desire. Thi,
idea was that in providing memorial
70 his father there should he above al
things something tangible and believ,
that this desire we have unquestionably
met"
| Advised by ColoneTs Son.
| Lieut.-Col. Theodore Roosevelt told
the committee that in general his mother
and the other members OF the Roosevelt
| family felt more favorably inclined e
a memorial of a tangible type. The only
other suggestion that appealed to thu
Roosevelt family was one concerning thu
preservation OF wild life. which may b
carried out in the third provision OF tn
general scheme adopted by the com
mittee.
Elihu Root in making his suggestion
| said:
1T seems TO me that there are TIVE
things which will truly answer the .pur
| pose. One Is II II would be agreeable
TO Mr.. Roosevelt's family. an arrange
| ment could be made So that some tim,
in the future his home at Oyster Ba,
he nut In the nosseSslon and CUSTODY