Evening star., 1919-03-09
SHAKESPEAREAN BUILDING
SUGGESTED AS MEMORIAL
Arches and Armories More Suggestive of
Battles Than of Peace or Ideals for
Which War Was Fought.

In the erection Of a Shakespeare
peace memorial in Washington, the
National Shakespeare Federation sees
the most fitting way of celebrating
the victory of the American and allied
forces over Germany. To bring this
to pass efforts will be made to induce
Congress at the next session to ap-
point a commission to obtain site
and perfect plans for the memorial.
A petition urging that this be done
was presented to the last Congress,
but in the rush of business was lost
sight Of
Senator Spencer of Missouri, who
presented the petition. will take
charge of it in the next Congress and
has promised to do everything possi-
BILE to induce Congress to adopt leg
islation in harmony with it.
Mrs. Mary e. Craigie, first vice pres
ident of the federation, discussing tho
Shakespearean memorial. said:
Washington, which is already
known as the great memorial city.
will surely not follow. but lead in
the widespread movement to erect
fitting memorials to celebrate vic
tory of such world wide Importance
as that which has been won by the
allied nations.
Problems for the Pen.
Just what form the national peace
memorial will take at the nations
capital remains for Congress to de-
eide. The world at large is awaken
ing to the fact that the sword. the i'm
plement of war, with all it's deadly
havoc, has settled nothing, but has
precipitated ruin and International
problems and complications that the
'pen,' representing the wisdom and in
telligence of men, must adjust and set
right.
"a peace memorial should, therefore,
not only represent but extol the power
of the pen to stimulate right thinking,
for, after all, thoughts rule the world.
Thoughts are mightier than armies.
principles have achieved more lasting
victories than all the ornaments of
war
THE late war was precipitated by
wrong thinking through false ideals
of the state and of the rights of the
people
peace will be established throughout
the world only when we recognize and
encourage the extension of all the forces
that can stimulate and conduce to the
right thinking of the people themselves.
Victory for Justice and Right.
This has been not national, but a
great world conflict, and the victory
that has been won has been a great in
ternational victory for justice and
right. No victory memorial to celebrate
kh4 kh~<
cost and at the sacrifice of millions Of
precious lives could be so fitting as some
form of memorial that shall stand for
ever as the expression of the newborn
appreciation of the brotherhood Of man
and the unity of nations. 1t should
highest type Of patriotism. True
patriotism calls for thought intel
ligence.' high ideals and consecrated
service.
"A peace memorial, while it may be
erected to immortalize the lives of
those who have given service. or died
In defense of their country's honor, can
add nothing to the fame or to the
quota of the service of those who are
laid to rest in the fields of silence, but
to those of us who are left to take up
and carry on their unfinished task a
peace memorial should stand as an in
spiration and an incentive to more
consecrated service. =.
Peculiarly Appropriate.
I'm this era of peace upon which we
have entered, with it's stupendous
problems Of world interest could there
be erected a more significant, or a
more peculiarly appropriate peace me-
mortal than a building that shall link
with our soldiers the memory of
Shakespeare. whose words and ideals
inspired our soldiers with courage and
heroic valor? They were sustained as
they went into battle by reciting his
immortal phrases, and found death it
self less bitter upheld by the COM
fort of his words-the one who is re-
vered not alone in England. but
throughout the world, as the king OF
literature, who carried in his heart the
ideals of the whole English-speaking
people.
mot only do we find in Shakespeare
the very highest expression of
patriotism, mercy, justice and charity,
but the institutions, the laws and the
beginnings of the very liberty we en-
joy today can be traced to Shake
speare's time. when the love OF
freedom was born and transmitted
to this country by circle associated
with Shakespeare.
"If all the money the war cost
could have been spent for construct
i've instead or destructive purposes,
what projects of national betterment
and social regeneration might have
been realized! When the cost and
the havoc come to be fully compre-
hended. II the rulers have not realized
the utter wastefulness of it, the peo-
pie, at least, who have raised the
money and shed their blood will have
learned that war is the most un-
profitable Of all investments,
To Educate for Peace.
I'm the light of $4,000, 900 per day
spent on destruction during the past
four years. how reasonable and ra-
tlonal should seem the request that
we spend say $5.000,0O0 for a perma-
nent building that shall not only
stand as a peace memorial, but shall
educate the people for peace through
the cultivation of the highest ideals of
community service; through the re-
nning influence of music art liter
ature and the drama, and the study OF
the science of government and citi-
zenship, and all that appeals to the
higher nature of man in his relations
to his fellow men!
Especially does it seem. imperative
that memorial to honor those who
have given their lives for high ideals
should be worthy to perpetuate those
Ideals! To suggest an armory or an
arch as a fitting peace memorial is
to betray a lack of appreciation OF