Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-01-04
Memorial to Soldiers
Should Be Theirs

Omaha, Jan. ITO the Editor of
The Bee; In your edition of De-
cember 80 l read OF proposed
81 100000 memorial community
building being included in the plans
of the Douglas county post of the
American Legion, as outlined by DR..
f. c. Henry. The article also stated
that it was the plan of the Tuesday
Musical club. Fine Arts society and
Drama league to erect a $1,000, 900
community building to serve as
center of art, literature and educa-
ton, which plan harmonized en-
tirely with the hopes of the Ameri-
can Legion. At the end of the arti-
Gle there was stated the approval Of
the construction of the building by
a city official on the grounds that it
would be a good thing for public
use, such as an automobile show.
| am not a. member Of the Ameri-
can Legion, nor of any of the socie-
ties mentioned, but have such a high
respect for it and interest in its well
fare, that ] believe ii should be eX-
tremely careful in its plan for
memorial in order that there be
strict compliance with the purpose
for which the memorial stands.
| have a fixed conviction that moth
ing should be built having in mind
the perpetuity of the deeds of the
heroes Of the war which should par
take in any way of unitarian
character. | think il is highly UNI
patriotic. unfair and unjust to any
soldier or soldiers entitled to a
monument to commemorate his or
| their deeds to construct anything of
practical sort, the direct effect of
which would be to divide at
tentio" between the memory Of
those deeds and the practical pur-
poses for which the building is to
be used. II the patriots of the last
war are entitled to monument Of
any character they are entitled to
one which will signify solely their
own valor. I am, therefore. firmly
OF the opinion that any building
which is erected for memorial pur-
poses to the soldiers will in the end
have its memorial features ssuh-
merged in those of utilitarian
character.
] believe that the erection Of a
monument which can be used for no
purpose whatever is the other eX-
IRENE to which in this age we
Should not go. A monument such as
The Bunker Hill monument in Ros-
ton carries but one idea and can be
used for no other purpose. Like
wise the magnificent monument at
PfoVlncetoWn erected to the
memory OF the Pilgrim Fathers.
rhese monuments are very expen-
SlVe ana cannot he used by the pub
lie for any other purpose than as
a symbol of what they renresent
During these abnormal times when
materials and labor should he d.
rected more toward production than
otherwise, the erection of such
monuments | do not believe would
be proper.
The suggestion made by the Amer
lean Legion and those societies of
art and culture seems to me to be
of the right sort.
Many people believe that one of
the causes for the sudden uprising
resulting in the court house riot of
september % was due to one of the
results OF the war. which had de-
creased generally the higher ideals
and principles of American culture.
An institution of higher learning for
the arts or music in city like Oma-
ma at THIS time would tend to raise
the people to a higher plane of citi.
zenShlp, culture and respect for the
law. building housing such an in
stitution would not permit the mind
10 wander off into other things. as
an automobile show or other com
mercial enterprise would do.
The best thing to do, in NV iudg-
ment, is to erect monument en-
tirely disconnected from practical
uses and let it commemorate solely
and alone the deeds of the patriots
which 1t intended to commemorate.
a museum with war trophies, treas
ures, histories and records would
properly constitute part of the ar
rangement in addition to the above
mentioned societies, which cater to
the finer senses and culture of the
community. Headquarters of the
various civic and patriotic societies
and an auditorium large enough to
accommodate their meetings and
conventions, as was suggested by
DR.. Henry, would, Of course, be a.
consistent part of the enterprise.
L believe that a memorial along
the lines indicated would be more
consistent with the purpose of its
erection and serve the community
better than one which might be util-
lied for commercial purposes.
r. M. SWITZLER.