The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-03-12

AlA- -LEl II NollNitlllL SlltUIl u IGISStTS-DN
MAN8AN casts in looks of inquiry and eXpec
N0t&R X tatiOn on this admirable site which
@\D W soon will be occupied, worthily and
APPLY, By the memorial to Nurse Cavell. The
preparations for it have already aroused so. much
public interest that Sir George FramptOn, Il. A..
has very kindly offered the photographs of the
first model and of the full-Sized and final statuary
l"taiIS for reproduction.
Nor" than four years have now passed by since
the German authorities in occupied Belgium COM
mitted an act Of sheer brutality as stupid as it was
inhuman. True, it was one of many, but, if nor
more tagrant, it was one that was certain to OBJ
tain more publicity than others. Yet the invaders
barbaric Ignorance Of the sentiments and spirit
Of the civilized portions of the globe led them to
believ, that the killing OF Nurse Cavell was merely
an ordinary and permissible manifestation Of
friGhtfulnpSS which would tend to ease the diff
cultieS of their rule, and cause a merely ephem-
eral anger in the outside world. Falkenhayl
has summed up the policy Of the Prussian High
Command as an effort ito break the eneny's will
~ war" Intelligent and capable within their
very limited and ~self-cOmplacent purview, he and
his fellows imagined that the drowning, shooting,
starving and %torturing of civilians would be effec-
tive bricks in the building up Of their tower OF
tyranny, and were genuinely surprised to discover
them to be mere mud blocks that the torrent of
worldwide horror dissolved into slush, bringing
down their whole edifice with Il crash.
Among the thousands Of devoted women who
gave themselves up TO the alienation of the suffer
ingS of tie wounded of all nations none was more
capable ana self-sacrificing than Edith Cavell.
Her reputation was established, her fame had
spread. Even If n woman wholly bent upon work
of charity within enemy lines rendered herself
liable through pitifulness to the stern DEGREES of
martial laT, not the death sentence, surely, but
deportation was adequate as well as wise. Such
was the world opinion, but not the German; and
ut dawn on October -, 1915, Nurse Cavell was
shot. indignation. long seething and boiling, now
burst forth universally i'm swirling clouds Of angry
steam. The Entente's twill to war" was strength
ened. Neutral sympathy grew nearer to 'direct
action" The Germans, busy driving nails of vic
tory into the wooden colossus of Hindenburg,
alone failed to see that they were driving nails
into their own coffin.
The effect in England was strong and instan-
taneOus. Lives by the thousands were being lost.
Mourning was spreading over the land. The pres
ent was crowded with anxiety, the future with
gloom. But there was room for fierce resentment.
and no sacrifice of q single life did more TO crys-
tallZe the resolve to carry through. The hurry
ing Of events. the tax on memory at a time Of
clustered crisis must not bring oblivion Of the deed
and forgetfulness of the noble woman. In the
capitals midst, imperishable granite must keep
ali. e her remOry as q fallen champion of the
great and generous band that was keeping alive
the spirit OF devotion to humanity. Lord Burn
ham headed the movement. and response to the
appeal for funds came quick and free. The rich
mans cheque. the poor woman's postage stamp
Joined TO form the ample stream.
Among those who most deeply felt, most bit
terly resented the inhuman act was Sir George
Frampton, and so moved was he that he came
forward with the offer Of his unremunerated
services. OF course, the generous offer Of the dis
tinguished sculptor was gratefully accepted, and it
is his work that now approaches completion. The
illustrations show to what purpose and with what
success he has wrought.
The memorial takes the form of a monument
Al feet high, composed of silver gray granite
and standing on an island in the midst of st.
Martins Place, grouping with the church on the
right and the National Gallery on the left. In
front steps lead up to a space where wreaths and
other votive offerings may be laid. Forward from
the plinth and main body Of the monument juts
4 pedestal on which will stand the statue of Edith
,Cavell in ~statuary marble, indicative Of purity.
- The arriyal of tho shin hearing the Crelt block