Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-07

forget November 9. 1915? The day
when about 10 o'clock almost every
newspaper issued an extra. stat
! ing that the war was over, though not
officially confirmed until the eleventh
| hour, the eleventh day of the eleventh
/ month. And how the people just
brimmed over. not only in the streets.
but in their hearts and little impromptu
| celebrations.
AT 10 o'clock on the morning of the
9th l was passing the Grand Central
station. when the first news of the
victory greeted me. Walking on to-
ward 5th avenue, where the crowds
We're blocking the traffic and enthusi-
asm gathering, the idea of a victory
design came to me.
Continuing down 5th avenue to 10th
street. the idea there assumed definite
form. which i was only too eager to
on paper. As one 3 had to prac-
itically follow the sardine-iike crowd.
! it took me down 9TH a venue to The
nearest place of my acquaintance. the
Musical Courier. at 18th street. After
asking for the loan of red and blue
! pencil. and on the desk first owned
| by the Courier, l sketched the victory
design.
Leaving the Courier office. one had
odds, so 10 speak. l finally reached
i Aeolian Hall. where the design was
shown to a woman prominent in So
ciety. She liked the ideas therein
expressed. remarked that the Society
! of Arts and Sciences was giving
banquet in honor of Charles NJ
| Schwab on the 18th of that month. and
thought it would be quite the thing
to have it first displayed on this oc-
caSion. The director of the Society
of Arts and Sciences also thought Well
of the design and wished to have il
hung at the banquet. if a banner or
; flag could be made in time. AS there
were only four more days until the
banquet. an embroidered flag or ban
ner. or one of bunting. could not have
been made in that space of time: SO
| the only thing possible was to have
| the design painted on cloth. This
was done. and on Wednesday after
noon the flag was delivered at the
ballroom of the Waidorf-Astoria.
The banquet WAS a memorable af-
fair. rendered doubly so coming right
after the signing of the armistice.
! The menu-folder had a special insert.
upon which was included a condensed
description OF the victory design.
The victory design is said to be
the first conceived and has been re-
marked and CONNIE nted upon for its
many meanings and significance, the
beauty of the design itself, that to
any question asked why is this here,
or that there. a logical answer can
readily be given and that the design
will still have its meaning and merits
throughout the years.
During the victory liberty loan
several original posters were on OK
hibition in the busiest parts of 9Th
avenue. One Of these included the
victory design. in the center of a
I. ,.-l~ 4,
posed of Old Glory. the Union Jack
and the service flag. supported by
Uncle sam and Columbia. between
whom are the statue of liberty and
the word invest
ION Armistice day of 1919 "A hand
made copy Of victory Ito which I
, must plead guilty OF painting. as well
as the posters was sent to the
White House. During the latter part
of November this city welcomed the
first visit of the Prince of Wales. Just
before he left these shores another
handmade copy was personally pre-
scented by the designer to the prince
as he boarded the motor boat which
took him to II. VI. :. Renown. There
is a saying that what is twice is
thrice. So this third anniversary of
Armistice day another handmade
CODY will be presented to the next
President of the United States. At
least three victories viii occur this
November. and il is a coincidence that
they come so near together: That of
the armistice. the Red Cross roll call
and for one of the political parties.
X X
But victory in the design must
nave no other meaning that that
specifically expressed: AS a back
ground the paths Of life. with all their
meanings. from victory over suffering
and death. to the spirit of brother
hood and high ideals. reaching north.
south, east and west, with an ear
nest binding influence. into all space
and a background that signifies peace.
which all these things mean RIO this
could be added: Let it be sincerely
hoped that war 40 more may come to
pass. and the word victory hence
forth be connected and used, when a
man comes TO himself. to law, princi-
pies and God-consciousness.' The
whole design is purely symbolical
and the personal victory of one nation
over another. or combination of ma
tions over another, is begging the
question, and decidedly out of place
in the broader views and visions that
have been more thoroughly awakened
throughout the whole world"