Republican farmer., 1920-06-25
COSTLY SERVICE
 '
 M CLUB MEMORIAL! } TO OFFICER DEAD

As permanent memorial to the more than 5000 American officers who died in the world war, the Army and Navy Club of America, of 18 Gramercy Park, will establish in New York City, $3,e00,000 service club house, where, among other memorial features, the military record of every officer will be preserved for future generations.
 In making the announcement yes terday, Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske, U. S. N, retired, President of the Club, said that it, is proposed not only to make the new building me moriaI of national significance, on the order of Grants Tomb on the Hud- son, but also to establish a great center for general patriotic activities, with meeting rooms for patriotic or ganizations and an auditorium for large public assemb1ages.
 With 2,5oe members already in the club and approximately 195,O0o others, in all branches of the ser vice, to draw from, the club in time should become, even without civilian memberships, by far the largest in the world, Admiral F1ske said.
 It is the intention of the club.f however, he said to make the me- moria1 feature predominant.
 The record of all officers, with personal data and souvenirs contri-7 buted by their families, will be pre- served in the new building in a special memorial court, or hall, which will be built from plans drawn in competition by leading architects of the country. The memorial, in this respect, would be unique, nothing like it ever before having been at tempted.
 As a preliminary step in the move ment. the Army and Navy Club of America has asked the adjutant gen eral of each state for a list of those who died. The club already has collected the names of approximately 5000 officers, but it is planned, by appealing to the adjutant generals,
 to the Red Cross, and other or ganizations, to make the final list the l most complete and authentic in the | country. Correspondence with next of kin | of officers whose names are already in hand, has brought in biographic data, with photographs, letters and other personal material, on the careers of 1900 officers. The work | of col1ating this material is now | under way.
 | No complete list of officers who | died in service in the war yet exists | anywhere in available form, as the 1 adjutant generals office in Washing ! lOn Has ueclOeu to give edCn state US l separate list, rather than attempt to l supply complete lists from Washing
 ton. A special appropriation from l Congress has been secured to make | the lists available for states: -s1 Tt is planned to make the new 1 building not only a, monument to the | heroic dead, but a home for the liv-7 | ing where the best traditions of the l service will be maintained,' Ad-- 1 mira1 F'iske said.
 1 Officers in all branches of the 1 service, coming to New York, can | find at this club accommo odations at 1 prices commensurate with their in- l comes Our present quarters are | entirely inadequate, and something
 must be done to provide for the hun l dreds of officers who are passing
 through New York at all times and
 for many of whom satisfactory hotel
 accommodations are a serious prob l lem.
 'tDues and house charges, accord l ingly, will be exceedingly moderate.
 There will be large number of bed | rooms, but in addition, the plans in
 c1ude a dormitory furnished with
 cots where army officers may always
 be sure of place to sleep The new
 building will also have besides the meeting rooms for patriotic socie- ! ties, a special dining room with pri-
 vate entrance for ladies, and other attractions, appealing to patriotic
 men and women.
 'It is hoped that the building will
 become center of patriotism where , the histories of the officers of the
 United States Army and Navy may be !, kept and where coming generatiShs may find inspiration. This will serve also in keeping before the public the importance of officer service.
 i 1o oJ; ciate membership, it being the de- 1 sire to establish a place where off
 cers and men of affairs can get
 closer together to their mutual ad-
 vantage.
 "We want the new club, in fact. to be a national institution for the
 preservation of American ideals and
 the propagation of American prin-
 cip1es.
 The memorial will be built on a basis of s1,O00 for each officer who
 made the supreme sacrifice. Me- l moriaI contributions may come in
 from families, groups of friends,
 lodges, business, alumni associa tions, or other organizatio with which
 the deceased was identified, or may be contributed in part by these and 2 supplemented by appropriations from
 a fund contributed by patriotic citi- 1 zens generally. In every instance, however, the contributor will have l the choice of mem moria1izing in
 dividual officer or the whole body Of ) officers who gave their lives. , "A group of army officers have all ready pledged themselves for con- 5 tributon of $25O,000 to the memorial , fund.-"
 Expenses for the preliminary work, l which is in charge of Captain Ste
 phen N. Bobo, have been provide l
 in advance by a group of prominent = ] New York men and every dollar do-
 hated for memorial purposes will
 apply directly to the building fund, ] Admiral Fiske said. Among the men q who have contributed are J. P. Nor gan, Henry P. Davison. Col. John w. I Prentiss, formerly treasurer of the l Harvard Club; General Samuel Me , Roberts, and General Guy B. Tripp,
 head of the Westingh ouse Company, ! Colonel Howard S. Borden, R. D. A I