Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-04-19
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By The Washington Star :
Copyright 1920. .
MANY ISSUES ARE
Before Federal Government But Stan
dard OF Art And Architecture
Not Being Neglected.

w NHoIlIA>N YIN, ApIli 10 HOuSH
for the present engrossed with such
issues as peace terms, railroad strikes,
food profiteers and a presidential cam
paign the Federal government is not
tivities, and with but little attention
from the general public seven men of
ability are working to raise the STAN
dard of art and architecture for which
BILE above the criticisms that have
been directed against it in the past.
These seven men, who serve with
out salaries, comprise the commission
of fine arts and from a small begin
ming their field has been extended un-
til it includes passing judgment on de
signs for government buildings cost
ing millions, down to selecting the
small "Victory Button" that an hon
orably discharged service man wears
on his lapel The war with Germany
has resulted in much additional work
being put before the commission, and
though essentially national body,
organized by act of Congress, it is CO.
operating with state and municipalit-
les in selecting suitable memorials
for those who served the flag.
At the request of the Secretary OF
War the commission directed the de-
signing of Victory medal that the
government will give to every man
and woman who served in the army,
navy or marine corps during the war.
1t approved the Victory button issued
to those discharged from the service
and has directed the work of design
ing several of the medals given for
galantry or distinguished service.
Of the soldiers who died abroad it
is expected that more than 10000 will
remain buried in American "field of
Honor" cemeteries overseas, and at
each grave will be simple but dig
nified headstone after a design ap-
proved by the fine arts commission.
The intention is to have these head
stones uniform in size, alike for of
ficers and privates, and the design
which has been approved is the work
of Charles A. Platt. The commission
also will be consulted as to the land
scape treatment of the cemeteries, as
we'll as to the gateway and flagpole
designs.
Every man who was wounded by
enemy fire will be given certificate
by the War Department, and the next
of kin of those who died in the SER
vice will receive a similar memento,
the design having been selected by
the fine arts commission. The navy
department will give bronze plaque
to the next kin of those who died In
its service land the commission is
now cooperating with department Of
ficials as to its design.
Even the unframed eye may find
to criticise in some of the memorials
erected in Washington to the memory
of men who served with distinction
in wars previous to that with Ger
MANY, and it is the task of the con-
mission, as a matter of regard for
the national heroes and consideration
for the beauty of the National Capt.
tai, to see that such is not true of
future memorials.
The late Augustus Saint Guadens,
foremost of American sculptors, was
once asked if he did not think all the
effigies in the public squares and
plots of Washington should be placed
in one group.
"Yes,' was the answer. "They
should be put on one group and a high
board built around them"
Only few days ago the commits
sion was cclled on to say whether "a
carving by a certain French sculptor
| showing an American Marine in act
| ion and entitled "a Crusader for the
Right was worthy of place in
Washington, and it decided adversely.
This attracted some attention, for US
ually the commission passes its judg-
ment on the design before the actual
| carving is undertaken.
The large construction operations
now under way which will add very
much to the beauty of the National
Capital and which the commission had
no small part in planning are the Lin
coin Memorial, erected at cost OF
81, ,OOO, 900, and the Key Bridge over
the Potomac which will cost $1,000,
tOOO. The latter structure is for a
most practical purpose as the old
bridge connecting Georgetown with
the Virginia shore has been declared
unsafe by some engineer officers, but
the commission insisted that the new
bridge be as attractive as possible
within the limits of the appropria-
ton made by Congress.
It is not the plan of the commission
of fine arts to force the growth OF
of the National Capital, or to recon-
mend the expenditure of large sums
of money to beautify it. Rather its
lain is to direct its natural expension
J along approved lines Of landscape