The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-22
COSTLY SERVICE
 CLUB MEMORIAL. :! TO OFFICER DEAD
will Be Erected in New York and Will Contain 1. Records of Each Man.

AS a permanent memorial to the more than 5000 American officers swho died in the world war. the Army and Navy Club of America, of 1s lGramercy Park, will establish in New York City, a s3,O00,oO0 service club house, where, among other memorial features, the military record of every officer will be preserved for future generations.
 In making the announcenen ent yes terday, Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske, U. S. N., retired, President Of the Club, said that 1t is proposed not only to make the new building a me- morial of national significance, on the order of Grants Tomb on the Hud- son. but also to establish g. great center for general patriotic activities. with meeting rooms for patriotic or ganizattons and an auditorium for large public assemblages.
 With 2y500 members already in the club and approximately 1s5.000 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 Ffske said.
 It Is the intention of the club, however, he said to make the me- morial feature predominant.
 The record of all officers, with personal data and souvenirs contri- buted by their families, will be pre- served in the new building in a special memorial court, hall, which will be built from plans drawn fin 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 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 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 1,2OO officers. The work of collating 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 adjutant generals office in Washing ton has decided to give each state its separate list, rather than attempt to supply complete lists from Washing ton. special appropriation from Congress has been secured to make the lists available for states.
 "It is planned to make the new building not only a monument to the heroic dead, but a home for the liv- ing where the best traditions of the service will be maintained,' Ad- miral Fiske said.
 "Officers in all branches of the service, coming to New York, can find at this club accommodations at prices commensurate with their in- comes. Our present quarters are entirely inadequate. and something must be done to provide for the hun dreds of officers who are passing thror h New York at all times and for many of whom satisfactory hotel accommodations are a serious prob lem.
 Dues and house charges, accord ingly, will be exceedingly moderate. There will be a large number of bed rooms, but in addition, the plans in clude a dormitory furnished with cots where army officers may always be sure of a 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 a center of patriotism where the histories of the officers of the United States Army and Navy may be kept and where coming generations may find inspiration. This will serve also in keeping before the public the importance of officer service.
 Civilians will be eligible to asso ciate membership, 1t being the de- sire to establish a place where off cers and men of affairs can gel 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 anc the propagation of American prin cipleS
 The memorial will be built on basis of s1,oo0 for each officer who made the supreme sacrifice. Me 1norial contributions may come ir from families, groups of friends Hodges, business, alumni associations lor other orga nizations with whicf the deceased was identified, or may be contributed in part by these ana supplemented by appropria tions iron a fund contributed by patriotic citi zens generally In every instance however, the contributor will hay, the choice of memorializing an in dividual officer or the whole body O officers who gave their lives
 "A group of army officers have al ready pledged themselves for a con trIbuton Of s2So,O0o to the memoria fund"
 Expenses for the preliminary work which ts In charge of Captain Ste phen N- Bobo, have been provide in advance by a group of prominen m IT.