New-York tribune., 1920-02-23
VICTORY HALL

with a building which, with it's many department
to the greatest city in the world.
February 49, 1920.
Mayors Memorial Committee, City Hall, New York
Attention. COL Rodnan Wanarnaker Chairman
Dear Sirs:
U) The attention of Executive Committee has been
called to the fact that the Victory Hall plans for the erec
patriotic and ulitaran memorial on the block at
southeast of Park Avenue and 42d Street nave
been listed of the ideas entered in the pubic compe
tition of the Mayors Memorial Committee as No. 2S.
While we are in thorough sympathy with the
ideas, understand them, of the Mayors Memorial
Committee yet objective to be quite different
and in wise in conflict we respectfully ask that the
entry of dea made obviously by inadvertence, may
omitted from list and be regarded before
committee for competition otherwise than as iorra-
ton of what we contemplate
1t is true I have written letter to your committee
and appeared before it, but merely advise you of
what group of citizens had been doing for the last six
months and more in organizing association and IN
making study of what seemed to be to them proper
tribute those who had lost their lives in the to be
at of accessibility from point of
Of transportation we'll the five borcughs
only for the members of the American Legion but all
citizens who might choose gather there from time to
time in the great auditorium for civic purposes.
Our plan involves that this building should be
structed by subscriptions from the people of the city, rich
and poor and irrespective of the of ones nan
cial and particularly that the time do it
when the incidents of the fresh in the minds of the
public and when those whose and other relatives
served and died on the other side are here.
(2) 1t we'll for this time call your attention
the aims ard purposes of the Victory Hall Association
that hereafter there can be no misunderstanding
The group of men women who stand behind this
Association who founded it and incorporated it, have
desire into competition with any other public
spirited citizens who desire to accomplish something for
the welfare of New York. who feel it their duty
tce 1t duty to erect memorial to IGNORED dead
At the inception the nove1 ent for which we stand
sponsors carefully investigated the activities of other
groups other cities throughout the United States We
found that the National Fine Arts Federations and the
American Institute of Architects from their national head
had issued specific instructions governing the
procedure of bodies such
We felt it duty be guided by the advice of
eminent authorities in this country and fol-
lowed explicitly the instructions and the advice
obtained from what believe to be the distn-
guished and able leaders in painting in sculpture and
architecture formally constituted generally recog-
nized bodies
The American Fine Arts Federation distinctly advises
that the first consideration the erection of any memorial
is carefully consider the best type of memorial
erected in anv particular place. SECONDLY to be careful to
select available site that shall be the very heart
center Of the city in which the memorial is be placed
The American Institute of Architects distinctly that
competitions be avoided if possible if be possible
to obtain the services of the proper architects scuptos
and painters by direct employment
Following the above considerations, which we after
exhaustive discussion and careful investigation and
delbelation, thoroughly approve, decided build a
building that should be an everlasting
heroic dead that would in the and centuries
to symbol OF the ideals and the
led the and of New City offer their
lives and make the supreme sacrifice We felt duty
and privilege irrespective of what others might accom-
pish insure the building of monument as we felt
should be worthy expression of gratitude to those
who died
We felt that the best expression of this sentiment could
be obtained by the erection of great the
very heart of the city that would every man and
woman in the city, this auditorium be great central
forum Of Greater New York where not alone distir-
guished orators of international reputation could be heard
N11d ~,
and national meetings could be held for benefit of the
community at large raying point for the people in
times of peace and war; in JOY and sorrow
We felt that New York was the musical center Of the
world and that this great auditorium should be 50
constructed as to serve the purposes of music Bearing
IN mind the important problem of physical welfare of our
YOUTH we tet that this auditorium should contain
place set aside for athletics the youth Of our
city could be inspired and the spirit emulation could be
promulgated among our youth and the ideal of the strong
mind and the clean healthy body encouraged There will
aso De rle ranges and drill hall in the building We
1el1 that the city needed educational exhibition
hall tor the benefit OF industries and commerce and ~
incorporated such hall in the plans of the building.