Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-06-17
MEMORIAL FOR
DEAD WARRIORS
IMMENSE VICTORY BUILDING"
REALLY is TO BE ERECTED
IN WASHINGTON CITY.
UNEXPECTED IS TO HAPPEN
Funds for the Proposed $2o,ooo,ooo
Structure Already Are Being Raised
and Congress Has Provided Site
on the Mall.
By EDWARD 3. CLARK.

BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.
Washington.-Doe the unexpected
happen in Washington oftener than it
happens elsewhere in these good Uni
ted States? Sometimes it SO seems,
but the chances are that in this city,
the capital of the country, there is a
greater chance than elsewhere that a
merely suggested project more fire.
Quently comes into it's own, because
what might be called the spirit of the
capital of the republic enters into the
proposal for something worthy to be
done.
Two years ago, just after had re-
turned from field service in France,
Rupert Hughes, the novelist, came to
me and asked me for sentiments sake,
and for the sake Of the news, to write
story concerning the plan for an
immense Victory building which it was
proposed to erect in Washington in
memory of the dead of the American
armies.
wrote the article, told of the heart
interest of Mrs. Henry E. Dimock of
Washington in the proposed plan, told
of the great sum of money which it
was proposed to raise, gave something
of an outline Of the architectural plans
for the building itself, but wrote it
believing that the plan was too am
bilious ever to see accomplishment,
even in this city of deeds.
Now it is announced that an inn
mense Victory building, memorial
to the dead of all our wars, is an as
sured fact, and that the breaking of
the ground for the $20000,0O0 structure
will be the work of the coming autumn.
Carrying Out Washington's Ideas.
Out Of virtually baseless stories
sometimes good can spring. For the
better part of a century there have
been intermittent tales printed with
every earmark of truthfulness that
George Washington left a large sum
of money for the establishment of an
educational institution in the capital of
the republic, and that this money, hay-
ing never been used, still was in the
treasury of the United States, and that
it now was purposed to put it to this
good use or to that good use in keep
ing with the spirit of the educational
intention of the great giver.
1t is perfectly true that Washington
did in his will make provision for the
establishment of some kind of an ed
ucational institution which was to be
located in the capital of the country.
The funds set aside We're in the form
of bonds of some kind or other, but
either because the bonds proved to be
of little or no value, or because the
provision in the will was not clear
enough, the small amount of money
provided never was available, and new
er has been available.
Now in way the great victory me-
mortal building which is to be erected
in Washington at a cost of $2O,000,OG0
will be the result of the provision in
George Washington's will for the es-
adjustment of an educational institu-
ton in the capital of the country. Mrs.
Dimock, who by the way is a sister Of
the late William c. Whitney, secretary
of the navy in Grover Clevaland's cab
met, read the Washington will and be-
lieyed that an institution of the kind
which is suggested would be in entire
keeping with the desire of the Father
of Ills country. Mrs. DimocE knew
there was no money to be secured from
the Washington source, but she thought
that the spirit was as good as the cash,
and so she went ahead with her work,
and the word today is that success is
to come.
States Supplying Money.
Word has come to Washington that
one state of the Union has appropri-
ated 100000 in it's own behalf for the
project, and that other states are ex-
pected to follow suit. Committees
have been formed in all states of the
Union for the purpose of raising funds.
There already is a considerable sum in
the treasury and congress has provid-
ed site for the memorial victory
structure on the Mall at Seventh and
B streets, between Pennsylvania
avenue and the Potomac river.
In this huge structure, architectural
plans for which are already drawn, the
American Legion and all other patri-
otto organizations will be given quar-
tiers. 1t is to be memorial to the
dead of all wars, but the building will
be made serviceable in a hundred diff
ferent ways as the meeting place of
organizations of a specifically patriotic
kind. On the ground floor there will
be rooms set aside for the archives or
relics of the Unions great struggles.
The structure will commemorate the
deeds OF the men and women of 1776.
as it will those of the men and women
of 1917. Taking it all in all, this struc-
ture, barring the capitol of the United
States, will be the finest building in
the city of Washington and, perhaps
it is not too much to say, one of the
really commanding structures of the
country.
Summer in Capital.
Congress is rounding into the mid
summer stretch of its work. It seems
bit curious to speak of the mid
summer season as about to open, but