The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-08-01
STATUE OF WEBSTER
A Memorial to the Greek katior
From American Friends ~

a memorial 10 the creek Nation
From American Friends
A statue OF Daniel Webster was to
be unveiled before the Capitol in
Athens on the Fourth of July as a
part of the celebration OF the one
huNdredth anniversary of the indie
lpendence Of Greece The date was
chosen in compliment to the UnitGd
States and the statue is to be a me
mortal to the Greek nation from
American friends
The story OF Webster's part IN the
winning OF the Independence of
Greece is quickly told. II was on
January 10, 1924. that he spoke on
the revolution in Greece before the
House OF Representatives in Wash
ington The visitors gallery. the
press gallery and the floor itself
were crowded with men and women
eager to hear a flood of oratory on
Il subject which had touched the
heart and the imagination OF the
American people Webster said sew
eral years later that he felt that he
disappointed them. but he added
that he was more fond OF this child
than OF any other of his family It
was 4 greet speech and had its great
effect. although that was not, to gain
the Immediate passage OF the reso-
luton which he had laid before the
House, namely;
THAT provision ought to be made
by law. for deiraying the expense in.
cldent to the appointment of an
Agent or Commissioner to Greece,
whenever the President shall deem
it expedient omake such appoint.
ment"
This resolution moved by Webster
on December s. together with brief
mention In President Monroe's annual
message of 1923. were the first official
expressions of any government ia.
vorable to the independence of
Greece. Although the measure was
not passed, Webster's words were
spread to the hearths Of every liberty.
loving people in the world; it is not
too much to say that they brought
CONSERVATION To the councils OF the
Holy Alliance More than this, they
enheartened Greece to make the
superb effort necessary for throwing
off the shackles OF Turkish oppres.
sion.
The initiative for the memorial
comes from the town OF Webster,
Massachusetts, but the honorary
committees include Governors and
other men in public life in all parts
of the United States Among them
are many whose parents or grand.
parents came from Greece to Ameri-
ca in the last century. AT head
quarters, the Chamber of Commerce,
Webster, It is reported that the fund
needed is estimated to be $50 200 II
is hoped that the campaign for II
Twill be completed by June / The
committee appeals to the youngest OF
the great nations OF the earth in the
name Of the oldest II calls to mem
DRY the New Worlds debt to Homer
Socrates and Phidias II should not
overlook Plato, who dreamed Of a
great republic. or Aristotle, who is
still the master OF those who knew,
Yet these are not the things
which Webster marshaled forth as
arguments in his plea. What he had
to say of Greece regards her, not
as she exists in history, triumphant
over time and tyranny, and ignor
ance; but as she now is contending
against fearful odds for being, and
for the common privileges of human
nature He showed that Greece In
her fight for freedom was not get
Ting the support from Russia which