The Washington times., 1921-02-12
STATUES WIN
CAPITAL NICHE
"Three Graces" will Be Unveiled
In R0tunda-Then Go
To Basement.


Leaders of the National Woman's
Party can thank their lucky stars
for the diplomatic use Of the names
Of Mrs. Warren G. Harding and Mrs.
Frederick II. Gillett in connection
with the unveiling, next Tuesday, Of
the suffrage memorial that will be
allowed TO stand in the rotunda Of
the Capitol-for about one brief
hour.
NAMES ON PROGRAM.
IL the names OF the wives of the
President-elect and the Speaker OF the
House had not appeared on the
premature program 10 the embarrass-
ment Of the Joint Congressional Com
mittee on the Library. IL is very
doubtful whether the memorial would
have been accepted.
when we saw those two names,
what else was there to do but to do
the graceful thing?" one of the com
mittee members explained,
But there's another reason for the
acceptance OF the memorial-and one
that hurts the pride Of the sufrragettes
1t 10 with the express stipulation
OF the Library Committee that the
statue will be presented to the Con-
gress in the name of all the women
OF the country instead of In the name
OF tho National Woman's Party:
This 10 the price OF acceptance,
the unconditional surrender which the
Library Committee demanded. The
committee put it's foot down hard on
any suggestion to the contrary. Nor
did IL give it's final consent to open
the Rotunda doors to the memorial
temporarily until the suffragette
leaders yielded.
PARTY CLAIMS VICTORY.
While the National Woman's Party
Is proclaiming another victory over
the "foes OF suffrage" by announcing
that the memorial to the three lead
ers of the early suffrage movement
Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott. and
Elizabeth Cady Stanton-had been ac-
cepted by Congress the inside facts
tell a different story.
The National Woman's Party was
told that the memorial (Which only
weighs seven and a half tons) could
not be placed permanently in the Ro-
tunda. but that the committee would
make a concession by giving permis-
sion to install VI either in the crypt
or the basement OF the Capitol build
ing.
don't crare where 1t goes, just so it's
within the four walls Of the Capitol.
Aside from the heavy weight OF the
statue, the Library Committee didn't
care to trust it's own artistic judg-
ment in the absence of a verdict
from the Fine Arts Commission. To
place such an enormous statue in the
Rutunda OF the Capitol with the per-
mission OF Uncle Sans official art
censor would be ,one thing, but to
dare attempt such a thing without
the advice OF the commission would
be altogether impossible.
CONSIGNED TO BASEMENT.
As the members OF the commission
are scattered far and wide, the Lii
brary Committee took no chances and
consigned the statue to the base
ment-provided the suffragettes want
to place IL there.
1t is impossible to estimate how
much the names of Mrs. Harding and
Mrs. GiIIett had to do with the per-
mission granted the suffragettes to
carry out their original plans to hold
the presentation exercises in the ro-
tunda. Members of the Library Com
mittee certainly were influenced by
their desire to do the gracious thing.
otherwise they might not have softened
under the urgent last moment ap-
peals.
Happy now that they won't have TO
recall the invitations to the presenta-
ton exercises, though disappointed
at the failure OF their complete plans,
the committee in charge of the ex-
ercises are making great preparations.
The statue may or may not be
brought into the rotunda for its brief
hour OF glory but a little thing like
moving seven tons and a half OF
marble isn't likely to deter Miss
Alice Paul. BY directions of the Lii
brary Committee IL will have to be re-
moved Immediately after the cere-
| monies, so as not to endanger the
floor by its great weight
Thirty-six women's organizations
are joining in the preparations and
the statue, presented in the name Of
all the women of the country. will be
| accepted on behalf of the Congress
by Speaker Gillett.