The New York herald., 1922-04-06

which an excellent View OF freak hall
could be had. Letters were then read
from various persons with ideas. DIR.
Guthrie OF St. Marks wrote:
II do not see that this youth, repre-
senting our football hero our average
stalwart doughboy, strong and uncon-
scious merely understanding his duty.
of which the Roman sword on his
shoulder is the symbol. is trampling
on any women. He Is marching eau
/ tiously forward, gripping the ground
with his toes to make sure of his foot
ing. and mermsids are attempting to
ensnare him with a net. which as IT
comes into view appears to be an in
nocent garland. From this the young
man Is attempting to disengage himself
'If the women object to the sirens
being half women, why should not the
Aquarium rise in revolt since they are
half fish, except that the fish have no
votes. or course temptation to the male
appears as female. Would the women
objectors object to Civic Virtue as a
woman trampllng upon male tcInpta-
ton? Hardly. Unfortunately for the
sculptor, the doughboys were not girls
and he had to typify Civic Virtue as
masculine. which 1t usually has been
through ages, even In Rome once so fam
Gus for her matrons: and of course
temptation has to be figured as at least
partially female"
s'Theme Most Appropriate"
that all opposition to the statue of
Civic Virtue has been based upon mis-
understanding, and ! cherish the hope
that this misunderstanding will soon
disappear and our city be enriched with
another artistic work OF the highest
distinction 1t is difficult to see how
Mr. MacMonnies could have hit upon
a theme more appropriate for the great
est maritime city of the world. and it
is equally difficult to see how the theme
could have been treated with a greater
degree of moral and artistic purity"
Then the speeches came hot and
heavy heavy. Clarice NJ. Bay
right lawyer: Mrs. d. Leigh Colvin.
Lillian Stires president of the Women's 5
National Democratic Club; Alexander
Cummings Of the University Forum, and
Joseph Johnson. Commissioner OF Pub
tic Works. opposed the erection OF the
statue Robert |. Aitken and Mrs. Eliza
beth King Black spoke for it, Aitken re-
peating his plea that the public should
be permitted TO have chance to judge
the completed work when 1t is set up
in it's proper surroundings. and Mrs.
Black asking IL there wasn't a suspicion
OF Bolshevism--the will to destroy the
beautful--in the opposition to the Mac
Monnes work.
Tncn came Commissioner Gallatin
with some ideas that seemed to sur
prise the opposition. Mr. Gallatin made
it pretty plain that the whole contro-
versy gave him a mans sized pain, and
that hundreds of thousands OF perfectly
good words had been spilled over a
silly piece OF business. He couldn't see
thing Objectionable in the group. and
he favored putting UP the statue and
iet.irg the people decide the issue.
IF the people say It is objectionable.
take ii down." said Mr.. Gallatin. In
that event we shall at least have been
fair"
II was the Mayors renewal Of David
HirshfeId's fling at Henry Smith that
caused the row between Henry and the
Mayor In the course of the hearing
the Mayor said
"I don't think II is generally known
that Mr.. Smith has been counsel for
Mr.. MacMonnies. who executed Civic
Virtue.
"why. Mr.. Mayor" Smith broke
in Indignantly, Il am surprised and
grieved TO hear you make such
Statement. You know that have
never been and am not at the
present time counsel for Mr.. Mac
ATrnnies. | am merely a friend and !
am proud to be that"
Wen go right along now" said the
Mayor.
"Oh no. you won't go right along"
said Henry Smith. mad clear through
and looking as II he would like to hit
Hon. Hylan right bang In the eye.
but noting the near presence of the
aylan womenfolk. Henry throttled his
wrath and turned away.