The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-11

WASHINGTON, D. c., May TO-
George Washington and the 4,s00,-
900 men who represented America
in the recent war are TO be hon
ored together in a great memorial
auditorium in this city.
| The project is called the George
Washington Memorial because il
was started "a years ago for the
purpose of carrying out one of the
unfulfilled provisions of Washing
tons will. The war broke into the
slowly developing plans, and after
mortal took shape.
Now, plans are going rapidly for
ward. Congress has approved the
project and donated site in a cen
trail location where some of The
Temporary government Offices stood
during the war. The corner stone
was laid by President Harding last
| November, a few days after the
Unknown Soldier was honored in
the capital Mr.. Harding has been
made honorary president of the
George Washington Memorial asso-
citation, and the 100000 neces-
sary to erect the building is being
raised among states and organiZa-
/ lions. Governors of all the states
have Endorsed the plan. and Ten
nessee has authorized a bond issue
| of $4,000 as its share in the fund
Construction work will begin mkt
year, it is hoped.
! Plans for the memorial have been
approved by the National Commits
sion of Fine Arts. A model stands
in the headquarters of the memo
! rial association. II shows a four
story. square building, so broad as
| to appear very low set. The ma
terial, like most public buildings
in Washington will be white stone.
and the usual Greek effect of col
enade of pillars is used at the front
and back
| The central feature of the build
| ing is the large auditorium seating
! 1000 with suitable accommoda-
tions for national and international
gatherings
The lofty dome Of this auditor
ium is to be the specific memorial
to the soldiers and sailors and ma
rines of the World war. Each man
who fell in the war is to be repre-
scented by a gold star in the home,
and all others by blue stars. These
100000 stars are to be personal
memorials because the initials of
the men they represent are to be on
them, and it is planned that by use
of a diagram and a field glass visi-
tors to the hall will be able to To-
cate the names of their own war
heroes.
The dome of stars is expected to
prove of increasing interest with
the passing of time. In a speech
at the corner stone ceremony, Ad-
miral CoontZ, chief of naval opeT-
atoms, referred to the dome of
stars as the part of the project that
appealed to him most.
Can you not ina CINE" said the
admiral, "the children, the grand
children and the great grandchil-
dren of the great war making
Washington a mecca to visit, to
look for their ancestors star? I am
a great believer in tradition, for it
is only in the contemplation Of
great and noble deeds in the past
that we are led to the same in the
present and the future"
Around the auditorium are to be
a great many rooms. all dedicated
to patriotic and national uses. On
the first floor there will be smaller
meeting halls and two museums
which will contain collections Of
war trophies and relics, documents,
uniforms, guns and souvenirs of
famous men.
The second floor is to have a
large banquet hall where state ban
quets can be held and distinguish
ed statesmen entertained. There
will also be reception rooms and a
long row of rooms where patriotic
societies will establish permanent
headquarters. Such organizations
as the Colonial DANES. Sons of Vet
Grams and Daughters of 1912 are to
make use of these rooms, and