New-York tribune., 1922-04-06
Lei John Faithful Hylan Pose
For 'Ciuic Y irtue,' Women Plead
they Spare Not Mayors Bushes in Urging That He
Possesses Clear Title TO Perfect Model; MacMon.
nies Statue to Go in Park for Public's Decision

the first hearing that the Board Of
Estimate had no juri risdiction and tina.
the statue would be erected despite the
mayors opposition, clashed at yester-
days hearing when the Mayor implied
that Mr. Smith had been counsel for
MacMonnies. The Deputy Comptroller
had asked Alexander Cumming. who
SAID thai he represented the Univer-
sity Forum Of America, if he had seen
cast OF the statue when it was placed
IN City Hall Park some years ago. Mr..
Cumming replied that he had not, and
Mr.. Smith asked him why he was op-
posed to it if he had not seen it.
"Oh.' said the Mayor, "the Deputy
Comptroller is said to be the counsel
for MI. MacMonnies. Go right on"
mo. he will not go right on said
Mr.. Smith emphatically. "I am not
and never have been counsel for Mac
Monnies."
Called Insult to Femininity
Many of the women who were at the
first hearing to protest against the
erection of the statue were again pres
ent and voiced the same objections,
that the group was an insult to women.
Other women voiced the same line of
argument
Mrs Lillian Sires, president Of the
National Women's Democratic Club,
objected to the work because she did
not like to see her sex Just sprawling
and crawling beneath the feet of man"
Clarice NJ. Baright, lawyer, Of ITO
Broadway. who spoke as "a citizen and
lawyer" said her main objection to
the statue was that people would not
understand it. She said her clients
had to pass it when they came to her
office and that she would have to pass
her time telling them what it repre-
sented.
Joseph Johnson. Commissioner of
Public Works for Manhattan an. ~
nounced that Borough President julius
Miller was against the erection of the
group. Commissioner johnson submit
ted statement presenting his own OBJ
ectonS. The comm ssioner declared
that when he saw picture of the
MacMonnies work "it astounded me
because it did not even suggest Civic
Virtue.'' To his mind, the commits.
sioner said it did not "cven subtly
suggest it," He declared he could have
gwen i dozen names more fitting
than "Civic Virtue"
When it came the turn of the oppo-
nents to present their side of the argu-
ment the applause that greeted the
speakers showed clearly that the Mac
Monnles adherents were largely in tho
majority. Robert Aitkcn, president OF
tho American Sculptors' Society, sup.
ported the suggestion Of Park Commits
sioner Gallatin that the statue be
erected and the public given an oppor.
tunity to see it before it was con.
demned.
People to Decide, Says Mayor
Mrs. Elizabeth King Black, a mcmbe,
Of the National Woman's Party, asked
Mayor Hylan whether, in the event the
MacMonnies offering was rejected, the
anti MacMonnies faction or the people
at large should select the new one
The Mayor replied that the people gen
orally would decide.
Il wonder if some of those opposing
the MacMonnies statue" said Mrs
Black, "are not Bolsheviks at heart
who want to destroy art, history ant
religion"
| Hundreds of letters had been re
ce'ved by the Board Of Estimate sine
the first hearing from those in favo
of the erection Of the design. Anon,
| them was one from the Rev. Dr. Ernes
NJ. Stircs rector of st. Thomas's Epis
copal Church. DR.. Stiros said that h'
was confident all objection to the
statue of "Civic Virtue" had been baset
! upon misunderstanding
The Rev. DR.. William Norman
Guthrie, pastor of st. Mark's-in-t the
Bouwerie, wrote favoring the statue.