Evening star., 1922-02-05
BY the Associated Press.

edge ana Srateiui uho0A S.a'ie
ap:ong men.
The purpose of the memorial was
also announced as gathering place
! for Americans. where American mihdS
| could meet in fruitful EXCHANGES.
Thus, as the President suggested. tnlS
, institution of the National Capltai
! may become. through its varied uses
; a veritable university of American
citizenship 1t will fill long-felt
want. for. unhappily. though the city
! of Washington has become an inter-
ma .ional meeting place. it is not YET
| equipped with suitable assembly
rooms -,
| When completed. the building will
| house the headquarters of national,
military and patriotic organizations S,
while spacious rooms Will be set
apart for the exclusive use or the
+. states and territories. organizations
may upon request and Withont
charge. use the auditorium and as
| sembly rooms for their meetings and
| conventions.
Authorized by Congress In 1elS.
| The building, which originally was
known as the George Washington
] memorial, but later also designated
! as the Victory memorial. was autnor-
| ized by an act of Congress in i9io, 10
be erected by the George Nashins to,.
! Memorial Association, on the site OF
j the old Pennsylvania station IN tne
| mall and the spot where Garfield fell.
! IT is to be between 9Th and 7th streets
| northwest, on a line with the Ne"
| National Museum building. ihe
same act donated the land desisna'su t
and provided that the structure pc
| administered by the regents OF the
/ Smithsonian Institution. who con-
| troll the neighboring buildings.
! The design of the white stone struc-
! ture depicts a fine colonial building.
L al,
and square ground plan: From; the
| broad green mall. which bisects
! wa shington. long low steps lead
/ through the facade of majestic col
umns TO an imposing lobby, deco
! rated with historical mural paintings
| The memorial is to be or four stories
/ in height, surmounted by low dome
; which crowns/a huge central audi
, torium. -,
| The main feature Of the edif!ce will
/ be this national auditorium OF spa >
! cious dimensions. giving the nation s
! capital public meeting place Of size
| ample to seat 10000 people.
/ The ground floor of the hall IS in
/. the form of great ellipse, its ioEg
. axis running north and south. Here
! there will be seats for 6.Oao peolSe.
| while above an encircling balcony
more. There will be $4,000 square
feet of space in the main floor. which
! will contain a number of sntller
j, halls and reception rooms. spa
cious stage and George Washing
fton museum, besides the assembly
/ hall.
Use OF Auditorium.
F.! Within the auditorium may be
held future inaugural receptions,
| tions, conferences and free public
concerts Part of the funds now be-
| ing raised provide for the purchase
tof fine organ. and an endowment to
pay a musician OF national reputa-
tion is planned.
| Far above the mammoth assembly
hall will stretch an acoustical dome,
three times the diameter of St. Peters 8
| at Rome. The high-vaulted canopy
will be studded with blue and gold
I; ices rendered by over five million
Americans who fought in the, world
war.
!, Besides the oval balcony, a large
banquet hall is provided in the sec,
ond floor, seating six hundred. and
! suitable for dinners OF national i'm
:portance There also will be rooms
on the floor for the permanent head
+, quarters of military and patriotic
societies and veterans associations.
are designated for the use of states
/, and territorial possessions. The
i fourth floor is arranged for additional
! Offices for the use of various societies
, whose objects are to promote the well
! fare of the country or are of educa-
! tional influence.
1t is planned that one room Of the
; building be devoted to the use Of
| veterans of the world war. 1t will
! be endowed and provision Eil be
; world war history and pictures.
! Euv6s which Ara Renufred.
! For the erection of the building
F., half million of that sum is already
| on hand. For the endowment OF the
+! memorial, from ten to fifteen million
| dollars is desired. making total Of
But more than this amount will be
/ available if the present subscription
+! plan proves successful.
The scheme for financing the UNDER
! taking is believed to be unique, each
+. state being asked to endow service
! star for every son and daughter who
served during the world war. The
rates to be assessed are: A minimum
j; of five dollars for each blue service
star and minimum of $100 for each
f, France has her Pantheon and
| Britain her Westminster, SO now
| America may have a Victory Mensor-
| ial, revering the father of the coun-
! try and his ideals established in
I 1776, and commemorating the valor
Of the sons of the country who pre-
served them in 1917. Gen. Pershfng,
naming the edffice "a temple Of re-
, membrance to those whose valor
made it possible" expressed the hope
that ait would also be a monument to
that new era of international rela-
tionship and friendliness which alone
! will gnarantee a lasting peace"
stars to Stud Big Dome.
More than Ave millions stars-to
be exact, 5,016.S32-of which 129.979
will be Of gold and the others blue,
will stud the dome Of the gigantic
assembly hall.
That each star may be Identified by
Initials or name in full, and guided