The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-04-21
HARDING WILL MD.
SOUTH IN c RE At.
MONUMENT PROBE
President CommendS CARVING
Story of Confederacy
Upon Stone Mountain

ATLANTA, April 20.-President
Harding's Endorsement of the pro-
posed memorial on Stone Mountain
to the heroes of the Confederacy was
made public here tonight at a ban
quet given by the Stone Mountain
Memorial association. The President
promised his aid and extended his
best wishes for the success of the
undertaking in a letter to Hollins n.
Randolph, chairman of the executive
committee, which was read by Colo
mel C. o. Sheriff., the President
representative.
Governors of various southern
states also Endorsed the project. Gov
errors Pea, of Tennessee, and Bran
don of Alabama, were present at the
banquet and backed up the movement
as did representatives of the COVER
nors of South Carolina, Florida, Vir-
ginia and Missouri.
1t will be one of the worlds finest
testimonies President Harding said
in his letter, "one of history's most
complete avowals, that unity and I'M
derstanding may be brought even
into the scene where faction hatred
and hostility have once reigned SUI
preme."
Presidents Letter.
Il have received with the greatest
pleasure your invitation to the con-
ference with the southern states
governors, April 20, at Atlanta, to
discuss plans of the Stone Mountain
monument to the Confederate armies.
If conditions. which would possibly
permit should unhesitatingly ac-
cept, for this gigantic work, certain
to rank among the immortal mem
oil q
made special appeal to my imagi-
nation. In communicating my pro-
found regret that l cannot join you
on this occasion, I wish at least to
express little of the feeling 1 have
for this wonderful project
The design has been explained to
me in some detail by Mr.. Borglum
and your committee: to represent in
the solid granite of Stone Mountain
the assem- bling of the Confederate
armies. l know CT no equally mag
nificent and ambitious monument
conception. Your purpose to repre-
sent in the mountains solid stone
not group, but an army ASSEMBLE
ing about its leaders; to set forth
there all the great leaders of the
southern armies. with their men To
accomplish this, an heroic scale has
been adopted, requiring that the ar
tistry shall carve its story in a ia
cade of about 1,1cO0 feet in length
by 200 in height. The central group
Generals Lee and Jackson, with
President Davis, will appear review
ing the moving army. Mr.. Borglum
tells me that the single figure of
General Lee on horseback will pro-
badly be from 100 to 1875 feet high;
the rest. in perspective of similarly
noble proportions; making an en-
semble in which the artistic unities
will be preserved throughout. The
imagination runs riot at thought of
such panorama In granite
O O o
Unity OF Nation.
Yet, even more appealing to me,
is the thought that the time has
come to our nation when the Presi-
dent may, with the completest con-
currence of united country, and
with sincerest approval, share your
pleasure and extend his aid In MAX
ing such monument possible. 1t
will be one of the worlds finest tes-
timonies, one of history's most COM
plete avowals, that unity and I'M
Outstanding may be brought even
into the scene where faction. hatred
and hostility have once reigned SUI
preme.
Il have the greatest pleasure in
wishing to the people of the south,
not only complete success in this
great work. but the cooperation
they Will so well deserve from
Americans everywhere"
Lester p. Barlowe of Cleveland. de-
clared that the people of the north
would like to assiss IN financing the
undertaking and would like to parti-
cipate. he said, in movement so
essentially southern yet, which
rightfully belongs to the nation as a
whole"