Evening star., 1926-01-27
CAUTION IS URGED
ON MEMORIAL PLAN
Fine Arts Body Head Ad-
vises Against Mothers
Foundation Project.

Charles Moore. chairman Of the
Commission OF Fine Arts, in a letter
under date of January %, notified
Representative Il. n. Elliott. chair
man Of the committee on public build
ings and grounds. that the commits
sion was obliged to submit an adverse
report on a House resolution to pro-
vide a site for the erection of build
ing for the Mothers Memorial Foun
dation at Washington.
Mr.. Moore pointed out that there
already is in the Mall the foundation
for building to be known as the
George Washington Memorial, which
would serve the same general purpose
as the building for the Mothers Me-
mortal proposed in the resolution.
The commission respectfully re-
ports adversely.
The Commission of Fine Arts in.
vited attention to the fact that thus
far 1t has been able to raise but
soO0.000 toward the completion Of
the George Washington Memorial,
and with this object lesson clearly
presented, the commission Is COM
PEELED TO make an adverse report on
any measure that proposes to charter
an organiza ton which would use the
authorization of Congress to obtain
funds for a project indefinite in its
character and nebulous in its appeal
Text of Letter.
The letter in full follows:
THE Commission of Fine Arts at
their meeting on January 7, 1926, gave
careful consideration to House Reso-
luton No. 80. to provide site for
80 I,,n Of
for the Mothers Foundation at Wash
ington. District of Columbia copy
Of which you transmitted with your
letter of December 21.
THE commission would call atten-
ton to the fact that already there
is in the Mall the foundation for
building having the same general pur-
pose as the building proposed in this
Joint resolution. Congress, having in
view the desirability of providing a
large auditorium and assembly room
in the City of Washington, set apart
a site in the Mall on which struc-
ture bearing the name of George
Washington Memorial should be built
by private contribution. Originally the
building proposed was to cost about
So 900 900. The sponsors of the bill in
Congress express their opinion that
such a sum might be raised, or at
least so large a fraction of 1t, that
Congress might provide for the COM
pletion of the building.
However, owing partly to increased
costs and also to more ambitious ideas
of the promoters, the plans as COM
600, 900. These revised plans were
never submitted to this commission.
Only Foundations Raised.
After years of earnest solicitation
on the part of the promoters of the
enterprise and after the expenditure
of more than 100000, as a contribu-
ton toward promotion, the sum of
$500, 90 has been raised and expended
on foundations. Here the efforts have
ceased, at least temporarily, and
humanity speaking there Is no pros
pect that the funds to erect the build
ing will be raised. Either Congress
must provide the means for complet-
ing the building on the foundation or
else the space must be cleared. The
George Washington Memorial was
presented in a manner such as would
seem to commend it to patriotically
inclined givers. 1t had the highest
political and social backing and yet
it has come to a standstill.
With this object lesson clearly
presented, the Commission of Fine
Arts Is compelled to make an adverse
report on any measure that proposes
to charter an organization, which
would, of course, use the authorize
ton of Congress in order to obtain
funds for a project indefinite in its
character and nebelous in its ap-
PEAL
The commission attached to it's
letter for the information of the COM
mittee of public buildings and grounds
it's report on the George Washington
Memorial. This report was submit
ted to Representative John W. Lang
lev, then chairman of the committee
on public buildings and grounds, un-