Evening star., 1926-05-30

tN0 ESC0iIoCtlOu VI Tic K0COEQ VI lie
heroes who paid the supreme sacrifice
on tho altar Of Liberty. Never doubt
ing that their souls go marching on.
and only desiring that their spirit
shall continue to dwell among us. our
Nation has, ever sincesthe end of the
war, endeavored to catch a material
likeness OF that spirit in order to per-
petuate 1t for all time. 1t has built
and is planning to build innumerable
war memorials throughout the length
and breadth Of the land. which will
perform lest we forget" function In
relation to the valorous deeds and In
comparable motives Of its soldier and
sailor dead.
A future notable memorial here will
be that which Is soon to be erected In
honor of both the dead and the living
who represented the District Of Co..
lumbia in the armed forces Of the
great World War. Upon the selected
site between the Lincoln Memorial Re.
ffecttng Pool and the Tidal Basin Will
be built beautiful temple Of white
marble as q tribute from the people
of Washington. ~
So many memorials OF all kinds, big
and little. costly anu inexpensive. ar
tisticaily inspiring and the reverse.
useful and ncn.utiii1arisn. have been
already built that in making a survey
consider almost exclusively those
erected by the various States alone,
leaving out the many statues. tablets
and other objects designed by. coun
ties, cities and private organizations
as tributes to their wartime members.
Yet even with limitation Of this
sort. full justice can be done to the
individuality Of the NATIONS memorial
builders, for the State undertakings
Sno1,.do rio nF
The records of the American Le-
gion disclose that 12 States have au-
thorized expenditures for buildings
to be dedicated as war memorials;
two have set aside stadiums for the
same purpose: four are endeavoring
properly to commemorate the aspira-
tions OF those who fought in France
by symbolic structures; one will build
a hospital as a reminder of those who
died and an aid to those who are still
carrying on; one felt that a bridge
would be the most appropriate memo
rial. and one ordered the planting Of
trees as a living tribute to those who
made continued life possible. Several
States succeeded in having statues
and markers placed on the fields Of
Flanders, where their soldiers fought,
but. such enterprises constitute an
other and quite a different story hav-
tcan Battle Monuments Commission,
OF which Gen. Pershing is the head.
x x X *
THE American Legion itself now
has it's national headquarters in a
State war memorial building. The
structure so used is a magnificent
in the city OF Indianapolis. When it
was officially rendered to the legion
by Gov. jackson OF Indiana, and ac-
cepted by James A. Drain. the then
National Legion commander. on June
II. 1925, n promise made by the State
of Indiana at the legions first ma
tional convention at Minneapolis in
1919 to erect 1.-The finest memorial
home in America" was fulfilled.
But the program mapped out by the
State of Indiana. the County of Mar
ion and the City of Indianapolis, call
ing for the expenditure Of $40 .000. 900
for the construction Of a World War
Memorial Plaza was barely begun.
The plaza is to cover an area Of five
blocks long by one block wide in the
very heart of the city of Indianapolis.
This quadrangle will be planted with
landscaped trees and shrubbery and
lawns, and will contain. In addition to
the legion building. another edthce
Society. These two will be companion
buildings hanking the dominant struc-
ture in the Memorial Plaza group, a
huge shrine Of coiumned facades, with
pyramidial base and top, which will
serve as the Indiana War Memorial.
it is estimated that fully three years
Will be required to complete the under
taking.
Another architectural masterpiece |
~ r.of i1,ofxy y1cfvYY0ffnN
the James Whitcomb Riley Library,
stands within the Plaza. and is the |
only building that did not have to be |
raZed when the ground for the me- |
mortal group was appropriated.
The legion headquarters building is |
one of which not only possesses the |
impressive grace essential to every
memorial structure, but 1t also embod |
les ideal architectural arrangement |
tending to make 1t in every way suit |
ehle for the work to be done in it. The |
exterior Is of Indiana limestone, the |
furniture throughout being American |
walnut. ~
Each OF the four floors is divided !
into office rooms for the national head |
quarters divisions Of both the Ameri- |
can Legion and the American Legion |
Auxiliary. Cases containing rare tro- |
phies and souvenirs Of the World War |
are kept in the executive suite. where |
they may be inspected by the public. |
One Of the priced possessions in the |
reception room is the original Of the |
symbolic painting America" by the |
official artist Of the French ministry |
Of war, Reni-Mel. The canvas was |
executed as an expression OF gratitude |
to America for coming to the aid Of |
stricken France in her hour Of need.
At least four States besides Indiana |
are using their memorial buildings as |
historical museums in which will be |
kept records and relics Of their sol |
diers' achievements. A building OF |
this sort is to be constructed by Ala |
bama near the Capitol at Montgom- |
cry, out Of Alabama marble, Illinois |
Is doing the same sort OF thing in Old
Salem Park. Both North and South |
Dakota will also erect memorial build.
1ngs within their State Capitol !;
grounds to be used by their respective |
for trophies Of the great war.
The need Of State war memorial |
and a State auditorium will be met |
simultaneously by the people Of Della |
ware, New Jersey and Tennessee. AS |
q supplement to its spacious assem- |
bly, hall, the Delaware structure Will |
contain q well equipped armory. A
novel feature Of the New Jersey audi |
torium will be the insertion Of 81 /!
inches or a1coves-one for each
county in the State; to use as 1t may /
desire. This building will stand on |
the conventional site, near the State /
Capitol, and will be but one story In /
height.
NEvERAL States made provision for